Review on Samyang SYIO35AF-E 35mm f/2.8 Ultra Compact Wide Angle Lens for 📷 Sony E Mount Full Frame, Black: Optimal Solution for Stunning Wide Angle Photography by James Hova

This lens was purchased for use on the A7R II. I opened the box and was pleasantly surprised to see a decent case included, not usually found in a box of much more expensive lenses. The overall build quality of the body is about what I would expect given the reasonable price. After seamlessly connecting to my camera, I was very excited and thought how nice it would be to carry around such a light and compact full-frame camera. The pleasant perspective ended abruptly there when I turned on the camera to reveal a blurred image and an aperture setting that didn't register on the display. Toggling through the camera menu settings just showed the message that the lens is not installed or not supported. Even turning the focus ring gave no response when attempting to focus manually. Of course, I've tried reconnecting and using other troubleshooting methods, but to no avail. The lens was delivered new and defective. With all the reviews raving about good autofocus and optics for the price, I had really high hopes. Now I don't want to try any other Samyang/Rokinon product because of the obviously poor quality control. If I replaced it with a working model I would expect it to fail and never trust it enough to take it out without a backup. The company's well-known bad guarantee doesn't help. $250 might be cheap for a lens, but it still isn't a waste of money to me. If you buy this lens, make sure you do it from a seller who makes returns as easy as possible. Update: After much deliberation I have decided to give this lens another try given the many good reviews and the fact that the price is a fraction. its Sony counterpart. A few months have passed and I am happy to report that I have had no problems with this copy. The performance far outweighs the cost and is on par with my Tamron 75mm-200mm f2.4 at 35mm, save for a bit more focus finding in low light.