Samyang's Slower 35mm Lens
Samyang released a new slower 35mm lens this week that trades top speed for creative freedom — a move that sparked discussion among creative and wedding shooters about aesthetic priorities over specs. The lens positions itself for cinematic, intentional shooting rather than action sports. (x.com)
LK SAMYANG announced the AF 35mm F1.8 P FE on March 26, 2026 as the latest addition to its Prima series. (dpreview.com: ) The lens deliberately uses a maximum aperture of f/1.8 — slower than Samyang’s 35mm f/1.4 P introduced in 2024 — and weighs 216 g with a length of about 72 mm and a 62 mm filter thread. (digitalcameraworld.com: ) (yahoo.com: ) Optical and build details include four specialized optics (including XHR elements), UMC II coating, an AF/MF switch, USB‑C port for firmware updates, weather sealing, and a close-focus distance around 0.27 m with 0.19x magnification reported in hands-on coverage. (petapixel.com: ) (phototrend.fr: ) Samyang markets the AF 35mm F1.8 P FE as a compact “everyday” hybrid-creator lens that prioritizes portability and dependable autofocus over the faster maximum aperture of its sibling models. (sonyalpharumors.com: ) (petapixel.com: ) Availability is listed as late March 2026 through LK SAMYANG’s distribution network, while official US retail pricing has not been posted by Samyang; NotebookCheck cited an approximate street price of ~$260, though that figure is not confirmed by the manufacturer. (sonyalpharumors.com: ) (notebookcheck.net: ) In the U.S. market the Prima-series lenses are commonly sold under the Rokinon/Samyang distribution umbrella, and reviewers have framed the new 35mm’s slower aperture as an intentional tradeoff to favor cinematic, intentional shooting rather than fast-action or low-light performance. (digitalcameraworld.com: ) (lksamyang.com: )
