Advice about ultrawide lens I bought Samyang12mm
Sep 27, 2020 19:43:59 #
I bought the Samyang 12mm F2.0 for using on my Sony a6000 crop sensor camera. I own the kit lens 16-50mm. Thought the 12mm would give me more "drama" and pop for my landscapes, but it works like an 18mm on the crop and the photos don't have much depth. The subject gets pushed so far back...
It is a manual focus lens. Got good reviews. I just wonder if it is worth having since the kit lens covers that same 18mm. I'll post a couple of photos for samples. I'm a beginner and don't do great editing (use Luminar 4). I did a couple flower shots with the lens too. Reviews say good for landscape, architecture, astro. Would I be better off with an 8mm? The 10-20 zooms I see are more than I can spend. The Samyang is very reasonable.
Critiques welcome. Thanks for any suggestions on lens, etc.
It is a manual focus lens. Got good reviews. I just wonder if it is worth having since the kit lens covers that same 18mm. I'll post a couple of photos for samples. I'm a beginner and don't do great editing (use Luminar 4). I did a couple flower shots with the lens too. Reviews say good for landscape, architecture, astro. Would I be better off with an 8mm? The 10-20 zooms I see are more than I can spend. The Samyang is very reasonable.
Critiques welcome. Thanks for any suggestions on lens, etc.
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Sep 27, 2020 19:47:11 #
When I bought an ultra-wide lens for my Canon T3i, I looked at photos and articles online for composition tips. As you've discovered with landscapes, with an ultra-wide angle in particular you really need a large foreground element to lead into the scene, and ideally, layers of interest (foreground, middle, distant).
I would also suggest shooting earlier or later in the day for more definition with shadows (e.g. side lighting) and more pleasing color of light (golden hour). A careful exposure and some editing could help the skies in #3 and #4.
For me, the unique rock structure of #6 is of more interest than the open area leading to it. Telephoto lenses can be great for landscapes!
In the last image the delicate flowers are lost in the busy background. This is another shot that might benefit from telephoto/close-up rather than wide angle.
They are unique lenses for sure, and do require a different way of thinking
This barely edited (compared to my interests these days, lol) photo was my favorite with my lens. The closest apple is at minimum focusing distance, 8 inches.
I would also suggest shooting earlier or later in the day for more definition with shadows (e.g. side lighting) and more pleasing color of light (golden hour). A careful exposure and some editing could help the skies in #3 and #4.
For me, the unique rock structure of #6 is of more interest than the open area leading to it. Telephoto lenses can be great for landscapes!
In the last image the delicate flowers are lost in the busy background. This is another shot that might benefit from telephoto/close-up rather than wide angle.
They are unique lenses for sure, and do require a different way of thinking
This barely edited (compared to my interests these days, lol) photo was my favorite with my lens. The closest apple is at minimum focusing distance, 8 inches.
Sep 27, 2020 20:22:15 #
One more comment: as to whether you would be "better off" with an 8 mm, it depends on what you want to photograph. I ran out of subjects pretty quickly with my 10-18 mm. Expansive landscape views are too distant and small, as you found. And I often couldn't get close enough to an interesting foreground in my county, where barbed wire fences and deep ditches are the norm 
Sep 27, 2020 20:23:14 #
Linda From Maine wrote:
When I bought an ultra-wide lens for my Canon T3i,... (show quote)
Thanks for all your great advice and suggestions. Perhaps I am trying to use the 12mm for the wrong photos? It is very difficult to capture the grandeur of Colorado's vast landscapes. I have a kit 55-210 zoom. Do use for landscapes too.
Yes, I should pick better times of day. I read to expose for the sky...but I ended up with such dark foregrounds! (Not done in #3 or 4!) Need to work on that. For #6, I sure didn't want all that vast foreground! The lens accentuated it. Taken in Roxborough State Park (at noon! 90 degrees!)
And yes, the flower background is too busy. The shot was very dark---I was pleased the flowers themselves turned out at all! Clearly not a good use of the lens!
I really appreciate your help, Linda.
Sep 27, 2020 20:25:39 #
dbfalconer wrote:
This is a beauty! I love the drama of the bright color against dark background.Thanks for all your great advice and suggestions. ... (show quote)
With high contrast shots, if you are not so interested in shooting raw and editing, do exposure bracketing (preferably using a tripod). With 3 shots, you'll get one like you have shown in this thread, then one exposed for the sky and one exposed for the trees. They will combine in your camera to, hopefully, get detail in all parts. With experience, you'll learn how far apart to set the exposures (such as 1 stop over, and 1 stop under the "average.")
I re-wrote my first comments to you (you have quoted almost the final draft
), and added one more note in a new entry. Sorry for not getting my thoughts together better before starting to write.All the best!
Sep 27, 2020 20:32:39 #
Linda From Maine wrote:
This is a beauty! I love the drama of the bright color against dark background.
I re-wrote my first comments to you (you have quoted almost the final draft), and added one more note in a new entry. Sorry for not getting my thoughts together better before starting to write.
All the best!
I re-wrote my first comments to you (you have quoted almost the final draft
), and added one more note in a new entry. Sorry for not getting my thoughts together better before starting to write.All the best!
Ha! I saw the message kept changing! Thought I had misread it! No worries! Thanks!
Sep 27, 2020 21:05:39 #
[quote=Linda From Maine]One more comment: as to whether you would be "better off" with an 8 mm, it depends on what you want to photograph. I ran out of subjects pretty quickly with my 10-18 mm. Expansive landscape views are too distant and small, as you found. And I often couldn't get close enough to an interesting foreground
I'll have to look for examples of 8mm on my crop sensor and see what folks do with it. I don't want an extreme fisheye look very often, of course.
I think you are near Yakima, if I recall. I hope you have not suffered too much from the awful fires up that way. We have had lots of smoke from CO fires, but nothing like OR and WA and CA have endured. Our son is in Arlington WA. Sent some smoky photos. Be safe!
I'll have to look for examples of 8mm on my crop sensor and see what folks do with it. I don't want an extreme fisheye look very often, of course.
I think you are near Yakima, if I recall. I hope you have not suffered too much from the awful fires up that way. We have had lots of smoke from CO fires, but nothing like OR and WA and CA have endured. Our son is in Arlington WA. Sent some smoky photos. Be safe!
Sep 27, 2020 21:21:06 #
dbfalconer wrote:
I live right in Yakima. We were very fortunate to have only a week of unbreathable air (from OR and CA), and one fairly close fire that "only" burned six homes, but much of the beautiful Yakima River Canyon area where I photo'd eagles, bighorn sheep and landscapes for several years....I think you are near Yakima, if I recall. I hope you have not suffered too much from the awful fires up that way. We have had lots of smoke from CO fires, but nothing like OR and WA and CA have endured. Our son is in Arlington WA. Sent some smoky photos. Be safe!
Terrible tragedies in many parts of our country this year.
Thanks for your good wishes!
Sep 28, 2020 06:01:36 #
dbfalconer wrote:
I bought the Samyang 12mm F2.0 for using on my So... (show quote)
In your big and wide open country I would think ultra wide not to be a good choice for landscape. I would not expect to need wider than 18mm equiv, used only occasionally. Wide angle can lead to fairly harsh cropping, which itself may lead to stronger PP - including the risk of over-sharpening. An 18-50 lens (28-75 eq) makes a good all rounder for landscape, and is easier for composition (quite close to my M4/3 14-42). MHO
Sep 28, 2020 06:19:10 #
"Go wide or go home." The wider the lens the more important the Foreground becomes. In your neck-of-the-woods, beautiful backgrounds are everywhere. With Dramatic Lighting and a strong foreground, you can make some killer images (like Linda's Apple shot).
Sep 28, 2020 07:04:34 #
Your 12 mm lens is doing its job. Wide angle photography is a little bit different since, as it has been already said, foregrounds become very important. Those foregrounds are expanded while the background recedes.
Linda has given you good advise. Light can make or break a photograph. Lenses in general tend to render excellent colors and details when the light is soft. The color of the light also makes a big influence in the outcome of the image and a good example is the late afternoon light.
Your kid lens is a 16 mm that has a field of view of 24 mm so that is different to having a field of view of 18 mm with the Samyang. For many photographers the 24 mm field of view is all they need. In my particular case I do not use ultra wide lenses often. The field of view of a 35 mm lens is what I use more often. When I have to go wide my favorite lens is the old Nikon 12-24 f4 AF-S and I am using that lens with my so called full frame camera between 18-24 mm without vignettes.
Your lens seems alright to me. If you keep it or not it is your decision.
Linda has given you good advise. Light can make or break a photograph. Lenses in general tend to render excellent colors and details when the light is soft. The color of the light also makes a big influence in the outcome of the image and a good example is the late afternoon light.
Your kid lens is a 16 mm that has a field of view of 24 mm so that is different to having a field of view of 18 mm with the Samyang. For many photographers the 24 mm field of view is all they need. In my particular case I do not use ultra wide lenses often. The field of view of a 35 mm lens is what I use more often. When I have to go wide my favorite lens is the old Nikon 12-24 f4 AF-S and I am using that lens with my so called full frame camera between 18-24 mm without vignettes.
Your lens seems alright to me. If you keep it or not it is your decision.
Sep 28, 2020 08:20:14 #
Delderby wrote:
In your big and wide open country I would think ul... (show quote)
I appreciate your advice and explanation. Despite reading lots of reviews and looking at photos, I guess I didn’t really grasp the concept of ultrawide. Thanks!
Sep 28, 2020 08:23:24 #
cameraf4 wrote:
"Go wide or go home." The wider the lens the more important the Foreground becomes. In your neck-of-the-woods, beautiful backgrounds are everywhere. With Dramatic Lighting and a strong foreground, you can make some killer images (like Linda's Apple shot).
Loved Linda’s shot. The lens certainly has good application. Might not be meant for what I expected. Have to re-think my goal. Thanks for your tips.
Sep 28, 2020 08:30:31 #
camerapapi wrote:
Your 12 mm lens is doing its job. Wide angle photo... (show quote)
Your comments are very helpful. I don’t think I’m ready for this lens. It was something of an impulse buy (out of character for frugal me!)
I have more basic photography techniques I need to work on, I think. Especially paying more attention to light—and getting out much earlier in the day! Thanks for your thoughts.
Sep 28, 2020 08:36:07 #
Linda From Maine wrote:
When I bought an ultra-wide lens for my Canon T3i,... (show quote)
Thanks for including your great apple shot. It gave me a new perspective on the potential and better application of this lens and the concept of ‘ultrawide.’
Think I’ll work on the bracketing and try to shoot in softer light. Lots to learn!
I always appreciate your posts.
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