Is the Samyang 16 mm F2.0 still in brilliant sharpness, if not using sharpening in-camera?
In reaction to my main video review about the Samyang 16 mm F2.0 someone seamed to be in a slightly doubt, if this lens is really as good as I say.
Samyang 16 mm F2.0: great sharpness + low distortion + low CAs
„You did not apply sharpening in-camera, right?“ so he asked. – No, I’m familiar in using an individual pre-adjustment: via „user definition“ I change the „picture style“ slightly – to cuddle the sensor for a pinch more of sharpness.
I want to be sincere: I found out that in my opinion best results can be reached with pre-adjustments out of standard. I use the manual „user definitions“ of „picture style“ to adjust the exposures. – In my video about the Samyang 10 mm F2.8 I explain that I had come to a slightly modification. This is the same for both of my cameras, the Canon EOS 60D as well as the 7D („old“ and first generation, so to say „mark 1“): the sensors of both cameras are the same.
standard „picture style“
I do not know if Canon wants to correct an optical lack – or a lack of the sensor, when modifying the sharpness with 3 of 7 possible units. However, I found out that best results are reached with 5 units in sharpness, 1 unit in contrast, 1 unit in saturation and no correction of the color tone: 5, 1, 1, 0. – This is my individual modification! Combined with using RAW-formate only.
my standard definition
Nevertheless I’m sure…
no-one will be disappointed of the Samyang 16 mm F2.0!
I say this for anyone who is able to arrange with a manual lens and does not need to be supported by automatic function (e.g. like autofocus). Only those of you, using Nikon-bodies, will be able to manage the aperture of the lens via camera.
First, we talk about nuances of sharpness, that I pull up this way. This way you can keep any shade of ability, a lens can offer. Second, I do this with any of my lenses, so that the conditions of all my comparisons are the same.
However, see by yourself! Click on this links to reach two PDF-documents:
Sy16mmComparison_InCamPreAdjust
+ one to compare the results of exposures with the Samyang 16 mm F2.0, focused to infinity, with details of landscape and houses, with all informations you need;
+ a second to compare the abilities of the Samyang 16 mm F2.0 at a focal distance of only 45 cm or less than one and a half foot. Simply reproducing a newspaper in uneven light, I present detailed structures at any shade of whites, greys and blacks.
Both comparisons depending on three different pre-adjustments of the camera: my individual adjustment (5, 1, 1, 0); not any correctings (0, 0, 0, 0); finally with standard picture style (3, 0, 0, 0). – Nevertheless, this PDF-documents do not offer the real sharpness, I can find in my original photographies. Unfortunately there is a loss of quality, after implanting to the website. And I do really not know why.