Rokinon 12mm F20 Ncs Cs Ultra Wide Angle Lens Review

Rokinon 12mm f2.0 NCS CS Lens Review for Fujifilm 10 Mountain:

If you're looking for lenses for your Fujifilm X Serial camera, there are tons of great ones from a variety of manufacturers to choose from at present.  One manufacturer whose products that, for the nearly part, I've liked is Rokinon.  I've review a lot of their lenses in the by, and each 1 offered great prototype quality, and decent build all while existence priced but right.  Recently, I've had the opportunity to endeavor another lens by Rokinon, the 12mm f2.0 NCS CS lens .  This isn't a new lens but the size, the operation, maximum discontinuity speed, and toll, especially now, since it is currently $150 off for a holiday special, get in quite a desirable lens on paper.  Permit's take a closer look at information technology.

Rokinon 12mm f2.0 NCS CS Lens Build Quality:

Let's beginning have a look at the Rokinon 12mm f2.0's build quality.  Overall, its build is quite good when you consider the cost.  The 12mm f2 is fabricated from a combination of by and large high quality plastic and some metallic mainly where the mountain is located.  It feels quite solid in the easily with absolutely no creaks or rattles of whatsoever kind.  The aperture ring clicks solidly as you rotate it.  The focus band is very shine and offers a bit of a tighter feel, which is something I'1000 really a fan of, and a trait I've noticed in other Rokinon lenses.  The Rokinon 12mm f2 besides comes in black or silver, so it'll match whatever camera torso you have perfectly.  The one in this review is the Fujifilm Ten mountain version simply yous can besides purchase this lens in Sony E mount , Canon EF-M mount , and Micro Four Thirds mountain every bit well.

↑ Here'south the Fuji X-T3 with the Rokinon 12mm f2 NCS CS lens attached.

It's worth noting that while the 12mm has a maximum aperture of f2, it certainly does not pay for information technology in terms of weight and size.  Just look at the photos, and yous'll see what I mean.  This lens is ultra compact!  Weight wise, it'southward just 260 one thousand, and as for size, information technology feels but like whatsoever other compact everyday lens that you lot'd use for say street shooting.  It'south actually more meaty than my Zeiss Touit 12mm f2.8  despite beingness a stop faster.  It's also virtually the aforementioned size as Fujifilm's own  XF 14mm f2.viii although both the Zeiss and Fuji offering autofocus.  In my stance, this is how an ultra wide bending lens should be like.  It's something that you're going to walk around with a lot; therefore, it should be something that is easy to behave around, and won't tire you out at the end of the twenty-four hours.  Considering of the size, it is as well discreet, then if yous happen to use ultra wides for street photography, the Rokinon 12mm f2 is a fantastic selection.

I'k also happy to report that the 12mm f2 does come with a lens hood that is also reversible for like shooting fish in a barrel storage.  Information technology's one of those petal shaped ones, and it does help not but with flare merely also with protecting the front chemical element from light bumps.  Attaching information technology only requires a uncomplicated twist; it'll make a clicking noise, and it won't come up loose unless you determine to remove it.

↑ The lens hood is quite expert, and information technology is reversible for easy storage.

Rokinon 12mm f2.0 NCS CS Lens Focusing:

So, as I kind of stated above, the 12mm f2.0 NCS CS lens is a transmission focus lens.  Nonetheless, for those who are wary of manual focus lenses, given the wide depth of field that a 12mm offers, focusing isn't hard at all.  I constitute even at f2, the 12mm is easy to focus.  The methods I used to focus this lens were a combination of focus peaking and magnification.  Only more often than not focus peaking was plenty.

The truth is, critical focusing isn't something I commonly worry nearly much when it comes to ultra wide angle lenses.  I much adopt to only cease them downwardly a chip.  For street photography or cityscape, I just ready the lens at a smaller aperture, and shot my Fuji 10-T3 (which is the camera I used to exam this lens) like a betoken and shoot.  All I had to exercise was worry about the framing.  That's it.  That'due south 1 of the things that I love about ultra wide angle lenses.

Rokinon 12mm f2.0 NCS CS Lens Image Quality:

Allow'southward talk about the image quality now.  From my past experiences, I've always been happy with how Rokinon lenses performed overall merely I wasn't certain what to expect this fourth dimension around because if y'all think about it, the 12mm f2.0 NCS CS lens is pretty cheap when you consider what yous're getting, which is an ultra broad angle lens that also has a large maximum aperture.  A design like this isn't always piece of cake to accomplish, especially if you lot have a lower cost betoken y'all need to accomplish.  Nevertheless, I'm happy to report that this lens is quite exceptional in the way that information technology performs, and it definitely matches the abilities of past Rokinon lens I've tested then far.

↑ This was taken at f5.six in the afternoon.  Together with the sensor, this lens records colour quite nicely.  160 ISO was used.

↑ These performers are crazy expert.  This was taken in Washington Square Park.  1250 ISO was used.

↑ This was taken at f5.6 with black, and white conversion done in Camera Raw, Photoshop CC.  yard ISO was used.

For ane, I establish this lens to be very sharp.  Fifty-fifty at f2.0, sharpness in the center is excellent.  The corners are decent only there is a footling softness.  Zippo out of the ordinary considering nosotros're talking f2 with a 12mm lens though.  As you stop it down, sharpness overall increases.  I'd say the sweet spot for this lens is somewhere around f5.6 to f8.  Overall, I found the lens' sharpness is downright impressive considering it'due south a 12mm with a maximum discontinuity of f2.0.

↑ This was taken at f2.0. 160 ISO was used.

↑ Here'south a 100% crop of the photograph above.

↑ This is just a sample photo for sharpness test.  This was taken at f8, 160 ISO.

↑ Here's a 100% ingather of the photograph above.

↑ This shot was taken at f8, 320 ISO.

↑ Here's a 100% ingather of the photograph to a higher place.

Other characteristics and traits of the 12mm f2.0 NCS CS lens include great color rendering and dissimilarity.  I just feel like this lens produces a really prissy look overall.  There'due south nice pop in the photos, for instance.  When I'yard using the 12mm f2.0, I don't feel similar I'grand using anything that is junior to my Zeiss Touit 12mm f2.viii or fifty-fifty the XF 14mm f2.viii R lens even though both those lenses are significantly more than expensive.  I did experience the occasional bit of flare though; notwithstanding, it'south non significant plenty that I would exist deterred from ownership this lens.  The lens hood actually worked pretty well for those occasional moments when I did have a little flare.

↑ This was taken at f5.vi.  I used 160 ISO.

↑ Hither's another taken at f5.6.  160 ISO was used.

↑ This was taken at f8, 320 ISO.

As for vignetting, the 12mm f2.0 NCS CS lens  did exhibit some.  For instance, it is definitely apparent at f2 but stopping down to but f2.eight does reduce it significantly.  By f4, most of information technology is gone just go on in mind that vignetting never really goes abroad with this lens.  Yet, if you're not shooting white walls all the time haha, I doubt you lot'll notice it.  Plus, this isn't out of the ordinary considering this is a fast ultra wide angle lens.

↑ This was taken at f4.  640 ISO was used.

↑ This was taken at f8.  200 ISO was used.

↑ This was taken later almost night time using 3200 ISO.

Since this is an f2 lens, I'm sure many of you lot are wondering almost the bokeh.  Keep in mind that this is a an ultra wide angle lens, then even at f2, in that location'due south yet a good amount of depth of field.  In other words, you would have to become pretty close to your field of study to run into whatsoever real meaning bokeh.  Information technology's just not actually a bokeh lens in my opinion.

↑ Here'due south one taken at f2.  640 ISO was used.

↑ This was taken at f5.6 using 3200 ISO.

↑ This was taken at f8 in Washington Square Park. 160 ISO was used.

Rokinon 12mm f2.0 NCS CS Lens Pros And Cons:

Rokinon 12mm f2.0 NCS CS Lens Pros:

• Made well.
• Compact and light.
• Comes with a decent lens hood.
• A big maximum aperture.
• Fantabulous image quality.
• Price makes this lens a steal in my opinion.

Rokinon 12mm f2.0 NCS CS Lens Cons:

• This lens does vignette flake.
• Hard to really call back of annihilation significant given the price and overall quality.

Rokinon 12mm f2.0 NCS CS Lens Verdict:

Overall, I am quite impressed with the 12mm f2.0 NCS CS lens .  It's made well, compact, light, and you're getting an ultra wide angle lens with a big maximum aperture for a fantastic price.  Y'all would think for a lens costing $399 (currently $249 for the holidays), you would have to cede somewhere.  Usually, that cede is in the optics only on the contrary, if you choose to buy this lens, don't feel similar y'all're settling because you're non paying twice the price to get the Fuji version or whatever else, for case.  That'south because I feel the epitome quality from this lens is excellent, and I think information technology gives a lot of lenses out in that location costing more a run for their coin.  I accept non done whatsoever comparing tests but from simply what I run across, I recall the images are very comparable with what you'd get from some college priced lenses.  It'south worth noting that you also get the f2.0 maximum aperture too.

↑ One more shot of the Fuji X-T3 with the Rokinon 12mm f2.0 NCS CS lens.

Of course, this lens is manual focus, and for some, this may be a turn off.  I'k not a huge fan of manual focus lenses.  Just being that the 12mm f2.0 NCS CS lens  is an ultra wide angle lens, critical focusing isn't such a pain.  You can even stop information technology downwards a scrap,  and just depend on the big depth of field.  That'due south what I did generally, and that's how I shoot most of my wide angle lenses in general.

So, to make a long story curt, if you lot're looking for just a great ultra wide angle lens that you can carry effectually with you all the time, and something that simply produces vivid images all without draining every penny out of your wallet, look no further.  The Rokinon 12mm f2.0 is definitely 1 of your best options.

Thanks for taking the time to read my review!  If you're because purchasing the Rokinon 12mm f2.0, and my review helped y'all decide, please aid support this site by purchasing from the links beneath or whatever mentioned in this review.  It will non cost y'all anything actress.Thank you for your support!

Rokinon 12mm f2.0 NCS CS lens at B&H Photograph Black or Silver

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Source: https://findingrange.com/2019/12/10/rokinon-12mm-f2-0-ncs-cs-lens-review-for-fujifilm-x-mount/

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