The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Samyang 8mm F2.8 Fisheye and the Rokinon 8mm f3.5 Fisheye for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The weight of a lens is equally significant as its external dimensions, particularly if you intend to handhold your camera and lens combination for extended periods. Samyang 8mm F2.8 Fisheye weighs 265g, which means it is 178g (40%) lighter than the Rokinon 8mm f3.5 Fisheye which has a weight of 443g.
Lens Mounts
The Samyang 8mm F2.8 Fisheye has the Samsung NX lens mount whereas the Rokinon 8mm f3.5 Fisheye has the Sony Alpha lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Samsung NX1, Samsung NX3000 and Samsung NX30 for the Samsung NX Mount and Sony A68, Sony A77 II and Sony A58 for the Sony Alpha Mount.
Samyang 8mm F2.8 Fisheye is also available in the Sony E mount.
Rokinon 8mm f3.5 Fisheye is also available in Canon EF , Nikon F (FX), Four Thirds, Pentax KAF and Samsung NX mounts.
Focal Range
Both lenses have the same focal range of
8mm but while Samyang 8mm F2.8 Fisheye has the fastest aperture of
F2.8, the Rokinon 8mm f3.5 Fisheye's widest aperture value is
F3.5.
