The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Samyang AF 18mm F2.8 FE and the Samyang 16mm f2.0 for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is a crucial factor to consider when comparing two lenses. Samyang 16mm f2.0 is the longer of the two lenses at 89mm. The Samyang AF 18mm F2.8 FE with a length of 61mm, is 28mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Samyang 16mm f2.0 also has a larger diameter of 83mm compared to the Samyang AF 18mm F2.8 FE's 64mm diameter.
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 AF 18mm F2.8 FE weighs 145g, which means it is 438g (75%) lighter than the Samyang 16mm f2.0 which has a weight of 583g.
Filter Threads
The Samyang AF 18mm F2.8 FE has a filter size of 58mm whereas the Samyang 16mm f2.0 has a 77mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 58mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Samyang AF 18mm F2.8 FE:
And these are the 77mm filters that we recommend for the Samyang 16mm f2.0:
Lens Mounts
Both the Samyang AF 18mm F2.8 FE and the Samyang 16mm f2.0 has the same Sony E lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Sony E lenses are Sony A9 III, Sony A7C Mark II and Sony A7CR.
Samyang 16mm f2.0 is also available in Canon EF , Canon EF-M, Fujifilm X, Nikon F (DX), Four Thirds, Micro Four Thirds, Pentax KAF, Sony Alpha and Samsung NX mounts.
Focal Range
Samyang AF 18mm F2.8 FE is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 18mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
27mm.
On the other hand, the Samyang 16mm f2.0 is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 16mm which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 24mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.