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 Tokina Firin 20mm F2 FE MF for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is an important deciding factor when comparing two lenses. Tokina Firin 20mm F2 FE MF is the longer of the two lenses at 69mm. The Samyang AF 18mm F2.8 FE with a length of 61mm, is 8mm shorter. On the other hand, the Samyang AF 18mm F2.8 FE has a larger diameter of 64mm compared to the Tokina Firin 20mm F2 FE MF's 62mm diameter.
The weight of a lens is as important as its external dimensions, especially if you are planning to hand hold your camera and lens combination for longer periods. Samyang AF 18mm F2.8 FE weighs 145g, which means it is 345g (70%) lighter than the Tokina Firin 20mm F2 FE MF which has a weight of 490g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Wideangle Prime Lenses in Sony E Mount for size comparison purposes.
Wideangle Prime Lenses in Sony E Mount for Size Comparison
Lens Mounts
Both the Samyang AF 18mm F2.8 FE and the Tokina Firin 20mm F2 FE MF has the same Sony E lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Sony E lenses are Sony ZV-E1, Sony A7R V and Sony FX30.
Tokina Firin 20mm F2 FE MF is also available in Sony E mount.
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.
Tokina Firin 20mm F2 FE MF is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 20mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 30mm.