The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Samyang 50mm F1.4 FE II and the Tokina atx-m 56mm F1.4 E 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 50mm F1.4 FE II is the longer of the two lenses at 89mm. The Tokina atx-m 56mm F1.4 E with a length of 72mm, is 17mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Samyang 50mm F1.4 FE II also has a larger diameter of 80mm compared to the Tokina atx-m 56mm F1.4 E's 65mm 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. Tokina atx-m 56mm F1.4 E weighs 315g, 25% (105g) lighter than the Samyang 50mm F1.4 FE II's weight of 420g.
Filter Threads
The Samyang 50mm F1.4 FE II has a filter size of 72mm whereas the Tokina atx-m 56mm F1.4 E has a 52mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 72mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Samyang 50mm F1.4 FE II:
And these are the 52mm filters that we recommend for the Tokina atx-m 56mm F1.4 E:
Lens Mounts
Both the Samyang 50mm F1.4 FE II and the Tokina atx-m 56mm F1.4 E has the same Sony E lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Sony E lenses are Sony FX5, Sony A7R VI and Sony A7 V.
Focal Range
Samyang 50mm F1.4 FE II is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 50mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
75mm.
On the other hand, the Tokina atx-m 56mm F1.4 E is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 56mm which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 84mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
