The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Sigma 12-24mm F4.5-5.6 EX DG HSM and the Samyang 8mm F3.5 Fisheye 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. Sigma 12-24mm F4.5-5.6 EX DG HSM is the longer of the two lenses at 103mm. The Samyang 8mm F3.5 Fisheye with a length of 77mm, is 26mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Sigma 12-24mm F4.5-5.6 EX DG HSM also has a larger diameter of 87mm compared to the Samyang 8mm F3.5 Fisheye's 75mm 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 8mm F3.5 Fisheye weighs 443g, 26% (157g) lighter than the Sigma 12-24mm F4.5-5.6 EX DG HSM's weight of 600g.
Lens Mounts
Both the Sigma 12-24mm F4.5-5.6 EX DG HSM and the Samyang 8mm F3.5 Fisheye has the same Sony Alpha lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Sony Alpha lenses are Sony A99 II, Sony A68 and Sony A77 II.
Sigma 12-24mm F4.5-5.6 EX DG HSM is also available in the Canon EF , Pentax KAF, Sigma SA and Nikon F (FX) mounts.
Samyang 8mm F3.5 Fisheye is also available in Canon EF , Nikon F (DX), Four Thirds, Pentax KAF and Samsung NX mounts.
Focal Range
Sigma 12-24mm F4.5-5.6 EX DG HSM has a focal range of 12-24mm and
2.0X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
18 - 36mm.
On the other hand, the Samyang 8mm F3.5 Fisheye is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 8mm which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 12mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
