The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Sony FE 28-70mm F3.5-5.6 and the Samyang 12mm 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. Sony FE 28-70mm F3.5-5.6 is the longer of the two lenses at 83mm. The Samyang 12mm f2.0 with a length of 59mm, is 24mm shorter. On the other hand, there is no difference between the max diameters of these lenses, both coming at 73mm.
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 12mm f2.0 weighs 260g, 11% (35g) lighter than the Sony FE 28-70mm F3.5-5.6's weight of 295g.
Filter Threads
The Sony FE 28-70mm F3.5-5.6 has a filter size of 55mm whereas the Samyang 12mm f2.0 has a 67mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 55mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Sony FE 28-70mm F3.5-5.6:
And these are the 67mm filters that we recommend for the Samyang 12mm f2.0:
Lens Mounts
The Sony FE 28-70mm F3.5-5.6 has the Sony E lens mount whereas the Samyang 12mm f2.0 has the Micro Four Thirds lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Sony FX5, Sony A7R VI and Sony A7 V for the Sony E Mount and , and for the Micro Four Thirds Mount.
Samyang 12mm f2.0 is also available in Canon EF-M , Fujifilm X, Sony E and Samsung NX mounts.
Focal Range
Sony FE 28-70mm F3.5-5.6 has a focal range of 28-70mm and
2.5X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
42 - 105mm.
On the other hand, the Samyang 12mm f2.0 is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 12mm which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 18mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
