This has to be one of the oddest releases I have seen in some time. Samyang has announced a Manual Focus Adapter for its V-AF Series lenses. In my opinion, it is a little strange to make an AF lens, then call it a cinema lens, and then make a manual focus adapter.
The V-AF range has an electronic connector on the front of the lens which enables communication between the V-AF lens and its accessories.
In Samyang’s exact words, they say ‘This accessory allows you precise and detailed aperture control and provides professional filming experience.’
Key features
- Standard 95mm diameter for compatibility with matt boxes
- Industry-standard 0.8 MOD, close focus distance
- Built-in tally lamp
- Dual scale with both feet and meters
- 300° focus ring rotation
- Mechanical Manual Focus
The adapter features a 95mm front diameter so you can use it with matte boxes that either have a 95mm adapter or with matte boxes that utilize a rubber donut.
The Adapter has scales for both feet and meters, and a focus rotation of 300°. The focus ring features industry standard 0.8 pitch gears.
When using the adapter, the MF ring on the V-AF lens can also be used as an aperture ring if you want to use AF. There is also a tally lamp on the front of the adapter.
To use the adapter you need to update your lens firmware to the latest version in order to use all the new features of the adapter properly.
If you are not familiar with the Samyang V-AF Series they are being touted as the world’s first AF cine lenses. Calling these cine primes, at least in my opinion, is a bit of a stretch, especially considering they don’t even have a manual aperture or any focus or aperture markings.
The new range consists of the following focal lengths and they are only available in Sony E-mount:
- 20mm T1.9
- 24mm T1.9
- 35mm T1.9
- 45mm T1.9
- 75mm T1.9
The V-AF range was created for video creators, ranging from single-person operators and small productions up to larger productions and established cinematographers. The whole concept was to design a cine lens with AF capabilities. This is useful when working with cameras mounted on gimbals and drones etc.
The lenses cover a 43.3mm image circle so they can be used on full-frame sensors. The lenses only feature a 70mm front diameter which means you would have to use adapter rings if you wanted to run a matte box.
The optical design of the lenses is based on still lens designs. The optics have not been made specifically for a cine lens.
Standby Mode 
Recording
There is a Tally Lamp that displays the filming status with an LED light so you can tell if the camera is recording or not. The focus ring has been redesigned to allow a follow focus to be used without the need for additional accessories. There is also a custom switch and a focus button.
Samyang states that the lenses have a linear MF mode that offers up to 300 degrees of rotation. It will be interesting to see how this works as most AF lenses with MF capabilities leave a lot to be desired.
The lens series features a compact and lightweight design, and Samyang has said that they were designed that way so that they could be optimized for working on cameras mounted to gimbals and drones. The lenses are 72.1 mm long and they weigh 280g. The reason they only weigh 280g is that most of the lens housing is made out of plastic. They only metal is on the front of the barrel.
Samyang claims that the lenses have been designed for high-resolution capture and that they offer a fast aperture and precise bokeh. They are also claimed to feature a unified color tone.
Full Specifications
Price & Availability
The Samyang Manual Focus Adapter for V-AF lenses will be available later in March. The recommended retail price will be £365+VAT.
This does seem like a double dip from Samyang and the manual focus adapter does seem to be pretty expensive given the retail price of the lenses.
