Rokinon 35mm f/1.4 Practical Lens Review and Video Test

The convergence of still photo DSLR's and video camcorders brought a game changing dynamic to the world of image making. The introduction of the Nikon D90 and the revolutionary Canon 5D Mark II in 2008 made affordable HD video capture with that "bokeh" film style. With any emerging technology there are drawbacks, especially with using still photography lenses for video. The Rokinon 35mm f/1.4 Aspherical Wide Angle Lens solves many of those problems at a great price.



At a street price of $500, the Rokinon 35mm f/1.4 Aspherical Wide Angle Lens is a filmmaker's dream. A fast lens with an aperture of f/1.4, a focal length equivalent of a standard 50mm lens on a crop sensor and a price that will not break the bank makes this fast prime lens great for HD video capture. The magic is in the design of the lens with controls for easy focus and aperture. The focus barrel is nice and wide with a long throw to slowly manipulate critical focus. This is a must when shooting at a fast f/1.4 aperture.



The optics give great color especially when compared to the "L" equivalent of the Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L lens. Superb color, contrast and sharpness describe this Korean made Rokinon 35mm f/1.4 lens under many brand names such as Samyang and Bower. I picked up my Rokinon 35mm f/1.4 Wide Angle Lens from my friends at North Tampa Photography. As a Rokinon lens dealer, they now carry the full line of Rokinon prime lenses.



Now for the drawbacks. Still photographers will be disappointed because of the lack of automatic focus. This above average in size prime lens comes fully manual out of the box. No focus confirmation light or chirp on this prime lens, you just have a sharp, fast and manual piece of glass catered to DSLR cinematography. I suggest the Canon EF 35mm f/2 for a street price of $330 for a fully automatic still photography lens.



The next drawback is the ratcheted aperture ring. It is not smooth like the focus control because it has clicks for every f-stop. Not ideal for a smooth change of exposure. I suggest using a variable neutral density filter such as the Fader ND Mark II Filter on the Rokinon 77mm sized filter thread to reduce the incoming light.



Strawberry fields forever as far as my Rokinon 35mm f/1.4 wide angle lens can see. The annual Florida Strawberry Festival in Plant City, Florida is the perfect backdrop for a video test of this fast prime lens. A 1080p video shot with the Canon Rebel T3i/600D paired with the Rokinon 35mm f/1.4 lens at 29.97fps. Edited with Apple Final Cut Pro 6.0.6 and transcoded to AppleProRes422 using the Canon E-1 Movie Plugin.



Strawberry season in Plant City, Florida was captured with the help of my affordable HD DSLR rig. For stability, I used the Manfrotto 701 HDV head paired with Benro 3580 tripod legs. For audio capture, I used the AZDEN ECZ-990 shotgun microphone. For critical focus, I used the Zacuto Z-Finder Pro 2.5x magnification with a Blue Star large chamois eyecup protector. For a reduction of incoming light, I also used a FADER ND Mark II filter.



The Rokinon 35mm f/1.4 wide angle lens review verdict? This fast affordable prime lens catered to HD DSLR cinematography has the color,contrast and sharpness comparable to Canon "L" glass. The lens ergonomics are worthy of Broadcast Television ENG cameras with a long focus throw for precise control. The Rokinon 35mm f/1.4 wide angle lens compatible with Canon full frame EF and crop EF-S mounts makes this prime lens an excellent value for any DSLR filmmaker. As sweet as Plant City, Florida strawberries, your cinematic heart will not be disappointed.



You can view more pictures and videos in my Rokinon 35mm f/1.4 Lens Review and Plant City, Florida Strawberry Festival Gallery shot with the Canon Rebel T3i/600D and the Canon 1D Mark IV.



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Happy 6th Birthday Jude !

Kindergarten days are soon over. Nap times and sing alongs will soon be replaced with addition and subtraction tables. My son turns 6 years old and celebrates with a new sibling this year. Despite the foreboding end to Kindergarten nirvana and the obvious gender imbalance in the household, my mini-clone still loves a good Whoopie Cushion prank.



The "Donut King" celebrated his birthday with his classmates and his older sister's class with 60 delicious glazed rings of pure sweetness. As you might have guessed, he was voted as "Most Popular" for the day.



Fond memories of my son 6 years ago relives with my newborn daughter, Serena. The diaper changing, mixing formula and sleepless nights make a comeback in the Soriano family. Seeing my children grow in front of my eyes makes it all worth it.



My son's birthday would not be complete without a trip to Cheesecake Factory. I passed on my usual Hibachi Steak and pursued the slow roasted Beef Ribs with Onion Rings. The Cheesecake Factory special Mac and Cheese made my son's 6th birthday complete.



I have been field testing the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM lens the past couple weeks for my upcoming practical review. The Sigma is designed exclusively for crop sensor cameras like the Canon EOS Rebel T3i/600D.



The scourge of baby smiles and bed wetting are things of the past now. Call of Duty :Black Ops and SOCOM 4:U.S. Navy Seals fill my son's itinerary. Hope is not lost when it comes to nurturing baby time. Serena fills the void.

You can view more in my son's Birthday Gallery.

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First Communion Revisited

'Tis the season of Holy Communicants. Armed with my Mark IV and fast glass, I stepped into the dark halls of St. Timothy with much trepidation. Canned lights mixed in with overwhelming large pane windows caused white balance worries. Restless youths yearning for unleavened bread provokes motion blur. Does it sound like a "Body of Christ" photo disaster? Just like my daughter's First Communion experience, I was prepared to photograph my daughter's younger cousin receive the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist.



Amidst the mass reception of the Altar, my nephew readies himself for this rite of passage as I prepare my Canon EOS 1D Mark IV paired with the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II zoom lens to capture this once in a lifetime moment. Lens wide open at f/2.8 and ISO set to 1600 to 3200 gives me enough shutter speed (1/125th)to freeze the action in the dark cavernous halls of the church.



The lure of brightly lit candles distract and reminisce my restless family. A St. Peter's Basilica Holy Communion and Positano seafood delicacies fill the faint memory of our Italian vacation. My son just wanted to burn something.



Speaking of Holy Sacraments, my newborn daughter Serena will be soon ready for her Baptism. Her personal "Paparazzi" will also be ready for her Holy water dousing moment.



As you can see for yourself, this First Communion photo shoot will not be my last for awhile. In addition to Baptism, Reconciliation and eventually Confirmation, the Holy obligations continue to no end.



Congratulations Nathan on your religious rite of passage. I am looking forward to more family photo events and eventually your younger brother's reception of the Holy Eucharist.

You can view the entire event shot with the Canon EOS 1D Mark IV with the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II, EF 24-70mm f/2.8L and the EF 35mm f/1.4L prime lens in Nathan's First Communion Gallery.

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