Samyang rounds out Blockbusters promo with its fifth new lens, the AF 14/2.8 FE prime

posted Tuesday, August 16, 2016 at 7:59 AM EDT

Five weeks ago, we told you about a interesting promotion from the folks at Korean lens maker Samyang. Today, the eponymous Samyang Blockbusters event comes to its close with the launch of the fifth new lens for the company in as many weeks. This time around, the new optic is one which was hinted at back in May, but which hadn't been officially unveiled until now.

So what's the new lens? Its official name is the Samyang AF 14/2.8 FE, and its an autofocus-equipped, ultra-wide 14mm f/2.8 prime lens for Sony E-mount. According to Samyang, this optic is the "widest angle available in the market in its class", with a field of view covering a whopping 113.9° on a full-frame E-mount body, or 89.8° on an APS-C body.

The Samyang AF 14/2.8 FE has an optical formula consisting of 14 elements in ten groups, of which three lenses are aspherics and two use extra-low dispersion glass. This is combined with a seven-bladed circular aperture for attractive bokeh, and Samyang's Ultra Multi Coating to resist flare and ghosting. Maximum magnification is 0.12x, and the lens can focus to as close as 7.9 inches (20cm). As noted previously, the optic sports an autofocus design. Samyang hasn't stated what the drive mechanism is, but does note that its system is compatible with both phase and contrast-detection autofocusing.

Optical formula of the upcoming Samyang AF 14 / 2.8 FE lens.

Dimensions of the new lens, which has a metal body, are said to be 3.8 inches (98mm) in length and 3.4 inches (86mm) in diameter. Weight is listed at 17.8 ounces (505g) including both front and rear caps. Availability for the new optic is slated for this September, and pricing is set at around €700 in the European market. US-market pricing hadn't been disclosed at press time. More information can be found on the Samyang Global website.