Rokinon 16mm f/2 vs 16mm T2.2 for Canon: what’s the difference for astrophotography?
Asked 10/12/2017
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I have a Canon 450D (APS-C) and want a 16mm lens for astrophotography. I’m comparing the Rokinon 16mm f/2 still-photo lens with the Rokinon 16mm T2.2 cine lens for Canon EF. I’ve seen the cine version described as a “hybrid” lens. What does that mean, and what practical differences are there between these two versions for my use?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
8y ago
2 Answers
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Rokinon often produce the same lens twice (ex: two 16mm, two 85mm) — one optimised for stills, the other for videography.
They generally have the same quality optically (good to great), are generally good value, usually fast primes, manual focus (they are starting to provide AF), manual aperture control, no exif data, but they have two main difference:
- the still version aperture ring "clicks", the videography does not (ideal for changing aperture while filming, if you need it, I prefer the standard positions)
- the still version aperture is measured in F-stops, the videography version in T-stops. For more information about the difference between them, see also:
Other than that, is the same product. Buy the best new/used lens for your purpose.
I once owned the 85mm f/1.4 (non-AF) they make, and liked it. But in the end I traded it for a Canon 100mm f/2 with AF, because my eyes are sometimes not good enough to nail focus at wide open aperture.
On the other end, I STILL own their 14mm f/2.8, and use it for (my modest) star photography.
Originally by user45742. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user45742
8y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
For Rokinon/Samyang, these are typically two versions of a similar lens aimed at different uses: stills vs cine/video.
Main differences:
- Stills version (f/2): aperture ring has click-stops, aperture marked in f-stops.
- Cine version (T2.2): aperture ring is usually de-clicked for smooth changes during filming, and is marked in T-stops (light transmission), which is more useful for video work.
- Both are commonly manual focus/manual aperture lenses, and often provide little or no camera EXIF communication.
“Hybrid” in this context generally refers to a lens using cinema-style controls/interfaces while still being based on a DSLR-style lens design, not some special astrophotography feature.
For your Canon 450D, both are intended for APS-C coverage, so they are suitable in that sense. For astrophotography, the stills f/2 version is usually the more straightforward choice unless you specifically want cine handling. The cine T2.2 version is mainly advantageous for video shooters who need smooth aperture control and T-stop markings.
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