Interview With Samyang Optics Representative About Their Future Plans (cine lenses to come, not working on AF lenses)

Will Samyang announce a 7.5mm fish-lens on April 28th? Image above is courtesy of DicaHub.

update: there was a typo in the title. Correct is: not working on AF lenses.

Dicahub (translated) interviewed a Samyang Optics rep about their plans, and about what Samyang might announce on April 28th. The interview was conducted at the P&I Show 2014.

Here is a summary of the interview:

Q(=DicaHub): are you working on AF lenses?

A(=Samyang Optics rep.): we are not working on AF lenses.

Q: Is it true you wrote the comments on your facebook page? [editors note: there were comments on Facebook by Samyang itself that looked like a leak and were suggesting a 35mm AF lens for Canon was set to come]

A: Yes, but the comments were deleted because it was the result of miscommunication between site administrators. Actually we had discussed with Canon, Nikon and others about AF lenses. There are several issues like licensing.

Q: Is it difficult to work on AF lenses of open mounts like Micro Four-thirds or E mounts?

A: Open mounts like E mount also open only basic informations, so we need more discussion to develop AF lenses. In this case such issues weren’t solved also.

Q: Is same with Micro Four-Thirds?

A: Micro Four-Thirds also open only basic informations like aperture, so we need more discussion.

Q: Don’t you have any plan to support electric contacts like A(perture)?

A: We already have AD AE version for Nikon. We hope to support other brands, and we are working to produce lenses supporting A contact for Canon because the share of Canon is still largest.

Q: What lenses will be announced on April 28th?

A: We are preparing cine lenses and other stuff

Q: I think the teaser image shows a lens that could be a 7.5mm f/3.5 fish-eye lens. If you can confirm, will you announce the cine version of 7.5mm F3.5 Fish-eye also?

A: This is… [no clear answer was given]

I contacted Dicahub to inquiry the issue further. According to DicaHub, Samyang might announce at least 2 cine lenses (one being a 7.5mm fish-eye), and possibly a new lens line-up supporting electronic aperture contact (for Canon).

That’s it. We can assume there will be new Samyang cine lenses announced on April 28th, one of them being a 7.5mm fish-eye lens. Personally, I am still hoping there will also be an AF lens for Canon mounts. And I think Samyang has a 35mm AF lens for Canon mounts on the radar.