At the CP+ show in Japan, we got some hands-on time with the new full frame Samyang XP 50mm F1.2 lens for Canon EF Mount. The XP 50mm F1.2 is the third lens in Samyang’s XP “Excellence in Performance” series. (Excellence in Performance sort of sounds like when Homer Simpson won the Montgomery Burns Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Excellence).
The 50mm f1.2 now joins the XP 85mm F1.2 and the XP 14mm F2.4 lenses that were announced back in 2016. The lens is manual focus only and currently only available in Canon EF mount. It features a 9-blade aperture and it has a front filter diameter of 86mm.
Samyang tout that the XP series has been designed specifically for sensors up to 50MP and for 8K acquisition. The lens is quite large and is solidly made, weighing in at 1200g. The manual focus mechanism is really nice to use and the lens has a large focus throw, which makes it suitable for video use.
We tried the lens out and were impressed by the images it was able to obtain. The XP 50mm F1.2 will start shipping sometime this month for a retail price of €949.
