Imaging with the Samyang 135mm f2

[Uranium235]

This excellent little lens has carved out quite a niche for itself over the past few years, outperforming lenses of higher value - and one of the very few lenses available that can operate wide open at f2 and still maintain a relatively flat field. To give you some idea of what f2 is like, well.... its as fast as you can possibly go! (at that focal length). Great for quickly bagging targets - or going very, very deep to chase the toughest of challenges.

Here you can share your images taken with this little (but heavy!) lens, and perhaps offer suggestions to others as to how to set it up. For the Canon variant, the flange to chip distance is 44mm. You should get as close to this as possible, but definitely not over becuase then you wont be able to focus to infinity. Ideally, you want it a tiny bit short... perhaps 0.5mm or less to avoid the hard infinity stop.

Mounting is also important, the connection between the lens and camera should be a snug as possible - even to the extent of padding you your bayonet adaptor with a thin spacer to get that bayonet connection as stiff as possible (as that is the weakest link in the imaging train).

[Uranium235]

Suppose I'd better kick this one off then with a few pics

 

A random bit of Cephus:

 

CTB1 (Difficult)

 

Iris nebula (Atik 383L+ Lum, Canon 1000d RGB):

 

M81/82 Integrated Flux Nebula (Difficult)

 

Rho Ophiuchi and galactic core:

[Scooot]

I use this fine focuser, it’s very helpful, if not a bit fiddly to put on.

http://www.astrokraken.fr/samyang-135mm-f-2-bracket-micro-focuser-a145773756

Edit

just noticed he does a hinged ring version which looks better

http://www.astrokraken.fr/micro-focuser-with-hinged-rings-for-dslr-telephoto-lens-a145773206

Edited April 5, 2019 by Scooot

[Uranium235]

Great for big mosaics too

[PeterCPC]

Here's a couple.

Peter

[Scooot]

My comet image.

[Space Oddities]

Amazing images, guys! And very inspiring  

Here are a few pictures I took with this lens. Great to see that even if I upgrade to an astro camera, I'll still be able to use the lens with excellent results!

All pics were taken with the iOptron SkyGuider Pro (except Orion, I only had a tripod) and a Fujifilm X-T1 camera.

 

 

 

[wxsatuser]

Brilliant lens love it.

Some from me.

 

[Mark1489]

Here's my first image with this lens taken at the end of March, had to send the first one back since the stars were awful in one corner, this one is much better though! ?

Nikon D5300

49 x 90s  @f2.8  Iso 400

[Knight of Clear Skies]

Here's my most recent effort, 46 minutes on the Rosette and Cone in Ha with my modified 1100D. 2 minute unguided subs, no darks or flats (used GradEx to reduce the vignetting).

It works even better with the very small pixels of the 1600MM cool, showing details such at the dust pillar in the head of the Pelican.

The above is just 22 minutes of data in 1 minute subs, fully calibrated.

In most cases, I'd recommend this lens to most people starting out at AP ahead of a small scope, especially when working to a budget or trying it out. The focal length may be only 135mm but most beginners start out with small-pixel DSLRs - unless you can track very accurately and gather a great deal of data, you won't be able to make full use of their resolution with a scope. The lens also holds its value well on the used market, so could always be sold on at a later date.

I find it very easy to use, I find I can focus accurately on liveview by placing a star a third of the way in from the corner and making it as small as possible. When I check focus with a bahtinov mask (ones designed for small scopes will fit) it's usually spot on. To keep the dew off I've taken to wrapping a sock around the end of the barrel with a foot-warmer pack in it, held on with rubber bands.

I've mostly imaged with it using an Ha filter, would be interesting to see more colour starfields to see how well it holds up on those. (Uranium235 has a very good one above, but I expect it took a lot of processing to get to that point.) I've had some trouble stacking RGB data in DSS, possibly due to the density of the starfields.

Edited April 9, 2019 by Knight of Clear Skies

[Vixen4eva]

My first light with the Samyang.  Both images taken unguided on my Vixen GPDX.

Approx 2 hours in Ha. 4 min subs @ iso 1600.

RGB image 30 x 75 secs @ iso 400. Skytech L Pro filter.

Images taken with my modded 450 d

Love this lens! Working at f 2.8 is a joy!

[Knight of Clear Skies]

Just a thought, would this thread be better placed in the 'Getting Started with Imaging' sub-forum?

[Alien 13]

47 minutes ago, Knight of Clear Skies said:

Just a thought, would this thread be better placed in the 'Getting Started with Imaging' sub-forum?

I thought that too as its where the 130pds and ED80 threads reside.

The Samyang is one of those products that is so good in that it is ideal for beginners with a DSLR on a tracking mount and experienced users that want to go very deep....

Alan

[Uranium235]

I'm out at work at the moment, so I'll move it later or tomorrow morn  

[Uranium235]

@Alien 13 @Knight of Clear Skies

Now moved

[wxsatuser]

18 hours ago, Mark1489 said:

Here's my first image with this lens taken at the end of March, had to send the first one back since the stars were awful in one corner, this one is much better though! ?

Nikon D5300

49 x 90s  @f2.8  Iso 400

 

I have one slightly odd corner but I can live with it.

Imaging at f2 in narrowband with very bad LP really saved my AP.

A hardish one for me was the Spaghetti, only 14x900secs with the moon at 90 degrees and footie floodlights blazing.
Never thought I could ever get this one, I want to revisit when it's much darker one evening.

[Uranium235]

^^ Now... that is a tough target! Nice one

Quite right, it allows to go for stuff that with an ordinary f5 imaging scope, would be a bit of a slog.

[PeterCPC]

Here's one of the Heart and Soul.

Peter

[jjosefsen]

This thing is really high on my list of future purchases! Those widefield ha mosaics are just mind blowing!! Thanks for sharing guys.

[kirkster501]

I'm at the beginning of my journey with this fabulous lens that I acquired two weeks ago.  Using with Canon 1100D (modded) at the moment and want to switch to a QHY183C.

Also, this lens is a beaut with a £20 adapter on my Fuji XT2.  

[Allinthehead]

Mine from my now sold 135.

[emyliano2000]

Here's a few of my attempts with this amazing lens. I absolutely love it and I can't wait to test it out with my qhy183m.

Emil

Edited April 7, 2019 by emyliano2000

[Scooot]

Emil, you’re lovely Luna eclipse image reminded me of another I took with it.

[Rush]

This lens is always a pleasure to use, great performance and handling is uncomplicated. Sometimes i use in combination with Asahi Takumar 135 mm for HaLRGB.

Cs

Rush

 

[Knight of Clear Skies]

Here's 2h22m (2 minute subs) on the Rosette and Cone with the 1100D, after a struggle. (Next step is to see if I can blend in some more Ha into the red channel, using my mono version.)

Edited April 9, 2019 by Knight of Clear Skies