Samyang in the Mirrorless Era: From First AF Lenses to Schneider-Kreuznach Zooms (2016–Present)

May 3, 2016. Samyang announced two lenses: the AF 50mm F1.4 FE and the AF 14mm F2.8 FE — both autofocus lenses exclusively for the Sony FE mount. The company long known as a manual-focus-only manufacturer had finally stepped into the AF arena.

Why Sony FE Mount?
Early AF Lenses — Growing Pains
Rapid AF Lineup Expansion (2016–2022)
Second-Generation AF Lenses — The “FE II” Revolution
2023–2025 — Zoom Lenses and a New Partnership
1. AF 35-150mm F2-2.8 FE (2023)
2. Schneider-Kreuznach Co-Developed Lenses (2025 onward)
The Prima Series — For Hybrid Creators (2024–2025)
LK Partners Acquisition and Rebranding (2019 / 2024)
Opening a Japan Office (2024)
Samyang in 2026 — Where Things Stand
Sources

Why Sony FE Mount?

Samyang’s decision to launch its first AF lenses on the Sony FE mount was driven by clear strategic logic.

First, Sony had adopted a relatively open mount policy toward third-party manufacturers. While Canon’s RF mount and Nikon’s Z mount prioritized protecting their own lens ecosystems, the Sony E-mount actively welcomed participation from third-party makers like Sigma and Tamron.

Second, in 2016, the Sony α7 series was essentially the only game in town for full-frame mirrorless. Canon’s EOS R didn’t arrive until 2018, and neither did the Nikon Z series. If you wanted to build full-frame mirrorless AF lenses, Sony FE was effectively the only option.

Third, the Sony FE mount’s extremely short flange distance of 18mm afforded significant freedom in lens design. The optical design expertise Samyang had accumulated during the MF era could be readily adapted to new designs incorporating AF motors.

Early AF Lenses — Growing Pains

To be frank, Samyang’s first-generation AF lenses had room for improvement.

The AF 50mm F1.4 FE earned praise for its optical rendering, but reviewers noted slow AF speed, inconsistent accuracy, and audible motor noise. NamuWiki documented the issue:

“Some of Samyang’s AF lenses produce noise during AF operation and fail to achieve accurate focus. Among the early AF models, some could not resolve these issues even through firmware updates.”

Samyang, however, tackled these problems head-on. The company progressively adopted linear STM (stepping motor) technology, and AF performance improved steadily with each successive generation.

Rapid AF Lineup Expansion (2016–2022)

From those first two lenses, Samyang’s AF catalog expanded at a remarkable pace.

Year	AF Products Released	Notes
2016	AF 50mm F1.4 FE / AF 14mm F2.8 FE	Samyang’s first AF lenses. Sony FE mount only
2017	AF 35mm F2.8 FE / AF 35mm F1.4 FE	AF 35mm F2.8 FE won TIPA Award 2018. iF Design Award. KOSDAQ listing
2018	AF 14mm F2.8 EF & F / AF 85mm F1.4 EF	AF expansion into Canon EF and Nikon F mounts. Red Dot Design Award
2019	AF 18mm F2.8 FE / AF 45mm F1.8 FE / AF 85mm F1.4 FE	Also launched MF lenses for Nikon Z mount
2020	AF 35mm F1.8 FE / AF 75mm F1.8 FE	MF MK2 (VDSLR) series refreshed. iF Design Award (XEEN CF)
2021	AF 50mm F1.4 FE II / AF 24mm F1.8 FE / AF 24-70mm F2.8 FE / AF 12mm F2 E & X	First AF zoom (24-70mm). AF expansion into Fujifilm X mount
2022	AF 135mm F1.8 FE / AF 85mm F1.4 FE II / AF 35mm F1.4 FE II	Second-gen AF lenses (FE II) with major performance leap. V-AF cine series launched

A milestone worth highlighting: the AF 24-70mm F2.8 FE in 2021 was Samyang’s first-ever AF zoom lens, marking the moment the company definitively broke free from the “single-focal-length MF lens maker” mold.

Second-Generation AF Lenses — The “FE II” Revolution

The “FE II” lenses released in 2021–2022 transformed how the industry viewed Samyang’s AF offerings.

The AF 50mm F1.4 FE II, AF 35mm F1.4 FE II, and AF 85mm F1.4 FE II featured completely redesigned optics compared to their predecessors. Linear STM motors delivered fast, near-silent autofocus, and resolving power kept pace with modern high-resolution sensors. The AF 135mm F1.8 FE was especially well received — at roughly half the price of Sony’s FE 135mm F1.8 GM, it earned strong reviews for optical quality that genuinely rivaled the first-party alternative.

LensTip.com, in its review of the Samyang AF 50mm f/1.4 FE II, reflected on the company’s AF journey:

“Samyang’s Sony FE mount offerings also started, as before, with manual focus devices. The first autofocus models were announced in 2016.”

2023–2025 — Zoom Lenses and a New Partnership

From 2023 onward, Samyang’s product strategy became increasingly ambitious.

AF 35-150mm F2-2.8 FE (2023)

A fast, high-ratio zoom lens competing directly with Tamron’s equivalent. It drew attention from wedding and portrait photographers for its versatile range and bright aperture. An L-mount version launched simultaneously, signaling Samyang’s serious commitment to the L-Mount Alliance.

Schneider-Kreuznach Co-Developed Lenses (2025 onward)

The Schneider-Kreuznach partnership, introduced in Chapter 1, began delivering products in earnest:

AF 14-24mm F2.8 FE (April 2025) — Marketed as the world’s first front-filter-compatible ultra-wide zoom
AF 24-60mm F2.8 FE (announced September 2025) — Weighing just 494g, with IP5X dust and splash resistance
AF 60-180mm F2.8 FE (prototype shown at CP+ 2026)
AF 20-50mm F2 FE / AF 28-85mm F2 FE / AF 200mm F1.8 FE / AF 300mm F4 FE (prototypes displayed at CP+ 2026)

The CP+ 2026 showing was particularly eye-opening: prototypes of a 200mm F1.8 and a 300mm F4 suggest Samyang is evolving from “wide-to-mid-range prime specialist” into a full-lineup lens manufacturer.

The Prima Series — For Hybrid Creators (2024–2025)

Starting with the AF 35mm F1.4 P FE in 2024, Samyang introduced the “Prima” series as a new product line. In 2025, the 16mm F2.8 P FE and 85mm F1.8 P FE were added, completing a three-lens set covering wide-angle, standard, and short telephoto.

According to LK Samyang’s press release, the Prima series is positioned as “the first lens series for those beginning their photography and videography journey.” The emphasis is on compact size and value — a lineup designed for hybrid content creators.

LK Partners Acquisition and Rebranding (2019 / 2024)

In 2019, LK Investment Partners acquired all shares held by VIG Partners, becoming Samyang’s largest shareholder and new owner. The acquisition was technically structured through “LK-A2 Holdings,” a consortium formed by LK Investment Partners and A2 Partners.

On March 28, 2024, “Samyang Optics” officially became LK Samyang Co., Ltd. The “LK” stands for “Leading Korea,” representing the parent LK Group.

Alongside the rebrand, LK Samyang announced plans to expand beyond camera lenses into machine vision, thermal imaging camera lenses, drone optics, and LiDAR lenses — signaling a vision for the company’s optical technology to serve growth markets well beyond traditional photography.

Opening a Japan Office (2024)

In 2024, LK Samyang established its first office in Japan. This was significant: Japan is one of the world’s largest camera markets and also home to all the major camera manufacturers. Until then, Samyang had relied on distributor relationships for Japanese sales. A direct presence enables stronger marketing, customer support, and market intelligence in a crucial market.

Samyang in 2026 — Where Things Stand

As of March 2026, LK Samyang’s product lineup is structured as follows:

AF still lenses: Primarily Sony FE mount, with L-mount, Canon RF, and Fujifilm X options
MF still lenses: Available for various mounts (though new releases are predominantly AF)
Cinema lenses: XEEN, XEEN CF, XEEN Meister, VDSLR series
AF cinema lenses: V-AF series (Sony FE mount)
Co-developed lenses: Schneider-Kreuznach × LK Samyang AF zoom series
Specialty products: Remaster Slim (modular lens)

Market capitalization stands at approximately 92.9 billion KRW (as of May 2024). With roughly 130 employees and consolidated revenue of about 39 billion KRW (2023), LK Samyang is by no means a large corporation — but it has carved out a firm position in the global lens market.