Full disclosure: I’ve spent the last 5 minutes trying to think about a good title for this article. And ultimately, I decided that I’d do it at the end of my writing this article. You see, the Rokinon 14-24mm f2.8 AF lens is utilitarian at best and uninspiring in so many different ways. In fact, it’s the first Rokinon lens that I’ve felt that way about in years. For a long time, I remember really liking what the brand did. But this? This is a lens designed for the photographer who needs something cheap with this zoom range, weather resistance, and not the best autofocus. Instead, you’re really going to have to rely on your ability to be able to make good photos or your post-production skills instead. Throughout my entire shooting with this lens, I was so bored. Reviewers like me who’ve been shooting for years are pretty much always inspired and captivated by wide-angle lenses because they’re so fun. But this wasn’t one of those lenses.
To that end, I’m not going to write this review the way our typical reviews are written. There are no headings here for you to jump to immediately — instead, it’s going to be done magazine-style with drop caps being used to differentiate a new section of this review.
The Rokinon 14-24mm f2.8 AF lens is something that I feel is trying so hard to compete with a Sony G Master lens, but isn’t coming close to it when it comes to image quality. When it comes to ergonomics, this is a bit of an odd lens. It feels a bit like if Tokina were to try to make this lens instead. You feel this when you go ahead and grip onto the rubber ring to zoom the lens in and out. It’s almost reminiscent of if you were to decide to rub your hands against the bottom of a sneaker just because you felt like it. However, Rokinon states on their website that it’s got weather sealing. I didn’t test this all that thoroughly, but I can confirm that it still works after you splash water on it.
There are also things like the autofocus switch and a custom button. But typically, I don’t feel folks use these things on a lens in 2025. Luckily, the lens is still overall very easy to use. With its 77mm front filter thread, you’ll probably not be using most of the lens filters you own, and that should be kept in mind. For the past few years, more and more manufacturers have been making lenses with a 67mm front filter thread. This lens is an exception to that.
That is very important when it comes to the image quality.
Every time that I went to use this lens, I instead kept wanting my older Tamron 17-28mm f2.8 instead. I like that lens even more than the newer 16-30mm f2.8 G2. When using the Rokinon 14-24mm f2.8 AF, even my best friend told me that he thought it was a bit utilitarian and standard. Sure, there are lenses meant to do that kind of work. More importantly, not everyone has the money to get a Sony G Master or something along those lines. Years ago, photographers used to aspire to get those lenses, and they’d save up the money to do it. At least in the case of Tamron, there’s some unique character that the lenses give you. But with Rokinon? It feels so much like a standard house salad that your favorite restaurant offers without the protein options or even salad dressings of any sort. Your doctor will love you for choosing that option, but will you actually be happier?
In the words of the great poet Rudy Francisco, I wake up every morning and I choose happiness. Happiness to me looks like I’m out there shooting more images and interacting with people instead of needing to leave a function early to need to go edit tons of photos. On my way home, I’m culling and starring images. Then, on import, I simply apply a preset of some sort and export the photos along with metadata and all.
If you’re the person who orders a burger medium rare and will actually complain about it to the server when it’s not the right temperature, you’re not a person who will like the Rokinon 14-24mm f2.8 — but you’ll probably deal with it and accept that you need to edit the photos to be happy. To me, though, that’s like being in an unhappy relationship, and I saw that tear my father apart after a long time.
Why spend money on something you don’t like?
I remember years ago, a Sigma rep told me that autofocus of a lens depends on the camera — and it often doesn’t have anything to do with the lens. That rep no longer works for the company; but what he said is only partially true. Sony partially owns Tamron. Because of that partnership, their lenses are often the fastest to autofocus on Sony camera bodies. After that, Viltrox and Sigma tend to be neck-in-neck to the finish line. In rightful third place would be Rokinon. What’s more, sometimes it doesn’t even touch the finish line that is the autofocus point and subject that I want the lens to focus on. This is especially the case when shooting in AF-C with a moving subject.
Inspired by the great Todd Owyoung, I used this lens at a concert. To get images that I really loved, I needed to do different things. At times, I slowed the shutter speed down a lot and tried to get the autofocus to single out a subject while everyone in the crowd moved around. Then I tried shooting while zooming in and out. Those were the most unique and fun images in my personal opinion. Wide open and even stopped down a bit, the lens can’t really create lens flare. Instead, it’s been engineered out of it as if it were an imperfection that the Borg from Star Trek thought needed to be eliminated.
If comparison were the theft of happiness, then the Rokinon 14-24mm f2.8 is committing grand larceny.
Before I go on, I’ll state that I’m using a Sony a7r III to do this test. Mine has been well maintained and I often clean the autofocus contacts to ensure that it’s in tip top shape. It’s much better at autofocusing than any Sony a7r V that I’ve used.
To that end, I wouldn’t trust this lens so much on a newer camera body either.
I’ve been reviewing the Sony FE cameras since the original Sony a7. And the best autofocusing cameras they offer are the Sony a1 and Sony a9 series — by far. If I were to buy one of those cameras, I wouldn’t use a lens like this on there. Instead, it’s probably better for the Sony a7c series that Sony tends to mistreat compared to the higher end models.
It’s obvious at this point that you know that I don’t like this lens. And I don’t think you will either if you’re looking to make images that Generative AI can’t already make for you instead. More gear should create a unique look because post-production software is often trying to learn what you do and assimilate it into its own algorithms to make what you do a thing of the past.
Your creativity is too important to jeopardize like that.
I haven’t been this disappointed by a wide-angle zoom in years. This lens is boring and the autofocus doesn’t work as well as I’m used to from various other brands. Honestly, just reach for a Tamron for performance or a Sigma for sterile image quality instead.
We’re giving the Rokinon 14-24mm f2.8 two out of five stars.
The following images are unedited.
The following images were edited.
