Not the first brand you think of when it comes to innovation in photography, Samyang has recently announced the first-ever optical exchange autofocus lens. The Remaster Slim lens they’ve launched is unique in the way it’s designed, and it allows you to swap out the central optical elements as desired. Yup, you read that right; you don’t swap out the whole lens, just the main lens element is changed when you want a different focal length. This could totally change the way photographers of the future work out in the field.
Modular Elements In Technology
I remember reading about the concept of modular mobile phones over a decade ago. The piece really caught my eye because of how it presented the concept to the reader. No more having to toss out your old phone if a certain part had slowed down or gotten old. You didn’t have to take it to the store to swap things out; you could do the same at home after ordering a part online. If you feel like the battery needs to last longer, then you could get a higher-capacity one and swap it out yourself. If you thought the resolution of the camera sensor wasn’t large enough for you, consider changing it out for a better one while still keeping the rest of the phone the same.
The concept blew my mind. Much like a jigsaw puzzle, you could swap out and/or upgrade various key parts of your smartphone at will. Computers have been allowing this with RAM (except Apple of late; I hate them for this). Sure, you’re used to replacing parts like batteries and dust bags in vacuum cleaners for years, but those don’t really upgrade the performance of your gadget. Imagine being able to take your car’s 2.0L engine out and replacing it with a 6L Turbo one without tinkering with anything else. The Samyang Remaster Slim seems to be the first step towards bringing such a concept to reality in autofocus lenses.
Samyang Remaster Slim
Firstly, Samyang says this lens was inspired by classic point-and-shoot camera lenses. And in their new Remaster Slim lens, they’re giving you the choice of 3 lenses in 1 – a 21mm, 28mm, and 32mm, all with a wide 2.8 aperture. In a way, it’s an interchangeable-interchangeable lens system, if that makes sense. The main lens body still sits on the camera’s lens mount while you swap out just the optical elements in the center. What makes it even more innovative is that Samyang says this lens in an autofocus one!
Remaster Slim provides a genuine analog sensibility that is distinctly different from smartphone images created with digital technology. This lens creates warm and profound images that cannot be imitated by the digital world
– From the Remaster Slim Announcement Page
Main Features
In addition to its key optical modularity feature, the lens has an AF/MF switch. The manual focus ring, slim as it is, is a great boon for those of us who love zone focusing. The focal lengths that are being offered on the Samyang Remaster Slim are ideal for street photography and are ideally suited for zone focus techniques. The lens weighs just 80 g (2.8 oz) and is only 2cm (0.78 in) thick, according to Samyang. There’s no need to worry about the lens elements falling out, as Samyang says they are held in place magnetically.
The lens isn’t built to be clinically sharp in any way. It seems as though Samyang wants this 3-in-1 lens to have loads of character and classic charm.
Additionally, depending on the type and intensity of the light source, a soft glow effect appears at the edges of the subject, softening skin tones and adding a poetic feel to the photos. These features help photographers maximize the artistic value and emotion they express.
– Taken from the product announcement page
Much Needed Innovation
Technology of the past was built to last. For decades. The two dozen or so analog cameras in my collection are a testament to this. On the other hand, the DSLRs and digital cameras I’ve used in the last 15 years or so have each found themselves being upgraded within a handful of years on average. I imagine if I could have swapped out the sensors for higher resolution ones they would have lasted longer than they did. Wishful thinking for now, I know, but maybe this move by Samyang will be adapted by other brands in due time.
Honestly, this lens looks more like an adapter of sorts, given its size and features. I do have concerns over the longevity of such a system. Still, it’s a great idea and hopefully one that will spur others to innovate along similar lines. Such innovation in photography is something I love to see, and it’s great that 3rd party manufacturers are keeping main brands on their toes with ideas like this. The main downside to this announcement is that this lens is currently only available for pre-order in Korea.
I know there are some among you who’ll point out that zoom lenses can give you more focal range and way more options than the three focal lengths offered by the Remaster Slim. And while you’re not wrong in thinking so, the size and weight advantages offered by Samyang here are going to be impossible to beat by any zoom lens made by modern technology.
Scroll to the bottom of the Samyang product announcement page to see their sample image gallery.
Images seen in this article are screenshots from Samyang’s product announcement page