Samyang AF 45mm F1.8 FE

Reviewers found it sharp in the centre wide open, with softer corners until about f/4 and good results across the frame from there. Distortion is very low, and chromatic aberration is mostly restrained apart from high-contrast edges. Vignetting at f/1.8 is obvious and needs about three stops to clear.

The linear STM is quick, accurate and quiet, rarely hunting in good or poor light. Criticisms focus on the plastic housing, the lack of weather sealing, and the modest 0.12x maximum magnification.

Owners like it as a light everyday lens and say the 45mm view feels more natural than a 50 for street and family photos. Many pair it with the a7C or older a7 bodies for travel.

Complaints include the lack of sealing, a long minimum focus distance for close-ups, vignetting wide open, and occasional AF misses in low-contrast scenes. Some find the rendering a little clinical compared with fast fifties.