Samyang Teases Groundbreaking AF 28-135mm F2.8 FE Lens for Sony E-Mount: A New Era for All-in-One Zooms?

By Matthew Allard ACS
Published in Gear & Technology

Samyang has officially begun teasing one of its most ambitious optics to date: the upcoming AF 28-135mm F2.8 FE lens designed specifically for Sony E-mount full-frame cameras. Slated for an official release in February of next year, this fast, versatile zoom lens is already generating significant buzz across the photography and videography communities. Promoted by the manufacturer as the ultimate "all-in-one" hybrid solution, the lens aims to bridge the gap between heavy, professional cinema glass and lightweight, everyday travel gear.

By offering a versatile focal range paired with a bright, constant maximum aperture of f/2.8, Samyang is positioning this lens to disrupt the current landscape of high-performance third-party glass for Sony shooters.

Main Facts at a Glance

The Samyang AF 28-135mm F2.8 FE enters the market with a robust set of specifications designed to appeal to both stills photographers and content creators:

Focal Length: 28-135mm, offering a highly versatile range spanning from wide-angle environmental shots to medium telephoto compression.
Maximum Aperture: A bright, constant f/2.8 throughout the entire zoom range.
Optical Construction: 20 elements arranged in 16 groups, engineered to maintain sharpness and suppress aberrations.
Minimum Focusing Distance: 27 cm (0.88 feet) at the 28mm wide end, and 73 cm (2.39 feet) at the 135mm telephoto end.
Physical Dimensions & Weight: Weighs in at 854 grams (1.88 lbs) with a standard 82mm front filter thread.
Mount Compatibility: Native Sony E-mount (Full-Frame FE).
Expected Release Date: February of next year.

Chronology of the Announcement and Teaser Campaign

Samyang’s journey toward the development of the 28-135mm f/2.8 has been marked by a strategic, phased marketing rollout:

Late Autumn Pre-Announcements: Rumors began circulating within the mirrorless community regarding Samyang’s intent to push past traditional focal length boundaries in the third-party zoom market.
Official Teaser Drop: Samyang released early teaser specifications and promotional imagery highlighting the lens’s physical footprint and core optical philosophy.
Upcoming February Launch: The company has confirmed that full operational details, pricing, and initial shipping units will land in February, setting the stage for one of the major lens rollouts of the early year.

Supporting Data and Optical Breakdown

When evaluating a zoom lens that covers such an expansive focal range while maintaining a fast aperture, optical design is paramount. Samyang’s configuration of 20 elements in 16 groups indicates a complex internal structure. This intricate grouping is typically required to control chromatic aberration, distortion, and field curvature—common challenges when designing wide-to-telephoto fast zooms.

Close-Up Capabilities

Macro and close-up performance are increasingly important for modern hybrid shooters. The lens provides a respectable minimum focusing distance of 27 cm (0.88 ft) at 28mm, allowing users to capture dramatic wide-angle perspectives with heavily blurred backgrounds. At the 135mm end, the minimum focusing distance extends to 73 cm (2.39 ft), offering tight framing and pleasing background separation for portraits and product details.

Ergonomics and Handling

Weighing 854g, the lens strikes a balance between heft and capability. While not a featherlight prime, its weight is remarkably controlled for a constant f/2.8 zoom that reaches 135mm. The adoption of an 82mm front filter thread is standard for professional-grade fast zooms, ensuring compatibility with widely available ND filters, circular polarizers, and professional matte box adapter rings.

Competitive Landscape and Market Implications

The release of the Samyang AF 28-135mm F2.8 FE places it in direct contention with several heavyweight optical solutions already dominating the Sony E-mount ecosystem.

Direct Rivals

The most immediate point of comparison is the acclaimed Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 Di III VXD. While the Tamron offers a slightly wider maximum aperture at the wide end (f/2 vs. f/2.8) and extends further to 150mm, Samyang counters by starting wider at 28mm—a critical focal length for landscape, architecture, and vlogging applications.

Furthermore, the Samyang lens presents a compelling alternative to Sony’s own native FE PZ 28-135mm f/4 G OSS Full-Frame Power Zoom Lens. While Sony’s offering is a dedicated cine-style power zoom with built-in optical stabilization, it is limited to a constant f/4 aperture. The Samyang lens provides a full stop of additional light-gathering capability (f/2.8) while maintaining a lighter, more compact physical footprint for run-and-gun shooters.

Pricing Expectations

While official pricing has not yet been disclosed by Samyang at the time of this writing, the brand has historically built its market reputation on delivering high price-to-performance ratios. If Samyang prices the AF 28-135mm F2.8 FE competitively below its primary third-party rivals, it could significantly alter the purchasing decisions of budget-conscious professionals and advanced enthusiasts alike.

Implications for Hybrid Shooters and Filmmakers

The introduction of this lens points toward a broader industry trend: the convergence of high-end photography and professional videography tools.

The All-in-One Workflow

For wedding photographers, event documentarians, and travel videographers, gear weight and lens-swapping time are critical factors. Carrying a single lens that covers everything from an expansive 28mm establishing shot to a tight 135mm portrait without sacrificing low-light performance (thanks to the constant f/2.8 aperture) drastically streamlines field production. Videographers, in particular, will benefit from the ability to zoom through an entire narrative sequence without experiencing exposure ramping.

Third-Party Ecosystem Maturation

Samyang’s willingness to tackle complex, high-specification zoom lenses—rather than sticking exclusively to prime lenses or standard 24-70mm / 70-200mm variants—demonstrates the maturation of third-party autofocus technology on the Sony E-mount platform. As autofocus algorithms in modern mirrorless cameras become more sophisticated, independent manufacturers are increasingly empowered to push optical boundaries.

Looking Ahead

As the February release date approaches, prospective buyers will be watching closely for field tests covering autofocus tracking speed, breathing performance during video recording, and edge-to-edge sharpness across the zoom range.

If Samyang delivers on its performance promises while maintaining its signature value pricing, the AF 28-135mm F2.8 FE could easily become one of the most talked-about and widely adopted lenses for Sony shooters in the coming year.

About the Author: Matthew Allard ACS is a multi-award-winning, ACS accredited freelance Director of Photography with over 36 years of experience working in more than 50 countries. He serves as the Editor of Newsshooter.com.