The trinity problem

Constant f/2.8 zooms at 14-24mm, 24-70mm and 70-200mm are the classic pro kit. They are also big, heavy and expensive, which sits oddly on a slim mirrorless body.

“I'm less enamoured that they're typically big and hefty, feeling a bit of a mismatch for svelte mirrorless camera bodies”

Enter the alternative trinity

A growing class of lenses keeps the constant f/2.8 but shrinks the size, weight and price. They trade a little zoom range for a lot of convenience.

Samyang completes the set

LK Samyang, formerly just Samyang and sold as Rokinon in the US, already had a 14-24mm and a 24-60mm. The 60-180mm is the third piece.

Schneider-Kreuznach on board

All three lenses were co-designed with the German optical firm founded in 1913. The badge is on the barrel and it adds real credibility to the trio.

“the third lens in the trilogy that I'm reviewing here has been co-designed with the legendary German lens specialist Schneider-Kreuznach”

Mount options are narrow

The 60-180mm and 14-24mm come in Sony E and L-mount. The 24-60mm is still E-mount only. Nikon, Canon and Fujifilm owners are shut out entirely.

Ranges that hand off cleanly

The 24-60mm holds a true 24mm wide end, and the 60-180mm picks up exactly where it stops. No gap between the two, which is rarer than it sounds.

“the 60-180mm picks up the baton directly from it”

Priced well under the big names

Around $1,099 / £899 / AU$1,789, with the L-mount version at $1,199 in the US. Camera-brand 70-200mm f/2.8 lenses cost far more.

How rivals compare

Tamron's 70-180mm F2.8 G2 is $999 in the US but pricier in the UK and Australia. Sigma's 70-200mm f/2.8 Sports is good value at $1,649 but much bigger.

Half the weight, six inches long

730g and 87x149mm. All three Samyang trinity lenses together come to about 1.7kg, roughly what a single conventional 70-200mm weighs.

“all three LK Samyang lenses only have a combined weight of about 1.7kg / 3.8lb”

The barrel extends

Zoom to 180mm and the lens grows about an inch. Most 70-200mm zooms stay fixed in length, so this is a genuine compromise for the smaller body.

Why that matters, a bit

An extending barrel is a potential weak point for weather sealing and shifts the balance as you zoom. At one inch of travel, the reviewer barely noticed.

“the total physical extension is only about an inch and the change in balance is barely perceptible”

No zoom creep

Even pointed straight up or down on a tripod, the barrel stayed put. A zoom lock stops it drooping while the camera hangs off a neck strap.

Rings you want to touch

Zoom ring at the rear, focus ring at the front, both with a distinctive textured finish. The zoom ring is marked at 60, 100, 135 and 180mm.

Switches where your hand is

An AF/MF switch and a customizable function button sit on the barrel, so you never dig through menus. Most people set the button to autofocus hold.

Seventeen elements, lots of exotic glass

Two aspherical elements, seven ED elements and one high-refractive-index element in 14 groups. The aspherics also keep the whole thing small.

“there's no shortage of high-tech glass”

Hood, port and seals

A petal hood reverses for storage, a USB-C port takes firmware updates, and a metal mount with a rubber gasket anchors multiple weather seals.

Sharp wide open

Shooting a phrenology head at 87mm from f/2.8 to f/8 showed strong sharpness even wide open, with smooth bokeh from the 9-blade rounded aperture.

The missing stabilizer

There is no optical stabilization, which usually beats in-body IS at telephoto lengths. On Sony APS-C bodies without IBIS, where this acts like a 90-270mm, you get nothing.

“you end up with no stabilization at all”

What the lab found

Sharpness holds across the zoom range, better still stopped down a stop at longer focal lengths. Fringing is negligible. Some barrel distortion at 60mm, pincushion from 135mm up.

“Color fringing is fairly negligible at all zoom and aperture settings”

Worth the money

Four and a half stars across features, design, performance and value. Best for wedding and event shooters who want f/2.8 reach without carrying a brick.

“the 60-180mm is a really good lens at a bargain price”