Samyang Remaster Slim – a 3-for-1 Pancake Lens Review

The Samyang Remaster Slim is possibly one of the most unusual lenses I have reviewed on this website – it’s a lens that I was more intrigued by than a great deal of the lenses I have otherwise reviewed too. The Remaster Slim is in fact not one lens, it’s three – three focal lengths in a tiny package, and is of a design that I can’t recall seeing anything similar.

I was first made aware of this lens by Eric L. Woods. We chat often via email about whatever latest bit of kit we are playing with, and after reviewing and talking to him about the Viltrox 28mm, he pointed the Remaster Slim out to me. At the time it wasn’t actually available, it had just recently been announced, so when I contacted the UK distributor asking for a loan, they said they’d be in touch when it was. Then, a couple of weeks ago, the time came and a very small box arrived at the office. Unpacking it I was greeted by a small black hard case that contained a complete lens and two separate optical blacks on small translucent plastic carry cases. This set of kit was exactly what I was hoping it would be, and I was very keen to get out and shoot with it.

The Samyang/Rokinon Remaster Slim

In case you don’t already know, Samyang also go by the name of Rokinon, so for the sake of argument I’m just going to refer to this kit as the “Remaster Slim”. I’m not sure why it’s called a “Remaster” as I’m not sure exactly what it is that it’s remastering…? As I’ve said, I’m not actually aware of any such lens concept that’s come before – though I’d be very happy to be corrected if anyone is aware of anything similar…? It is slim though. In fact, it’s another pancake lens, which regular readers will know I enjoy very much.

The Remaster Slim is no ordinary pancake lens though. It’s an autofocus lens with interchangeable lens blocks. There’s an outer lens housing with three lens blocks of different focal lengths that slot and lock into the housing. The idea being that it can provide a good deal of versatility in as small a package as possible. Thanks to each lens block slotting into the one housing, three focal lengths of lens can be carried around in a very small amount of stow space. When you wish to switch from one focal length to another, rather than changing the whole lens, you can simply swap out the centre optical block and carry on shooting. As I’ve said, the Remaster Slim comes with three optical blocks and one outer housing. The three blocks are a 21mm f/3.5, a 28mm f/3.5 and a 32mm f/2.8. The kit also comes with two small carry cases for the lens blocks that aren’t in use, and a hard case for stowing the whole set.

Regardless of which lens block is inserted into the housing, the Remaster Slim works as an autofocus lens with an AF/MF switch on the side to switch it to manual focus. There’s no manual focus distance indicator of any sort on the body of the lens though making it less ideal for zone focusing. Nor, in fact, is there a manual aperture control, just the switch and a focus ring. The aperture is controlled with a dial on the camera, as I often the case with modern lenses.

And yes, I did just talk of a controllable aperture. Unlike the aforementioned and previously reviewed Viltrox 28mm f/4.5 which had a fixed aperture, all three of these lens block have proper variable apertures. The Remaster Slim might be a bit bigger than the Viltrox, but it’s still every bit describable as a pancake lens in my opinion. Thanks to the variable aperture, I wouldn’t class the Remaster Slim as a “snapshot” lens as I did the Viltrox though. Now, as I go to great lengths to talk about in my Viltrox review, I love a snapshot lens. This Remaster Slim kit just brings that little more of a “proper” lens to the table, but still in a relatively small and highly portable package. I’m sure this will add to the appeal for some people who prefer a “proper” lens, but still want something that’s small, light and ridiculously portable.

The design of the outer housing is pretty plain. It feels and looks like little more than a black cylinder with remaster slim emblazoned on the top in a choice of font that I personally wouldn’t have chosen. There’s also a Samyang logo on the side and various legislative markings on the base near the AF/MF switch, and of course there’s the manual focus ring at the front.

The lens has something of a house Samyang look to the design, but it’s not exactly like my 75mm which has a smoother finish to the outer housing and a different look to the focus ring. The Remaster Slim has a slightly mottled finish. Like my 75mm, it doesn’t feel like a premium mirrorless lens in the way some of the Sony and Zeiss lenses I use for work do, but it doesn’t feel or look particularly cheap either. Just expect modern budget lens rather than 1950s style chunk of brass and you won’t be disappointed – not for the price anyway. The lens mount is made of metal which also has a USBc port in the face of it no doubt for updates to the firmware. For those used to such luxuries, there doesn’t appear to be any sort of weather sealing.

The optical blocks themselves are very light and small. Even in their carry cases which makes them a little bigger, they are still both readily carried in a trouser pocket or small carry case of some sort. I tend to carry a peak design shoulder bag when I want to carry a second bigger lens, but prefer not to have the extra baggage. This is one of the reasons I like wide angle pancake lenses, they can be just chucked in a pocket and used for the occasional shot when I’m otherwise shooting with the likes of my Samyang 75mm. This kit is so small, I’ve found I can reasonably comfortably carry the lens body and all three optical blocks in a trouser pocket without too much discomfort. They are all so small that they get totally lost in my rain coat pockets. The only thing I think I would like more in terms of how the blocks can be carried is if there was a case that held both optical blocks together, or maybe if the cases were designed in such a way that they could be clipped together. If I buy one of these kits for myself (spoiler alert: I have already ordered my set as the Black Friday price makes it even more appealing), then I will probably get Simon Forster to make a single case that holds both blocks.

Swapping the optical blocks in and out is relatively easy too. They mount via a bayonet attachment that to begin with doesn’t feel like it will hold the block safe and sound, but in the time I’ve had the kit, in practice, I’ve not had any concern at all that they would fall out at all. That all said, I did initially find mounting the blocks a little tricky – lining up the right tooth with the right slot takes a little bit of getting used to. There’s also no obvious design feature for gripping the front of the block to lock it in place or rotate it loose, but with a bit of practice it doesn’t really seem to be a problem. I’d probably not attempt it with gloves though – it’s all just a little fiddly for that, I think.

The blocks themselves, despite feeling very light, don’t feel especially cheaply made. I wouldn’t say they ooze quality or refinement, but they are good enough quality, again, especially at the price point. Each block has its own complete set of elements – when not mounted, the body just has a hole through it. Each block has its own iris too. There’s a set of electronic connections on the block and lens body that line up when the block is mounted. This obviously allows the lens body to control the iris, but it seems to also communicate the other way “telling” the body of the lens which focal length is inserted. This is obviously needed for metadata etc, but no doubt it’s also required for autofocus functionality/accuracy too.

The lens body also (obviously) comes with its own rear lens cap and front cap. Each optical block sits flush to the front of the lens body so the lens cap fits over the top without any issue regardless of which block is inserted. And, as I’ve already mentioned, the whole lot also comes in a small black carry case.

Shooting

Shooting with this kit I have found to be very satisfying. The body of the lens is less than a couple of cm and so doesn’t project beyond the grip of the A7iii I am currently shooting. As I will get to, the optical quality isn’t right up there with the Sony/Zeiss 35mm 2.8, but the lens is about half the size, and that’s comparing it to an already small lens.

Autofocus is ok. I haven’t found myself blown away by its speed, but it’s perfectly fine, and not really any slouch – just don’t expect Sony GM speed and you probably won’t be too disappointed. In daylight the AF finds and locks on pretty quickly and effectively too, though in lower light and at close-focus distances I have found it to be a little more tricky sometimes. There was an occasion trying to take a snap of the kid under a street light at night when I couldn’t get it to lock for ages – though I suppose this is quite an extreme situation, I would just keep this in mind if you’re expecting perfect AF all the time. Perhaps this will see a firmware update in due course. It’s also possibly worth noting that the AF isn’t perfectly silent – it’s not AF motor noisy in the traditional sense, but it does squeak a bit in a way a lot of modern AF lenses don’t.

One thing I have really loved about this kit is the versatility of it. I’ve mentioned my Samyang 75mm a few times now – it’s one of my all time favourite lenses (especially for mirrorless cameras). It’s compact, fast at f/1.8, takes brilliant photos and is a focal length that I prefer even over 50mm. With that said, I do like to sometimes carry a wider lens alongside it. This was the joy of the Viltrox 28mm f/4.5 – it just made an obvious second lens to the 75mm for me. Well, to say this kit has trumped the Viltrox for me would be an understatement really. It’s only fractionally bigger and brings the option of three focal lengths to the table. I have the option to take the 75mm with the Remaster Slim with just one of the optical blocks, two of them or all three. 21, 32 and 75mm would quite genuinely cover any eventuality for me, and would all – including the camera – fit in my peak design shoulder bag. It’s a lightweight, autofocus, everyday carry/travel camera dream combo for me, and I expect many others would feel the same.

2-for-1 Focal Lengths

I think it’s also worth noting that there’s also the possibility for shooting this kit on an APSc camera which would give a rough equivalent of 32mm, 43 and 50mm. I am a big advocate with kit like this for taking advantage of the switchable crop factor on full frame cameras too. With my 75mm, taking advantage of that APSc switch, with the setup above I would have the options for 21mm, 28mm, 32mm, 43mm, 50mm, 75mm and 116mm equivalents. That’s a very usful range with a set of kit that’s this compact!

Optical Quality

I’ve thought around in circles a few times about how to review these optics, and indeed to what degree I need to cover each in detail. One of the issues I have had is that I haven’t had that much time with the kit. Three weeks goes very fast when trying to review one lens, never mind three of the things. To this end, I have decided to make a few comments about the lenses as a set, as well as just a few specific comments about the individual optics where I have found notable traits.

Overall, I have been very impressed with what I’ve found. All three lenses offer a level of quality that’s well within what I consider to be acceptable for day-to-day snaps from a carry-everywhere lens. Unlike the Viltrox which I found to flare, and the Funleader lenses which are quite low contrast, none of these lenses have any specifically strong optical shortcomings that need to be taken heed of when just using them for for snaps in the way those other lenses do. Though I should add, the Viltrox is way better than the Funleader, so don’t read too much into me lumping them together here. I use the word snaps there with some caution too, as I don’t really want to put this kit in the same pile as what I think of as a snapshot lens. This lens – albeit with its unusual design feature – is a proper lens, it’s just small and inexpensive. The fact that it is small and inexpensive just means the optics aren’t perfect.

I must admit, when I was waiting for this lens to arrive, I did sort of hope that the optics would be good enough for me to sell my little Sony 35mm f/2.8. Unfortunately, they just aren’t. To contextualise that though, the Sony 35mm 2.8 is a £600+ lens new, so that was very much wishful thinking when compared to a kit of three lenses that are about half as much in total. The reality, like with the Viltrox, is we are looking at kit that I probably wouldn’t trust to use within my professional workflow, but that doesn’t mean I think they are “bad” lenses; far from it in fact.

Funnily enough, for work, for the most part I use only 4 lenses now, the 18 and 85mm Zeiss Batis lenses and the Sony 24-70 2.8 GMii an 70-200 f/4 GM. Mostly the 24-70. The latter is a lens that will spoil anyone who uses it who only has a mind for corner-to corner sharpness, and with that, I have come to find a comfort in it when I am working. It is big though. And Heavy. So I really don’t enjoy carrying it or using it when I am not shooting in return for cold hard cash!

I think this is why I am drawn to lenses like the Remaster Slim for my hobby – I just don’t like my cameras to get in the way of my life. With an appreciation for the small size, comes a good deal of relaxation toward optical shortcomings. This is why I think I was hoping this kit would give me the ability to sell the Sony. The issue is, that Sony is a bit of a special lens in my opinion. It has a character I really love. Here, I don’t find character I really love. Instead I find compromise that I am merely very willing to accept. And I really think that sentence probably sums up how I feel about the optics across the board here. I’m not blown away by their optical quality in an objective sense as I am with the big Sony 24-70, nor am I in love in a subjective sense as I am with the Sony 35mm. Instead I am more than happy with what I find when considering their value, size and versatility.

All of the optics come with their fair share of what I would probably call relatively minor optical flaws. They are all softer into the corners when shot wide open – quite a bit softer. This softness largely goes away, but I can still see it stopped down if I pixel-peak. They aren’t tack sharp even in the centre stopped down either, nor are they massively contrasty. None of that is to say they are poor lenses though, they just won’t knock you off your feet in terms of sharpness and contrast. They are simply good enough for, well… family, holiday, travel etc snaps, for my tastes/needs at least.

I also see vignetting wide-open, as well as colour aberrations in both high contrast areas and the bokeh. The bokeh is fine, nothing special, nothing terrible. In terms of other aberrations, of all three, I found the 28mm to be the most trustworthy as it doesn’t really have anything about it that could trip you over, it just does it’s thing in an acceptable way without causing fuss. The 21mm is fairly distorted – it’s not terrible to be fair, but does exhibit noticeable barrel distortion.

The 35 on the other hand seems susceptible to a bit of occasional flare.

But, importantly, despite all this I haven’t been specifically disappointed with any of my results, or in anyway felt like I am navigating the optics in the way that I have felt when I shot the Funleader and then Viltrox. I still like both of those lenses for what they are, but both gave me a need to think about what I was doing and how the light and or subject when be impacted by the optics. That’s just not the case here with the Remaster Slim. Instead I have found myself shooting away with very little concern for the impact of the optics. In short, as long as you’re not a pixel-peeper, the results from the Remaster Slim optics are more than good enough considering the compromise of the smaller size of the whole set of kit.

Photos

Price

I very rarely discus the retail price of the kit I talk about on this website. I just don’t really find it necessary to discuss price in a world where I have no idea of the perspective or concept of value in the individual reader I’m talking to. I’ve reviewed camera like the Leica M60, as well as gear that I’ve bought for sometimes less than £10. I can personally find value in any camera or lens, regardless of the price. That said This is one occasion where I feel the need to push the boundaries of my own rules and mention the price. What we are talking about here is a kit that effectively comprises three moderate-speed lenses for very little cash. They might not be a set of lenses that blow anyone’s mind in terms of the objective quality of photos they are capable of taking, but for the money they cost, really they offer quite exceptional value in my opinion. For the cash, it even comes with its own hard case!

Final thoughts

I just have ordered my own set of Remaster Slim lenses – I really can’t afford it at this time of year, but I have become so fond of the kit, I really didn’t want to send it back. This isn’t kit I will use every single day of my photography career, but it is kit that i know for certain will be incredibly useful to me more regularly than a great deal of the kit I otherwise have in my cabinet. This whole website was originally set up because I had found joy in compact film cameras, and whilst the film-camera-specific element of that favour has waxed and wained over the decade-and-a-bit since, the compact element hasn’t. I will carry whatever I need (within reason) for my working photography career, but within my hobby I am a great deal more sensitive (fussy) about the size of equipment I lug around with me. I have tried a good few very small lenses for my Sony cameras before too, but to date none have offered the level of quality, size, value and versatility that the Remaster Slim lens kit offers.

Of course, there are limitations here. The image quality isn’t perfect. The AF isn’t lightning fast, and there is some hunting up close and in lower light – though I am holding out some hopes that the latter issues will be improved in further firmware updates. For the extra fussy about such things, the feel and build nice, but probably only slightly better than I would expect for the price, and there is no weather sealing.

Despite these shortcomings though, I have found myself persistently happy with the shooting experience and the results I have achieved. This kit isn’t going to supplant any of the other kit in my collection – it doesn’t make me want to sell my Sony 35mm (yet at least…) and I can certainly see it getting use a whole lot more. The Remaster Slim represents to me the almost perfect set of kit for every-day carry and travelling light when on holiday/weekends away etc. Ultimately, all photography equipment seeks to find a compromise that will suit a certain type of photographer, and I can say with some conviction, that the Remaster Slim offers a set of compromises that fit me and my hobby-based shooting needs very well indeed!

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