A6700 incompatible with Samyang 24mm f/1.8 FE

[Fraser-Cave_Photography]

I've been using this lens with my A7M4 ad A6400 for some time without issue, but on upgrading to the A6700 the lens no longer works in CAF. It hunts continuously, at best holding focus on even stationary object for les than a second before hunting again; to be clear, this isn't that it's slow and hunts a bit, it's unusable in CAF, it will not focus nor track at all.

Thinking I may have a dodgy copy, my local camera shop allowed me to test one of their copies and it showed identical issues. They also tested both copies of the lens with an A6000 and A7M3 and there were no issues with them. 

Has anyone out there seen something similar, or perhaps with other 3rd party lenses?

It's pretty clear the A6700 is doing something different to others in the Sony family and it's messing up and otherwise excellent 3rd party lens. I'm hoping this forum is the best way to get the message to them? If not, can anyone suggest a better way?

[Marino.Manolo]

Have you a latest (03) Firmware for the Optical?: https://www.samyanglens.com/en/m/product/product-view.php?seq=527

[Fraser-Cave_Photography]

A  good point and one that I'm looking into as I've returned it to the camera store for them to update to V.03. However, given this version was released in Dec 2022, compatibility with the A6700 wasn't the issue it addressed, as you can see from the release notes. If it does sort things out, then happy days!

[Fraser-Cave_Photography]

The response from Sony doesn't fill me with encouragement though.... 

 Not sure their person realises the importance of CAF and using focus then recompose with tracking as a way around not having a joystick! 🙂

[danardeng · Accepted solution]

🫣 no.. I agree that the answer from sony’s support is to be ignored.

If the lens is not upgraded to the last firmware, the first step is to upgrade. Also if is not listed as adding compatibility to a camera released after the firmware release, it can improve anyway.

It’s common that oldest third parts lenses needed for an upgrade to be compatible with newer AF evolutions (for sony ‘s brand lenses, new cameras are able to adapt themselves to well known lenses).

Probably you have to wait for the upgrade from samyang. Meanwhile you can encourage them describing the issues with new cameras.

[Fraser-Cave_Photography]

I have been in touch with both Sony and Samyang and we have to remember the responses are not declarations of policy from either company. However, it would be nice for one of the companies to take ownership of the issues @

samyanglens.uk , https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/support/cameras-camcorders