topic Re: Canon R6II and Rokinon in EOS DSLR & Mirrorless Cameras

EOS R6 Mark II won't take a photo with Rokinon lenses

karentesch — Tue, 18 Nov 2025 15:53:17 GMT

I would greatly appreciate any insight from this group. 💜

I have a Canon R6II, and the EF to RF adapter. It works great with all my Canon EF lens.

I also have two Rokinon Lens for night photography - the ROKINON 24MM F/1.4 ED AS UMC WA F/EOS and a RKNON 14 2.8 ED SPR WA LNS W/CHIP F/EOS - both EF mounts

When connected to my R6II and EF adapter, the camera won't take a photo. I push on the button and nothing happens. I would be thrilled to hear there is a work-around for this! And that these two lens are not obsolete for me now. They are both manual lens.

Thank you so much for any help or insight you can give me.

(I tried the Rokinon Help/Support site and they didn't know. I tried the Canon Support site and didn't get anywhere. I tried B&H where I bought the two Rokinon lens and they didn't know either)

Re: Canon R6II and Rokinon

p4pictures — Fri, 14 Nov 2025 21:17:40 GMT

Since these are manual lenses then it is possible that the camera won't detect a lens is fitted. In such case it prevents the shutter from firing to protect the sensor. Howver there is a custom setting in the camera to allow it to fire when no lens appears to be attached

https://cam.start.canon/en/C012/manual/html/UG-09_Custom_0030.html#Custom_0030_4-4

Personally I made use of this when I connected my camera to a spotting some and used a T2 mount adapter.

Re: Canon R6II and Rokinon

karentesch — Sat, 15 Nov 2025 02:11:40 GMT

Brian - thank you for your kindness in responding. I found in the menu when I enabled the "release shutter without lens". Then I attached by Rokinon 2.8/F 14 mm lens to the Canon EF to RF adapter and put it on my R6II. It did allow a photo to be taken, or I thought it was, but then the screen went completely black, and it seemed like it was trying to do a long shutter speed photo - but it NEVER stopped. I waited over 30 seconds for it to complete. I had to turn it off and remover the battery to get a viewable screen back. No photo was taken. Please tell me what I did incorrectly. Thank you so much!

Re: Canon R6II and Rokinon

Waddizzle — Sat, 15 Nov 2025 09:18:44 GMT

What shooting mode are you trying to use? You must use Av or M.

You can’t use a shooting mode that requires the camera to control the aperture, like P or Tv modes. I would suggest enabling ExpSIM for any lens.

Re: Canon R6II and Rokinon

jrhoffman75 — Sat, 15 Nov 2025 10:24:33 GMT

@karentesch wrote:

Brian - thank you for your kindness in responding. I found in the menu when I enabled the "release shutter without lens". Then I attached by Rokinon 2.8/F 14 mm lens to the Canon EF to RF adapter and put it on my R6II. It did allow a photo to be taken, or I thought it was, but then the screen went completely black, and it seemed like it was trying to do a long shutter speed photo - but it NEVER stopped. I waited over 30 seconds for it to complete. I had to turn it off and remover the battery to get a viewable screen back. No photo was taken. Please tell me what I did incorrectly. Thank you so much!

There are two versions of that lens Karen. Does your lens have the AE chip for automatic exposure or do you have to manually set the aperture?

If so I have seen posts elsewhere that the chipped version is not compatible with R series cameras and there is no Rokinon firmware update.

Re: Canon R6II and Rokinon

p4pictures — Sat, 15 Nov 2025 16:31:20 GMT

The simplest test is to try and make a photo with only the lens adapter fitted, no lens on the camera and the enabled the shutter to release without a lens. If that works without an issue then it's a Rokinon compatibility issue.

As John pointed out in his answer there have been some identified issues with some Rokinon lenses.

Re: Canon R6II and Rokinon

justadude — Mon, 17 Nov 2025 15:30:48 GMT

"If so I have seen posts elsewhere that the chipped version is not compatible with R series cameras and there is no Rokinon firmware update."

Karen:
I have heard the same as John about the chipped versions. However I can confirm that the non-chipped version of the EF Rokinon 14mm f/2.8 does work fine with the R6 Mk ll because I had both of those items. If your 24mm is non-chipped, it should work as well.

I still have the R6 Mk ll... but found how much nicer the Venus Optics Laowa RF 15mm f/2 Zero-D works for night photography. If you do need to upgrade lenses, I suggest looking into this one instead of an RF Rokinon. Far less distortion, what is there is easier to correct, and the build quality of the Laowa series is far superior.

Re: Canon R6II and Rokinon

ebiggs1 — Mon, 17 Nov 2025 17:48:26 GMT

"... but found how much nicer the Venus Optics Laowa RF 15mm f/2 Zero-D works for night photography."

I have never tried one but I have shoot the Rok. Interesting at least but nearly $200 bucks more but a stop faster. I do know that QC is an issue with these cheap manual lenses. Get a good one and you have a good lens but if not, not so much. The Rokinon 14mm f/2.8 Lens I had was super sharp and pretty much distortion free in the corners where most lenses fall apart. Although I am not in to astro any longer I should have kept that lens. 🤔

Re: Canon R6II and Rokinon

justadude — Mon, 17 Nov 2025 18:37:26 GMT

I think the thing I noticed most for the distortion aspect was with landscape shots where you have a perfectly flat horizon. Lake Michigan sunset for instance... no hills out on the lake (haha). You could do the lens correction in DPP4 or Lightroom, but there would still be kind of a mustache effect along the horizon with the Rokinon 14mm. With the Laowa 15mm Zero-D the lens distortion correction made the horizon on the lake flat.

The Rokinon I really loved - I owned three different versions (different mounts for 14mm full frame... Canon & Pentax, and an APS-C 10mm version for Canon). Cheaply built, but they did the job.

The Venus Optics Laowa series is just machined like a well made lens should be. Nothing feels loose. Snug but not tight, and buttery smooth to move the focus and aperture. I like that the front element isn't bubbled out, so I can actually place an infrared filter on the lens and use it for that as well. Couldn't do that with the Rokinon, which as you know has a front element that looks like half of a tennis ball. And for those that do video, there is a slide button for the aperture. Switch it one way, and your stops click into place. Switch it the other way, you smoothly adjust your aperture with no clicks - it simply moves the blades as far as you want to turn it while recording. I don't do video, but I can see the appeal for those that do. Granted the optics aren't like you will get on a $2K lens, but they are a nice step above the Rokinon.

Re: Canon R6II and Rokinon

karentesch — Mon, 17 Nov 2025 19:09:45 GMT

The "Release Shutter w/o Lens" enabled did the trick with the Rokinon 1.4/F 24 mm lens!!! Yea!

Thank you so much!

My other Rokinon 2.8/F 14 mm does not work, even with the "Release Shutter w/o Lens" enabled. It does have a "chip", so that must be the reason!

THANK YOU all so very much for helping me! I'm overwhelmed with your kindness and expertise!

Re: Canon R6II and Rokinon

karentesch — Mon, 17 Nov 2025 19:15:28 GMT

Gary - Thank you so much for the suggesion. I looked the Laowa lens up and it's even on sale! This is my first time posting a query and I am amazed at how helpful and kind you all are! Thank you!

Re: Canon R6II and Rokinon

karentesch — Mon, 17 Nov 2025 19:17:51 GMT

Thank you, Brian! You were so kind to stick it out with me to figure it out! I would NEVER have found that little entry on the menu that solves the problem! 😅

Re: Canon R6II and Rokinon

karentesch — Mon, 17 Nov 2025 19:19:02 GMT

Thank you, John, for your help! So kind of you to post the photo! 🙂

Re: EOS R6 Mark II and Rokinon

shadowsports — Mon, 17 Nov 2025 21:35:34 GMT

Greetings,

I have the 14mm f2.8 non AE chip. Afraid I can't help. ☹️