Samyang AF 85mm F1.4 Weather Sealed High Speed Auto Focus Lens for Canon EOS R Cameras - RF Mount (SYIO85AF-RF)

Product Information

Here is another example. I have the 24-105 f4. It is a great general purpose lens. However, I run into low light situations often, and I wish I had the 24-70 f2.8 instead. However, I can't exactly justify having them both. So... I already know that eventually I will own the 28-70 f2 as well. I was just waiting for an IBIS body, and I have other lens buying priorities. The lens I was most interested in comparing the Rokinon AF 85 to is the for-Sony Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art Lens. Connect a Rokinon AF lens to a computer for firmware updates and lens performance calibration using the Rokinon Lens Station and Lens Manager Software.

The shape, intensity, and position of the flare in an image are variable, dependent on the position and nature of the light source (or sources), selected aperture, shape of the aperture blades, and quantity and quality of the lens elements and their coatings. The Samyang AF 85mm F1.4 RF (also known as the Rokinon AF 85mm F1.4 RF in the USA) is a very fast short telephoto (portrait) prime lens for full-frame Canon R-series mirrorless cameras.

A subject measuring approximately 11.7" x 7.8" (297 x 198mm) fills a full-frame imaging sensor at this lens's minimum focus distance. Pros: good experience with Samyang RF 14mm, no firmware problems, good price for a 1.4, weight (585g) Above: And finally, let’s compare them all at their maximum apertures, showing the greatest potential for blob size without the aperture blades getting in the way. While all three share similar rendering styles as well as oval-shaped blobs in the corners, it’s unsurprisingly the RF 1.2 on the left that’s delivering the largest blobs when wide-open. I expected the f2 and 1.8 models to be very similar here, but the older EF model is delivering visibly bigger blobs. Again do you have a preference? Both the physical and optical construction of the AF 85mm f/1.4 RF make you wonder how Samyang can do it for the money. The value factor undoubtedly tops the list of reasons why you’d buy this lens, but obviously only because it doesn’t involve any significant compromises. The reality is that many who use this lens will never use manual focus, and for those, this factor doesn't matter.

Above: Unsurprisingly as a more affordable model in the series, the RF 85mm f2 is not sealed against dust and moisture. Neither was the old EF 85mm f1.8, but the higher-end RF 85mm f1.2 lenses are weather-sealed and as L-models also include lens hoods. Some sports, such as basketball and volleyball, can be captured with an 85mm lens, and thanks to the wide aperture, this lens can stop the action in very poorly-lit venues, including gymnasiums. Engagements, weddings, parties, events, theater, stage performances including concerts and recitals, families, small groups, senior adults, fashion, documentary, lifestyle, etc., are great uses for the 85mm focal length. You might stop down 2 for vignette and 3 for sharpness anyway, and probably both because f/2.0 is shallow enough for head and shoulders portraits. The AF 85mm F1.4 RF’s optical design minimizes optical aberrations while maximizing the image quality from corner to corner. Its detailed rendering results in exceptional image quality, even on the latest high-resolution full-frame cameras; and its bright maximum aperture means you can enjoy this excellent performance even when shooting indoors or in darker conditions.I still love looking into the front of 85mm f/1.4 lenses — the large-diameter glass always makes me smile. An 85mm lens hits the bottom classic range figure on a full-frame camera and, if used on a camera with an APS-C format imaging sensor, the 127.5mm full-frame angle of view equivalent is near the top of this ideal range. A wide manual focus ring is provided and this has an excellent ribbed finish that gives a solid and reliable grip. The manual focus action is rather firmer than most electronic rings, but not excessively so. Focusing is down to 0.9m, or 2.95 feet, a maximum magnification of 0.11x. This minimum focusing distance is as traditional as the 85mm f/1.4 specification is and does not approach the close focusing that zoom lens users have come to expect. No doubt there are good optical design reasons for this, but we are left with the feeling that it would be nice to be able to close in just a little more. It’s very well made and, optically, easily holds its own against quite a number of the more expensive 85mm f/1.4 primes currently on the market. In terms of the RF mount, Canon’s own 85mm f/1.2 L series lenses – especially with the effective but expensive Blue SpectrumRefractive optics – are inevitably superior in some performance areas, but you’ll be paying dearly for it. And just as you yourself explained, you are allowed to justify your setup. Why is it not valid for others to justify theirs to themselves however they want without getting the 3rd degree from you?

The AF 85mm F1.4 RF features a total of 11 glass elements; the ED (Extra-Low Dispersion) elements have been incorporated into its precise achromatic design. This design corrects chromatic aberrations, and creates quality results, with peripheral softness also being well-controlled. The Rokinon AF 85mm F1.4 Lens vs. Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art Lens comparison shows the Sigma very slightly smaller and heavier. Like the Samyang MF 14mm f/2.8 for Canon EOS R-series and Nikon Z-series full-frame mirrorless cameras, this 85mm f/1.4 lens is well-built, feels robust and solid, and features weather-seals. You might not tend to shoot portraits in the rain but sometimes there’s no choice, like at weddings and other events.

Max Aperture

Onboard controls boil down to a single autofocus/manual focus switch and a manual focus ring. The autofocus system itself is based on a Dual LSM (Linear Supersonic Motor), which is fast and virtually silent in operation. However, unlike with an ultrasonic ring-type arrangement, the manual focus ring has an electronic rather than mechanical coupling. The upshot is that the focus ring only works when power is supplied from the camera, for example after a light press of the shutter button. Samyang AF 85mm f/1.4: Performance Physically, the AF Samyang 85mm f/1.4 is a fairly substantial lens, but not excessively so. In numbers, it’s 97.5mm in length and 88mm in diameter – giving a 77mm The aperture remains fairly well-rounded when stopping down a little, thanks to the 9-blade diaphragm (Image credit: Matthew Richards) Samyang MF 85mm f/1.4: Build and Handling The "portrait photography" designation is a broad one that covers a wide variety of potential still and video uses ranging from moderately-tight headshots to full body portraits, with a wide variety of potential venues, including indoors and outdoors.

This latest Samyang 85mm F1.4 AS IF UMC Aspherical Lenses also feature new UMC (Ultra Multi Coatings) which aid the very high level of light transmission, and adds further resistance to flare and ghosting. The 85mm F1.4 lenses are manual focus primes, designed to give exceptional results at wide apertures. At F1.4 great images can be obtained, which is perfect for portraiture and low light shooting. Regardless of the camera format used and like most focal lengths, 85mm can be useful for landscape photography. For portrait shooting, the best all around lens with other benefits (1:2 "macro") is clearly the RF 85mm f/2.0, short of laying out an awful lot more money for the RF 85mm f/1.2. The RF f/2.0 is useable at f/2.0 and sharp to the edges. The bokeh is sufficient for most portrait environments. The focusing issues have been many times exaggerated, as I can attest from using the lens with no real focus issues when used for its intended purposes. For sports, the lowest possible price, very slightly better bokeh, others may sometimes fit those requirements better, but for the vast majority of actual, rather than theoretical, portrait situations, the RF 85 f/2.0 covers your needs the best. Of course, YMMV, but that's what I have found.The bokeh (the character of the out-of-focus blur) is a primary concern for professionals choosing an ultra large aperture lens for shallow depth-of-field photography. The Samyang 85mm F1.4 lens design offers excellent bokeh quality of out-of-focus highlights when used near wide open such as at F1.4 and F2. Bokeh is a word used for the out-of-focus areas of a photograph, and is usually described in qualitative terms, such as smooth / creamy / harsh etc. Given the huge expanse of the front element, some flaring will occur when sunlight falls across its surface, which is presumably why Samyang supplies a pretty deep lens hood. As an aside, it’s going to be well worth investing in a protective filter for the front of the 85mm too, especially for the times when you’re shooting without the shade and all that precious glass is more at risk. Verdict