Samyang 85mm f/1.4 IF Aspherical

The Samyang 85mm f/1.4 IF Aspherical is Samyang's 35mm format moderate telephoto prime lens for portraiture.

Samyang 85mm f/1.4 IF Aspherical

Maker	Samyang Optics
Lens mount(s)	Canon EF, Nikon F (FX), Four Thirds, Pentax K, Sony/Minolta Alpha, Sony E, Samsung NX
Technical data
Type	Prime
Focus drive	manual
Focal length	85 mm
Crop factor	full frame
Aperture (max/min)	f/1.4 - f/22
Close focus distance	1 m (3.3 ft)
Diaphragm blades	8
Construction	9 elements in 7 groups
Features
Manual focus override	No
Weather-sealing	No
Lens-based stabilization	No
Macro capable	No
Aperture ring	Yes
Application	Portrait telephoto prime
Physical
Max. length	72.2 mm (2.84 in) – 95.7 mm (3.77 in), depends on the mount
Diameter	78 mm (3.1 in)
Weight	513 g (18.1 oz) – 560 g (20 oz), depends on the mount
Filter diameter	72 mm
Accessories
Lens hood	included
Angle of view
Diagonal	28.3°
History
Introduction	2009
References
[1] [2]

Introduction

The Samyang 85mm supports most SLR mounts and thus its dimensions vary accordingly. As a manual focus only lens, it does not support auto focus. This has enabled the manufacturer to produce a lens of exceptional quality while remaining significantly cheaper than equivalent lenses from either Nikon or Canon.

The lens contains one aspherical element.

It is also sold under a number of different brands such as Walimex, Rokinon, Vivitar and Bower.

Samyang has released the AE version of the lens for Nikon which includes a CPU and electronic contacts to allow for automatic exposure in all modes, including in camera models that do not normally support automatic exposure with manual focus Nikon Ai lenses.

The first version of the lens (in all mounts) had a golden ring. A second version with a red ring has been released, and benefits from the new UMC coating. A third version was later released, which changed the shape of the lens hood mount.

Reception

Photozone noted low distortion and vignetting, high longitudinal chromatic aberration and competitive sharpness at f/4. At other apertures, it "may not be the sharpest lens around but it offers a good and very affordable introduction into shallow depth-of-field photography".

Camera Labs evaluated the lens as delivering "very good results" when "viewed in isolation", and giving a sharper image in the corners than a Nikkor 85mm f1.4G, but losing to it in the centre.