Rokinon AF 85mm F 1 4 Review | 54 Data compared

The Rokinon 85mm F1.4 AF Sony E is a budget-friendly full-frame portrait prime lens that targets photographers looking for the f/1.4 aesthetic without the high price tag of Sony's G Master equivalent. Built with a minimalist matte black metal housing, a large manual focus ring, and basic dust and splash protection, it balances well on Sony a7 series camera bodies. In terms of optical performance, the lens delivers exceptionally sharp and crisp images with excellent resolution from f/1.4 all the way through f/8 when paired with high-resolution sensors like the 60MP Sony a7R IV. Distortion is well controlled, and edge vignetting is easily corrected in modern editing software. However, the lens is held back by several notable drawbacks, most significantly its spotty and inconsistent autofocus accuracy in stills mode. This issue is compounded by a staccato manual focus experience where the motor drives the lens in short, uneven spurts rather than smooth transitions. Optically, users will notice visible chromatic aberration along high-contrast areas that requires manual Raw removal, as well as focus breathing during video transitions. Physically, the lens lacks...

The Rokinon/Samyang AF 85mm f/1.4 lens is characterized as an impressively lightweight and highly affordable portrait prime for mirrorless cameras, delivering image quality that exceeds its price point. It is praised for its compact design, handling, and versatility in applications ranging from portraiture to studio work. Conversely, to maintain its budget-friendly profile, the lens lacks internal optical stabilization, relying solely on in-camera systems, and exhibits noticeable flare and ghosting when shooting directly into bright light sources. Despite these compromises, it is positioned as a strong, high-value alternative to native lenses.

This review compares the Rokinon/Samyang AF 85mm f/1.4 FE lens against the Sony FE 85mm f/1.8 on full-frame Sony mirrorless cameras at Duke Gardens. The reviewer praises the Rokinon/Samyang lens as a highly competitive and affordable f/1.4 alternative to premium glass from Sony G Master, Sigma Art, and Zeiss. Key advantages of the Rokinon/Samyang include a wider f/1.4 aperture that allows for a thinner depth of field and lower ISO, excellent flare control, and warmer color rendering. Furthermore, it delivers image sharpness at f/1.4 that matches the Sony at f/1.8, and it features a clean, switchless, and buttonless body design. On the downside, the Rokinon/Samyang requires an external lens station to update its firmware for optimal autofocus performance. It is also larger, heavier, and slightly more expensive than its Sony counterpart. In contrast, the Sony FE 85mm f/1.8 stands out for its lightweight, compact build and faster autofocus performance in low-light conditions for both video and still photography. It provides a more functional, tactile user experience owing to its dedicated physical AF/MF switch and a programmable focus hold button. The...

The Samyang/Rokinon AF 85mm F1.4 FE provides professional-grade optical performance with high sharpness at f/1.4, smooth bokeh, and fast autofocus compatible with Sony’s Eye AF, all within a solid, weather-sealed metal build. While offering great value, the lens presents drawbacks including significant vignetting at maximum aperture requiring stopping down to f/2.8, relatively loud autofocus, and a minimalist design lacking physical switches. View the full sample gallery at DPReview.

The Rokinon 85mm F1.4 AF Sony E is a budget-friendly portrait lens designed for full-frame Sony mirrorless cameras, offering a high-value alternative to Sony's expensive G Master line. Built with a sturdy matte black metal housing, the lens features a bright f/1.4 aperture, clean minimalist aesthetics, and basic protection against dust and light splashes. Performance tests on a high-resolution 60MP sensor reveal outstandingly sharp optics and excellent resolution when the lens successfully hits its focus target. Additionally, distortion is well-controlled, and video mode provides a smooth focus transition during rack focusing. However, the lens is held back by a few notable downsides, primarily its inconsistent and spotty autofocus accuracy in both lab and field tests. Manual focusing is equally frustrating due to a staccato motor action that drives the lens in short spurts rather than smooth movements. Optically, users will encounter visible chromatic aberration in high-contrast areas that requires manual removal in Raw processing, alongside a noticeable vignette and distinct focus breathing during video capture. It is also physically bulky and lacks built-in optical stabilization. Ultimately, while it is a...

The Samyang AF 85mm F1.4 Series II is a highly capable portrait lens for Sony FE mount that delivers premium-tier performance at a budget-friendly price point of just under $800 USD. This second-generation model features a complete physical redesign that makes it both slimmer and lighter than its predecessor, weighing only 509g and utilizing a smaller 72mm filter thread. It retains the strong 11-element optical formula of the original lens, which provides exceptional center sharpness even wide open at F1.4, flawless cross-frame resolution when stopped down, and beautifully soft, low-fringing bokeh. Additionally, it features excellent control over distortion and vignette compared to pricier rivals, alongside a more neutral, modern color profile. A major highlight of this upgrade is the transition to a Linear STM autofocus motor, which provides fast, silent, and highly confident Eye AF tracking for both human and animal subjects. The lens build has also matured significantly, offering enhanced weather sealing with seven distinct seal points, a programmable focus hold button, and a customizable control ring. However, it does have a few drawbacks. The manual focus throw is...

The OpticalLimits Samyang / Rokinon AF 85mm f/1.4 FE Review highlights this Sony E-mount mirrorless lens as a "value king" priced at a competitive $550 USD/EUR, providing strong build quality and excellent stopped-down performance. Structurally, the lens features a sturdy metal body with internal focusing and three gaskets for basic weather sealing, earning a high 8.5/10 build quality rating. Optically, while image distortion is negligible at 0.2% pincushion and lateral chromatic aberrations are low, its sharpness profile varies significantly by aperture. Center resolution is somewhat mediocre and lacking "biting" contrast at f/1.4—making it softer but fit-for-purpose for flattering portraits—but it boosts dramatically at f/2 and reaches superb, sharp peak performance across the entire frame between f/4 and f/5.6. However, the reviewer notes several distinct compromises to achieve this aggressive price point. The lens suffers from high vignetting (2.8 EV light falloff) wide open, though this is heavily mitigated via in-camera auto-corrections. A more severe optical flaw is the presence of very pronounced axial chromatic aberrations (bokeh fringing/LoCAs), which create purple and green halos that are difficult to correct in post-processing....