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

The Samyang AF 85mm f/1.4 EF is a compact and lightweight prime lens featuring a sleek, semi-gloss black finish with a signature orange ring design. Weighing 485 grams and measuring just 72mm in length, the lens handles very well on-camera due to its short barrel profile. Its optical construction uses a streamlined configuration of 9 elements in 7 groups, which prevents the lens from feeling bulky or massive. It is built with a robust metallic chassis, an excellent anodized aluminum bayonet, and an external weather-sealing rubber gasket at the mount to protect against environmental elements. In terms of functional performance, notable pros include a smooth and agile ring-type ultrasonic autofocus motor system, an internal focusing design that prevents the 77mm front filter thread from rotating, and full-time manual focus override capabilities. The electronic manual focus ring also features practical, dust-resistant ribbing with excellent rotation travel across all focus distances. On the downside, the lens lacks built-in optical image stabilization, does not feature a physical distance scale window, and relies entirely on an electronic focus-by-wire system for manual adjustments.

The Samyang AF 85 mm f1.4 FE is a highly competitive, budget-friendly short telephoto lens designed for Sony E-mount full-frame cameras, offering portrait photographers a low-cost entry into f/1.4 background bokeh. Built with a robust, weather-sealed aluminum body, the lens features an 11-element optical formula (including high-refraction and extra-low dispersion glass) and a 9-blade diaphragm that produces smooth, visually striking bokeh. Reviewers highlighted its Dual Linear Sonic Motor (DSLM) for providing relatively fast and quiet autofocus when paired with bodies like the Sony A7 III. Additionally, its lightweight footprint—weighing only 568 grams—makes it significantly more comfortable to carry all day for street or outdoor portrait photography compared to heavier alternatives like the Sigma Art series. However, achieving its €680 price point requires several notable compromises. On the downside, the lens completely lacks internal optical stabilization, relying entirely on the camera body's sensor stabilization. Its minimum focusing distance is limited to 90 cm—5 cm longer than major competitors—which can become an annoyance during tight headshots. Optically, while image quality is very sharp in the center when shot wide open, resolution drops...