Canon EF 50mm F1.8 II vs Samyang 85mm f/1.4 Aspherical IF
Side-by-side comparison from our catalogue data. Better values are highlighted only where a clear difference exists.
Verdict at a glance
- Samyang 85mm f/1.4 Aspherical IF is faster by 0.7 stops (f/1.4 vs f/1.8), letting in more light.
- Canon EF 50mm F1.8 II goes wider (50mm vs 85mm).
- Samyang 85mm f/1.4 Aspherical IF reaches further (85mm vs 50mm).
| Spec | EF 50mm F1.8 II | 85mm f/1.4 Aspherical IF |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Canon | Samyang |
| Mount | Canon EF | Canon EF |
| Type | Prime | Prime |
| Focal length | 50mm (wider) | 85mm |
| Max aperture | f/1.8 | f/1.4 (faster) |
| Released | 1990 | n/a |
| Blades | 5 | n/a |
| Format | full-frame | n/a |
| Groups | 5 | 7 |
| Elements | 6 | 9 |
| Weight g | 130.0 | n/a |
| Filter mm | 52 | 72 |
| Length mm | 41.0 | n/a |
| Diameter mm | 68.2 | n/a |
| Min focus m | 0.45 (closer focusing) | 1.1 |
| Max magnification | 0.15 | n/a |
Canon EF 50mm F1.8 II
The 1990 version of Canon's 50mm f/1.8 for EF mount: tiny and light, with a plastic mount and a basic micro motor. It fits any EF-mount body.
Pros
- Very light and small
- f/1.8 aperture
- Sharp enough once stopped down
Cons
- Plastic mount and build
- Autofocus is slow and audible
- No full-time manual focus override
Samyang 85mm f/1.4 Aspherical IF
A manual-focus 85mm portrait prime for full-frame DSLRs with an f/1.4 aperture. It delivers smooth background blur.
Pros
- f/1.4 aperture
- Smooth background blur
- Full-frame coverage
Cons
- Manual focus only
- Slower to use for moving subjects