Photo: Krasen Belev (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Quick answer
A manual-focus 85mm f/1.4 portrait lens for full-frame DSLRs with a 72mm filter thread.
Pros
- f/1.4
- Full-frame coverage
- Smooth blur
Cons
- Manual focus only
- Fringing wide open
Verdict
A portrait lens that rewards careful manual focusing.
About this lens
The Samyang 85mm f/1.4 Aspherical IF is a fast short-telephoto prime lens covering 85mm at f/1.4 for Nikon F mount cameras, with aspherical elements. An affordable fast manual-focus portrait prime.
Samyang 85mm f/1.4 Aspherical IF specifications
- Brand
- Samyang
- Mount
- Nikon F
- Focal length
- 85mm
- Maximum aperture
- f/1.4
- Lens type
- Prime
- Optical construction
- 9 elements in 7 groups
- Minimum focus distance
- 1.1 m
- Filter thread
- 72 mm
Specification source: lksamyang.com
What can you shoot with the Samyang 85mm f/1.4 Aspherical IF?
- Portraits
- Weddings with manual focus
- Shallow depth of field
Its very wide maximum aperture suits low light and shallow depth of field with strong background blur.
Full-frame equivalent and field of view
Calculated from the focal length and crop factor. Not measured.
| Sensor | Crop | Equivalent | Horizontal FOV | Diagonal FOV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full frame | 1.0x | 85mm | 23.9° | 28.6° |
| APS-C | 1.5x | 128mm | 16.1° | 19.3° |
Frequently asked questions
Is the Samyang 85mm f/1.4 a good portrait lens?
Yes. It has a pleasant rendering for portraits, though focus accuracy at f/1.4 takes practice.
What filter size does it use?
It uses a 72mm thread. If your other lenses use a different size, step-up rings let you share filters.
Is the Samyang 85mm f/1.4 autofocus?
No. The Nikon F version is manual focus.
Alternatives for Nikon F from other brands
All Nikon F lensesSame mount, overlapping focal range, closest maximum aperture first.
