Canon EF 85mm 1.4 vs Samyang RF 85mm 1.4

Hi All,

I am new to the forum and also new to Canon EOS RP. I am currently looking for 85mm lens and I am debating between Canon EF 85mm 1.4 vs. Samyang 85mm 1.4 (If budget was not an issue, RF 85 1.2... but)

I currently have EOS RP + Adapter (Came with the body)

I did some research, and I concluded below pros and cons

Canon EF 85mm

Pro

1. IS
2. Native Canon
3. Sharper (?)

Con

1. More expensive (in Canada probably $1,000 CAD more than Samyang)
2. Heavier (I am used to Pentax K-1 and 24-70 2.8 so maybe it is not an issue for me??)
3. CA (I read Samyang controls better CA)
4. Not RF Mount

Samyang RF 85mm 1.4

Pro

1. Cheaper
2. Better controlled CA
3. RF Mount

Con

1. I heard focus may vary lens to lens (Possibly quality control issue?)
2. WB (I heard more yellowish than Canon?)

I also thought about upcoming RF 85 f/2 but if I buy this, I feel, I am going to keep thinking about f1.4.

Thank you for reading and please share your thoughts!

RP-Toro wrote:

Hi All,

I am new to the forum and also new to Canon EOS RP. I am currently looking for 85mm lens and I am debating between Canon EF 85mm 1.4 vs. Samyang 85mm 1.4 (If budget was not an issue, RF 85 1.2... but)

I currently have EOS RP + Adapter (Came with the body)

I did some research, and I concluded below pros and cons

Canon EF 85mm

Pro

1. IS

That's nice on your current body, but on a next body IBIS will do the same. For portraits you will hardly ever need more than 1.5 stops.

2. Native Canon
3. Sharper (?)

Con

1. More expensive (in Canada probably $1,000 CAD more than Samyang)
2. Heavier (I am used to Pentax K-1 and 24-70 2.8 so maybe it is not an issue for me??)
3. CA (I read Samyang controls better CA)
4. Not RF Mount

Samyang RF 85mm 1.4

Pro

1. Cheaper
2. Better controlled CA
3. RF Mount

Con

1. I heard focus may vary lens to lens (Possibly quality control issue?)
2. WB (I heard more yellowish than Canon?)

I also thought about upcoming RF 85 f/2 but if I buy this, I feel, I am going to keep thinking about f1.4.

Thank you for reading and please share your thoughts!

I don't read anything about bokeh quality/character. That should be part of your homework.

Dustin Abbott did a review first with the Samyang, and it was very sharp. In another review a view weeks later he compared another lens to that Samyang mentioning his Samyang had become less sharp.  That's not really reassuring if you ask me. Furtermore the bokeh of the Samyang isn't the smoothest in my opinion. Smoothness of bokeh is not just a number. Keep in mind an f/2.0 lens can give a more pleasing result than an f/1.4 lens.  Unfortunately we still have to wait for the real reviews of the 85mm f/2.0.

I don't know, it's too early to tell, but I have the feeling it will be a nice lens, and good value for money.

I was tired of waiting for Canon to come out with a good 85 or 50 IS at a good price, so I found a good price on a 85mm f1.4 L refurb from Canon for $1199.  Same warranty as new, 1 year.

After reading your post I went back and checked my pics taken with the EF 85L and found one with very minor CA, corrected very easy in LR.

I have had trouble with CA  with the Canon 85mm 1.8, 28mm 1.8 and Sigma 50mm 1.4 EX.  Two copies of the 85 1.8 both the same with lots of CA and erratic focus, could just be bad luck.   Back in the early days of LR, CA was a real pain to correct

My problem with the Samyang is no IS, at 70 I really like IS   I had my finger on the button for the Tamron more than once but stopped myself.  Tamron lens I have had in the past did not have good resale.  It seems that in the NW it really needs the name Canon and a Red ring for good resale.

RP-Toro wrote:

Hi All,

I am new to the forum and also new to Canon EOS RP. I am currently looking for 85mm lens and I am debating between Canon EF 85mm 1.4 vs. Samyang 85mm 1.4 (If budget was not an issue, RF 85 1.2... but)

I currently have EOS RP + Adapter (Came with the body)

I did some research, and I concluded below pros and cons

Canon EF 85mm

Pro

1. IS
2. Native Canon
3. Sharper (?)

Con

1. More expensive (in Canada probably $1,000 CAD more than Samyang)
2. Heavier (I am used to Pentax K-1 and 24-70 2.8 so maybe it is not an issue for me??)
3. CA (I read Samyang controls better CA)
4. Not RF Mount

Samyang RF 85mm 1.4

Pro

1. Cheaper
2. Better controlled CA
3. RF Mount

Con

1. I heard focus may vary lens to lens (Possibly quality control issue?)
2. WB (I heard more yellowish than Canon?)

I also thought about upcoming RF 85 f/2 but if I buy this, I feel, I am going to keep thinking about f1.4.

Thank you for reading and please share your thoughts!

If you can afford Canon 85 f1.4 just simply go for it. No match for samyang. But yes that's also a nice sharp lens according to the various reviews.

But please keep in mind about compatibility with your Camera. I was reading somewhere in this forum that samyang 85 is having problem with IBIS in R5/6. Just check for compatibility with RP before you make the final decision.

Personally I'm not a big fan of 3rd party lenses mainly cause of compatibility issues. And Canon lenses produce better IQ in most of the cases.

I went through the same decision recently, I can't afford any of the EF and RF 85 L's and was very much interested in the samyang but ended up getting a used EF 85/1.8 USM for about $200 as a place holder until the RF 85/2 starts shipping in early November. This 85/1.8 is really an excellent lens, don't go by the price. Now i m not sure if I will get the RF 85/2 until a few real world reviews are posted. That RF 85/2 will have IS, 1:2 macro, same weight and size as the 85/1.8 + Adapter at $600. My main interest in the RF 85/2 is the IS and close focusing distance. I read somewhere the Samyang lens doesn't support some of the in-camera correction features of EOS R & RP. The R system is so new, i would stick to the native RF or EF glass for now.

Don't forget there is a EF 100mm F2 USM as well, its the same size and weight as the EF 85/1.8 USM but a bit sharper and will give you more compression for about $50 more.

I've thought about the 85mm focal length as well. Used to have the EF 85mm f/1.2 II, but after finding that sharp focus exactly where I wanted it at f/1.2 was very difficult to master with my DSLR's, I sold it and bought a 100-400 II with the proceeds plus a few more bucks. Got way more use out of that lens. I don't really see any 85mm f/1.4 right now as a good solution for me. It would be "neither fish nor fowl" - neither an f/1.2 bokeh plus resolution king, nor a decent macro lens.

Now, waiting for my pre-ordered R5 (will it ever come?), I have pre-ordered the RF 85 f/2.0 Macro. My motivation is mostly that I want two lenses in one - a moderately fast prime 85mm for portraits, and, hopefully, a pretty good 1:2 macro at longer than "normal" focal length, but shorter than my more specialized Sigma 150mm f/2.8 1:1 macro. The biggest questions about this lens are obvious. Will it render objects very sharply at 1:2 by stopping down 1 or 2 stops, or even wide open? And, will it offer great bokeh and excellent center sharpness at somewhat farther focus distances at f/2.0 with a nice and not too steep fall off at the edges and corners for portraits. These two characteristics rarely coincide in one lens, but if they both do so in this RF lens, it will be a great one for me.

Heck, I'd really rather have an RF 85mm f/1.2 and maybe an upcoming RF 100mm macro, but my bank account won't reach that far under the current economy. I hope the 85 f/2.0 comes through for me. Wish me luck.

David Franklin wrote:

I've thought about the 85mm focal length as well. Used to have the EF 85mm f/1.2 II, but after finding that sharp focus exactly where I wanted it at f/1.2 was very difficult to master with my DSLR's, I sold it and bought a 100-400 II with the proceeds plus a few more bucks. Got way more use out of that lens. I don't really see any 85mm f/1.4 right now as a good solution for me. It would be "neither fish nor fowl" - neither an f/1.2 bokeh plus resolution king, nor a decent macro lens.

Now, waiting for my pre-ordered R5 (will it ever come?), I have pre-ordered the RF 85 f/2.0 Macro. My motivation is mostly that I want two lenses in one - a moderately fast prime 85mm for portraits, and, hopefully, a pretty good 1:2 macro at longer than "normal" focal length, but shorter than my more specialized Sigma 150mm f/2.8 1:1 macro. The biggest questions about this lens are obvious. Will it render objects very sharply at 1:2 by stopping down 1 or 2 stops, or even wide open? And, will it offer great bokeh and excellent center sharpness at somewhat farther focus distances at f/2.0 with a nice and not too steep fall off at the edges and corners for portraits. These two characteristics rarely coincide in one lens, but if they both do so in this RF lens, it will be a great one for me.

Heck, I'd really rather have an RF 85mm f/1.2 and maybe an upcoming RF 100mm macro, but my bank account won't reach that far under the current economy. I hope the 85 f/2.0 comes through for me. Wish me luck.

I have the EF 85mmf1.2L II and the EF 85mmf1.4L IS USM I use adapted with the EOS R and R5  The f1.2 is for portaits and images with character and soul.  The f1.4 is much faster in focussing instantly and It is for action photography, indoor sporting events and any indoor event where there is likely motion.