Rokinon AF 85mm f/1.8 P FE Review

The Samyang Rokinon AF 85mm f/1.8 is a lightweight, no-frills portrait lens for Sony shooters. At 272 grams, it's easy to carry all day, and that f/1.8 aperture gives you classic background blur for portraits. It's built solidly, scoring in the 87th percentile, but don't expect any weather sealing or stabilization here. This lens is about getting the job done with a simple, fast prime.

Optical performance is decent, landing in the 60th percentile. The bokeh is smooth and ranks a solid 79th, great for portraits. The autofocus is the main letdown, sitting in the 47th percentile. It's not the fastest or most reliable, especially in low light. And forget about close-ups, with a 40th percentile macro score and a minimum focus distance of 80cm.

At around $339, it's a tempting budget option. You're paying for the core specs: a full-frame 85mm f/1.8 lens. You're not paying for stabilization, weather sealing, or top-tier autofocus. If you can live with those compromises, it's a fair deal. If you need reliable AF, you might want to spend more.

Compared to the Meike 55mm f/1.8 Pro, the Samyang offers a more traditional portrait focal length. The Viltrox 35mm f/1.7 is wider and often cheaper, but the 85mm is better for subject isolation. The real competition is Sony's own 85mm f/1.8, which costs more but has much better autofocus and stabilization. The Samyang wins on price and weight, but loses on features and focus speed.

Buy this if you're a hobbyist or budget-conscious portrait photographer who shoots mostly in good light and doesn't rely on fast autofocus. It's a great 'character' lens for the price. Skip it if you shoot events, need reliable autofocus for moving subjects, or want a lens you can use in the rain.