third party RF lenses

    Do you need an RF portrait lens on a budget? Consider the Samyang AF 85mm f/1.4

    By 53 Comments1 Min Read Third Party Lenses

    Are you in the market for a portrait lens for your Canon RF mount camera? Don't have the budget for the Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L or the pair of Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L lenses? Well, then the Samyang AF 85mm f/1.4 for the RF mount may be for you.

    This Samyang has autofocus and weather sealing, as well as terrific image quality for the price. I have yet to find a bad review of the Samyang AF 85mm f/1.4 and actually ordered one myself.

    Key Features

    • Designed for Canon RF mount
    • Fast F1.4 lens with beautiful bokeh – 9 rounded aperture blades provide pleasing bokeh
    • Ultra Multi Coating (UMC) – Proprietary UMC technology effectively eliminates Ghosting and Flare
    • Weather Sealing – Protects the lens from the elements

    Samyang AF 85mm f/1.4 for the RF mount

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    53 comments

    1. Everything I have read about that lens has been positive too (well, except for the fact I understand it acts like an adapted EF lens rather than a native RF lens, eg I believe you don't get the better EVF experience RF lenses are supposed to give). For my use, the size and weight - not to mention price - of this lens make it much more attractive to me than the Canon RF 85/1.2. If more lenses like this came out of for the RF system, I would start to get more interested in it. (Yeah, I know the Canon RF lenses are fantastic in many ways. Size, weight and price mean I'm not seriously interested in many of them. The lenses available for the Sony system (including Sigma and Tamron lenses) have got my attention much more than the RF lenses at this point in time.)

      Once you get your Samyang, please let us know what you think of it!
    2. I agree with this! The reputable lens reviewers on YouTube, Dustin Abbot and Chris Frost rate this lens highly in all departments.

      Value for money is fantastic and it’s so light compared to the EF and RF versions.

      No IS but if your going to mount this to the latest EOS bodies with IBIS at least you have stabilisation from the body. Equally their AF 14 2.8 RF lens also gets fabulous reviews.

      Very reasonably priced lenses performing way above their price level must be good news for the RF mount.
    3. I'd be interested to see how it's image quality stacks up to the Sigma 85 Art. I love this lens but the size isnt much different than the RF 85. Would love to get something a little smaller.

      The image quality on my Sigma is superb though. Dont want to lose that.
    4. I just had a review copy in. To summarise; IQ is good, although wide open the EF 85 1.4 is better (tad sharper and more contrast/less blooming) and has less vignetting; stopped down the differences are much smaller of course. The Sigma art and RF 1.2 are no doubt better performers as well, but - just like the EF 85 1.4 L - much more expensive. I certainly do like the colors and bokeh of the Samyang.

      Downpoints: IBIS is NOT working at this point in combination with the R5/R6; supposedly this is fixed with future firmware, but you'd need a Samyang lens dock to upgrade that. Also, you don't get to use all AF points like with RF or adapted EF lenses; on the outside the reach is not as far. Don't think however this will be a huge problem in real life since it's really the outer points.

      Biggest problem however is the mediocre accuracy I got in tougher (low) light and in servo / tracking situations; the hit rate I got was not as good as with native Canon glass.
    5. I'd be interested to see how it's image quality stacks up to the Sigma 85 Art. I love this lens but the size isnt much different than the RF 85. Would love to get something a little smaller.

      The image quality on my Sigma is superb though. Dont want to lose that.

      This lens is likely to perform less than the Sigma art in terms of IQ. It's not necessarily a small lens, but keep in mind the weight is less than 600 grams and feels very light on the camera, while still being weather sealed and of good build quality. Also: Samyang provides it with a lens hood. Wish Canon did the same for cheaper 85mm lenses....
    7. I know Canon has never been reactionary, but I hope this lens sells well enough that Canon hurries up a RF 85mm F/1.4L. I would love if they even just ported the EF 85mm F/1.4L IS to the RF mount. I'm currently evaluating the RF 85mm F/1.2 from Canon Pro Services, but it's so huge and heavy in comparison.
    10. The optical design is a new mirrorless:
      www.samyanglens.com

      Samyang Optics

      A New Perspective Samyang Optics. Provides detailed information and support for Samyang Optics lenses. You can also view magazine content and sample photos.
      www.samyanglens.com www.samyanglens.com
      The electronic will probably be on EF standard.
    15. I just had a review copy in. To summarise; IQ is good, although wide open the EF 85 1.4 is better (tad sharper and more contrast/less blooming) and has less vignetting; stopped down the differences are much smaller of course. The Sigma art and RF 1.2 are no doubt better performers as well, but - just like the EF 85 1.4 L - much more expensive. I certainly do like the colors and bokeh of the Samyang.

      Downpoints: IBIS is NOT working at this point in combination with the R5/R6; supposedly this is fixed with future firmware, but you'd need a Samyang lens dock to upgrade that. Also, you don't get to use all AF points like with RF or adapted EF lenses; on the outside the reach is not as far. Don't think however this will be a huge problem in real life since it's really the outer points.

      Biggest problem however is the mediocre accuracy I got in tougher (low) light and in servo / tracking situations; the hit rate I got was not as good as with native Canon glass.

      Thank you for this! Appreciate your thorough overview.
    16. It's hard to justify buying more mid-level glass once I've already covered a given focal length. I have the EF 85/1.8 (used adapted), which is a fine lens, but not great by any stretch. I could spend $700 to upgrade to this 2/3 of a stop faster Samyang, or spend $600 for a native Canon 85/2 IS Macro, which is slower but probably more useful. Either way I go, I'll feel like I'm kinda throwing money away, so for now I wait. When the pandemic is more under control in the US, and I get some more event and wedding gigs, perhaps I'll feel differently. Until then, I dream of winning the lottery and picking up the RF 85/1.2 ;)
    17. Having read some reviews, it’s nearly as good as a first party canon lens, but it doesn’t deal with lens flare as well. It just depends on your budget. Personally, I’ll probably end up going with Canon’s f/2 version coming out soon. When shooting for a client I don’t think they’re going to say “bruh, clearly you shot this at f/2 when f/1.4 would have been so much better” lol
    18. Enough to control AF and aperture.
      I do not think Samyang has reverse enginered 100% of the RF Protokol. A brand with a lot manual focus lenses and a low price tag.
      Protokol would be a great name for a band

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