Samyang announces the AF 85mm f/1.4 for the RF mount

Canon Rumors Guy

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Samyang has unveiled a new autofocus lens for the RF in the AF 85mm f/1.4 prime lens.
The AF 85mm f/1.4 RF appears to be the same optical design as the Sony FE version. This lens boasts 11 elements in 8 grounds with an extra-low dispersion element and 4 high refractive index elements which help to reduce chromatic aberrations and which have the added bonus of helping reduce the size of the lens design.
Weather sealing is also present on this lens along with 9 aperture blades.
Samyang says the new lens will begin shipping in June for $800 USD.

Press Release:
New York, New York – May 28, 2020 – ROKINON has announced its new AF 85mm F1.4 Full Frame Telephoto for Canon RF mount, a groundbreaking and inspired lens with true artistic image quality. It is the fourth RF model with the distinctive ROKINON pedigree. The AF 85mm F1.4 RF is arguably the best value, high performance and affordable AF portrait prime available, superbly suited for both amateurs and professionals.
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ohm

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If Samyang are jumping into the RF mount along with others, I think it is time for me to dump Fujifilm X and GFX and go all in on Canon. Fuji fans keep saying APS-C is the sweet spot, which in some ways, it is, but it really depends. For still life APS-C is way way behind, showing less detail and more noise as base ISO and in low light, the X can't focus and shows very soft results after ISO 6400. It has really great rolling shutter performance. It has nice small lenses, but none of them are inexpensive and most have poor focus rings and there is little uniformity between them in feel. And until right now and excepting the Zeiss Touit lenses, there have been no 100% compatible third party lenses.

And Canon cameras are easier to use, and there are loads of great lenses already available thanks to adapters... Can't wait for the R6/5 announcements.
 
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Stuart

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Great, this makes the RF offering accessible to more people and thus the whole shift to RF bodies easier. However The lens needs to perform better than an old EF lens with an adapter, as otherwise its cheaper to use the older lens combinations.
 
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Mar 26, 2014
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Wonder if this announcement will expedite a Canon 85 1.4 or 1.8 non-L?

I would be surprised if Canon wouldn't convert some of the popular consumer primes to RF.

The 85mm f/1.8 and 135mm f/2.0L are good performers, profitable enough to stay in manufacturing, why not refresh the lens (the electronics, if not the optics) for RF mount?
 
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IcyBergs

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As someone who doesn't really use primes that often and can't justify the purchase of Canon's pro offerings, these fast 3rd party primes at a fraction of the cost of the "L" equivalents always tempt me.

It does though highlight the fact that besides the 35mm Canon hasn't offered another consumer primes for RF. I'm sure they are in the works but with the RP having already been on the market for a year prior to the whole covid situation, would have been nice to see a few already.
 
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I would be surprised if Canon wouldn't convert some of the popular consumer primes to RF.

The 85mm f/1.8 and 135mm f/2.0L are good performers, profitable enough to stay in manufacturing, why not refresh the lens (the electronics, if not the optics) for RF mount?

I doubt Canon will do that because they need to charge more for lenses in this shrinking market. Sigma on the other hand...
 
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Mar 26, 2014
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I doubt Canon will do that because they need to charge more for lenses in this shrinking market. Sigma on the other hand...

Canon makes a profit on the EF 85mm f/1.8 for $350, or the lens would have been discontinued. Its good business practice to keep making profitable products. Converting the EF 85mm f/1.8 could be just adding 24mm to the barrel, and updating the electronics. Why not make it for $500? Because "they need to charge more", but somehow Sigma doesn't?
 
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This is huge news. The Sony version of this lens is amazing with only very limited chromatic aberrations and slight pincushion distortion (which is actually slimming and positive for portraits). There is the issue of flair, but that can be used artistically in portrait photography. All in all, this is a strong buy for anyone who can’t afford the $3k 1.2 lens from canon.
 
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SteveC

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Great, this makes the RF offering accessible to more people and thus the whole shift to RF bodies easier. However The lens needs to perform better than an old EF lens with an adapter, as otherwise its cheaper to use the older lens combinations.

Except that there are some people who simply won't use an adapter, not even one that's basically an extension tube, optically/electronically speaking.
 
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