Samyang has announced the AF 85mm F1.4 lens for Canon RF mount. The autofocus lens is capable of covering Canon's full-frame EOS R mirrorless cameras and joins the AF 14mm F2.8 as well as the manual focus MF 14mm F2.8 and MF 85mm F1.4.
The optical design is identical to the Samyang's Sony E mount version but has been updated with the Canon RF mount. The lens has one Extra Low Dispersion (ED) and 4 High Refractive Index (HRI) elements, a fast F1.4 aperture that expands to F16, and a 9-blade design to produce a smooth, rounded bokeh. It also has Samyang's Ultra Multi Coating to minimize ghosting and flares.
The lens barrel has an AF/MF switch to quickly select between the 2 modes. Powering the autofocus is the Dual Linear Sonic Motor (DLSM) system, which uses ultrasonic vibrations to reduce barrel noise. On a full-frame sensor, the lens provides an angle of view of 28.9° with a 2.95ft (0.90m) minimum focusing distance. When mounted to an APS-C sensor, the angle of view is reduced to 19.1°. The lens features a 77mm front filter thread.
The aluminum body is weather-sealed to protect it against dust and water, while the overall size is quite compact, measuring 3.84" (97.5mm) in length and weighing 20.6oz (583.8g).
Samyang's manual focus MK2 lenses
Besides the AF 85mm F1.4, Samyang has released 2 new manual focus lenses, the MF 14mm F2.8 MK2 and MF 85mm F1.4 MK2. The MK2 or Series II lenses are not to be confused with the Premium Manual Focus series. They are Samyang's 2nd-generation manual focus lenses and borrow attributes from its XEEN CF lenses.
The MK2 lenses have a 9-aperture blade design, focus lock ring, and a de-click aperture ring, making them ideal for video shooters. The MF 14mm F2.8 MK2 has a 115.7° view in full-frame and the MF 85mm F1.4 MK2 has a 28.3° field of view. Both lenses are available in Canon EF, Nikon F, Sony E, Fujifilm X, Canon M, and MFT mounts.
It will be interesting to see if Samyang starts making its MK2 lenses for Canon RF. As of now, Canon has only 11 different lenses for RF, and 3 of them are prime lenses, a 35mm, 50mm, and a 85mm. The RF 50mm F1.2 L USM is one of the sharpest lenses I have ever used, but it costs $2,700, a price that may be too costly for some. Though autofocus lenses are becoming increasingly popular, manual focus lenses are generally cheaper. Having alternative options available is always good for consumers. It's reported that Sigma will be announcing its RF lenses shortly.
Price & Availability
The Samyang AF 14mm F2.8 RF has a price tag of $699 USD. As for the 2 MK2 lenses, no word on pricing yet. Depending on your location, Samyang is also sold under Rokinon and Bowens.
