Samyang AE 85mm 1: 1.4 AS IF UMC Review

According provided by Samyang AE 85mm F1.4 Aspherical lens Ultra Multi-Coating IF for Nikon lens many thanks to Evgeny Petrushevsky.

Samyang AE 85mm 1: 1.4 AS IF UMC Review

Samyang AE 85mm 1: 1.4 AS IF UMC Review

There is a very large number of modifications of the Samyang 85 / 1,4 - these are lenses for SLR and mirrorless cameras, versions for video cameras, as well as different options even for the same system. This lens is also sold under the brands Vivitar, Bower, Rokinon, Walimex, Opteka, etc.

This review presents the version of Samyang 85mm 1: 1.4 ASIF UMCAE for Nikon cameras - this is an updated version of the older Samyang 85mm 1: 1.4 Aspherical if. The differences between these versions are mainly related to the presence of a chip for automatic iris and metering exposure, also in the new version the design of the case has slightly changed and the illumination of optics has improved. Abbreviations in the name of the lens are deciphered as follows:

  • AS - Aspherical, aspherical elements in the optical scheme (in fact, there is only one).
  • IF - Internal Focusing, internal focusing.
  • UMC - Ultra Multi Coating, ultra-multi-coating :).
  • AE - Auto Exposure, automatic Exposition.
Samyang AE 85mm 1: 1.4 AS IF UMC

Samyang AE 85mm 1: 1.4 AS IF UMC

Samyang AE 85mm 1: 1.4 AS IF UMC is a modern fast prime with manual focusing. Please note - despite the fact that the lens has microprocessor contacts for communication with the camera (seen in the photo below), the lens does not really have autofocus and will not automatically focus on any Nikon camera. CPU contacts are used for measuring exposure and transferring lens data to the camera. Thus, Samyang AE 85mm 1: 1.4 AS IF UMC will work in any available camera mode (not just 'M' or 'A' modes) on any Nikon camera.

Устройство aperture consists of only 8 petals, diaphragm closes to F / 22. Petals are not rounded, on covered diaphragms it is easier than ever to get 'nuts' in the blur zone and 8 ray stars from direct light sources. The lens has aperture control ring (in the photo the ring is easy to recognize by two rows of numbers from F / 1.4 to F / 22). To control the value aperture of any modern Nikon camera automatically, you need to install the ring aperture to the F / 22 position (the ring has no retainer). If this is not done, an error message will appear on the camera display - 'fEE'. More details about the aperture control ring are described in the section Non-G Nikon Lenses. For Nikon cameras, the lens is an analog FX, Non-d lenses.

Samyang AE 85mm 1: 1.4 AS IF UMC

Samyang AE 85mm 1: 1.4 AS IF UMC

Despite the fact that the lens is equipped with CPU contacts, it cannot be used to set focus confirmation (analog focus traps), which allows you to take a picture only with accurate focusing. I really didn't like this fact. To implement such a function, the manufacturer only needed to program the lens microprocessor a little differently, namely to enable the 'virtual autofocus' on the lens, as is done on Dandelion Lushnikova... In fact, the lens is programmed with 'Focus Mode: Manual'.

Also, the lens does not transmit information about the focusing distance to the subject, which can be a little interfering when working with flash in TTL modes. In fact, the lens is programmed with a 'cap' value equal to 3 meters, which does not depend on the actual set focusing distance.

Samyang AE 85mm 1: 1.4 AS IF UMC

Samyang AE 85mm 1: 1.4 AS IF UMC

The focus ring is rubberized and rotates 135 degrees. MDF is 1 meter, the maximum magnification ratio is almost 1:10. The lens has a focus distance scale in meters and feet. When focusing, only the rear lens of the lens moves, and the front remains stationary. Thus, the lens is well suited for the use of special filters, for example polarizing or gradient. It's just a pity that the filter diameter is 72 mm, to install classic, conventional filters with a diameter of 77 mm (which are usually used by professionals), you need to use the 72-> 77 ring, or buy an additional 72 mm filter.

Manually focusing is not difficult, my recommendations for manual focus can be found here. Of course, shooting at F / 1.4 is quite difficult, since at 85 / 1,4 the depth of field becomes very thin. It is also strange that the manual lens does not have DOFs.

Samyang AE 85mm 1: 1.4 AS IF UMC

Samyang AE 85mm 1: 1.4 AS IF UMC

Samyang is a Korean company and, in fact, the lens itself is also made in Korea. The build quality is very good, the lens itself is similar to the old manual counterparts. Samyang AE 85mm 1: 1.4 AS IF UMC weighs half a kilo :). In the box, along with the lens, you can find a plastic hood PH-072B. The lens hood can be installed backwards, while losing access to the focus ring.

Samyang AE 85mm 1: 1.4 AS IF UMC

Samyang AE 85mm 1: 1.4 AS IF UMC

Samyang AE 85mm 1: 1.4 AS IF UMC has pronounced chromatic aberration at F / 1.4, including freezing (the color of the out-of-focus areas is purple and green). The sharpness at F / 1.4 of the review sample is not impressive. Sharpness drops noticeably towards the edges of the image. But the lens has a nice bokeh, imperceptible distortion, and sharpness is not always important for portrait photography. If you close the aperture one or two stops, you can get a very high-quality picture.

When using Samyang AE 85mm 1: 1.4 AS IF UMC on Nikon DX cameras, it EGF will be 127,5 mm.

Here link to the archive with the originals - 201 MB, photo in format RAW, the parameters of the photo in the archive are indicated here, shooting was carried out using protective filter Hoya Pro1 Digital 72mm MC UV (0) made in Japan.

My experience

Personally, I expected more from Samyang AE 85mm 1: 1.4 AS IF UMC. For the same money you can buy a native used option Nikon AF Nikkor 85mm 1: 1.8D with auto focus, in fact, which I recommend. When using Samyang without autofocus, half of the shots were deleted due to the difficulties of manual focusing and shooting at F / 1.4. I think that my native Nikon Nikkor 85mm 1: 1.4   a much better lens, especially at f / 1.4. For those interested, you can look at the section 'Choosing a Nikon Portrait Lens'.

Prices for Samyang AE 85mm 1: 1.4 AS IF UMC in popular online stores

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Results

The Samyang AE 85mm 1: 1.4 AS IF UMC is an interesting, modern, well-made classic manual focus portrait lens. Optically not the best, but quite usable.

UPDATE: interesting appeared Samyang 85mm f / 1.2 Premium MF.

Material prepared Arkady Shapoval. Training/Consultations | Youtube | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Telegram

Add a comment: Ike

 

 

Comments: 98, on the topic: Samyang AE 85mm 1: 1.4 AS IF UMC review

  • Paul

    Great lens. Before buying, I read good reviews on the Market, I fully agree. It is a pleasure to focus through live view on devices with a rotating screen. He liked it so much that he even bought a second copy on the occasion. I have no idea who might not like this lens. Is that the people who resell Soviet lenses and therefore advertise them.

    • Simon

      Pavel, in the studio there was a comparison with Jupiter 37A, something in my opinion is not harsh ...

    • Oleg_VK

      Being the owner and an active user of both the mentioned lens and Soviet lenses such as Jupiter 37 A, Kaleinar 5H I can say that they (lenses) are equally high quality!

      They are just different!

      And do not compare them!
      They must be used with awareness of your perception!

      Good luck to all!

  • Vitaliy U

    I bought this lens 2 months ago. Immediately (hotly) did not write, I decided to break in for a start. What can I say: glass is worth the money. I will not be for the constructive (it is impeccable), I will express myself from the picture. I (!) Liked the drawing, there is both micro-contrast (I'm talking about f1,4), and softness. Sharpness, with an accurate hit, is excellent. There is no "plasticity" in the drawing inherent in the G series (Nikon). The bokeh is calm, even (for me it's not a plus, I like (for now!) More colorful blur), not distracting from the subject. The color transmits without distortion (Helios 40 is hard for me). Tactilely pleasant. It is easy to focus, but there is enough marriage (this is the curvature of the arms, the lens has nothing to do with it), although this is all this: on my last camera (d7000), the AF marriage was on all AF glasses (twisting the “magic” three bolts did not save the situation ). Now on the d700 with its VI, focusing with Samyang is a pleasure, but on the second camera (Fuji S5Pro) it is difficult. Glass is not for reportage, but it is, as it were, not reportage in FR. His portraits are excellent. I have no opportunity to compare head-on with the 85 1,4 from Nikon, but judging by the examples / comparisons from the network, I did not see any global differences (except for af, of course). A very good option.

    • Alexey

      If Helios 40 is yellow, try putting it in direct sunlight with the front lens up for 2 to 3 weeks. Perhaps glass with the addition of radium.

      • Vitaliy U

        Thanks for the tip, but Helios is already sold. The glass is interesting, but it was wound up very rarely, by a too-motley bokeh, although some people appreciate it (not paying attention to the resolution in the center and distortions at the edges of the frame at f 1,4)

      • Yura

        Radium has never been added to glasses. Only thorium oxide, but not in the USSR. Helios-40 turns yellow due to enlightenment.

  • anonym

    Tell me please offer a new $ 150. Is it worth taking?

    • Artem

      I would take it. Even if you don’t like it, sell it with a plus. The main thing is that without surprises.

  • Ace

    The lens is always less like when you do not get into focus.
    When everything is in the zone of sharpness, the glass is no worse than the zais from a later review, if you believe the examples;)

    • Good uncle.

      GOOD PHOTOGRAPHER-BUCKY PHOTOGRAPHER. Try to go to the pub before shooting. On this objective, I even come out to visit sober.

  • Paul

    Tell me who knows (I haven't found any info anywhere) - this lens had at least 2 editions? At least the external differences - newer ones come with a red ring closer to the mount, there is no gold ring near the hood. What has changed in the optical scheme / coating / chip? Outwardly, I like the new one very much, the design is already independent, without the taste of licked Asiatic.

    • Gregor_S

      Both versions are written 9 ELEMENTS IN 7 GROUPS

  • Oleg_VK

    Great lens!
    I call it “floral” - the pictures of flowers are very cool.
    The portraits turn out to be excellent ... The samples were really from 2.8.

  • zengarden

    Walking around Smolensk with a subject (Rokinon)
    https://yadi.sk/i/A-2Wjy5t3TREYq
    https://yadi.sk/i/OjfozK9M3TREdP
    https://yadi.sk/i/VHd4x5L_3TREfs

  • anonym

    Arkady, and SAMYANG MF 35 mm f / 1.4 never used?

    • Arkady Shapoval

      Only a little. Good glass.

  • Ike

    And compared to the Helios 85 mm, which is better on ff?

    • zengarden

      They cannot be compared, too different.
      Helios - low resolution, sharpness only in the center and a little at the edges (curved field), strong curling of the background. All in all, it's a specific creative lens, overrated.
      Samyang - sharp throughout the field (especially on a covered diaphragm), smooth blur.

  • Vladislav

    Hmm ... I used to read reviews on this site and somehow always trusted, but after this review I became thoughtful. How can sharpness be dissatisfied with this glass? The fact that people are used to pressing a button and aiming with pens is a problem, of course, but not a lens. Anyone would like to name a sharper 85 in the open? At least 1.4, at least 1.8?

    • Michael

      Yes, no worse, the same Nikkor s G-series. This lens is not very successful left, not the first review of this. Yes, and the source clearly shows a sharp drop in sharpness at the edges

  • Photographer Amateur

    He didn’t like me at once, chromatic aberration was just terrible, as soon as I didn’t try to shoot it, 90% in the trash, I had a carcass D90, now D750, at full frame, the pictures are even worse, even Yongnuo penny takes just amazing pictures, and it has autofocus, of course, not 85, but 50mm, but still!

    • Denis

      that's PR specialists Yongnuo pulled themselves together

  • anonym

    it is not clear why buy 85 mm, if examples of portraits are waist-length without shoulder, face .... ???
    50 mm is enough - for $ 20-50

    • Onotole

      That is, your logic is this - in the review I looked that this lens is used to shoot waist-length portraits, so the lens is only for waist-length portraits, and since for this (allegedly) fifty dollars is enough - I won't buy 85? Actually, no one is forcing.
      You also choose a car - on the advertising poster it drives along a beautiful mountain road with perfect asphalt. Well, and you, realizing that you saw perfectly flat asphalt only on these posters, pass by. So what happens?

    • Victor

      For many (or rather, most people) the phone is more than enough, for any kind of portraits, no fifty dollars should be taken.

  • Good M

    I bought it for $ 100. On Nikon. First mod. Beautiful on the crop. Not to be compared with Jupiters 2.0. How much was - soap, soap and more soap! Here Rikenon 1000 percent working at 2.0. It starts to fade to 20 megs closer. Ff - on old people 8-12 agony. 750-850 - well, this already ... I did not put it on 4-5 - I could organize, but after x50, it seems to have a special meaning. Conclusion - budget for portraits - amazing for its money. We put tops on tops and do not #Beam brains neither ourselves nor those around. For the money for which you can buy it has no competitors. Hello.

  • Eugene

    How is it compared to Carl Zeiss Planar 85.1.4?

  • Vladislav

    Of all that we managed to hold in my hands, my favorite lens. I agree with the previous client that we still need to look for such sharpness. The resolution of the glass is simply fantastic. I’m a videographer and I don’t use autofocus and always say why should I overpay for all these motors inside? Let the manufacturer better make quality glass instead of a motor. This is personal. In contrast, color reproduction and bokeh are more like unless the glass from Carl Zeiss, or Leica. But then a different price level.

    • alex

      I agree. The lens is razor sharp. Whatever they say. It is full of tests, where it is pushed into the forehead with eminent canon-nikon price tag many times higher. And he does not give in to famous analogues! You just need to direct sharpness without misses.

  • anonym

    How to control the aperture from the lens, not from the carcass?

  • Aiman

    Is the yongnuo 85 1.8 Better than this lens?

    • alex

      They Are Different. Manual vs autofocus, 1.4 vs 1.8.

    • B. R. P.

      Yongnuo Has Very Conditional Autofocus.

  • Firear

    Met today on the secondary. 9.000 posts are requested by the seller. Reviews vary here. And I myself am not an ass ...

    • Alexey

      sometimes I shoot like this on a kenon. on the open gives a cinematic picture.

    • Denis

      throw off 9000 wooden ones without hesitation, until they turn into paper

  • Alexander

    I recently bought one for 7500. A great lens, I use on Nikon D750. I really like it very much, basically now only they are taking ordinary family photos. Sharpness is excellent, but I won't say that it is razor sharp, but really nice to look at. Someone wrote above - a cinematic picture, that's to the point. Compared to the rest of my lenses, I like it for its "lamp-like" or "film-like" quality, if you like. I highly recommend a cool lens to anyone who gets it at a good price.

  • Fedorov Andrey

    Dear Arkady! Please, tell me, will Polar (Samyang) 85 / 1.4 have an advantage over Porst 55 / 1.2 (f / a Pentax K-er) for amateur shooting of sports events such as gymnastics and judo? I can shoot with hands, the lack of autofocus does not scare. Will the Polar 85 / 1.4 capture athletes from the background as beautifully as in these examples: http://ru.pixelpeeper.com/lenses/?lens=13213&p=1 ? Thanks in advance for your reply!

    • B. R. P.

      It will wash harder)

      • Fedorov Andrey

        Thank you very much for your reply!

    • Arkady Shapoval

      Will snatch better than Porst

      • Fedorov Andrey

        Thanks a lot for your quick reply, greatly appreciated!

  • Alexey

    Professional pencil artist faber. I took Samyang for nikon 610. I liked the shades. Native nikon draws “on dry land”.

  • Sergei

    Hello, please tell me. It is possible to take the Samyang 85mm T1.5 Cine For Nikon inexpensively or still take a similar lens, but not the tele version. I don't do video, I just take it for photos. The seller also warned me that the aperture sticks to 5.6, there is some kind of click, do you think this is critical, will it affect the operation of the lens in the future?

    • Victor

      Why do you need this disabled person? 85 / 1.4 without any Cine and with a chip after you will be gladly given for 12 ... 14 sput. In perfect condition, as a rule. And how much do they want for this? Is the small savings worth the potential headache in the future?

      • Sergei

        Thank you very much for your reply. They ask for 11 rubles. For the same money there is an opportunity to take a non-TV version, I will take it

  • Orik

    AS - Aspherical, aspherical elements in the optical scheme (in fact, there is only one).

    Optical design Canon EF 85mm f/1.4L IS USM The optical design has 14 elements combined into 10 groups. The scheme uses one aspherical GMo lens. Well, the expensive Canon ef 85F1.4L is also one, by the way, the optical circuits are similar.

  • Alexey

    Having bought for 100 dollars in Europe, in the arc of a garniture. I am welcome

  • Gregor_S

    f2

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