The Samyang 85mm T1.5 is a manual focus prime lens; this VDSLR (Video DSLR) version was developed primarily for professional cinematic production. The VDSLR version features a gear ring system for follow focus and a de-clicked aperture ring, allowing the user to adjust focus and aperture/depth of field smoothly and silently during shooting, and to connect to professional follow focus systems.

The Samyang 85mm T1.5 is a manual focus prime lens designed to deliver exceptional results at wide apertures. At T1.5, excellent images can be obtained, making it perfect for portraits and low-light shooting, particularly when mounted on a full-frame DSLR.

Samyang VDSLR cine lenses are rated in T-Stops rather than F-stops, which is the standard for professional cinema camera lenses. The F-stop number expresses the speed of the lens assuming that the lens transmits 100% of the incident light, and is therefore theoretical rather than an actual measurement. The T number expresses the actual light transmission and is therefore accurate for exposure. It is also worth noting that Samyang lenses achieve excellent transmission properties.

Bokeh (the character of out-of-focus blur) is a major concern for professionals who choose a very wide aperture lens for shallow depth of field photography. The Samyang 85mm T1.5 lens design delivers excellent bokeh quality from blurred bright areas when used near full aperture, perfect for cinematic applications. Independent tests and users confirm the beautiful bokeh character of the Samyang, surpassing lenses 4 times more expensive.

The optical construction of the lens is the same as that of the 85mm f1.4 lens, comprising 9 elements arranged in 7 optical groups with one aspherical lens element. The Samyang 85mm is designed with internal focus (IF), which means the lens does not increase in size when focusing. Another positive aspect of internal focus is that the lens is far less likely to allow dust to enter, unlike externally focusing (or zoom) lenses which can draw in dirt during use. The 8-blade aperture design contributes to the excellent bokeh character at apertures close to full aperture.

The Samyang 85mm T1.5 IF MC features multi-coated lenses that promote a very high level of light transmission and increased resistance to flare and ghosting. It has a good-sized manual focus ring and is perfectly suited to most photographic applications (with the exception of sports or fast-moving subjects) where manual focus is not an issue. Accurate focus for critical situations can be achieved by using Live View focus, available on most recent camera models. In practice, users, including professional photographers, have found that manual focusing with the Samyang 85mm is not an issue, even when shooting at f1.4 with very shallow depth of field in low-light scenarios with static and slow-moving subjects — accurate focus can be achieved giving excellent results on full-frame cameras.

There is also a growing number of users who use digital DSLRs for shooting and recording high-definition (HD) video, and manual focus lenses allow the user to change focus during shooting, which is why the VDSLR versions were developed.

The focus ring features gear rings compatible with the professional toothed follow focus systems available in the film industry, as well as a de-clicked (clickless) aperture ring. These modifications allow precise and smooth control of focus and aperture during video recording/shooting. This enables ultimate manual control of focus and exposure when shooting scene by scene with different intensities of light sources, such as changing exposure values (EV) from indoors to outdoors, or even in-camera cross-fades, etc.

Samyang VDSLR versions can be used for still photography as well as for video purposes. There is a growing number of users who use digital DSLRs for shooting and recording high-definition (HD) video, and manual lenses allow the user to change focus (focus pull) and aperture during shooting.

The Samyang 85mm T1.5 lens should be seriously considered by all professional or amateur photographers requiring a fast prime lens, regardless of budget. When the low cost of the lens is taken into account, it should not be overlooked for amateur use, or as a primary or secondary lens for professionals seeking a dedicated, high-performing T1.5 portrait lens.

Available mounts: Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Sony A and Sony E, and Micro Four Thirds (MFT). Filter diameter 72 mm


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