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85mm F1.4 and T1.5 Cine Rokinon, Samyang Lenses
  • peternappeternap

    Reviews of the lens:

    Available at:

    I've seen this lens mentioned in other topics but couldn't find anything specific for it.

    I want a faster, longer lens and this one looks good (I assume it's a Samyang). It sure looks like a bargain.

    Any issues with it for video?

  • 64 Replies sorted by
  • punditpundit

    @peternap It is a re-branded Samyang. It's sharp wide open with very smooth creamy bokeh. For a still lens it is actually very suitable for video as it has a very nice focusing action with almost imperceptible breathing, if any. And yes it's a bargain. You won't be disappointed. Incidentally the Rokinon version usually sells for around $30 to $50 less than the Samyang version.

  • peternappeternap

    @pundit Thanks! I just ordered it at $294. off Amazon with a Canon mount so It would work with my FF.

  • vicharrisvicharris

    Waiting for mine to come in the mail any day now! I might just end up with a whole damn prime collection of these lenses. Well, besides the 14mm. It received pretty bad marks over at Rockwell.

  • punditpundit

    @vicharris ??? I think you mean Rockwell gave the 85mm pretty good marks.

  • vicharrisvicharris

    @pundit No, I meant the 14mm. I know a swerved off topic for a sec. I was just commenting on how I would like a complete set of primes from them, except the 14 from the marks on Rockwell. He seemed to love the Rokinon/Vivitar 85 and 35. I have the canon and nikon 35 here and they rock except for the damn breathing.

  • punditpundit

    @vicharris Okay. I thought the 'it' was referring back to the 85mm. Unfortunately the Rokinon 35mm seems to breathe quite a bit as well from all reports. However you won't find much of a breathing issue with the 85mm.

  • vicharrisvicharris

    Just got mine in today. What can I say, just wow for the price and built like a tank. Sharp as hell! The focus ring is a bit stiff. Much more than the 35 but it still works really smooth with a FF. You're just not going to rack really fast!

  • TobsenTobsen

    Many people are talking about this Samyang/Rokinon 85mm lens. You got me interested so I asked them if they will release a Cine version of it anytime soon. Around end of September they said :)

    Since I haven't found a m43 version of it, I am wondering what lens mount you ordered? I am currently not sure what mount would be the most "future-proof" considering what great cameras are being released withing the next months.

  • PixCanFlyPixCanFly

    Rokinon 35mm t 1.5 cine lens pricing is out.

    Tasty! http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?Q=&A=endecaSearch&sts=ma&InitialSearch=yes&N=0&O=&Ntt=rokinon+35mm+Cine

  • peternappeternap

    @Tobsen I got the Canon mount. I didn't have a Canon adapter that DIDN'T have the iris built in and this was a good reason to get one. Aside from that there was no special reason at all.

  • vicharrisvicharris

    @Tobsen I went with all Nikon mount. I had many different types of mounts but decided to just stay with MFT and Nikon to make change out glass much easier. Another reason I went with Nikon is there is tons of old glass that has a manual iris ring on the camera. Not so much with the Canon mount stuff. Also, I don't think the cine ones will be worth it IMO for me. I can declick the glass my self and I like being able to slide the FF gear anywhere I want on the cam. I know for certain lenses it needs to be all the way back to make it work with a MB and rails. With all these Cine lenses coming out, I'm sure people are going to get rid of their old ones which are the same exact glass.

  • TobsenTobsen

    @peternap thanks for your reply. @vicharris with the Nikon mount, does the focus ring turn in the opposite direction as well?

  • peternappeternap

    @Tobsen with the Nikon mount, does the focus ring turn in the opposite direction as well?

    Yep, which doesn't bother me. I have a lot of Nikon glass and can go either way. I do use a follow focus but only on a couple of lenses.

  • LPowellLPowell

    @peternap Yes, all Nikon lenses have focus rings that turn in the opposite direction as Lumix, Canon, and Sigma lenses. I chose Nikon (and Rokinon & Tokina F-mount) lenses specifically for use with a follow focus because that's the direction I want it to turn. If you prefer the Lumix focus direction, I'd recommend getting Rokinon, Tokina, or Sigma manual-focus lenses in the Canon EF mount as you did, without an iris control lever.

  • vicharrisvicharris

    @Tobsen Yep, I agree with LPowell. I actually like to turn forward to focus out and turn backwards to focus in. Just seems like it makes sense.

  • DouglasHornDouglasHorn

    I have this lens. It's remarkably good for portraits/talking head videos--especially when you can't get a lot of distance between the subject and the background.

  • itimjimitimjim

    Will the cine version have a lower geared focus ring?

  • vicharrisvicharris

    All the internal workings are the same.

  • TobsenTobsen

    @peternap @ LPowell and @vicharris thanks for your comments. I prefer the way Canon, Pany etc turn. My main concern is getting the most compatible glass that will mount to a variety of systems in the future (talking about Blackmagic Cinema Cam, Sony FS700 etc). I guess you can't go wrong with Canon mount lenses.

  • SoupSoup

    Very noob-ish question.

    Im pretty new to this, is it right that this lens will essentially be ~170mm when used on the GH2? This would put it in the telephoto range then?

    1st post btw sorry for the silly query :)

  • balazerbalazer

    An 85-mm lens is an 85-mm lens. A lens's focal length is a property of the lens that doesn't change when it's attached to a different camera. An 85-mm lens on the GH2 provides approximately the same angle of view as a 170-mm lens on a full-frame 35-mm camera, since the GH2's sensor is about half as wide. (a crop factor of 2.0, or 1.8 in video mode)

  • SoupSoup

    Thanks for the reply. Still quite confused :S I guess

    So yeah it's 85mm, but when used on a GH2 it's field of view (if i got thet right) is essentially that of a telephoto/~170mm right?

    been reading this online too (and that Gh2 shooters guide). Planning on buying this lens thats why Im researching

  • vicharrisvicharris

    Yep but it's still awesome for closeups!

  • Ralph_BRalph_B

    @soup

    Balazer's correct - an 85mm lens on the GH2 has the same angle of view as a 170mm on a taditional 35mm full frame camera. But if you've never shot with a full frame camera, then that information is useless to you. We're in a new world now - cameras have sensors of all different sizes and crop factors. There's no single standard anymore. The same 85mm lens will become more and more of a telephoto lens the smaller the sensor is that you use it on. For example, on the GH2, if you go into ETC mode, which only uses the central portion of the sensor, that 85mm lens will now have the angle of view of a 440mm lens on a full frame camera. Actually, that's pretty cool! But, the only way to understand what that really means is to put the lens on your camera and see what the world looks likes through it.

  • SoupSoup

    Thank you all for the replies :)

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