The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Canon RF 1200mm F8L IS USM and the Samyang MF 85mm F1.4 RF for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is a crucial factor to consider when comparing two lenses. Canon RF 1200mm F8L IS USM is the longer of the two lenses at 537mm. The Samyang MF 85mm F1.4 RF with a length of 99mm, is 438mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Canon RF 1200mm F8L IS USM also has a larger diameter of 168mm compared to the Samyang MF 85mm F1.4 RF's 78mm diameter.
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Below you can find a scaled side-by-side image of Canon RF 1200mm F8L IS USM and Samyang MF 85mm F1.4 RF to get a better idea of how their sizes compare in real life.
The weight of a lens is equally significant as its external dimensions, particularly if you intend to handhold your camera and lens combination for extended periods. Samyang MF 85mm F1.4 RF weighs 730g, 78% (2610g) lighter than the Canon RF 1200mm F8L IS USM's weight of 3340g.
Filter Threads
The Canon RF 1200mm F8L IS USM has a filter size of 52mm whereas the Samyang MF 85mm F1.4 RF has a 72mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 52mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Canon RF 1200mm F8L IS USM:
And these are the 72mm filters that we recommend for the Samyang MF 85mm F1.4 RF:
Lens Mounts
Both the Canon RF 1200mm F8L IS USM and the Samyang MF 85mm F1.4 RF has the same Canon RF lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Canon RF lenses are Canon R100, Canon R8 and Canon R50.
Focal Range
Canon RF 1200mm F8L IS USM is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 1200mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
1920mm.
On the other hand, the Samyang MF 85mm F1.4 RF is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 85mm.