The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Rokinon 85mm F1.4 and the Sony 70-200mm F2.8 G SSM II 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. Sony 70-200mm F2.8 G SSM II is the longer of the two lenses at 197mm. The Rokinon 85mm F1.4 with a length of 75mm, is 122mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Sony 70-200mm F2.8 G SSM II also has a larger diameter of 87mm compared to the Rokinon 85mm F1.4's 78mm diameter.
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. Rokinon 85mm F1.4 weighs 539g, which means it is 961g (64%) lighter than the Sony 70-200mm F2.8 G SSM II which has a weight of 1500g.
Filter Threads
The Rokinon 85mm F1.4 has a filter size of 72mm whereas the Sony 70-200mm F2.8 G SSM II has a 77mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 72mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Rokinon 85mm F1.4:
And these are the 77mm filters that we recommend for the Sony 70-200mm F2.8 G SSM II:
Lens Mounts
Both the Rokinon 85mm F1.4 and the Sony 70-200mm F2.8 G SSM II has the same Sony Alpha lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Sony Alpha lenses are Sony A99 II, Sony A68 and Sony A77 II.
Rokinon 85mm F1.4 is also available in the Canon EF , Four Thirds, Pentax KAF, Samsung NX and Nikon F (FX) mounts.
Focal Range
Rokinon 85mm F1.4 is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 85mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
127.5mm.
On the other hand, the Sony 70-200mm F2.8 G SSM II has a focal range of 70-200mm and 2.9X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 105 - 300mm.
