The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Samyang 100mm F2.8 Macro and the Sony 85mm F2.8 SAM 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. Samyang 100mm F2.8 Macro is the longer of the two lenses at 123mm. The Sony 85mm F2.8 SAM with a length of 52mm, is 71mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Samyang 100mm F2.8 Macro also has a larger diameter of 73mm compared to the Sony 85mm F2.8 SAM's 70mm 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. Sony 85mm F2.8 SAM weighs 175g, 75% (545g) lighter than the Samyang 100mm F2.8 Macro's weight of 720g.
Filter Threads
The Samyang 100mm F2.8 Macro has a filter size of 67mm whereas the Sony 85mm F2.8 SAM has a 55mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 67mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Samyang 100mm F2.8 Macro:
And these are the 55mm filters that we recommend for the Sony 85mm F2.8 SAM:
Lens Mounts
Both the Samyang 100mm F2.8 Macro and the Sony 85mm F2.8 SAM has the same Sony Alpha lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Sony Alpha lenses are , and .
Samyang 100mm F2.8 Macro is also available in Canon EF , Fujifilm X, Micro Four Thirds, Nikon F (FX), Pentax KAF, Samsung NX and Sony E mounts.
Focal Range
Samyang 100mm F2.8 Macro is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 100mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
150mm.
On the other hand, the Sony 85mm F2.8 SAM 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.