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 Rokinon 85mm F1.4 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 Rokinon 85mm F1.4 with a length of 75mm, is 48mm shorter. On the other hand, the Rokinon 85mm F1.4 has a larger diameter of 78mm compared to the Samyang 100mm F2.8 Macro's 73mm 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, 25% (181g) 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 Rokinon 85mm F1.4 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 67mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Samyang 100mm F2.8 Macro:
And these are the 72mm filters that we recommend for the Rokinon 85mm F1.4:
Lens Mounts
Both the Samyang 100mm F2.8 Macro and the Rokinon 85mm F1.4 has the same Nikon F (FX) lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Nikon F (FX) lenses are Nikon D6, Nikon D780 and Nikon D3500.
Samyang 100mm F2.8 Macro is also available in Canon EF , Fujifilm X, Micro Four Thirds, Pentax KAF, Samsung NX, Sony Alpha and Sony E mounts.
Rokinon 85mm F1.4 is also available in Canon EF , Four Thirds, Pentax KAF, Sony Alpha and Samsung NX 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 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.