The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Samyang 85mm F1.4 and the Canon 500mm f4.0L IS USM 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 500mm f4.0L IS USM is the longer of the two lenses at 387mm. The Samyang 85mm F1.4 with a length of 75mm, is 312mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Canon 500mm f4.0L IS USM also has a larger diameter of 146mm compared to the Samyang 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. Samyang 85mm F1.4 weighs 539g, which means it is 3331g (86%) lighter than the Canon 500mm f4.0L IS USM which has a weight of 3870g.
Filter Threads
The Samyang 85mm F1.4 has a filter size of 72mm whereas the Canon 500mm f4.0L IS USM has a 52mm 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 Samyang 85mm F1.4:
And these are the 52mm filters that we recommend for the Canon 500mm f4.0L IS USM:
Lens Mounts
Both the Samyang 85mm F1.4 and the Canon 500mm f4.0L IS USM has the same Canon EF lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Canon EF lenses are Canon 1D X III, Canon 6D MII and Canon 5D MIV.
Samyang 85mm F1.4 is also available in Nikon F (FX) , Four Thirds, Pentax KAF, Sony Alpha, Sony E and Samsung NX mounts.
Focal Range
Samyang 85mm F1.4 is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 85mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
136mm.
On the other hand, the Canon 500mm f4.0L IS USM is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 500mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 800mm.