The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Samyang AF 135mm F1.8 FE and the Samyang AF 85mm F1.4 FE 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 AF 135mm F1.8 FE is the longer of the two lenses at 130mm. The Samyang AF 85mm F1.4 FE with a length of 100mm, is 30mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Samyang AF 135mm F1.8 FE also has a larger diameter of 93mm compared to the Samyang AF 85mm F1.4 FE's 88mm 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 AF 85mm F1.4 FE weighs 568g, 26% (204g) lighter than the Samyang AF 135mm F1.8 FE's weight of 772g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Telephoto Prime Lenses in Sony E Mount for size comparison purposes.
Telephoto Lenses in Sony E Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
The Samyang AF 135mm F1.8 FE has a filter size of 82mm whereas the Samyang AF 85mm F1.4 FE 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 82mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Samyang AF 135mm F1.8 FE:
And these are the 77mm filters that we recommend for the Samyang AF 85mm F1.4 FE:
Lens Mounts
Both the Samyang AF 135mm F1.8 FE and the Samyang AF 85mm F1.4 FE has the same Sony E lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Sony E lenses are Sony A9 III, Sony A7C Mark II and Sony A7CR.
Focal Range
Samyang AF 135mm F1.8 FE is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 135mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
202.5mm.
On the other hand, the Samyang AF 85mm F1.4 FE 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.