The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Samyang MF 85mm F1.4 Mk2 and the Panasonic Leica 42.5mm F1.2 OIS 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. Panasonic Leica 42.5mm F1.2 OIS is the longer of the two lenses at 77mm. The Samyang MF 85mm F1.4 Mk2 with a length of 75mm, is 2mm shorter. On the other hand, the Samyang MF 85mm F1.4 Mk2 has a larger diameter of 78mm compared to the Panasonic Leica 42.5mm F1.2 OIS's 74mm 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. Panasonic Leica 42.5mm F1.2 OIS weighs 425g, 22% (123g) lighter than the Samyang MF 85mm F1.4 Mk2's weight of 548g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Telephoto Prime Lenses in Micro Four Thirds Mount for size comparison purposes.
Telephoto Lenses in Micro Four Thirds Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
The Samyang MF 85mm F1.4 Mk2 has a filter size of 72mm whereas the Panasonic Leica 42.5mm F1.2 OIS has a 67mm 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 MF 85mm F1.4 Mk2:
And these are the 67mm filters that we recommend for the Panasonic Leica 42.5mm F1.2 OIS:
Lens Mounts
Both the Samyang MF 85mm F1.4 Mk2 and the Panasonic Leica 42.5mm F1.2 OIS has the same Micro Four Thirds lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Micro Four Thirds lenses are OM System OM-1 II, Panasonic G9 II and OM System OM-5.
Samyang MF 85mm F1.4 Mk2 is also available in Canon EF , Canon EF-M, Fujifilm X, Nikon F (FX) and Sony E mounts.
Focal Range
Samyang MF 85mm F1.4 Mk2 is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 85mm.
On the other hand, the Panasonic Leica 42.5mm F1.2 OIS is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 43mm which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 86mm when used on a FourThirds format camera.