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 Leica APO-SL 90mm F2 ASPH 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. Leica APO-SL 90mm F2 ASPH is the longer of the two lenses at 102mm. The Samyang MF 85mm F1.4 Mk2 with a length of 75mm, is 27mm shorter. On the other hand, the Samyang MF 85mm F1.4 Mk2 has a larger diameter of 78mm compared to the Leica APO-SL 90mm F2 ASPH'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. Samyang MF 85mm F1.4 Mk2 weighs 548g, which means it is 152g (21%) lighter than the Leica APO-SL 90mm F2 ASPH which has a weight of 700g.
Filter Threads
The Samyang MF 85mm F1.4 Mk2 has a filter size of 72mm whereas the Leica APO-SL 90mm F2 ASPH 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 Leica APO-SL 90mm F2 ASPH:
Lens Mounts
The Samyang MF 85mm F1.4 Mk2 has the Sony E lens mount whereas the Leica APO-SL 90mm F2 ASPH has the Leica L lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Sony A9 III, Sony A7C Mark II and Sony A7CR for the Sony E Mount and Leica SL3, Panasonic S5 II and Panasonic S5 II X for the Leica L Mount.
Samyang MF 85mm F1.4 Mk2 is also available in Canon EF , Canon EF-M, Fujifilm X, Micro Four Thirds and Nikon F (FX) mounts.
Focal Range
Samyang MF 85mm F1.4 Mk2 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.
On the other hand, the Leica APO-SL 90mm F2 ASPH is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 90mm.