The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Sony FE 100mm F2.8 STF GM and the Samyang MF 85mm F1.4 Mk2 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. Sony FE 100mm F2.8 STF GM is the longer of the two lenses at 118mm. The Samyang MF 85mm F1.4 Mk2 with a length of 75mm, is 43mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Sony FE 100mm F2.8 STF GM also has a larger diameter of 85mm compared to the Samyang MF 85mm F1.4 Mk2'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 MF 85mm F1.4 Mk2 weighs 548g, 21% (152g) lighter than the Sony FE 100mm F2.8 STF GM's weight of 700g.
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
Both the Sony FE 100mm F2.8 STF GM and the Samyang MF 85mm F1.4 Mk2 have the same Filter thread size of 72mm.
Below are links to the 72mm filters that we recommend you to consider for these lenses:
Lens Mounts
Both the Sony FE 100mm F2.8 STF GM and the Samyang MF 85mm F1.4 Mk2 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.
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
Sony FE 100mm F2.8 STF GM 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 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.