The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Sony FE 85mm F1.8 and the Rokinon 85mm F1.4 for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
Size of a lens is an important deciding factor when comparing two lenses.Sony FE 85mm F1.8 is the longer of the two lenses at 82mm. The Rokinon 85mm F1.4 with a length of 75mm is 7mm shorter. On the other hand, there is no difference between the max diameters of these lenses, both coming at 78mm.
Weight of a lens is as important as its external dimensions, especially if you are planning to hand hold your camera and lens combination for longer periods. Sony FE 85mm F1.8 weighs 371g, which means it is 168g (31%) lighter than the Rokinon 85mm F1.4 which has a weight of 539g.
Lens Mounts
Both Sony FE 85mm F1.8 has the Sony E lens mount whereas the Rokinon 85mm F1.4 has the Sony Alpha lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Sony A7R V, Sony FX30 and Sony A7 IV for the Sony E Mount and Sony A99 II, Sony A68 and Sony A77 II for the Sony Alpha Mount.
Rokinon 85mm F1.4 is also available in Canon EF , Four Thirds, Pentax KAF, Samsung NX and Nikon F (FX) mounts.
Focal Range
Both lenses have the same focal range of 85mm but while Sony FE 85mm F1.8 has the fastest aperture of F1.8, the Rokinon 85mm F1.4's widest aperture value is F1.4.