The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Tokina Firin 100mm F2.8 FE Macro and the Samyang 85mm F1.4 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. Tokina Firin 100mm F2.8 FE Macro is the longer of the two lenses at 123mm. The Samyang 85mm F1.4 with a length of 75mm, is 48mm shorter. On the other hand, the Samyang 85mm F1.4 has a larger diameter of 78mm compared to the Tokina Firin 100mm F2.8 FE Macro'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. Samyang 85mm F1.4 weighs 539g, 5% (31g) lighter than the Tokina Firin 100mm F2.8 FE Macro's weight of 570g.
Filter Threads
The Tokina Firin 100mm F2.8 FE Macro has a filter size of 55mm whereas the Samyang 85mm F1.4 has a 72mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 55mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Tokina Firin 100mm F2.8 FE Macro:
And these are the 72mm filters that we recommend for the Samyang 85mm F1.4:
Lens Mounts
Both the Tokina Firin 100mm F2.8 FE Macro and the Samyang 85mm F1.4 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 85mm F1.4 is also available in Canon EF , Nikon F (FX), Four Thirds, Pentax KAF, Sony Alpha and Samsung NX mounts.
Focal Range
Tokina Firin 100mm F2.8 FE Macro 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 85mm F1.4 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.