The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Viltrox AF 56mm F1.2 Pro and the Samyang 85mm F1.8 ED UMC CS 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. Viltrox AF 56mm F1.2 Pro is the longer of the two lenses at 92mm. The Samyang 85mm F1.8 ED UMC CS with a length of 81mm, is 11mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Viltrox AF 56mm F1.2 Pro also has a larger diameter of 78mm compared to the Samyang 85mm F1.8 ED UMC CS's 68mm 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 F1.8 ED UMC CS weighs 344g, 39% (226g) lighter than the Viltrox AF 56mm F1.2 Pro's weight of 570g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Telephoto Prime Lenses in Fujifilm X Mount for size comparison purposes.
Telephoto Lenses in Fujifilm X Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
The Viltrox AF 56mm F1.2 Pro has a filter size of 67mm whereas the Samyang 85mm F1.8 ED UMC CS has a 62mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 67mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Viltrox AF 56mm F1.2 Pro:
And these are the 62mm filters that we recommend for the Samyang 85mm F1.8 ED UMC CS:
Lens Mounts
Both the Viltrox AF 56mm F1.2 Pro and the Samyang 85mm F1.8 ED UMC CS has the same Fujifilm X lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Fujifilm X lenses are Fujifilm X-T30 III, Fujifilm X-E5 and Fujifilm X-M5.
Viltrox AF 56mm F1.2 Pro is also available in the Sony E and Nikon Z mounts.
Samyang 85mm F1.8 ED UMC CS is also available in Canon EF-M and Sony E mounts.
Focal Range
Viltrox AF 56mm F1.2 Pro is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 56mm which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
84mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
On the other hand, the Samyang 85mm F1.8 ED UMC CS is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 85mm which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 127.5mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
