The $275 vs $399 85mm Choice That Looks Simple Until You See the Tradeoffs

85mm portrait primes get marketed as “special,” but the real story is how fast they focus, how they handle, and what you trade to save size and money. If you shoot people on Sony E-mount, this head-to-head is the kind of comparison that can keep you from buying the right focal length in the wrong package.

Coming to you from Dustin Abbott, this methodical video compares the Viltrox AF 85mm f/2.0 EVO FE and the LK Samyang AF 85mm f/1.8 P FE with a category-by-category scorecard instead of vague “this feels nicer” talk. The first tension point is price: $275 versus $399, which is a wide spread for lenses aimed at the same use. Abbott also sets up a smart real-world viewing angle by swapping lenses mid-segment, so you can judge rendering while the scene stays consistent. That matters when you’re deciding with your eyes, not just reading spec tables. The opening makes it clear the goal is compact, sharp 85mm options without the bulk of a faster maximum aperture.

The build segment is where you start seeing two different philosophies. The Viltrox comes in at about 69 mm by 76 mm and 340 g, while the Samyang is slightly shorter and significantly lighter at 272 g, so it’s easier to justify as an everyday carry. Then the control layout flips the advantage: the Viltrox brings an aperture ring that can be clicked or declicked, plus an AF/MF switch and a custom button, while the Samyang keeps it to the basics. Minimum focusing distance also lands on the Viltrox side at 0.74 m versus 0.80 m, with a small edge in magnification, and that can change how tight your framing gets without stepping forward. Weather-sealing goes the other direction, with Abbott describing more sealing points on the Samyang beyond the rear gasket.

Autofocus is covered in a way that will feel familiar if you’ve ever missed a fleeting expression by a fraction of a second. Abbott sees the general motor behavior as close, with the Viltrox maybe a hair quicker to drive focus. Then he flags a potential shutter-to-capture lag he has noticed on some Viltrox lenses, and he treats it like a real workflow issue, not a lab nitpick. If you shoot bursts or time shots around gesture, that kind of delay can be the difference between “nailed it” and “almost.” He also brings up adapting to Nikon Z bodies, noting that recent Samyang lenses can behave impressively well through a Sony E to Nikon Z adapter such as the Megadap ETZ21 Pro+, while the Viltrox is less convincing in that specific setup.

Image quality is where the video starts answering the uncomfortable question: do you want a lens that looks slightly prettier, or a lens that resolves more detail when you zoom in. Abbott breaks out distortion and vignetting correction needs, then gets into iris behavior with both lenses using nine blades, while the Viltrox holds round highlights a bit better as you stop down. He calls sharpness a clear advantage for the Viltrox across the frame, not just in the center, and he also prefers its contrast and color in side-by-side comparisons. The Samyang gets credit for bokeh, helped by f/1.8 and a slightly softer look in some out-of-focus areas, and flare behavior sounds like a draw with different downsides depending on angle. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Abbott.