Currently on sale for $920 ( with a Zeiss UV filter from some Authorized vendors ). The warranty is 3 years vs 1 for the Sony. It has optical stabilization for older bodies and weather sealing. If any of those are positives.
I've owned the 85 and 25 pretty much since they've been released. Both awesome. My thought is if you already own the 85 Batis, hold onto it. It's not really worth selling to get one of the other offerings with the hit you'll take on selling it used. Not gonna lie though, I did sell my 25mm and pick up the 24 f/1.4 GM. IMO that is worth the step up.
Great summary. One thing, the older Batis lens has going for it, is the price for used lenses. I bought my copy in excellent condition for two thirds of the list price. It makes it a slightly more reasonable option as most newer 85 mm lenses are not that widely available used. At least that was my experience some months ago.
Got this used for $530 on ebay. worth every penny. Can't beat zeiss quality. Consistent colors. Gotta get the movie look on a mirrorless camera. I just love how the light hits this lens. Zeiss lenses are like iphones and German cars. A bit pricey but amazing results. Take this from a guy who own 3 sigma lenses, 1 sony and 2 rokinons.
I really like the 85 and the 25. I'd like to get the 40 next. I think it's great to have autofocus Zeiss lenses. I'd like to try the Loxia series. I think these lenses are ready for the next series of cameras as well.
I only have the Batis 18mm. I want to use it mostly for walk around on a gimbal work. I sometimes use it as my walk around lens because my 24-70 2.8 GM is heavy.
Got this used for $530 on ebay. worth every penny. Can't beat zeiss quality. Consistent colors. Gotta get the movie look on a mirrorless camera. I just love how the light hits this lens. Zeiss lenses are like iphones and German cars. A bit pricey but amazing results. Take this from a guy who own 3 sigma lenses, 1 sony and 2 rokinons.
Hi Dustin, happy new year. Does the OSS in the lens work in conjunction with IBIS giving you additional stops of stabilization? Or it’s independent of one another. Thanks.
I think Sony would say that they work together, but it is impossible for me to test that, as if you turn one off you turn them both off and vice versa.
Dustin are you still using your Canon 50 1.2 or have you moved to Sony. Sorry, I can't find it among your videos. I'm wondering what you think of pairing it with the EOS R. I own the Batis. Great lens. Thanks.
Hi Noel, the 50L was actually a loaner, so I never owned it. I shoot both Canon and Sony (along with Fuji, actually). I haven't bought an EOS R body yet, as I'm hoping a slightly more complete 2nd gen body will arrive soon.
@@DustinAbbottTWI What were your thoughts on the 50 today since the new one has arrived? I almost bought a Fuji but I got the Olympus MkII instead. I also shoot both Sony and Canon. I Own the R and love it, but I'm wondering if I made a mistake. The new glass is beautiful, but it is very expensive. Typical Canon ergonomics which are great. Which Fuji do you own? I loved the Xpro2 and Xt2 also the XE3. Thank you for the response. I would recommend the Batis. I've enjoyed it. It is a sharp lens.
I rented the Sony FE 85 mm . I was not happy with the image renditions. It's why I'm thinking of just going with the Batis. I own a Rokinon 50 mm. Not blown away by that lens either. In the past a friend loaned me a Zeiss 135mm manual focus lens and the results were pretty amazing - great glass. I actually got contacted by a fashion magazine willing to publish those photos. Im hoping I can get similar results with the 85 mm Batis. I will say I've also rented the Sony 24-70 mm Gmaster and got amazing results in natural light shooting fashion. But that lens is really expensive . I will say though that that Sony Gmaster 24-70 is worth every penny - especially if youre shooting without flash or strobe.
Hi Dustin thanks for the review. I've read people complaining about Sony's stop down focus accuracy issue, unlike Canon that opens up the aperture fully during AF, Sony stops down the lens during continuous AF if you set a smaller aperture value for capturing, the reason being Sony does this to avoid heavy focus shift at different f stops on some lenses, at the expense of unreliable AF especially in low light. What do you think about the issue, is it a deal breaker? Is it avoidable using Sigma or Tamron lenses?
Deal breaker is a strong term, and I've actually had good focus success with many Sony lenses even in poor light. I think it is possible that one gets slightly better focus results with Canon in low light, but the difference is not significant enough to have impacted my real world photography at all.
Thanks for the excellent review of 85mm options for Sony FE. My hesitance on the Samyang is that the images have a yellow tint to my eye. Fixable in post if the issue really is just a simple yellow tint but perhaps there is more to the story .... Of course some might prefer the yellow tint, as the image appears warmer. I like very much the cool rendering of the Zeiss. Like many, I purchased the Zeiss at a time where it was the only 85mm option and have grown to love the handling and rendering. I also use it as a de-facto 130mm lens on Sony APSC a6000, where the built-in vibration reduction is a huge benefit. Still, I've rented the Sony GM a few times and just adore the rendering and bokeh of that lens, so we shall see.
Hi Art, I'm not sure where your ideas about the yellow tint on the Samyang come from. I've now compared it (obviously) to a lot of different lenses and have shot with it in many different environments, and I just don't see it.
Dustin Abbott Sorry that I was not clear. I saw the tint in your comparisons in your comparison video. Compare output of Samuang to Zeiss or GM. But perhaps it is very subtle and I am being too critical?
I also notted a more yellow look on Dustins video, and noticed the same to be true on other TH-cam review. ( read Dustins reply, not sure if its a youtube thing then?) I think i would buy the batis 85 even in 2019, i love the total package. Its small and well built, and still have bit better color. If you also love to shoot outside nature. Besides it fit well among the other Batis lenses :)
While I realize the Batis 85 might not be the absolute best 85mm for Sony, I bought it when it first came out, and I'm struggling to make myself sell it go with one of the other options at this point. I do like the OSS in the lens, even with an IBIS body as it's just a little better for video. I'd say if you already own this lens, just hang onto it for now, especially if you do a lot of hybrid shooting. If you're in the market, the two Sony options are probably better plays depending on your budget. Fortunately, I don't think you can go too wrong with any of these at this point in time if the price is right.
Today this lens is $719, and not $1199....so now which one win the value proposition? I need a light weight travel lens and am considering it over the Sony 1.8, which I previously owned, but wasn’t crazy about the rendering
Dustin Abbott Thanks. I just pulled the trigger on it along with the Batis 25 as my travel / vacation pkg. i will keep my GMaster for pro paid work. This option is lieu of buying the XT3. With these two lenses and the A7III, I will in essence have the 24’sh, 35’sh, 85, and 135’sh ranges covered in a light travel pkg
Deciding between Batis 85 1.8 and 85 1.4 gm Sometimes I feel 1.8 isn’t enough for full and half body shot and think of 1.4, but AF in 85 1.4 gm isnt good and heavier. Money isnt a problem for me but AF and weight, I want the best background separation and shoot only photo no vdo, help me decide please, thank
I owned one of these a few years ago and used it on the original Sony A7 alongside a Loxia 50mm F2. I loved both of the lenses especially the Loxia, and if I were to go back to another Sony then those two would be on my hitlist of lenses. The combination of body and lenses made for a relatively light camera bag but boasting excellent image quality, albeit at a price..!
Nice review . Always like your reviews. I have the 40 and 135 Batis and have just ordered the 85 Batis today from FFordes (£700) . Surprisingly I can`t find any mention in any review of the fact that the 85 Batis is a Sonnar. This was the main driver for me as I love the Sonnar design. The 135 Batis is a Sonnar too.
Been following your reviews for a while and really liking these 85 comparisons. I currently own this lens. But haven’t really liked the autofocus performance as much as the Sony FE 85. The reason why I bought this lens is because I heard that this lens doesn’t exhibit that PDAF sensor striping issue that the Sony FE seems to exhibit in harshly back lit shots. I’m considering selling this lens though and perhaps getting both the Sony FE 85 for its speed and portability and the Samyang 85mm FE for what seems to be solid performance and image quality. I also don’t like the rubber focus ring. What do you think? Am I making the the wrong move by giving up the “Zeiss” look?
The Batis 85/1.8 is better in flare suppression than the Sony 85/1.8. Also I have never seen anyone encounter PDAF striping problems on A7III and A9 bodys with the Batis 85/1.8, but most examples of such problems are with the Sony 85/1.8. So if one shots a lot towards the light, the Batis seems to be better. How it compares to the rest of the 85 mm bunch on these two subjects, I don't know.
Batis is much better in AF than Samyang 85mm 1.4 if paired with Sony A7ii. I used samyang for 2 months and sold it and got Batis for its AF and portability
That makes a pretty huge difference. They've fine-tuned the autofocus through firmware updates to where it actually outscored the Batis in several of my tests.
Amazing that you haven't reviewed this Zeiss lens an age ago. I like the idea of the Batis range but fear for the live of the rubber focusing ring and the complex electronics contained within. Great products but longer term... less certain. 😎😎😎 Great review.
I have a Batis 25mm and it darkens the brown skin colour of people here in the Philippines. And I don’t like it really. But I like the more saturated effect to the rest and n the environment. The greens, the yellows, the reds are really good. Just not the skin colour darkening. So when the option came for the 85mm, I easily took the Sony.
The 1.8/85 is the lens the 67mm Batis format was designed for. The 135/2.8 is unnecessarily SLOW because of the 67mm thread. The 18mm is not even compliant with the 67mm thread so it defeats the entire idea of the Batis line. Everything else is unnecessarily fat for the glass they contain.
@@DustinAbbottTWI I have used many lenses through my lifetime, the best I ever owned is the Batis 85mm. This is an art lense, produced by technicians, who learn a tradition of forming glass over a hundred years. So the Samyang, in respect of many of your good reviews, can't be a better choice, at least not for me. You only can fall in love with the zeiss in behaviour of perfect solution. You know, they produced the Otus, and this special knowledge flows also into the batis. Can samyang produce an Otus-Lense? I dont think so. For example: th-cam.com/video/5Yz7uPjXdrw/w-d-xo.html
![I Love Zeiss Batis 85mm 1.8! [ZV-E1]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/ac_Oee2UF_w/mqdefault.jpg)
Currently on sale for $920 ( with a Zeiss UV filter from some Authorized vendors ). The warranty is 3 years vs 1 for the Sony. It has optical stabilization for older bodies and weather sealing. If any of those are positives.
That’s more competitive.
It is only $719 today
@@saintmovies7735 No Longer Returnable, arrggghhh
Absolutely perfect and agree with you after Batis 85 and 25 with me for more than a year!
Thanks for the feedback. I like the 25, too.
I have the same combo. Neat. Lusting after the 40mm now.
I've owned the 85 and 25 pretty much since they've been released. Both awesome. My thought is if you already own the 85 Batis, hold onto it. It's not really worth selling to get one of the other offerings with the hit you'll take on selling it used. Not gonna lie though, I did sell my 25mm and pick up the 24 f/1.4 GM. IMO that is worth the step up.
Just got my Zeiss Batis 85mm. Cannot wait to test it out
Enjoy!
Great summary. One thing, the older Batis lens has going for it, is the price for used lenses. I bought my copy in excellent condition for two thirds of the list price. It makes it a slightly more reasonable option as most newer 85 mm lenses are not that widely available used. At least that was my experience some months ago.
That's interesting
Got this used for $530 on ebay. worth every penny. Can't beat zeiss quality. Consistent colors. Gotta get the movie look on a mirrorless camera. I just love how the light hits this lens. Zeiss lenses are like iphones and German cars. A bit pricey but amazing results. Take this from a guy who own 3 sigma lenses, 1 sony and 2 rokinons.
I really like the 85 and the 25. I'd like to get the 40 next. I think it's great to have autofocus Zeiss lenses. I'd like to try the Loxia series. I think these lenses are ready for the next series of cameras as well.
The Batis 40 is a nice lens!
I only have the Batis 18mm. I want to use it mostly for walk around on a gimbal work. I sometimes use it as my walk around lens because my 24-70 2.8 GM is heavy.
I don't know if you have compared the Batis 85 and 135 and which lens is the better lens concerning image quality
I liked the 135mm a bit more.
Got this used for $530 on ebay. worth every penny. Can't beat zeiss quality. Consistent colors. Gotta get the movie look on a mirrorless camera. I just love how the light hits this lens. Zeiss lenses are like iphones and German cars. A bit pricey but amazing results. Take this from a guy who own 3 sigma lenses, 1 sony and 2 rokinons.
That's fair.
The last advice you gave me was spot on. Which one has better rendering/micro contrast. Batis 85mm, Sony 85mm f1.4 or Milvus 85mm f1.4?
I would say either the GM or the Milvus. I can't narrow that down, as I haven't directly compared those two.
@@DustinAbbottTWI thank you. I bought the milvus 50mm f1.4, and it is excellent.
please compare :D add it to the list.
Hi Dustin, happy new year. Does the OSS in the lens work in conjunction with IBIS giving you additional stops of stabilization? Or it’s independent of one another. Thanks.
I think Sony would say that they work together, but it is impossible for me to test that, as if you turn one off you turn them both off and vice versa.
@@DustinAbbottTWI thanks Dustin.
Dustin are you still using your Canon 50 1.2 or have you moved to Sony. Sorry, I can't find it among your videos. I'm wondering what you think of pairing it with the EOS R. I own the Batis. Great lens. Thanks.
Hi Noel, the 50L was actually a loaner, so I never owned it. I shoot both Canon and Sony (along with Fuji, actually). I haven't bought an EOS R body yet, as I'm hoping a slightly more complete 2nd gen body will arrive soon.
@@DustinAbbottTWI What were your thoughts on the 50 today since the new one has arrived? I almost bought a Fuji but I got the Olympus MkII instead. I also shoot both Sony and Canon. I Own the R and love it, but I'm wondering if I made a mistake. The new glass is beautiful, but it is very expensive. Typical Canon ergonomics which are great. Which Fuji do you own? I loved the Xpro2 and Xt2 also the XE3. Thank you for the response. I would recommend the Batis. I've enjoyed it. It is a sharp lens.
I rented the Sony FE 85 mm . I was not happy with the image renditions. It's why I'm thinking of just going with the Batis. I own a Rokinon 50 mm. Not blown away by that lens either. In the past a friend loaned me a Zeiss 135mm manual focus lens and the results were pretty amazing - great glass. I actually got contacted by a fashion magazine willing to publish those photos. Im hoping I can get similar results with the 85 mm Batis. I will say I've also rented the Sony 24-70 mm Gmaster and got amazing results in natural light shooting fashion. But that lens is really expensive . I will say though that that Sony Gmaster 24-70 is worth every penny - especially if youre shooting without flash or strobe.
The Batis is a nice choice. I also like the Samyang AF 85mm F1.4 as a budget option. It's a beautiful lens.
Great review, some day I will be able to afford a Zeiss prime kit
They are nice to have
Hi Dustin thanks for the review. I've read people complaining about Sony's stop down focus accuracy issue, unlike Canon that opens up the aperture fully during AF, Sony stops down the lens during continuous AF if you set a smaller aperture value for capturing, the reason being Sony does this to avoid heavy focus shift at different f stops on some lenses, at the expense of unreliable AF especially in low light. What do you think about the issue, is it a deal breaker? Is it avoidable using Sigma or Tamron lenses?
Deal breaker is a strong term, and I've actually had good focus success with many Sony lenses even in poor light. I think it is possible that one gets slightly better focus results with Canon in low light, but the difference is not significant enough to have impacted my real world photography at all.
My greatest confusion is whether to get this lens or a zies batis 40mm f2 or 20 mm f 1.8 g for casual photography and video
See my comment on the other space you posted.
Thanks for the excellent review of 85mm options for Sony FE. My hesitance on the Samyang is that the images have a yellow tint to my eye. Fixable in post if the issue really is just a simple yellow tint but perhaps there is more to the story .... Of course some might prefer the yellow tint, as the image appears warmer. I like very much the cool rendering of the Zeiss. Like many, I purchased the Zeiss at a time where it was the only 85mm option and have grown to love the handling and rendering. I also use it as a de-facto 130mm lens on Sony APSC a6000, where the built-in vibration reduction is a huge benefit. Still, I've rented the Sony GM a few times and just adore the rendering and bokeh of that lens, so we shall see.
Hi Art, I'm not sure where your ideas about the yellow tint on the Samyang come from. I've now compared it (obviously) to a lot of different lenses and have shot with it in many different environments, and I just don't see it.
Dustin Abbott Sorry that I was not clear. I saw the tint in your comparisons in your comparison video. Compare output of Samuang to Zeiss or GM. But perhaps it is very subtle and I am being too critical?
I also notted a more yellow look on Dustins video, and noticed the same to be true on other TH-cam review. ( read Dustins reply, not sure if its a youtube thing then?) I think i would buy the batis 85 even in 2019, i love the total package. Its small and well built, and still have bit better color. If you also love to shoot outside nature. Besides it fit well among the other Batis lenses :)
I did some comparisons specifically to address this, and in the original RAW files it just isn't an issue.
Dustin Abbott Cool, then I will plan to try out that Samyang. Thanks!
Please rank these 85s. Also, if you can put a summary e.g. best AF Focussing, best Bokeh, features
I did a whole 85mm comparison series that covers all these details.
Just ordered mine yesterday from Adorama. $719 deal of the day!
Great price.
While I realize the Batis 85 might not be the absolute best 85mm for Sony, I bought it when it first came out, and I'm struggling to make myself sell it go with one of the other options at this point. I do like the OSS in the lens, even with an IBIS body as it's just a little better for video. I'd say if you already own this lens, just hang onto it for now, especially if you do a lot of hybrid shooting. If you're in the market, the two Sony options are probably better plays depending on your budget. Fortunately, I don't think you can go too wrong with any of these at this point in time if the price is right.
That seems like a very fair take to me.
Today this lens is $719, and not $1199....so now which one win the value proposition? I need a light weight travel lens and am considering it over the Sony 1.8, which I previously owned, but wasn’t crazy about the rendering
It's worth trying the Batis then. At that price the gap between it and the Sony broadens.
Dustin Abbott Thanks. I just pulled the trigger on it along with the Batis 25 as my travel / vacation pkg. i will keep my GMaster for pro paid work. This option is lieu of buying the XT3. With these two lenses and the A7III, I will in essence have the 24’sh, 35’sh, 85, and 135’sh ranges covered in a light travel pkg
Deciding between Batis 85 1.8 and 85 1.4 gm
Sometimes I feel 1.8 isn’t enough for full and half body shot and think of 1.4, but AF in 85 1.4 gm isnt good and heavier. Money isnt a problem for me but AF and weight,
I want the best background separation and shoot only photo no vdo, help me decide please, thank
Consider the Samyang AF 85mm F1.4: bhpho.to/2FXwg1C It's a great value and delivers awesome results.
I owned one of these a few years ago and used it on the original Sony A7 alongside a Loxia 50mm F2. I loved both of the lenses especially the Loxia, and if I were to go back to another Sony then those two would be on my hitlist of lenses. The combination of body and lenses made for a relatively light camera bag but boasting excellent image quality, albeit at a price..!
Exactly right
Nice review . Always like your reviews. I have the 40 and 135 Batis and have just ordered the 85 Batis today from FFordes (£700) . Surprisingly I can`t find any mention in any review of the fact that the 85 Batis is a Sonnar. This was the main driver for me as I love the Sonnar design. The 135 Batis is a Sonnar too.
You'll see that in the text review. It is a nice lens, for sure.
which is better the batis or sonnar series?
??? Sonnar isn't a separate line. It designates lenses that utilize Zeiss' Sonnar optical design (which are typically medium telephoto lenses).
The batis is a sonar
Been following your reviews for a while and really liking these 85 comparisons. I currently own this lens. But haven’t really liked the autofocus performance as much as the Sony FE 85. The reason why I bought this lens is because I heard that this lens doesn’t exhibit that PDAF sensor striping issue that the Sony FE seems to exhibit in harshly back lit shots.
I’m considering selling this lens though and perhaps getting both the Sony FE 85 for its speed and portability and the Samyang 85mm FE for what seems to be solid performance and image quality. I also don’t like the rubber focus ring. What do you think? Am I making the the wrong move by giving up the “Zeiss” look?
In this case I think the "Zeiss look" is a little understated. I personally liked the look of images from the Samyang better.
Badass sunglasses for Badass lens?
...more like a black eye and swollen face.
The Batis 85/1.8 is better in flare suppression than the Sony 85/1.8.
Also I have never seen anyone encounter PDAF striping problems on A7III and A9 bodys with the Batis 85/1.8, but most examples of such problems are with the Sony 85/1.8.
So if one shots a lot towards the light, the Batis seems to be better.
How it compares to the rest of the 85 mm bunch on these two subjects, I don't know.
Interesting feedback.
help me make my decision and i bought the zeiss batis 1.8
Enjoy your new lens.
Batis is much better in AF than Samyang 85mm 1.4 if paired with Sony A7ii. I used samyang for 2 months and sold it and got Batis for its AF and portability
What firmware version were you using on the Samyang?
@@DustinAbbottTWI the old one cos i don't have a lens doc to update it
That makes a pretty huge difference. They've fine-tuned the autofocus through firmware updates to where it actually outscored the Batis in several of my tests.
Amazing that you haven't reviewed this Zeiss lens an age ago. I like the idea of the Batis range but fear for the live of the rubber focusing ring and the complex electronics contained within. Great products but longer term... less certain. 😎😎😎 Great review.
I was saving the 85mm for a comparison as it was far from new by the time that I started covering Sony.
I found the same issue in Batis 40/2 CF when comes with eye AF accuracy, front focus, sometimes, and i sold it.
I actually had really good results with the Batis 40 mm
Great review ! Still deciding between Batis vs FE 1.8. 👍
Tough call. Both are nice lenses.
I have a Batis 25mm and it darkens the brown skin colour of people here in the Philippines. And I don’t like it really. But I like the more saturated effect to the rest and n the environment. The greens, the yellows, the reds are really good. Just not the skin colour darkening. So when the option came for the 85mm, I easily took the Sony.
The Batis is now $719, so I am heavily leaning in that direction over the FE 1.8.
The 1.8/85 is the lens the 67mm Batis format was designed for. The 135/2.8 is unnecessarily SLOW because of the 67mm thread. The 18mm is not even compliant with the 67mm thread so it defeats the entire idea of the Batis line. Everything else is unnecessarily fat for the glass they contain.
I think there's some truth to this.
Finally bought one during a sale for $720 new!
That's a great price for this lens.
And the two dislike strike again...
LOL - for sure.
Very good video, but that lens not whau… Thank you
You're welcome.
Hey says Batis, I hear bad a$s.
If it works for you...
samyang a better choice than the zeiss, you are kidding. This is ridiculous.
Have you used both lenses, or just going off the respective brand names?
@@DustinAbbottTWI I have used many lenses through my lifetime, the best I ever owned is the Batis 85mm. This is an art lense, produced by technicians, who learn a tradition of forming glass over a hundred years. So the Samyang, in respect of many of your good reviews, can't be a better choice, at least not for me. You only can fall in love with the zeiss in behaviour of perfect solution. You know, they produced the Otus, and this special knowledge flows also into the batis. Can samyang produce an Otus-Lense? I dont think so. For example: th-cam.com/video/5Yz7uPjXdrw/w-d-xo.html
@marcs.7699 so you haven't used Samyang lenses by that convoluted reply
still never used samyang?. . try it pls. . 😂@@marcs.7699
Please compare it to the Coming Nikon S85/1.8 , then i will subcribe:)
I'm afraid I won't get that subscription - I don't review Nikon
Wrong channel.