Comments on: Cheap 85mm f/1.4 lens alternative

By: Didier

Didier — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 08:15:14 +0000

@admin: thanks for this link and your excellent work

The same maker makes also some other lens (800mm Mirror etc…) which could also have their use. in Europe you can get them from Poland:
http://stores.shop.ebay.fr/foto-tip_Lenses.

By: David

David — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 00:28:56 +0000

Does anyone know where to get this lens in the EU? If I buy it from the US the tax would be far too high.

By: YuT

YuT — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 13:54:05 +0000

And also can be known as Opteka 85mm f/1.4

By: YuT

YuT — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 13:32:59 +0000

It’s also known under Rokinon brand.

By: JSV_Foto

JSV_Foto — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 06:59:35 +0000

One of the fellows on the Vivitar 85mm f1.4 Flickr group has a Nikkor 85mm f1.8 as well as a Samyang/Polar lens. He said the Samyang/Polar was sharper wide open (Philcozz).

Here are his comments:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/vivitar_85_14/discuss/72157616033272724/

There’s some new pictures up by evilgreg3000 of his kids that show how well it works outdoors. Once the grass gets greener out here in Seoul, I’ll post some more portraits up (both on my site and on the Flickr group).

And as for getting paid by anyone to review the lens…I’ve yet to receive a penny. I’ve just had plenty of people email me saying thank you for the review. To which I say to them, “You’re welcome…and if you could, please buy some prints so I can pay for Grad School and still buy some more lenses!” ; )

For those of you who are interested, I’ve modified the settings so it’s possible to download the original images from the review. Just make sure you shoot me an email if you’d like to post them elsewhere.

And Nikon Rumors, thanks for the link. I for one love to read about new things, even if they’re not rumors. I hadn’t come across that review from Poland before. My dad will love it (he’s Polish)!

Keep up the awesome work you do on this site. I enjoyed reading about the D5000…certainly a cool toy, and that wasn’t a rumor (at least it wasn’t a rumor last week).

And that D750 with swivel screen…don’t we all wish! But why is the swivel screen still on the bottom? Do Olympus and Canon have some sort of patent on side swivel screens? Strange. In any case, happy shooting to all! Spring is here, and it’s a great time to be shooting some pictures.

I may give macro a try with my Polar lens. I had no idea you could mount this to an extension tube and still have it work (see that DPReview link). Should be interesting!

Kind Regards,
JSV

By: Fried Toast

Fried Toast — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 05:32:15 +0000

Scroll down. Easy. Much easier than whining about how much you don’t like it. If one post causes you this much grief on someone else’s blog, then perhaps you need to blow the dust off your camera and go shooting instead of finding reasons to make a big ado about nothing.

By: Max

Max — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 02:52:09 +0000

It is 85mm f/1.4 but it is MF-only! The problem is current DSLRs are not made for MF. The bright focusing screens are not very usable for MF. When you have super thin DOF, it is a tough situation.

Old MF cameras such as Minolta x-700 has split prism focusing screen that helps a lot with MF.

Max

By: RThomas

RThomas — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 01:34:26 +0000

Yes, and one in EX is currently offered at $616… that’s not TOO expensive but still, $350, or $616… hmmm. When I am shooting at f/1.4 I am primarily concerned with getting the 1) shallow DOF or 2) a reasonably fast shutter speed. I’m buying one of these Vivitar lenses ASAP.

By: RThomas

RThomas — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 01:20:07 +0000

I agree with you regarding the quality of the optics, it is certainly important; but I have to say that the difference between f/1.8 and f/1.4 is noticeable when the difference in shutter speed is 1/30th and 1/60th (or going to a higher ISO with the noise issues that presents). Sometimes the most important thing is simply getting the shot.

For more than a year I shot low light with the very good AF-Nikkor 50mm f/1.8, and my main issue was subject motion. So, I finally got the AF-Nikkor 50mm f/1.4, and I have to say, I can see the difference. Check out http://www.flickr.com/photos/richardsbandphotos/ to see a few examples (not much there at the moment, I’m finishing graduate school and therefore I have no life).

By: RThomas

RThomas — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 01:16:02 +0000

This Vivitar lens and a Sigma 20mm f/1.8, and me and my D300 will be very very happy.

By: RThomas

RThomas — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 01:14:27 +0000

It is worth noting… using a manual focus lens on, say, a D70 is a bit difficult. People like me who grew up using (and still own) hand held light meters have no real issues with this process, but it can be inconvenient.

By: [NR] admin

[NR] admin — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 23:47:04 +0000

here is the link for the Rokinon on eBay

By: jimmy

jimmy — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 19:55:20 +0000

I’d choose a quality nikon 85mm 1.8 and lose 2/3 stop over this crummy 1.4 lens anything day for $350.00

By: David

David — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 19:11:50 +0000

Looks like it’s really made in korean by Samyang (part of japanese cie Seikou now?)
And they OEM lens for other brands too…hmmm

By: David

David — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 19:08:04 +0000

I wonder if it’s really made in korea or not and who’s the real OEM behind it among all these brands, I’ll be interested into seeing what other offering this manufacturer has to offer.

(Is it me, or does it looks like a sigma lens?)

By: Joe R.

Joe R. — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 18:32:02 +0000

That’s not nice. It’s true, but not nice.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 18:27:08 +0000

dude, this is a blog not a forum, we don’t have pages, we have a continuous stream. If you don’t care don’t read it. the admin isn’t spamming the site with bull so its not a real problem, get over it.

By: Chad

Chad — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 15:57:12 +0000

MacRumors doesn’t review items on the front page. They may link to reviews, give performance results and come close.. but they do not post hands on reviews of Psystar machines on the front page with suggestions that users may want to try it out.

The forums gets reviews.. but again, not the front page.

By: A new Nikon fanboy

A new Nikon fanboy — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 15:50:06 +0000

Looks like it’s also being branded “Rokinon.”

Cameta has it on their ebay site for $300.

By: Phoggy

Phoggy — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 15:47:47 +0000

Thanks for posting this! I think it’s really interesting.