Rokinon t/1.5 85mm at DVinfo.net

Mike Watson · December 19th, 2012, 02:03 PM

I'm considering getting this lens:

Amazon.com: Rokinon CV85M-NEX 85mm t/1.5 Aspherical Lens for Sony E-Mount (NEX) with De-Clicked Aperture and Follow Focus Compatibility Fixed Lens: Camera & Photo

While I'm interested in general comments about the lens, I have a more esoteric question - The lens has an NEX version and a Canon version. I'm shooting with the FS-100 and have no plans to upgrade. That said, when I moved from 5D to FS-100, I was able to take all my Canon gear with me, and just buy an adapter. At some point, I will be ready to upgrade, and I feel all my Canon gear will transfer again (with an adapter), but if I go outside of Sony, I doubt there will be an NEX -> (whatever) adapter. That said, the Canon adapter is a little funky, and since I am buying this puppy to go on the FS, I feel I'd be better off getting the NEX version.

Any thoughts? What would you do?

Bill Pryor · December 19th, 2012, 02:54 PM

I bought the Metabones "smart" EOS adapter and it works perfectly fine. Right now I'm using my Canon L zooms (24-105 and 70-200) and half a dozen old Nikkor primes. I already had Nikon-to-EOS adapters on all the Nikkors, so rather than having to take off and on the Metabones, I just left the adapters on the Nikkors, and they work fine that way.

However, I've been looking at those Rokinon (Samyang) cine lenses also and went through the same exercise--should I get E-mount or stay with EOS. At this point I will stay with the EOS mount for two reasons. First, it's easy to simply leave the Metabones attached to the FS100. Basically, that turns it into an EOS type camera. If I used E-mount lenses, I'd have to take the adapter on and off a lot. Second, I could use the new lenses on the 5DII if I want.

On the other hand, there's the possibility I could go another way. I haven't yet decided whether to sell the 5DII. If I do, then I'd probably sell the Canon lenses with it. If I do that, then I might get the Sony 18-200 kit lens as my run-n-gun zoom, which is what I use the two Canon zooms for now. Most of my shooting is with primes and the zooms are pretty much only used outdoors. If I go that route, then it would make sense to get E-mount lenses all the way. I also have a Sony NEX-7 I use for stills a lot these days.

The safest thing to do is probably go with the EOS mount. That also makes the lenses more salable, since there are a lot more DSLRs that say Canon on the front than there are e-mount cameras.

Chris Joy · December 19th, 2012, 04:59 PM

The Rok is a great lens, I've used the 85/1.4 non-cine version of the lens, great sharpness and good to great bokeh, its a nice video lens. I had scattered luck with EF-Nex adapters. Some were so loose it felt like the lens was going to pop off when I touched it. What I wound up doing was ordering 4 standard $20 fotodiox adapters on Amazon and kept the best one and just returned the rest. I think the EF mount will serve you better in the long run as the market for 3rd party Canon lenses is more robust as there are far more EF cameras floating around.

I agree with Bill, if you have EF lenses get the smart adapter and use them. You can always sell them down the line, but the 18-200 is nowhere near as good as the L lenses. The 24-105 is a far better lens than the 18-200, you lose the ridiculous range, but you gain a lot of sharpness and its much faster as a constant f/4, where the Sony is only f/3.5 at 18mm, jumps to f/4 until about 27mm and goes up from there pretty quickly to a sluggish f/6.3. You have everything covered to 200mm between your two lenses, and they're much better.

Hard to tell I'm not a fan of the 18-200. Its an ok kit lens and nothing more.

Bill Pryor · December 19th, 2012, 09:37 PM

Good point on the 18-200. I'm already probably too spoiled by the 24-105 to let it go. It was a thought I had because it seemed that it might be convenient to have that wide range lens for some quick and dirty outdoor work. However, that's what I've been using the 24-105 for.

One thing I've discovered about adapters--Voigtlander makes good ones. They're expensive--the Nikon-to-E-mount is about $150 (USD) but it fits perfectly and there's no slop between the lens and adapter, as there is in the cheap ones I've had.

December 19th, 2012, 02:03 PM	#1
Mike Watson Trustee Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 1,082	Rokinon t/1.5 85mm I'm considering getting this lens: Amazon.com: Rokinon CV85M-NEX 85mm t/1.5 Aspherical Lens for Sony E-Mount (NEX) with De-Clicked Aperture and Follow Focus Compatibility Fixed Lens: Camera & Photo Amazon.com: Rokinon CV85M-NEX 85mm t/1.5 Aspherical Lens for Sony E-Mount (NEX) with De-Clicked Aperture and Follow Focus Compatibility Fixed Lens: Camera & Photo While I'm interested in general comments about the lens, I have a more esoteric question - The lens has an NEX version and a Canon version. I'm shooting with the FS-100 and have no plans to upgrade. That said, when I moved from 5D to FS-100, I was able to take all my Canon gear with me, and just buy an adapter. At some point, I will be ready to upgrade, and I feel all my Canon gear will transfer again (with an adapter), but if I go outside of Sony, I doubt there will be an NEX -> (whatever) adapter. That said, the Canon adapter is a little funky, and since I am buying this puppy to go on the FS, I feel I'd be better off getting the NEX version. Any thoughts? What would you do?

December 19th, 2012, 02:54 PM	#2
Bill Pryor Contributor Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 4,449	Re: Rokinon t/1.5 85mm I bought the Metabones "smart" EOS adapter and it works perfectly fine. Right now I'm using my Canon L zooms (24-105 and 70-200) and half a dozen old Nikkor primes. I already had Nikon-to-EOS adapters on all the Nikkors, so rather than having to take off and on the Metabones, I just left the adapters on the Nikkors, and they work fine that way. However, I've been looking at those Rokinon (Samyang) cine lenses also and went through the same exercise--should I get E-mount or stay with EOS. At this point I will stay with the EOS mount for two reasons. First, it's easy to simply leave the Metabones attached to the FS100. Basically, that turns it into an EOS type camera. If I used E-mount lenses, I'd have to take the adapter on and off a lot. Second, I could use the new lenses on the 5DII if I want. On the other hand, there's the possibility I could go another way. I haven't yet decided whether to sell the 5DII. If I do, then I'd probably sell the Canon lenses with it. If I do that, then I might get the Sony 18-200 kit lens as my run-n-gun zoom, which is what I use the two Canon zooms for now. Most of my shooting is with primes and the zooms are pretty much only used outdoors. If I go that route, then it would make sense to get E-mount lenses all the way. I also have a Sony NEX-7 I use for stills a lot these days. The safest thing to do is probably go with the EOS mount. That also makes the lenses more salable, since there are a lot more DSLRs that say Canon on the front than there are e-mount cameras.

December 19th, 2012, 04:59 PM	#3
Chris Joy Major Player Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Tampa Posts: 220	Re: Rokinon t/1.5 85mm The Rok is a great lens, I've used the 85/1.4 non-cine version of the lens, great sharpness and good to great bokeh, its a nice video lens. I had scattered luck with EF-Nex adapters. Some were so loose it felt like the lens was going to pop off when I touched it. What I wound up doing was ordering 4 standard $20 fotodiox adapters on Amazon and kept the best one and just returned the rest. I think the EF mount will serve you better in the long run as the market for 3rd party Canon lenses is more robust as there are far more EF cameras floating around. I agree with Bill, if you have EF lenses get the smart adapter and use them. You can always sell them down the line, but the 18-200 is nowhere near as good as the L lenses. The 24-105 is a far better lens than the 18-200, you lose the ridiculous range, but you gain a lot of sharpness and its much faster as a constant f/4, where the Sony is only f/3.5 at 18mm, jumps to f/4 until about 27mm and goes up from there pretty quickly to a sluggish f/6.3. You have everything covered to 200mm between your two lenses, and they're much better. Hard to tell I'm not a fan of the 18-200. Its an ok kit lens and nothing more.

December 19th, 2012, 09:37 PM	#4
Bill Pryor Contributor Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 4,449	Re: Rokinon t/1.5 85mm Good point on the 18-200. I'm already probably too spoiled by the 24-105 to let it go. It was a thought I had because it seemed that it might be convenient to have that wide range lens for some quick and dirty outdoor work. However, that's what I've been using the 24-105 for. One thing I've discovered about adapters--Voigtlander makes good ones. They're expensive--the Nikon-to-E-mount is about $150 (USD) but it fits perfectly and there's no slop between the lens and adapter, as there is in the cheap ones I've had.