Meike recently launched a new 85mm F1.4 full-frame prime lens. The lens is currently available with Sony E-mount and Nikon Z mount options.
Wide aperture
The Meike 85mm prime lens has a very wide maximum aperture of F1.4. This means the lens should be great in low light and make it easy to obtain a very shallow depth of field. The aperture also has 12 blades which should give a smooth, rounded bokeh in out-of-focus parts of the image. You can control the aperture of the Meike 85mm lens manually via the aperture ring. In addition, you can turn the aperture ring to the A setting to adjust the aperture electronically from the camera.
Optical construction
The Meike 85mm prime lens is constructed with thirteen lens elements in eight groups. Meike says that the lens also features a multi-layer coating to ensure accurate colors. The autofocus mechanism uses an STM stepping motor for smooth and silent autofocusing. In addition, the minimum close focus distance of the lens is just over 36 inches (0.98 meters). Usefully, the lens has a physical switch to select manual or auto focus.
Other features
The Meike 85mm prime lens transmits EXIF data electronically to your camera. The lens also has an outer diameter of 87 mm and a 77 mm filter thread. On a full-frame camera, the lens has a diagonal angle of view of 28.9 degrees, horizontal of 24.1 degrees and vertical of 16.1 degrees. However, on a camera with an APS-C sensor, the diagonal angle of view is 18.9 degrees, horizontal is 15.7 degrees and vertical is 10.5 degrees.
What we think
The Meike 85mm prime lens offers high-quality images for a relatively low price. With its very wide F1.4 it should satisfy video shooters looking for a very shallow depth of field as well as good low-light performance. The ability to control the aperture manually, as well as electronically via the camera, is also useful for video work. The details shared by Meike don’t say whether the aperture ring is stepless, however. If you are looking to add an 85 mm prime lens to your camera’s arsenal, you should put the Meike 85 mm prime on your shortlist.
Pricing and availability
The Meike 85mm F1.4 full-frame prime lens is available now. It costs $469.
