Meike’s promised 85mm f/1.4 autofocus lens that it announced in April is finally shipping for a very reasonable $470. But the promised RF support is, as most probably predicted, probably not coming. When it was announced earlier this year, Meike said that the 85mm f/1.4 autofocus lens would arrive for Sony E, Nikon Z, Leica L, and Canon RF. Now available to purchase, only the Nikon Z and Sony E mounts are available. While it should come as no surprise that Canon put the kibosh on allowing Meike to sell an autofocus-equipped lens for it’s RF mount — Canon has been pursuing legal action against any third-party lens maker that attempts to sell a lens with RF autofocus support — it’s not clear why L-mount also appears to have been dropped. Whatever the case, Meike’s lens features a construction of 13 elements arranged into eight groups. The company makes no mention of any special lenses used in the formula to reduce chromatic aberrations or any other issues that might arise. It does feature an aperture range of f/1.4 through f/16 via a 12-bladed diaphragm.
The lens features a front filter thread size of 77mm, a minimum focusing distance of 0.98 meters, and has a diagonal angle of view of 28.9 degrees, horizontal of 24.1 degrees, and vertical of 16.1 degrees. Equipped with a stepping motor, Meike says that the optic brings both silent and smooth autofocus performance. In addition, since it features electronic connection with the attached camera, electronic aperture adjustment is supported (in addition to manual control via the aperture ring on the lens) and EXIF data is transmitted. “85mm f/1.4 is a high-resolution portrait shooting lens which can achieve high-resolution imaging in focus and soft background blurring out of focus, providing clear image for daily shooting. The lens is easy to carry and its images are sharp and clear at any aperture,” Meike writes. “The 85mm f/1.4 uses the newest optical structure, making it able to achieve a large aperture of f/1.4. Multi-layer coating technology is used on both sides of the lens to restore more realistic colors. The lens is not easy to attach dust or stains, and can be easily wiped clean.” Below are a few sample photos captured with the lens to provide an idea of the expected quality. The video above also shows how it performs in motion picture applications.
The Meike full-frame 85mm f/1.4 autofocus lens is available directly from the company’s website for $470. Image credits: Meike
