Is the Rokinon 85mm f/1.4 MF lens worth getting?
In terms of optical performance and built? I do understand its a Manual-Focus lens, and willing to use it with that.
How does it compare with the Nikon 85mm f/1.4?
I bought one of Rokinon's bigger lenses and was very disappointed in it's performance. I knew it wouldn't work with my Canon's auto features and was willing to work around it. But the fact is that the lens quality is extremely poor and does not resolve well, especially at the higher maginifications.
It DOES magnify tremendously, but the image is so blurred that I can get much better results with my shorter length Canon lenses. Sure, I get pixelization when I enlarge, but a blurry image of a distant subject is no good at all.
I have never heard of Rokinon to be honest. I had a look at the lens and it actually looks very similar to the Samyang 85mm f/1.4 which is also MF. Yet the Samyang version is about €80 more expensive and probably guessing a little better too. I have the samyang 14mm f/2.8 and it's optical quality, no joke, resembles that of my canon 70-200mm f/2.8 IS USM II. Bloody sharp lens.
There seems to be a general optimistic look on this lens here.
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=741699
Here is a laboratory test of the Samyang version on the canon 50D. Actually a very good review. 3 stars for Optical quality is actually very good.
http://www.photozone.de/...ng8514apsc
This is Lab test for the Nikkor 85mm f/1.4 D. It is too expensive really IMO
http://www.photozone.de/...rt?start=1
I definitely suggest to consider this lens. It's sharper than all lenses mentioned above. Has AF. There's barely a difference between f/1.8 and f/1.4 IMO.