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The following chart presents a comparison between basic parameters of the Samyang AF 85 mm f/1.8 P FE and other mirrorless 1.8/85 lenses equipped with autofocus.

It's pretty clear here that Samyang focused on guaranteeing the smallest dimensions and weight possible. You have to admit they were successful – their product is really lightweight and handy, partially because of its simple optical construction. Still, we have to add that it features the same number of elements and groups as the lenses produced by Panasonic and Sony.

In the photo below the Samyang AF 85 mm f/1.8 P is positioned between the Sony FE 50 mm f/1.4 GM and the reflex camera Canon EF 85 mm f/1.8 USM. This photo emphasizes its small size. When mirrorless systems were launched on the market the marketing specialists often promised that they would feature a lot of lenses with reduced dimensions, noticeably smaller than their reflex camera equivalents. The reality verified these promises in a quite brutal way and for various reasons, it's not a place where we should dwell on this question. Still Samyang proves that mirrorless systems don't necessarily exclude the presence of small, shapely telephoto lenses that are smaller and lighter than their reflex camera equivalents.

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The tested lens starts with a metal mount which rim features an USB-C port and a serial number. The mount surrounds a black 33x26 mm frame made of plastics with an inscription 'Made in Korea'. Right below this frame there is an immobile rear element, 29 mm in diameter. From this side everything looks very well.

The proper body of the lens starts with an immobile ring covered with plastics with a white dot, making an alignment with a camera easier, an inscription with the mount variant, the filter diameter, 62 mm, and once again information about the place of production.

Then the ring widens its diameter and on its already enlargened part you see the logotype of the producer, the name and parameters of the lens, and information about the minimum focusing distance, 0.80m/2.62ft. You also see a small focusing mechanism mode switch, AF/MF. Compared to the Samyang AF 35 mm f/1.4 P FE that didn't have such a switch it's a change in the construction.

A big manual focus ring, as wide as 23 mm, completely covered by fine, rubber ribbing, is the next part. It is a focus-by-wire construction and you can't find any distance scale of DOF scale markings on it. Running through the whole range needs a turn through an angle of 180 deg when you move it fast and as much as nearly 360 deg when you turn it slow. These are high values, allowing you very comfortable settings.

Further on you see another immobile ring; it turns into a hood mount that is added to the lens as a part of the accessory kit.

The front element is slightly convex, immobile, 50 mm in diameter. It is surrounded by a non-rotating filter thread, 62 mm in diameter.

When it comes to the optical construction you deal here with 9 elements positioned in 8 groups. Among them you can find three elements made of low dispersion glass (ED) and one made of glass with a high refraction index (HR). Inside there is also a round aperture with nine blades that can be closed down to a value of f/22 at the maximum.

Buyers get in the box with the lens: both caps, and a hood.