When one talks about a portrait lens, 85mm is one focal length that many opt for. Sure, a 50mm gives you a human-eye perspective, but an 85mm lens adds an ‘oomph’ facture. They are perfect for portraits and can capture really good sports and street photographs. So, in a way, an 85mm lens gives you the best of several worlds. I am talking about this because the Meike 85mm f1.8 pro lens for Sony, Nikon, and Leica mounts has just been launched.
The images in this article are screenshots from Photo Rumors.
What Does Meike 85mm F1.8 Pro Offer?
The lens’ details have been shared by Photo Rumors, who have been teasing the lens for some time now. Officially, it was supposed to launch on November 11, but it seems the release happened a bit later. Now, while Meike already has an 85mm F1.8 autofocus full frame lens, we aren’t exactly sure where their new full frame 85mm f1.8 Pro lens sits. Our best guess is that it must offer something different than the existing lens. Perhaps built or lens elements.
Meike 85mm f1.8 Pro specs:
- Full-frame lens
- 11 elements in 8 groups, 2 ED lenses, and one aspherical lens
- 9 aperture blades
- 62mm filter
- 0.85m minimum focusing distance
- 389g weight
- Aperture ring
- E-mount size: 76mmx95mm, Z-mount:76mmx97mm
- Available for Sony E and Nikon Z-mount, the Leica L-mount will be launched later.
The price of the lens has not been revealed, but since the other 85mm lens was $199 for Sony and Nikon, we believe this will be slightly priced higher.
However, as we look at the Meike 85mm f1.8 Pro, we wonder why they have not launched an f1.2 version. The company already has an 85mm f1.4, which costs about $469. But it lacks weather resistance. If there was an F1.2 version, the company would have a lineup for photographers of different needs at different price points. Furthermore, the new Meike 85mm f1.8 is supposed to be a higher-end version; it will be priced slightly higher. If the line is $499 or $599, it must feature weather resistance. However, if it lacks one, then a lot of photographers will turn away from it.
Meike Must Do Better
Meike is one of the Chinese brands that has captured the photography world with its lenses. While they, like other manufacturers, offer good image quality and great price points, they still miss out on a few features. That is okay, at least for now. However, a few years down the line, the third-party lens scenario will become saturated (I think it already has to some extent), leaving one wondering why the lenses produce similar-looking images.
However, since the brand’s main focus is its Chinese customers, this may be the trend that works for now. However, when a few other companies push themselves, like Laowa or SG-Image, Meike will have no other option but to follow the rat race. It’s particularly for this reason that they must try something different. A f1.2 aperture and weather sealing is a good start. It then can be followed by lenses that offer distinct images, where additional distortion or innovation like variable-shaped aperture can be utilized. I am sure Meike, like other third-party brands, know their customers better. So, they need to work and create lenses that do not appear like carbon copies of one another. That is to say, they know how to maintain their business in the long run. If not, I am not sure how long will they be around.