Shop Talk

I’ll begin by saying that this lens is by far my favorite of all of the lenses I own and have used. I can’t ensure that you’ll be able to incorporate this lens into every shoot; however, I guarantee that you’ll look for any opportunity to do so. It doesn’t zoom, there’s no auto focus, it’s not the best lens for tight spaces…BUT the bokeh is second to none!

My specialty is natural light photography–primarily portraits, events, and lifestyle sessions…all conducted outdoors—and this lens absolutely makes an appearance at every single shoot.

 Pros:

1. Price! Before I purchased the Rokinon (paid link), I did extensive research to help me decide among the 85mm lenses available–the Rokinon, Sigma, or Nikon version—primarily because of the price differences.  The Nikon lens purchased brand new was upwards of $900, and the Rokinon was less than $300. I couldn’t find enough information to persuade me to go with the more expensive version, so I invested the $300 into the Rokinon and have never regretted the decision.

2. Quality – It is obvious from the moment it is removed from the packaging that the lens is sturdy with a quality mount. There is quite a bit of weight to it—over a pound—and this is no surprise once you realize there are 14 elements (in 7 groups) that comprise this lens.

3. Sharp focus (even at f/1.4) – The focus ring movement is very deliberate. This is quite a difference from my Nikon 50mm f/1.8 (paid link), as this ring is very loose, which can cause focus to be lost fairly easily. This is one of my favorite features of the lens body itself.

4. Bokeh, bokeh, BOKEH!!! I have not seen such a beautiful, buttery background behind a subject in ANY of my images using other lenses as what I receive consistently using this lens. This is the effect that my clients desire most, and when using this lens they are guaranteed to have MANY images with this dreamy background.

5. Minimizes post-processing – The combination of shooting in manual and utilizing this lens can (with practice) provide you with sharp, beautiful images in-camera so that your editing time can be reduced significantly.

 Cons:

The only aspect of this lens that may deter some from investing in it is that Autofocus is not an option. Photographers who are not mastered in shooting in the specialty modes of their camera (Manual, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority) may lean toward the Nikon version, which does offer Autofocus.

On the other hand, perhaps investing in this lens could give photographers a little added motivation to begin shooting in manual….I promise once you do, you’ll never go back.

Note: Although I researched quite a few websites and camera shops for the best products, I ended up buying directly through Amazon [found here (paid link)].  Their price was excellent, and the lens they offered includes the Autofocus chip—this chip will display a set of lights in the viewfinder when the subject is in focus…making it significantly easier to use for those who aren’t as experienced in manual shooting.

Jessica D. Williams of Rock Hill, SC has experience in banking, the mortgage industry and tax consultation.  She is the Owner of Jessica DeVinney Photography and enjoys serving the Greater Charlotte, NC area—with specializations in Senior, Family, and Wedding Photography.