The Best Affordable Portrait Lens for Nikon Z? Meike 85mm f/1.8 AF Z vs Nikon vs Viltrox vs YongNuo
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- čas přidán 8. 07. 2024
- Are you looking at buying a 85mm f/1.8 lens for your Nikon Z camera? Meike has just released a super affordable 85mm f/1.8 lens with Native Z mount. Is this a great value for money choice? or is it better to go for the more expensive Nikon 85mm f/1.8 S? or the other third party choice from Viltrox or Yongnuo?
For more information about the Meike 85mm f/1.8 AF STM Z lens:
meikeglobal.com/products/85mm...
Special Thanks: Auckland Camera Centre www.aucklandcamera.co.nz/
Camera gear I used to shoot this video:
Panasonic Lumix S5II | Lumix S 24mm f/1.8
Synco D2 Microphone: link.syncoaudio.com/Richard-D2
Zeapon Micro3 Slider: zeapon.com/products-detail/i-...
Disclaimer: The product sample I used in this video was sent to me by the manufacturer for this review. I do not need to return the sample but I also did not receive any money from the company
Instagram: / photo_by_richard
My Miniature Photography Instagram: / toycapturer
Facebook: / photobyrichard
0:00 Introduction
2:16 Guess the lens
3:10 Build & Design
9:29 Colour & Field of View
11:11 Close Up
12:27 Image Sharpness
14:49 Bokeh
16:28 Vignetting
17:36 Chromatic Aberration
18:25 Distortion
19:22 Lens Flare
19:52 Sunstars
20:50 Videography
22:20 Final Thoughts - Věda a technologie
Creating a review like this that compares multiple lenses requires a lot more time than a usual single-lens review. But I hope this video can help you make your decision on what is the best 85mm f/1.8 lens for your Nikon Z camera.
Do you accept donations of some sort? Found this video really well made and enjoyable
thank you so much Acolz! You could always use the "Super Thanks" feature, but just give the video a like and drop a comment is already a great support :)
These are such great reviews. Such high quality videos, and a great resource. Thanks for the effort you put into these.
Thank you so much for this review. I literally bought the lens halfway through it because you gave excellent detail.
Oh my gosh! What a detailed comparison!
Thank you so much!
Thanks for watching
This is how all lens comparison videos should be done. Great job!
Wow, thanks!
I first found your channel with your how-to on a camera slider after I'd bought one. Now that I've picked up a Nikon Z7 II and am looking to outfit it, I'm back for your take on equipment. Thanks for your fantastic informative content!
oh thank you so much Thomas! Glad you enjoy my videos
Thankyou so much, really appreciate your review at this time cuz I'm in the market to buy an 85 for my Nikon z6ii but didn't want to spend the big bucks on the Nikon. So it was between the Meike and Viltrox and your review tipped me over to the Viltrox personally. Price difference not that much on Ebay here in OZ. Thankyou so much for taking that time. I've subscribed now so will be back 🤩
So I have attempted the Meike and the Viltrox. I am all about the Viltrox. I absolutely love it.
Brilliant review Richard! I bought this lens and am waiting for delivery. Was hard to find a good written review so thank you for putting in the time and effort into this video review. Liked and subscribed!
thank you very much Daniel !
awesome, we need more budget lenses like this meike one ,
My guess was: A - Meike, B - Viltrox, C - Nikon, D - YongNuo. All look fine; My initial comment was I liked D the best because it had the smoothest transitional bokeh to my eyes; but it also rendered a little bit flatter than A. I thought C looked sharpest; but might come down to focus and lighting; all were sharp enough.
Awesome comparison! In depth as always 🎥🔥🎬
Cheers !!! :D
fantastic review thank you
thank you!
I love to see more and more Nikon Z third party lenses, from all the prices and types. It makes me more comfortable with my decision about going with Nikon. It's great to see more Fuji lenses too. Opening the mounts is the way.
P.S. Am I the only one shocked and impressed for the optical quality of the Nikon Z lenses? 😳
I agree, more third party lenses the better to us users!
Great review and video. Appreciate the time and thoroughness you invested in the video. I like many things about the Meike 85 mm but the edge softness and subject edge coloration makes me pause. I think I will hold off until I can afford a new or used Nikon 85 or 105. Many thanks.
All the best!
Thank you for the review, this was very informative🥹🙏🏿 You gained yourself a new subscriber
Thank you 🙏
The meike looks surprisingly good considering the price! thanks for the review
Thanks for watching Kris!
Great vid 👏
I;mwanting a good macro, so clearly this isn't for me from that perspective BUT, this and the 105 Nikon will cover all my portraiture needs
Awesome review !!!!
Thanks a lot!
great review 👏
Thank you kman!
Tx fot test, great!
Thanks for watching!!
Thanks!
oh thank you so much Acolz!
Great review.
Thanks!
i like this video a lot im going to subscribe you did a Very Good job.
Thank you very much!
Hm, the Viltrox was really convincing and then the sunstars looked the worst on it 😢.. really don't feel like saving for the Nikon Z even though I love their lenses so far, it's really top quality you can get. I don't feel like I would use the 85 so often but now YN or Viltrox 🤔😁
There is no "perfect" lens. Nikon is definitely the most perfect in terms of technical/image quality, but it's price isn't so "perfect" compare to the 3rd part lenses. So yes we just have to pick the one that is most suitable to our usage/budget..etc. And that's the reason why I do comparison reviews like this, i give you all the results, you choose the one that is the best for yourself :)
A - Meike, B - Yongnuo, C - Viltrox and D - Nikon. The C and D has less cromatica aberration. The first one has a lot and even lose the focus in the eye. The second has just a little CA.
You Rock Richard! 😊
thank you Peter!!
I thought that the Nikon was either C or D. The Meike looks like a really good lens for the price, but I plan on getting the Nikon.
Thank you for the review. Which lens is the second best after the Nikon?
Sorry, it's really hard to answer. I think it depends what is the area that is most important to you.
I have the Viltrox 85mm 1.8 and I am very pleased with it.
But I am no lens expert
Thanks, looks like a great option. I just worry about the long term durability in regards to the focus motor and other internals.
hi Michael, yes true, if you have concerns about the long term durability, warranty..etc, it's best to go with the Nikon lens
@@TheRealRichardWong well I ordered the Meike so we will see. I have other lenses though.
cool! let me know whether you like it or not :)
Great review! The corner sharpness is quite abysmal.
Awesome honest review! Honestly the Meike looks pretty good for it's price. You can't expect perfect lens for $200, corner sharpness is least concern for me for a portrait lens.
Thank you very much Beyo!
Ive been waiting to see a review of this lens to see if it was worth getting vs keeping my f mount meike 85 adapted. Needless to say the 2 things i wanted to know about (lens flare, focus motor noise) are pretty much the same as the one i have now.
The meike AF f mount? Last time I tried that, it didn't work well on a z camera with the ftz adaptor
@@TheRealRichardWong ive had no problems with it on my z6 with ftz adapter.
Oh right they must have made some changes since I did the review as it was not working well with my z6
Richard, any insights on when the S1H mk2 launches?
Sorry if i have information of an unreleased product, I can't say anything until it is announced no matter I'm under NDA or not.
Thank you so much, I was waiting for this review. Currently my choice is Nikon 85 for semi-professional work and Yongnuo 85 for travel/fun. Meike seems to have sacrificed too much on the side of quality for my taste (chromatic aberrations are wild and not always easy to correct in the post). But it still makes a unique entry level portrait lens for a Z mount shooter who has only a kit lens. Micro-USB is not at all a problem, considering the frequency of its use and the fact that we all own at least one such cable.
yes fair point about micro-usb not a problem in this case as it's rarely used. If you are shooting with a high end camera like Z9, Z7II or Z8, then it makes a lot of sense to go with the Nikon as that lens's image quality is just shockingly good. But for users with a limited budget, i think the cheaper option like Meike could be a great choice as it's only 1/4 the price and you get way more than 1/4 quality of the Nikon.
Hey Richard, do you know if the Yongnuo 85mm f1.8 is now compatible with the Nikon ZF? I've read a while ago that it wasn't working properly. Thanks
No sorry I don't know
Great review, friend, but could you take pictures of the car of the tree at equal scale, to check the micro-contrast of the lenses side by side?
Good suggestion! It's too late for this review but I will keep that in mind for future reviews thanks
I prefer the Nikkor lens but I guess the saying "you get what you pay for" rings true.
I think A has the best colours
Other than that they are look very similar to me - none stands out as good or bad.
Nice review, and thanks for your time. I know it takes efforts to make such a deep comparison. Overall they are priced accordingly. Nikon is the best ofc, but it's not 400 dollars better. Especially when you use Z5 or Z6, which have lower MPs , differences will become smaller. I own Viltrox, since it was a steal for 300usd locally in new condition. I love it. Sharpness on center is great , and I don't care about corner sharpness , cause it goes into bokeh. But I am happy that there are nice options to consider for Z mount. Third party lenses are always welcome, they make good competition.
Yes I agree. If you use it on a lower MP camera, the difference would be smaller and that makes the 3rd party options really attractive. But yes the great thing is, you have options. Pick the one that is the best for you
Actually the lack of LoCa in the Nikon is definitely worth the extra price. The extra sharpness and optical qualities are impressive as well. For me it’s about how the total package performs in practice. I had the F series 85 1.8 and while it was fine I never grew to love it in the way that I have grown to respect and marvel at the way the Nikon Z series F1.8 85mm S performs. Here is a lens that is an absolute pleasure to use in the studio. It’s the go to portrait lens for portraits.
Yes you can buy a less expensive lens if you want to or need to, but in this particular case the Nikkor lens has proven itself to be worth every single cent that I paid for it. It has truely surprised me. I never felt that way about the F mount 1.8. G
@@Gr1ff1D0
"Actually the lack of LoCa in the Nikon is definitely worth the extra price".
I, too, have pondered this as I have seen disintegration (I do not remember the specific brands at all but I know that they were all very expensive) and there's NOTHING one can do to remediate such. I've always assumed it was from exposure to heat or elements as I have seen it on brand new, out of the box, lenses which is why I had that speculation (warehouses, trucks, ships, and railways have enormous temperature fluctuations and extremes). I worked briefly in a friend's store and did QC checks on incoming product. I had no experience in photography so my thoughts on the matter were quite virginal.
I'm really getting into photography now and have already seen lens enhancement products come to me with disintegration right out of the box!
In going online and asking people about such, as it was now suddenly important to me whereas in my brief stint at the camera shop, it was inconsequential, I decided to find out if lenses with such coating that show up perfect can or do, with predictability, effect such disintegration over time.
Exclusively the answers that I got were all negative (no disintegration experienced) and 2 positive (disintegration occurred very long into the lens life). Both of those were short focal length used consistently with flash. This tends to support my "stint at the camera store" theory of heat induced corruption.
I just order a Viltrox but, to be honest, I think it's very reasonable to take one's chances for $199 on this Meike lens.
Not many individuals can afford the Nikon prime lens and those that can likely have far more invested into their equipment and are likely to be more than hobbyists. For those individuals that might profit from their photographic skills they can deduct the high Nikon lens cost on taxes to help offset it as well as get the assuredness that if Nikon gets evil on firmware updates for the primary equipment, like the printer industry has, that their lens will still be functional.
Best review comparing multiple lenses I’ve seen. Better than Christopher, better than Jared, better than Tony, I love that you did 4 lenses rather than 2. The sharpness tests were great, the fact you put everything side by side was awesome.
oh thank you so much Tyler! I really appreciate that
Hi great video. Do you think the Meike is good enough to shoot an event. Looking for something cheap but not horrible. Thanks in advance.
It definitely can work. So if you are on a tight budget, it could work, just need to know it's not the best 85 1.8 for Z.
Sold me! I snagged one on eBay. $160 (shipped!) looks like it's worth a shot!
Wow really!! It's that the z mount version? Not the old F mount?
Awesome! Enjoy and let me know how you find this lens performs
You help me making a good decision for buying 85mm lens for my nikon z 50
Wow, what a price! That might be the lowest launch price for an 85mm AF lens that I can remember… Samyang has had pretty cheap 85mm lenses, but around that price they would be MF. I haven’t watched the rest of the video, but I’m going to guess that D is the Nikon because I think it has the lowest amount of purple fringing, A is the Viltrox because it has a fair amount of purple (and is a little cropped in, maybe there is a profile correction available since it was the first Nikon Z third party lens and Viltrox is good about releasing firmware?), and then B and C… I’m not sure I would say B maybe looks a little cleaner, but it’s close and at least in this scenario they all perform really well. On second thought, maybe A should be the Meike because it’s the cheapest option so would be most likely to have the most CA? I’ll just have to keep watching to find out!
Ok, very interesting! One thing that made me think A was Viltrox was that I remembered it having more CA and rounder bokeh near the edges, which it looks like Meike also has. The lack of distortion and vignetting was a pleasant surprise. Field curvature is not my favorite optical flaw, but certainly it’s more acceptable on a portrait lens than on a macro, for example. Excellent quality and performance for the price, I don’t think someone buying it as a cheap portrait lens would be disappointed.
@@Lets-Take-Pictures You made pretty good guess! Yes i agree field curvature (and also corner sharpness) is not that big an issue for a portrait lens, so for a super affordable portrait lens, the Meike is not a bad choice
Beware of buying the Viltrox 85mm for Nikon Z. I had two of them just quit working on my Nikon Z7 II after barely using them each for two to three months. You'll find a lot of the exact same problem on a quick google search.
For lenses I'll stick to the way of buying original prime lenses and selling them in a couple of years with only little loss moneywise.
@moritzfuchsbln
"selling them in a couple years at only a little loss moneywise"
Just my POV...I looked around at used lenses and there's no way to know if they've been dropped or exposed to extreme temperatures, etc. It's one of those items that I'd not even consider buying used... not even if it was a tiny fraction of cost of new. I would buy used if super unbelievably cheap if I were considering trying something out before buying one for actual use but I can't say I count on anything I buy for my camera to hold any appreciable sort of value.
why the lens stop working ? cannot be use or ?
Hello Richard! I have a LUMIX G80 and want to buy a fisheye to the camera but I don’t know which fisheye that fits to the G80. Do you know there is one that does (like the Laowa 4mm f2/8…)?
hey Jacco, if you want a circular fisheye checkout my review: czcams.com/video/lCLVyLBPGPg/video.html all the 3 lenses i compared works on your G80.
Thx u the best!!!
hello sir, pleasecan you share a raw photo of taken by each lens using same subject?
Sorry i don't have the RAW anymore (cleaned my folder already)
Great review although I must say the Meika doesn't look 85mm as the rest .. the image look a bit bigger /closer it was shown on different pictures as the color comparing and your daughter pics .
Field of view is very often a bit different even if you compare the same focal length lens from the same company. The new meike 85 1.4 is again a bit different from this meike 85 1.8
Great, informative video as always Richard! Love your work. =)
Viltrox vs Meike ?
Thanks for the review, this is very helpful. I had experienced bought a chinese (lightdow brand) mirror lens from e-bay, the result was very disappointing I give rating 3 (1-10). although not all cheap products are always bad, after watching your review I'd probably spend more to get Yongnuo instead of Meike.
If you have to suggest which lens you suggest for my z50 in 85mm lens
Sorry it's hard, each lens had its own pros and cons, you really have to decide yourself which is most suitable to you
Currently $159 on Amazon Prime Day. I think at this price it’s a no-brainer at this price since the Meike’s price is around the same dollar amount of the Nikon’s depreciation (Nikon New price vs Nikon’s used price). However, the lack of sharpness at 1.8 and the CA is giving me pause… even at $159! I’m thinking, is $159 a good price if I get the lens and never use it?
Check out my Meike 85 1.4 review: czcams.com/video/n65pwe05KJo/video.htmlsi=KfFBhJkBcSxqBMo-
i think that is a much better lens, but of course much more expensive
Ok, just stopped it at 3:10. Don't know which is which. But A got CA and both, A and B don't have the eyebrows as clear as C and D.
Very good guess!
viltrox is the best with the price
Can I use viltrox 85 mm z mount lens for wedding photography? Please reply
Yes you can. I done that a few times
At $199, I worry about the longevity of the lens. Will it last as long as the Nikon
Thank you for saying bokeh correctly!
Frankly why would anyone go with a Meike if brand 85mm 1.8 when the Nikon is the best and way more reliable option ?
uh, MONEY.
@@joevdb yes but very often these very cheap Chinese knockoffs aren’t very reliable. I purchased the metallic Viltrox 75mm 1.2 and I am very pleased with it (I red many tests before) but some off brands use very cheap components and plastic housing that won’t last very long. Canon used to do the same with its consumer prime lenses (50mm and 85mm) but Nikon always proposed solid options. The 35mm/50mm/85mm 1.8G lenses are a good example : they feel very solid despite the hard plastic housing
11:58 it shows MEIKE is worst..
$200 for an 85mm?! OMG 😅
Yes my first reaction too when I heard the price
You get what you pay for.
英文口音不太好 语速也慢，z也读得不好
thanks for the feedback
you look so cute 😂