The Zhongyi Speedmaster 85mm f/1.2 is nearly 75% cheaper than Canon's version – and it's available for Nikon Z, too
(Image credit: Shoten Kobo)
Want a lightning-fast f/1.2 portrait lens for the Canon EOS R system, but don't have two and a half grand to spend on the Canon version? Well you're in luck, because the Zhongyi Mitakon Speedmaster 85mm f/1.2 has just been announced – and it's almost a quarter of the price!
The new Zhongyi Mitakon Speedmaster 85mm f/1.2 clocks in at only ¥73,800, which converts to $708.90 / £552.05 / AU$976.09 at current exchange rates. Compare that to the Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM, which sells for $2,599 / £2,799 / AU$3,599. And of course, the bokehlicious Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM DS is a whopping $2,999 / £3,219 / AU$4,500, making Zhongyi's option even more appealing – especially if you're a Nikon shooter, as the lens is also available for Z-mount cameras.
Of course, the two Canon lenses are heavyweights in more ways than just just the price (or, indeed, their significant size!) as they're two of the best portrait lenses you can buy right now. So how does the Chinese-made Zhongyi Optics offering compare to them?
The Zhongyi Mitakon Speedmaster 85mm f/1.2 is a ridiculously cheap $709 for Canon RF and Nikon Z mounts (Image credit: Shoten Kobo)
There are some key differences, of course – namely that Zhongyi's lens is fully manual, meaning that autofocus is not supported and you will need to adjust the aperture ring by hand (though possibly not very much, since you're probably going to use an f/1.2 lens wide open most of the time).
Neither does the lens feature weather sealing, so you will need to be much more considered when using it in wet, dusty, or excessively cold conditions. Still, Zhongyi lenses are built like absolute tanks – as with the highly enjoyable Zhongyi Mitakon Speedmaster 50mm f/0.95, its all-metal construction feels strong enough to beat down a door, so sturdiness isn't an issue.
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The Canon RF and Nikon Z versions both possess the same optical formula, with 9 elements in 6 groups (2 of them ED lenses, and 4 of them high-refractive-index, low-dispersion lenses), with 11 aperture blades and a 77mm filter diameter.
However, the Canon lens is marginally shorter and lighter, at 83 x 118mm and 950g compared to the 83 x 120mm and 955g of the Nikon.
Both lenses are currently only available in Asia, and have yet to reach the big retailers in the west, though existing DSLR versions are available from B&H for Canon EF, Nikon F and Sony A mounts.
James has 22 years experience as a journalist, serving as editor of Digital Camera World for 6 of them. He started working in the photography industry in 2014, product testing and shooting ad campaigns for Olympus, as well as clients like Aston Martin Racing, Elinchrom and L'Oréal. An Olympus / OM System, Canon and Hasselblad shooter, he has a wealth of knowledge on cameras of all makes – and he loves instant cameras, too.
