Comparison CZ Otus 85 1.4 vs Smyang 85/1.4

tomasg · Expire: 2014-04-28

Hello guys, after a long time a post from me. A friend of mine convinced me to go to a presentation for the Otus 85 an 55 in a local photo shop, personally i don t like those events, but since he never used a MF lens i accepted to help him focusing. Those are really some quick and dirty samples, most because it s difficult to take pictures when you have a bunch of other photographers that follow you and can t wait to use the lens. Second the light was really bad, overcast clouds, with moments of sun, so please understand the not overly nice test pictures, it was the best i could do.
Camera settings where equal for both, i used CNX2 to convert the raws, settings where: NEUTRAL which is a very low contrast, soft, dull, low saturation on a D700, auto WB, sharpening set to 2 out of 9 (also a low setting).
I took a series of hand held pics between the two and one on a bench, using live view to focus. If interested i ll post also 100% crops.

First the bench series, i tried to choose a portrait distance with a bit of foreground and some ugly background, just in case the difference is not evident, Otus first, then Samyang, then Otus again and so on Smile

from f1.4 to f2.8...

f1.4

f1.6

f1.8

f2

f2.2

f2.5

f2.8

I ll post some 100% crops if anyone wants to see them, i ll also post the handheld later and some with PP applied, raws are also available if someoe wants to have them.

http://www.pbase.com/tomasg_71/otus__samyang

Tomas

LucisPictor · Expire: 2013-12-03

Thanks, Thomas.

Based on those "small" images, I'd say that from f/2.8 on there is a hardly a difference in sharpness visible, but the Otus has a much smoother bokeh.
It's also interesing how much different the cam metered.

tomasg · Expire: 2014-04-28

tomasg · Expire: 2014-04-28

Those where handheld:

f1.4

f1.8!!! who shoots at f1.6 Smile

f2

and f2.8

tomasg · Expire: 2014-04-28

And to do justice to the Otus 100% crops

f1.4

f2

tomasg · Expire: 2014-04-28

Unfortunately i did n had the time to "dot tune" the Otus, that is to micro adjust it, something i do with almost all my lenses also MF ones as i use the green dot in the viewfinder to focus. The Otus has quite a bit of back focus on my D700 as you can see from the crops. I focused on the left upper "shield" on both.

f1.4

f2

f2.8

Ok i ll stop here, i hope i didn t posed too many, if so moderators please remove some.

Tomas

frenched · Expire: 2014-06-17

Interesting comparison. I guess they sold a lot of Samyangs that day. Smile

tomasg · Expire: 2014-04-28

tomasg · Expire: 2014-04-28

I find these two interesting, some PP applied.

i put the full size ones here this time:

http://www.pbase.com/tomasg_71/image/158150909

http://www.pbase.com/tomasg_71/image/158150911

No LoCa green-magenta in the oof areas on the Otus.

Oh, but CNX2 is good at removing LoCa:

http://www.pbase.com/tomasg_71/image/158151064

Nordentro · Expire: 2015-01-29

Nice test! I would not buy the Otus for sure... Wink

It`s a good lens, but the price is IMHO, too much, compared.

CBokeh · Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2014 10:42 pm Post subject:

The Otus has some very nice qualities for those people that can afford it, but as others are saying, these tests make me glad to own the Samyang.

tomasg · Expire: 2014-04-28

tomasg · Expire: 2014-04-28

Kram · Joined: 06 Feb 2010 Posts: 1344 Location: Portland, OR

Thanks for the tests. Really would have loved to seen some portraits but understand your situation.
Really, as a pro I think I can live without either lens.

Now if (when?) they make a makro Otus, I will be robbing a bank.

hoanpham · Expire: 2015-01-18

Thanks for the tests.
Interesting to see the differences. Samyang is impressive for so little money.

tomasg · Expire: 2014-04-28

Wow, after a year this thread comes to life again! Yes the Samyang is a very fine lens indeed, but keep in mind that i have the Nikon D700 which is only 12 mp, i am sure the difference on a 36, 48 or 50 mp sensor would be more marked. For someone who can afford the Otus, there is no reason to look at the Samyang (unless maybe for less weight). Nevertheless the Samyang has a lovely rendering, and is an amazing vlaue for the mony spent, there are many images on flickr:

https://www.flickr.com/groups/1437990@N23/pool/

tb_a · Expire: 2019-08-28

As long as you're not pixel peeping at 100% view on a 50MP sensor you will hardly see any difference. For normal view without cropping 12MP/APS-C is more than good enough, even for printing for most needs.

Pontus · Expire: 2016-08-25

I've had the Samyang but I sold it. We never became friends. Agreed, you get a lot for your money. But for me the lens lacks liveliness and the bokeh is very boring. In some of these shots the Samyang shows more macro-contrast but the Otus has more micor-contrast. There is more pop and 3D in the Otus images and the bokeh is subjectively nicer. To me, even the more contrasty images taken with the Samyang look a bit washed out, less transparent.

There are differences, but there should be when you compare the prices.

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

Both these lenses look great in technical terms, sharp, crisp results.

But you know, I think I prefer the more characterful rendering of my old Biometar 2.8//80 and Sonnar 2/85.

That said, I can certainly see a place for an Otus in my collection. Smile

Once I win the lottery. Sad

cyrano · Expire: 2016-12-30

How about the Canon 85mm f1.2 in comparism, that should be interesting. Not least because it's one I own. Like 1 small

Attila · Expire: 2025-11-18

Nice to see this results but.. neighbor roof, bookshelf test in boring room usually produce same results if lenses are not so far away from each others. I am planning to buy long time ago Samyang lenses, not yet done any Sad

still not enough cheap LOL... Samyang like Samsung in cameras... okay if price is so low.. Smile

New Zeiss series are out of my interest, reason only their price.