AstrHori AF 85mm F1.8 Mark II Full-frame Lens for L: Reach Out and Touch Something

Are you looking for a fixed telephoto lens for your full-frame L-Mount camera? Have you considered something from the crowded 75mm to 90mm field (which accounts for roughly two-thirds of the current L-Mount telephoto lens market)?

While not the best lens in the world, the AstrHori AF 85mm F1.8 Mark II Full-frame Lens L Mount is a low-cost offering that ticks several of the prime telephoto lens required boxes. This makes it stand out among the rest of the crowd.

Chief among those prerequisites is an elegant metal finish that features smooth operation of both the aperture dial and the focusing ring. Accompanied by the obligatory AF/MF focusing selection switch and a camera-programmable function momentary pushbutton, the AstrHori 85mm f/1.8 does have three traits that could be offsetting to some photographers.

First, and foremost, is the mandatory design choice of incorporating a “click-less” aperture dial into the lens. Although not a real deal breaker for a telephoto lens, being unable to “sense” your current f-stop by “feel” is a disappointment.

More Fixed Telephoto Lenses, Please

Next up on the “gotcha” list are the little noises that the lens makes during operation. From the startup hum, to the teensy micro “whirr” sound during focusing, the AstrHori 85mm isn’t a stealth operator. Furthermore, annoying aperture noises can be heard, for example, when using the onboard function button assigned with a “depth-of-field” aperture preview option.

Finally, the supplied scalloped plastic lens hood is of dubious worth. Rather than threading into the lens’s filter ring, this hood uses the “push-and-twist” attachment method.

Granted, none of these three objections are true showstoppers for this telephoto lens, but the real test is in the quality of the photographs that it takes. Please consider these sample images and judge for yourself:

Vital Statistics for the Discriminating Photographer:

• Aperture: f/1.8 – f/16
• Aperture Blade Count: 11 pcs
• Focus Range: 0.8m – Infinity
• Lens Design: 10 Elements in 7 Groups
• Angle of View: 28.5-degrees
• Filter Size: 62mm
• Price: $263.20

While remarkably compact and portable, the AstrHori 85mm lens is adept at being a modest focal length telephoto for permanent use on your camera. Even better, its speedy autofocus system and large/bright f/1.8 aperture will ensure that you’ll be able to get up close and personal to any subject.

Enjoy.

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