Rollei Is Back With a New 85mm f/1.8 AF Lens for Full Frame Sony E-Mount

Rollei has just released its first Rollei 85mm f/1.8 E-mount lens for mirrorless cameras. That is a surprising update in 2025. Yes, that well-known brand from the film era is making a comeback (sort of). It’s now targeting Sony full-frame users with the new Rollei AF 85mm f/1.8.

Before you get too excited, lemme clarify one thing. This isn’t the same Rollei that produced the famous Rolleiflex cameras. That original company no longer exists. The name now belongs to Rollei GmbH & Co. KG in Germany. It licenses the brand today, like Kodak has been doing recently. So, is this lens made by Rollei? Not quite. It’s marketed under the Rollei name, which ignites some curiosity.

I find this 85mm lens looks a bit familiar. Its design, specifications, and internal components are nearly identical to the 7Artisans AF 85mm f/1.8. It features 10 elements arranged in 7 groups, including two ED and two HR elements, 11 aperture blades, and a minimum focus distance of 0.85m. The STM motor used for eye and face tracking is also the same. Both lenses weigh about 477g, have a 62mm filter thread, a custom FN button, and a USB-C port for firmware updates.

So, it seems quite possible that this lens is either a rebranded version of the 7Artisans lens or produced by the same factory under a licensing agreement. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, though. 7Artisans has been improving their products big time!

Sony E-Mount Version Gets More Love

You are lucky if you have Sony’s E-mount lens. The Rollei 85mm f/1.8 E-mount lens comes with a manual aperture ring, which is great for video shooters or anyone who enjoys a practical feel. Unfortunately, Nikon Z users won’t have this feature. The Z-mount version doesn’t have an aperture ring, which is a bit disappointing.

Still, both versions offer full EXIF data transmission, autofocus, and a proper USB-C port for firmware updates. So, don’t worry about your lens falling behind on software.

Pricing and Availability

You can pre-order Rollei 85mm f/1.8 E-mount lens for €299, which is a good price for a full-frame 85mm f/1.8. It will officially launch on July 9, 2025, and Rollei plans to ship pre-orders by July 7. So, if you order on time, you might receive yours before it becomes available in stores.

If you’re in the U.S., you won’t be able to get it right now. There hasn’t been any confirmation of a U.S. release, and it seems like it won’t be available there anytime soon.

I think it’s nice to see classic brands like Rollei making a return, even if it’s mainly for marketing purposes. This lens doesn’t offer anything innovative. It’s more of a revival of a proven design with a retro label attached, giving it new life. That’s pretty neat in its own way.

It’s not meant to replace a Rolleiflex. It’s designed for today’s market.

[via DPReview; Image credits: Rollei]

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