SongRAW Moonlit 85mm f/1.2—A New Challenger to Classic Portrait Lenses

SongRAW from Shenzhen, China, has introduced its Moonlit 85mm f/1.2 lens. A fresh competitor has entered the scene, and they mean business. The name suggests it’s perfect for those beautiful, dreamy photos you hope to take. This lens isn’t just any ordinary one. It’s a strong competitor aimed at rivaling some of the classic portrait lenses on the market.

SongRAW was created by a team of experienced professionals who already operate their factory. They specialize in lenses, and their latest product, the 85mm f/1.2, is just their second offering after the 50mm f/1.2. It seems they aim to make a strong impression immediately by emphasizing a wide aperture, durable construction, and impressive features.

What’s Inside This Beast of a Lens?

When you first hold this lens, you’ll feel its weight. It’s pretty heavy at 1.5kg, or about 3.3 lbs. To give you an idea, that’s significantly more than other similar lenses, like the Canon RF 85mm f/1.2 L USM. So, what makes it so heavy? According to SongRAW, it’s due to how the lens is built and designed optically. They’ve included a lot of glass, featuring one aspherical element, five extra-low dispersion (ED) glass elements, and eleven high refractive index (HR) glass elements. This detailed design aims to provide excellent image quality and reduce distortion and color fringing. Additionally, they mention a Nano-Coating on the lens, which is always a nice touch. I’m curious to see how it performs in real-life situations, but SongRAW aims to offer a professional-quality tool right from the start.

The design is a bit unique compared to what you might expect. The lenses in the SongRAW Moonlit series are made from aerospace-grade aluminum, which is pretty impressive and should make them very strong and long-lasting. They also feature a focus ring and an aperture ring, which is excellent for those who enjoy a hands-on shooting experience. An STM motor is used for autofocus, allowing for eye-tracking both people and animals. This is an important feature, so you’ll want to check how quickly and accurately it works when you try it out. While it’s mainly intended for still photography, the shallow depth of field will also make it a fantastic choice for video.

How Does It Stack Up Against the Legends?

When you mention an 85mm f/1.2 lens, you’re entering a market filled with top-tier options. The Canon RF 85mm f/1.2 L and the Nikon Z 85mm f/1.2 S are premium portrait lenses, costing nearly $3,000. In comparison, the new SongRAW Moonlit is much more budget-friendly. However, it’s important to note that the other lenses come from brands in the optics industry for around a hundred years. Another interesting point is that the SongRAW Moonlit is reportedly about 40% heavier than its rivals. It’s definitely a heavy-duty choice.

If you’re okay with sacrificing some light, specifically, two-thirds of a stop, the SIGMA 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art is a popular and trusted choice. SIGMA is known for making high-quality lenses, and this one is much lighter than the SongRAW, weighing only 630g. The SongRAW’s price puts it in direct competition with SIGMA, so you’ll need to check if its image quality can compete.

Specs

Mount type	E/Z/L -Mount
Format	Full-Frame
Focus mode	AF/MF
Focal length	50mm
Aperture range	F1.2~F1.6
Lens structure	15 elements in 10 groups (aspherical x2)
Aperture blades	13
Focusing distance	0.52m
Angle of view	47.85
Focus system	Internal focus system
Weight	900g

Pricing and Availability

The SongRAW Moonlit 85mm f/1.2 lens will initially be offered for Sony E-mount and Nikon Z-mount cameras. The company has announced that an L-Mount version will be released later.

It will cost $1,299 and is expected to be available by the end of 2025.

Personally, I think that SongRAW is targeting a specific segment of the lens market. They’re not the cheapest option available, but they aren’t priced as high as some top-end models either. According to their specifications, they offer fast apertures, autofocus, and professional coatings. If the lens performs well in real-world use, the SongRAW Moonlit 85mm f/1.2 could attract many photographers. The company’s strategy is interesting, and it’s great to see a new competitor shake things up.

[via CineD; Image credits: CineD]

---