Kase’s 85mm f/1.4 AF Is an Affordable Full-Frame Portrait Prime
Kase, best known for its photography filters, has launched a new 85mm f/1.4 prime lens for full-frame and APS-C mirrorless cameras. It is designed for portrait photographers, but is also well-suited to other photographic genres.
The Kase 85mm f/1.4 lens offers autofocus powered by STM stepping motors. The company promises quick and nearly silent focusing, ensuring that its new portrait prime can also work for video applications. The lens focuses as close as 70 centimeters (2.3 feet), which corresponds to a maximum magnification of about 0.16x. Although it is not a macro lens, it should work well for all traditional portrait scenarios. Photographers can also swap between auto and manual focus with an on-barrel switch.
The lens features 13 elements across 10 groups, including five low-dispersion elements and a pair of high refractive-index elements. Kase promises “excellent imaging quality, superior image resolution, and high-fidelity color reproduction.” Given that it’s a fast prime lens, the out-of-focus rendering matters, too. The lens has a 13-bladed circular aperture diaphragm, promising smooth, clean background blur.
From a design perspective, the lens is primarily constructed from an aluminum alloy with some plastic components. It weighs 580 grams, or just under 1.3 pounds. The lens is 99 millimeters (3.9 inches) long and accepts 72mm front filters. The lens features a pair of customizable function buttons that can be used to lock focus or adjust the focus range, depending on the attached camera body’s functionality.
Speaking of filters, the lens has a magnetic lens cap and can also accept magnetic filters without an adapter, which is an unusual feature. While magnetic filters are growing in popularity, they almost always require photographers to mount a magnetic adapter to the front of their lens.
Pricing and Availability
The Kase 85mm f/1.4 AF lens is now available for order at $738, a reasonably competitive price in the mirrorless camera landscape.
For reference, the Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM II is $2,048, and Nikon doesn’t actually have an 85mm f/1.4 lens of its own for Nikkor Z. The Nikkor Z 85mm f/1.8 S is $747 on sale, while the 85mm f/1.2 S is $2,797 after a $200 rebate. As for L-Mount, the Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art, which is also available for Sony E, is a good comparison point. The Sigma 85mm f/1.4 is $1,319.
The Kase 85mm f/1.4 is also available for Fujifilm X mount, where it is equivalent to a 128mm prime lens. There is no Fujifilm-branded lens close to the 85mm f/1.4, so the Kase lens goes up against something like the very good Sirui Aurura 85mm f/1.4 that costs $499. This lens is also available for full-frame cameras, including Nikon Z and Sony E, by the way.
Image credits: Kase
