Meike’s New 85mm f/1.8 SE II for E, L, and Z Mount Costs Just $230

Nov 12, 2025

Jeremy Gray

A black Meike 85mm f/1.8 camera lens is shown upright on a plain white background, with the brand name and lens specifications visible on the front of the barrel.

Meike has released its new, affordable 85mm f/1.8 SE II lens for full-frame cameras. The autofocus-equipped portrait prime is available now in Sony E, L-Mount, and Nikon Z mounts for just $230.

The Meike 85mm f/1.8 SE II follows Meike’s original AF 85mm f/1.8 prime, released back in 2022 for E-mount and then for Fujifilm X and Nikon Z mounts the following year. However, Meike’s 85mm f/1.8 AF lineage goes back even further. The company’s first-ever autofocus lens was the 85mm f/1.8 for Canon EF-mount DSLR cameras in 2018.

A black Meike 85mm f/1.8 camera lens is shown at an angle on a white background, displaying its glass elements, grooved focus ring, and printed branding on the barrel. — Meike 85mm f/1.8 SE II

The new upgraded “Mark II” 85mm f/1.8 SE lens promises across-the-board improvements. Specifically, Meike claims the new lens features reduced chromatic aberrations, improved overall image quality, faster autofocus, and a closer minimum focusing distance. The lens can focus as close as 0.65 meters (2.1 feet), which is 0.2 meters (0.7 feet) closer than its predecessor.

“The high-definition optical design ensures every detail is faithfully and sharply rendered,” Meike promises. “The f/1.8 aperture creates a smooth, natural background blur that separates the object from its surroundings — perfect for portraits, still life, and close-ups.”

A silver digital camera with a black Meike lens attached, positioned at an angle against a black background, showcasing its dials and controls from a top-down perspective.

The new lens has 11 elements arranged across seven groups, up from nine elements in six groups. It also has a new aperture diaphragm with two additional blades, bringing the total to 11.

 Despite these changes, including more elements inside the lens, the Mark II version is slightly lighter. It weighs 369 grams (13 ounces), down slightly from 386 grams (13.6 ounces) in the original version. Further, the new version accepts 62mm filters, whereas the older one takes 67mm ones.

At just $230, the new Meike 85mm f/1.8 SE II lens is a relatively affordable option for full-frame E, L, and Z-mount cameras. For example, Sony’s own FE 85mm f/1.8 lens is on sale for $648, the Nikkor Z 85mm f/1.8 S is currently $747, and the Panasonic Lumix S 85mm f/1.8 is $548. While these are all great lenses, and relatively good values compared to their faster f/1.2 and f/1.4 counterparts, the new Meike prime is less than half the price of each first-party option. It promises to be an affordable way for photographers to get their feet wet with fast-aperture prime lenses, which are particularly great for portrait photography.

Four cameras are placed on a dark, textured surface. A Meike 85mm f/1.8 lens is attached to one camera in the center, while other cameras and camera bodies surround it, including two Nikon models.

Sample Images

A woman with long dark hair stands indoors near a large window, wearing a white lace dress. Soft natural light filters through the window, and greenery is visible outside in the background.

A woman with long dark hair wearing a long-sleeved, off-white dress stands indoors near a sunlit wall, looking at the camera with a calm expression. Greenery is visible in the background.

A woman in a long, white lace dress stands against a textured, light brown wall, looking at the camera with a gentle expression. Soft natural light illuminates the scene.

A woman in a long-sleeved, flowing white dress and white sneakers stands indoors, holding the sides of her dress and smiling slightly, with sunlight casting shadows on a textured beige wall behind her.

A woman in a long, white dress stands by a textured beige wall, smiling softly at the camera. Natural light enters from a window, creating a calm and elegant atmosphere.

Pricing and Availability

The Meike 85mm f/1.8 SE II lens is available to order now for Sony E, L-Mount, and Nikon Z. It is $229.99 and available directly from Meike. It will be available from B&H soon as well.

Buy the Meike 85mm f/1.8 SE II new on B&H Buy the Meike 85mm f/1.8 SE II used on KEH.com

Image credits: Meike