Sirui Aurora 85mm f/1.4
Announced October 25, 2024
PixelMeter The PixelMeter is our 1–100 aggregate of reviewer scores from trusted publications and creators. Weighted by source tier — not a raw average, and not PetaPixel’s own review.
Reviewer Consensus
Strong
The Sirui Aurora 85mm f/1.4 is a compact and well-built portrait lens that offers impressive image quality and smooth bokeh at a highly competitive price point. While it faces some limitations regarding autofocus speed and corner sharpness compared to premium alternatives, it remains a capable and versatile option for enthusiasts.
Weighted from 24 reviewer scores
Pros
- High build quality and weather sealing
- Strong sharpness and contrast
- Excellent bokeh rendering
- Compact and lightweight design
- Affordable value
Cons
- Softness in corners and at close distances
- Chromatic aberration and color fringing
- Slower or inconsistent autofocus
- Focus breathing
- Flare and ghosting issues
- Launch price $599 (USD)
- Focal length & aperture 85mm f/1.4
- Mount & coverage Sony E, Nikon Z, L-Mount, Fujifilm X Full-Frame
- Stabilization None
- Close focus 85 cm (0.12x)
- Filter thread 67mm
- Autofocus motor Autofocus
- Weight & size 540g · 80.3 x 102 mm (3.16 x 4.02 in)
What the Reviewers Say
All 24 expert reviews, weighted into the PixelMeter score.
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- PetaPixel 8.5/10
You get Sony G-Master vibes at a far better price and the only trade-off is flare control and autofocus speed.
- OpticalLimits 75%
Where the lens shines is the bokeh. If you check out our sample gallery, you may find some silky smooth background renderings there.
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All in all, it has a solid modern sharp “look” that allows putting different kinds of filters in front of it for “look adaptation”. In fact, two 67mm filters are included with this lens.
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The optics are optimized for portrait zones, and the gorgeous rendering/bokeh helps make images really look great.
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Anyway, I can conclude overall that while it has its flaws, this is still probably one of the best low-budget 85mm lenses on the market today.
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When a reader approached me if I want to review his Sirui 85mm 1.4 Aurora, I was hesitant at first. [...] being noticeably smaller than most of the other modern 85mm 1.4 lenses, I didn’t have very high hopes here.
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It is a really good choice in my opinion, but you need to make the decision for yourself.
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That’s all backed up by mostly very good performance although color fringing can be problematic. Even so, it’s an attractive lens at a very attractive price.
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At $499, it delivers exceptional performance and versatility without the premium price, making it a standout investment for any enthusiast or professional looking to expand their portraiture or low-light capabilities.
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Now, after shooting with this lens for about 2 weeks and also done all these comparisons with the other two L-mount lenses, I would say I'm mostly impressed by this Aurora lens.
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The 85mm look is really impressive, and if you want a pro studio look, if you need a tight headshot for an interview, or if you're going to be doing portraits, this is the lens to buy.
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Well, I'm truly impressed and loving this 85mm lens.
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I think this is something that's going to be a workhorse in my photography toolbox.
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[T]his is a decent option for a Fujifilm X camera.
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[T]his is the best autofocus lens Sirui has produced and I think because of the price, build quality, and good image quality starting from f/1.4, I can highly recommend the Sirui Aurora.
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[H]opefully there'll be some upgrades to the firmware to increase the accuracy of that lightning fast autofocus, but aside from that, this is a lens that I would have absolutely no issues recommending.
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It's a lower-cost, I think, very capable 85mm f/1.4 lens that deserves serious consideration.
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So with all of that being said, overall, I have to say I have absolutely loved using this lens, especially as someone who shoots a lot of portraits.
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I [...] was [...] pleasantly surprised by the Sirui Aurora 85mm f/1.4. I like it and it's something that I'm going to keep with me, you know what I mean, because I don't have an 85mm for my Z-mount system.
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[T]his 85mm f/1.4 Aurora lens from Sirui [...] has a really good position for beginner photographers that don't want to spend as much money for G Master lenses yet or don't need top notch lenses but they just want 85mm f/1.4 with a very beautiful nice image.
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So for $500, in my opinion, you're getting an amazing autofocus full-frame portrait lens that not only does great in photo but holds up pretty gosh-darn well in video too.
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I'm really hoping to see the 35mm, the 24mm, and the 50mm full-frame lenses, the fast ones with great autofocus, because the image quality is simply superb with the Aurora 85 f/1.4.
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But from all the 85 mm lenses and the Sony 85 1.8 that I have, I'm definitely selling that and I'm keeping this one, and that's going to be my new favorite lens because of the sharpness… [...]
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[I]f you're not shooting fast action and you want a lens that gives your photos and videos a beautiful and cinematic look, this is actually a fantastic option for the price.
