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AstrHori AF 85mm f/1.8 Mark II
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UNSCORED
AstrHori · 85 mm · f/1.8 · Sony E, Nikon Z mount · Full Frame

AstrHori AF 85mm f/1.8 Mark II

From $199 — 1 offer
KEY FACTS
BrandAstrHori
Announcement dateOct 2025
Released2025
Production started2025
Production statusIn Production
What We Like
+Fast f/1.8 aperture for excellent bokeh and low-light performance
+All-metal build quality and durable construction
+Affordable price point ($329) compared to premium alternatives
+STM autofocus with face/eye detection and tracking
+USB Type-C firmware updates for ongoing improvements
+Smooth, textured metal focus ring and controls
Worth Knowing
−Corner and edge sharpness significantly compromises on high-megapixel sensors
−No weather sealing at the mount
−Clickless aperture requires visual confirmation of f-stop settings
−Noticeable focus breathing when racking focus in video
−Optical design shows quality drop in peripheral zones

General

Brand
AstrHori
Announcement date
ⓘ
Refers to the date the manufacturer publicly announced the upcoming release and general specs of this camera.
Oct 2025
Released
ⓘ
Refers to the year this camera was officially made available for sale.
2025
Production started
2025
Production status
ⓘ
Current status of lens manufacturing (e.g., in production, discontinued).
In Production
Read our notes on general
The AstrHori AF 85mm f/1.8 Mark II is a mid-telephoto prime lens with AF support, an ideal focal length for portrait photography, and a bright maximum aperture of f/1.8. Its 10-element, 7-group design, including two ED lenses and two high-refractive-index lenses, maintains high sharpness and contrast from the center to the periphery of the image, even at maximum aperture. The all-metal build, smoother aperture and focus rings, and USB Type-C port for firmware updates make it a budget-friendly option for portrait work, though the image quality degrades significantly as you move towards the corners on high-resolution sensors.

Optics

Minimum Aperture
f/16
Optical Formula
10 elements in 7 groups
Special Elements
2 ED (Extra-Low Dispersion) lenses, 2-3 high-refraction elements
Distortion
~1.7% pincushion
Vignetting at f/1.8
1.7 EV
Min focal length
85 mm
Max focal length
85 mm
Focal range
ⓘ
Shortest to longest focal length of the lens (zoom range start - end )
85 mm
Zoom lens
ⓘ
Zoom allows you to vary the focal length, change between long shots and close-ups
No
Max aperture wide
1.8
Max aperture zoom
1.8
Blades
ⓘ
Number of diaphragm blades in aperture
11020
Closest focusing distance
ⓘ
Minimum distance for a subject to be in focus.
79 cm01500

Autofocus

Type
STM (Stepping Motor) / DSM
Features
Auto Face/Eye Focus, continuous autofocus tracking
Speed
Fast, quiet

Build design

Construction
All-metal body
Firmware
USB Type-C port for firmware updates
Aperture Ring
Clickless, stepless
Controls
AF/MF switch, customizable Fn button

Intended use

Category
Portrait prime lens
Equivalent on APS C
127.5mm

Physical

Lens weight
626 g
Lens mount
ⓘ
The lens mount will tell you what type of lens range you can fit onto the camera body. Often the same camera company will have different lens ranges for different cameras.
Sony E, Nikon Z
Maximum format
ⓘ
Largest sensor size compatible with the lens.
Full Frame