Another gem

I have this Meike 85mm f1.8 lens for review. It is low cost for an AF full frame lens in Z mount and especially for one that is labelled as ‘Pro’.

At £329 on Amazon it sits a little above the Viltrox ( the obvious comparison) but there is currently a 15% voucher available here which takes it to a value leading £279. These prices compare with the Nikon S version at about £500-650 depending upon where you buy.

Meike, as with a number of other Chinese manufacturers, have begun to broaden their horizons over the last year or so and they have all moved up the specifications ladder from their early days of unambitious manual focus lenses. They are generally seeking to plug gaps left by camera makers and provide alternatives to the established independent lens manufacturers. They have observed gaps at the bargain end but also at the faster, more exotic end. Some have also introduced ‘Pro’ ranges and this is one such being designated an 85mm f1.8 AF Pro to mark its place as a definite step up from the entry level offerings. The obvious ingredients here are the use of ED, High Refraction and Ultra High Refraction lens elements (six in total) which Meike says effectively control CA, ghosting and flare. The proof as always is in the results.

Close focusing three images stacked 1/40s @f8

All of this is set against a universal truth. Lens design and manufacture have both improved over the last 40 years and budget lenses are no longer associated with poor performance. Few bad lenses are made now.

Firstly a few specifications and dimensions:

On inspection from the box it is well presented and very nicely finished. It includes the expected lens hood and end caps. There is no pouch or case. I see this as a bonus as I never use such things and would rather not pay for them and see them wasted. There is a rubber gasket at the mount although no overall claims for weather sealing. There is a USB socket for firmware updates ( note for Nikon et al. Meike makes your FW update process look like something from the stone age) . I suspect the gasket is to protect this USB socket which otherwise is a potential entry point for moisture or debris. I think a dock and contacts is a much better route for firmware updates rather than adding a hole in the lens. I don’t know whether evidence supports this instinctive view.

As mentioned, the finish is good and there is a decent feel to the lens - despite a lack of weight, there is a feeling of substance to it. All parts move smoothly and consistently. It is a light lens without feeling in any way flimsy. The lens seems to be constructed largely of composite materials apart from the lens elements and mount which is metal. At 389g it is just over 80g lighter than the Nikon and 150g lighter than the Viltrox. The filter thread is 62mm compared with 67mm for the Nikon. 80g isn't a huge difference but the lens does feel lighter. The overall build quality feels very similar. It feels pretty much the same and appears to use similar composite materials to the Nikon S version. There are those who criticise the use of plastics compared with metal. In many cases this fails to take into account the many instances where correctly chosen plastic performs better than any equivalent metal choice.

While traditionally an 85mm lens has been relatively straightforward to design and make, the bar has raised significantly in recent years in terms of sharpness and control of aberrations.

Mostly the two questions to ask are:

How good is this lens?
Is this a lens that I will keep after the review.

The short answer is really very good, way above price point and yes I'll be keeping this lens. It is what I would call well behaved. Sharp enough at all apertures and in all parts of the frame. Out of focus areas are smooth and not significantly busy to my eye. There is no observed CA. and no particular issues with flare. No focus breathing at all. The autofocus is both quick and quiet. However I don’t create video and I don’t make photographs of things that move so I have a narrow view of these factors. The lens behaves very well and this far, very consistently and predictably. It far exceeds what we once might have expected for this price point but in fact are starting to expect thanks to the rapid development of lenses coming out of China.

The comparison between the Meike and the Zeiss is perhaps unfair given the vintage of the Zeiss but I am prepared to recognise it as despite its age, the Zeiss has stood the test of time in my lens list. I am far from sentimental about lenses and anything that doesn’t meet my wishes or sits for more than two years without being used, gets sold immediately.

The Zeiss is of course manual focus and built like a house brick (weighs close to a house brick too…). It produces images that have a distinct ‘look’ about them and I find them pleasing. Edge performance has always been outstanding. It has always exhibited a little more CA than the most modern Z lenses but nothing that can’t be managed. When I owned both, it was the Nikkor Z 85mm f1.8S that got sold and the Zeiss remained. It was also kept in preference to any of my 85mm f1.4’s and a 135mm f1.8.

For the Meike to live in that company is remarkable. I highly recommend you consider this lens if you are after an 85mm.

Bookshelf Tests - Natural light from left. Camera at about 2m from shelves.