AstrHori AF 85mm f/1.8 II

The AstrHori AF 85mm f/1.8 II is an autofocus short telephoto prime for full frame mirrorless cameras, offered for Sony E, Nikon Z and Leica L mount. It is the second generation of AstrHori's first autofocus 85mm and aims at portrait photographers who want a fast 85mm in the budget class. According to AstrHori, the optics are designed for sensors up to 60 megapixels.

Optical design

AstrHori specifies 10 elements in 7 groups, including two ED elements and two high-refractive elements. The aperture runs from f/1.8 to f/16 and the diaphragm has 11 blades. The angle of view is 28.5 degrees and the minimum focus distance is 0.8 m.

Autofocus and handling

Focusing is driven by an STM stepping motor, and AstrHori lists support for eye, face and animal detection. The barrel carries an AF/MF switch, a customizable Fn button and a stepless, declicked aperture ring that is meant for video work. Electronic contacts pass EXIF data and allow aperture control from the camera, and a USB-C port at the mount is used for firmware updates. A video review summarized by Fstoppers notes visible focus breathing and no weather sealing at the mount.

Build and size

The body is all metal. For the Sony E version AstrHori states about 441 g and roughly 72 mm in diameter by 96 mm in length. For Nikon Z and L, only a range of about 388 g to 441 g is given. The filter thread is 62 mm according to distributors such as First Light Optics, while some retailers list 72 mm, which matches the first generation. A petal hood is included.

Where it fits

The direct predecessor is the first AstrHori AF 85mm f/1.8, which is not yet in our database and was reported at around 626 g with a 72 mm filter thread. In the same systems, the Sony FE 85mm F1.8 weighs 371 g, the Viltrox AF 85mm F1.8 II 484 g on Sony E and 540 g on Nikon Z, the Meike AF 85mm f1.8 Pro STM 386 g and the Nikkor Z 85mm F1.8 S 470 g. For L mount, the Panasonic Lumix S 85mm F1.8 weighs 355 g.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Fast f/1.8 aperture with 11 diaphragm blades
• ED and high-refractive elements in a 10-element design
• About 441 g, noticeably lighter than the first generation
• AF/MF switch, Fn button and declicked aperture ring
• USB-C firmware updates
• Available for three mounts

Cons

• No built-in stabilization, so stills and video depend on in-body stabilization
• No weather sealing at the mount according to a reviewer
• Visible focus breathing in video
• Minimum focus distance of 0.8 m
• Conflicting filter thread listings

Verdict

The AstrHori AF 85mm f/1.8 II is a lightweight way to get an 85mm f/1.8 on Sony E, Nikon Z or L mount, with a sensible control layout and firmware updates over USB-C. Buyers who need stabilization or weather sealing will find better-supported alternatives from Sony, Nikon and Panasonic.