The Meike 85mm f/1.4 Mix II AF STM is a Portrait Powerhouse

3 hours ago 2

I love the 85mm focal length. I feel that when I walk down the street, the 85mm look is closest to the way I see the world. It’s a great focal length for portrait work, shallow depth of field, and general street photography.

So when Meike sponsored this latest product Showcase and sent over the $569 85mm f/1.4 Mix II AF STM, I headed right out the door. The Calgary Stampede is an annual fair that brings energy and excitement to the city, as tourists flood in from around the globe. I hit the parade to create some images amongst the hustle and bustle of the crowded streets.

Full disclosureThis story is sponsored by Meike.

A black Meike 85mm f/1.4 camera lens stands upright on a green surface with a green background.

Three people in traditional and western clothing ride decorated horses in a parade. The crowd watches from the sidewalk, and city buildings and signs are visible in the background.

Meike 85mm f/1.4 Mix II AF STM: Yee-haw!

The latest Meike 85mm is made for full-frame lens mounts, including the Sony E-mount, Nikon Z-mount, and Leica/Panasonic L-mount formats. I really appreciate that Meike places a proper aperture ring on the lens with excellent checkering cut into the ring to provide a solid grip. Weighing just under 23 ounces (648 grams), the Meike is easy to carry and takes 77mm filters on the front of the lens. Meike provides a basic hood to bayonet around the filter thread and protect the front of the lens.

A close-up photo of a black camera lens with various buttons, switches, and markings, set against a solid green background.

A camera lens positioned on its side with the metal lens mount facing forward, next to a detached lens cap, set against a dark green background.

For such an affordable lens, the Meike 85mm MIX II really does provide a lot of controls. You get a proper AF/MF selector switch, and the aperture ring can be locked to control it from the camera body. The overall look of the lens is clean, simple, and functional, and I liked the textured feel of the chassis and controls.

Close-up of a camera lens showing a textured grip, a "LOCK" switch with a red indicator, and part of a red ring near the base against a green background.

Close-up of a camera lens showing focus switch (AF/MF), a power switch (OFF/ON), a dial, and a “LOCK” slider with a red indicator. The background is teal.

A close-up of a camera lens against a teal background, showing the label "85mm f/1.4 MIX II" and a focus distance scale.

The manual focusing ring is easy to find without taking your eye away from the action, and it turns very smoothly. If you want to de-click the aperture, you can do so with a simple flick of a switch. There is even a customizable button on the side, which is nice to see at this price point. You do have a rubber lens mount seal and baffles to help avoid any moisture and dust issues. You can easily update the lens firmware via the USB-C port behind the rubber seal.

Meike 85mm f/1.4 Mix II AF STM: Sharp and Shallow

The parade showcases so many different parts of Calgary’s cultural diversity and the people who are a part of it. I loved being able to focus quickly on a subject with the STM stepping motor in the lens, and accurately hit the eyes of a person amongst the busy backgrounds.

I don’t always like to shoot lenses at the fastest aperture by default, but the Meike 85mm gave me the shallow depth of field needed to isolate an interesting subject against a crowded backdrop. I love being able to simplify the image and also get faster shutter speeds in low-light situations, and this is exactly what the Meike 85mm was designed to do.

A woman in a shiny pink rodeo outfit and crown waves while riding a horse in a parade. People in cowboy hats watch in the background. The scene is lively and festive.

A man in a black shirt, camo shorts, and a cap stands on a city sidewalk holding a cigarette, with tattoos on his arm and leg. The background shows blurred buildings and trees. Black and white photo.

A firefighter in uniform and a black hat with a large mustache smiles in front of a fire truck. He wears sunglasses, and a radio is clipped to his chest. The fire truck has bold yellow and red stripes.

I have no complaints about the sharpness of my images either, and even shots at f/1.4 looked crisp and contrasty. The 85mm f/1.4 Mix II AF STM incorporates advanced apochromatic lens elements to enhance the sharpness in your images.

When shooting at f/1.4, I liked the swirly look to the bokeh behind my subjects, and stopping the lens down created soft circles that give you those pleasing soft backgrounds. I also shot some portraits of my daughter against a golden-hour sunset. The Meike 85mm f/1.4 Mix II has a nice rendering of veiled flare and a little character in the ghosting without being too obtrusive. If you like doing backlit portraits, the Meike will take care of you well.

A young girl with red hair, wearing a red hoodie with a white maple leaf, stands outdoors in sunlight, smiling softly.

Two men stand inside a train behind closed doors. One is older, wearing a cap and jacket; the other, younger, wears a colorful shirt and flashes a peace sign. Surveillance and no smoking signs are visible on the doors.

A large crowd gathers outdoors under tall trees with sunlight streaming through the leaves, creating a warm and lively atmosphere.

A child with braided hair, seen from behind, raises their right hand while wearing a blue shirt. The background is blurred.

The Meike 85mm f/1.4 Mix II AF STM is an Ideal Companion

I enjoyed walking the streets and capturing life around me, and the Meike 85mm really helped me to enjoy the day, thanks to its light carry weight. Most of the lenses I review in this focal range and aperture brightness tend to be around 800 grams, so the Meike is noticeably lighter. It’s also noticeably more affordable, too. If you want softer backgrounds, crisp images, and smooth bokeh, the new Meike 85mm f/1.4 MIX II will accomplish this for you without breaking the bank.

A young man with tousled brown hair wears headphones around his neck and a backpack, standing outdoors with warm blurred lights in the background.

For only $569, you can have a breezy portrait lens that packs solid image quality and functionality into a compact design. There is no compromise to the usability of the f/1.4 aperture, and the focusing motors will keep up with the action. I had a great time with this portrait lens for general street photography and candid interactions, and I think you will, too.