EF 85mm f/1.8 USMvs A6400
Canon
EF 85mm f/1.8 USM (1992)
Starting from £349 new
Best for Portrait & wedding photography
View EF 85mm f/1.8 USM
VS
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Portrait & Wedding Photography — EF 85mm f/1.8 USM (1992): A thirty-year-old design that still outperforms lenses twice its price — the definitive portrait prime for Canon DSLR shooters.
Content Creation & Vlogging — A6400 (2019): The best value APS-C Sony you can buy — especially used. Real-time Eye AF at this price point was transformative when it launched and still makes it one of the most reliable autofocus systems in the lineup.
Who should buy what
A6400 (2019)
- Vloggers and content creators who need a flip screen and reliable AF
- Photographers upgrading from a compact or smartphone
- Beginners who want room to grow into a full E-mount lens ecosystem
- Anyone prioritising autofocus performance at an accessible price
Quick take: The ef 85mm f/1.8 usm is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | EF 85mm f/1.8 USM (1992) | A6400 (2019) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £349 | £899 |
| Sensor | f/1.8 (max aperture) | 24.2MP APS-C Exmor CMOS BSI |
| Resolution | — | 24.2MP |
| Video | 85cm minimum focus distance | 4K/30p (6K oversampled, no crop), 1080p/120p slow-motion |
| Autofocus | Ring-type USM — fast, near-silent, with full-time manual override | Phase-detect, 425 points, real-time Eye AF & animal AF |
| Stabilisation | None (relies on body IS if available) | None (no IBIS) |
| Burst Rate | N/A | 11fps mechanical, 8fps with AF tracking |
| Battery Life | N/A | ~410 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 425g | 403g (body, battery, card) |
| Dimensions | 75mm diameter × 71.5mm length | 120.0 × 66.9 × 59.7mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | No |
| Viewfinder | N/A | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.70× magnification |
| Screen | N/A | 3.0" tilting touchscreen, 180° flip for selfie/vlog, 921k dots |
| Mount | Canon EF / EF-S | Sony E-mount |
| Memory Cards | N/A | Single SD UHS-I |
| Connectivity | N/A | Micro-USB, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | EF 85mm f/1.8 USM | A6400 |
|---|---|---|
| Portrait | ||
| Wedding & Events | — | |
| Street | ||
| Video | — | |
| Travel | — | |
| Wildlife | — |
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Camera family history