buying advice: canon 85mm f1.2 II or f1.8?
- Thread starter dash2k8
- Start date
Again, thx for all your enthusiastic and valuable opinions/suggestions. I've bought a 85/1.8 and am having a good time with it. I might look at the Sigma 85/1.4 Art when that comes out for a "potential" upgrade, given that I have had an excellent experience with other Sigma Art lenses. Cheers all!
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jdramirez said:
85L II is one of few best lenses to take kid portrait.
I viewed your photo on my calibrated monitor(under Gammar2.2) the skin tone is little red - this tell me, your photo might come out red in printing. If you exported for internet(sRGB) viewing, then ignore my comment
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dash2k8 said:
I think you made the right choice. The 85/1.2 is a marvelous lens, but it's heavy and quite slow to focus. The razor-thin DoF could also be a problem if it's used on a camera with a simple AF system. While not as brilliant as its L grade counterpart, the 85/1.8 is a really solid performer in all regards, and it's also light and cheap. I made the same choice a year ago, and i don't regret it.
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The 'glass pomelo' 85mm f/1.2 takes a lot of room in your bag, it weighs a lot and it focuses slow.
Nothing else gives you the pictures you can take with it full open. You might not need it but I do.
Nothing else gives you the pictures you can take with it full open. You might not need it but I do.
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I know I'm a little late to the party, and there has been a lot of intelligent advice already given, but I can't help but toss in an opinion of the 85 f/1.8.
So I realize the design of this lens is all the way back from 93'. For example I have a buddy who owns the new 35mm f/2.0 IS and is waiting for that update to occur on the 85 before he jumps in. However, it's an oldy but goody in my opinion. I believe (at the time this was cutting edge) it had some computer aided design to help with the bokeh, has circular aperture blades, etc.
The short is this, for the price, it's not even worth discussing, debating, renting, etc. It is so attainable, just buy it, use it. And one can always upgrade to the 85mm f/1.2L down the road.
The longer answer is this. Yes, unlike all of Canon's new lenses, the CA on this shot wide open can be really bad. A couple years ago I did a "photobar" session with a photography buddy. Really was an excuse to drink beer and get together. However, as part of that day, I did a "get to know my lens" and shot the 85mm exclusively, and exclusively wide open. This forced me to take photos I would never have done, including buildings, fire escapes, etc, shot at a distance, wide open, against the sky. The purple fringing it terrible. With that said, I don't think it's a big deal to me, or to most people. Because the idea of a fast prime in the 85mm range is typically used to shoot people. The CA just isn't an issue in typical shooting, it won't show up...
...especially stop down just a tiny bit. I'm sure it varies from copy to copy of course. But for me, I almost exclusively shoot this lens at f/2.0. I dunno what the deal is, but my photos just "pop" that much more stopped down that tiny bit. The combo of sharper, more contrasty, more micro-constrast, less CA, etc. etc. just this lens shines at f/2.0.
The focus speed is awesome. It focuses as fast (and most importantly locks on) as well as any lens I've used.
Some of my favorite shots have come from this lens. Here's one I like.
20140615-IMG_2894-70D by Luds34, on Flickr
So I realize the design of this lens is all the way back from 93'. For example I have a buddy who owns the new 35mm f/2.0 IS and is waiting for that update to occur on the 85 before he jumps in. However, it's an oldy but goody in my opinion. I believe (at the time this was cutting edge) it had some computer aided design to help with the bokeh, has circular aperture blades, etc.
The short is this, for the price, it's not even worth discussing, debating, renting, etc. It is so attainable, just buy it, use it. And one can always upgrade to the 85mm f/1.2L down the road.
The longer answer is this. Yes, unlike all of Canon's new lenses, the CA on this shot wide open can be really bad. A couple years ago I did a "photobar" session with a photography buddy. Really was an excuse to drink beer and get together. However, as part of that day, I did a "get to know my lens" and shot the 85mm exclusively, and exclusively wide open. This forced me to take photos I would never have done, including buildings, fire escapes, etc, shot at a distance, wide open, against the sky. The purple fringing it terrible. With that said, I don't think it's a big deal to me, or to most people. Because the idea of a fast prime in the 85mm range is typically used to shoot people. The CA just isn't an issue in typical shooting, it won't show up...
...especially stop down just a tiny bit. I'm sure it varies from copy to copy of course. But for me, I almost exclusively shoot this lens at f/2.0. I dunno what the deal is, but my photos just "pop" that much more stopped down that tiny bit. The combo of sharper, more contrasty, more micro-constrast, less CA, etc. etc. just this lens shines at f/2.0.
The focus speed is awesome. It focuses as fast (and most importantly locks on) as well as any lens I've used.
Some of my favorite shots have come from this lens. Here's one I like.
20140615-IMG_2894-70D by Luds34, on Flickr
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Luds34 said:I know I'm a little late to the party, and there has been a lot of intelligent advice already given, but I can't help but toss in an opinion of the 85 f/1.8.
So I realize the design of this lens is all the way back from 93'. For example I have a buddy who owns the new 35mm f/2.0 IS and is waiting for that update to occur on the 85 before he jumps in. However, it's an oldy but goody in my opinion. I believe (at the time this was cutting edge) it had some computer aided design to help with the bokeh, has circular aperture blades, etc.
The short is this, for the price, it's not even worth discussing, debating, renting, etc. It is so attainable, just buy it, use it. And one can always upgrade to the 85mm f/1.2L down the road.
The longer answer is this. Yes, unlike all of Canon's new lenses, the CA on this shot wide open can be really bad. A couple years ago I did a "photobar" session with a photography buddy. Really was an excuse to drink beer and get together. However, as part of that day, I did a "get to know my lens" and shot the 85mm exclusively, and exclusively wide open. This forced me to take photos I would never have done, including buildings, fire escapes, etc, shot at a distance, wide open, against the sky. The purple fringing it terrible. With that said, I don't think it's a big deal to me, or to most people. Because the idea of a fast prime in the 85mm range is typically used to shoot people. The CA just isn't an issue in typical shooting, it won't show up...
...especially stop down just a tiny bit. I'm sure it varies from copy to copy of course. But for me, I almost exclusively shoot this lens at f/2.0. I dunno what the deal is, but my photos just "pop" that much more stopped down that tiny bit. The combo of sharper, more contrasty, more micro-constrast, less CA, etc. etc. just this lens shines at f/2.0.
The focus speed is awesome. It focuses as fast (and most importantly locks on) as well as any lens I've used.
Some of my favorite shots have come from this lens. Here's one I like.
+1 and very nice shot
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AF is faster on the 1DX, compared to the 5DIII, but it is still no race car. But my experience is that for regular use, where your focus only need to change a minor distance, it is fast enough. The challenge, when things start to move, is not focus speed, but to determine where you want that millimetre thin DOF. If this is a lens you pick up every now and then, it will probably not give you much. But if you practice and use it extensively, it delivers images you can´t get from any other AF lens (The Otus is in a league of its own, but requires even more practicing and dedication due to its manual focus).Ryan85 said:
A lot of people bash the AF speed of this lens (and I suspect many of them have never truly used the lens). But I think we should appreciate the challenge of making an AF system accurate enough for this lens at f1.2. As a comparison, the focus ring on the Zeiss Otus 85/1.4 travels about 220-230 degrees. How slow would that have been as an AF lens?
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A lot of people bash the AF speed of this lens (and I suspect many of them have never truly used the lens). But I think we should appreciate the challenge of making an AF system accurate enough for this lens at f1.2. As a comparison, the focus ring on the Zeiss Otus 85/1.4 travels about 220-230 degrees. How slow would that have been as an AF lens?
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I don't think anyone is bashing AF speed of this lens. All were saying as compared to the 1.8 it's slow. The 1.8 AF is very fast. The 1.2 is an Absoluty amazing lens. Like you said it takes lots of practice to master this lens. With its razor thin depth of field wide open and slow AF speed compared to other lenses like the 1.8 version it's not a ideal lens to me for shooting fast action at a wedding. The fast dances and stuff like that IMHO which is what the op was asking. Now if you're good with that lens you can get some of those shots but shooting wide open your going to have a low keeper rate compared to lenses like the 70-200 2.8 IS 2
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I don't think anyone is bashing AF speed of this lens. All were saying as compared to the 1.8 it's slow. The 1.8 AF is very fast. The 1.2 is an Absoluty amazing lens. Like you said it takes lots of practice to master this lens. With its razor thin depth of field wide open and slow AF speed compared to other lenses like the 1.8 version it's not a ideal lens to me for shooting fast action at a wedding. The fast dances and stuff like that IMHO which is what the op was asking. Now if you're good with that lens you can get some of those shots but shooting wide open your going to have a low keeper rate compared to lenses like the 70-200 2.8 IS 2
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clartephoto said:The 85 f/1.8 is not even close to the 85L
Try these on a 85 f/1.8:
Clartephoto these are really nice
Unique look and that blur.... Simply amazing
Now I really want one
dash2k8 said:
dash2k8 you should get 1.2L version You said money is not an issue.
Don't want to spend money , rent 1.2L before you purchase to make your decision more firm
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At least lower. But if you shoot the 85/1.2L II at f2.8 or higher, which would be a more fair comparison, your keeper rate goes up. It will not reach the 70-200 f2.8L IS II, but it will be a lot better than at f1.2.Ryan85 said:
By the way, the AF speed bashing has not been bad in this thread. I have a feeling more of the enthusiasts have posted here. But you´ll find numerous other threads, where (in my view) too many are throwing unfounded/incompetent/... (you choose) venom and bile at its AF system. The one thing I don´t like about it though is its focus by wire electronic manual focus. I never got the hang of that.
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