Lensrentals.com Puts the EF 85mm f/1.4L IS Through The Machine Testing

[YuengLinger]

Is that green ghosting seen in the bokeh-balls caused by CA, or something else in the background?

Ghosting? Those are green LEDs. I'm only seeing CA in a few situations so far. I'll have a sample of where magenta CA was obvious but quickly corrected with the LR CC Lens Correction eye-dropper. (Still no LR CC profile.)

 

[neuroanatomist]

That's all very well if clinical sharpness is all you look for in an 85mm lens. I'm sure the new lens is great (I haven't tried it yet), but I very much doubt it has the same character as the 1.2 II. I'd also love a 1.2 III, although I'm still happy with the II

I don't believe there's anything 'magic' (aka 'character') about the 85/1.2L II...the f/1.4L IS renders beautifully. Unless by 'character' you mean that nostalgic feel of focus-by-wire, the fact that you can enjoy a sip of coffee while the lens achieves focus, and the satisfying click of a lens hood that just pushes on instead of using the traditional bayonet mount. In that case, the 85/1.2 has character in spades.

 

[YuengLinger]

That's all very well if clinical sharpness is all you look for in an 85mm lens. I'm sure the new lens is great (I haven't tried it yet), but I very much doubt it has the same character as the 1.2 II. I'd also love a 1.2 III, although I'm still happy with the II

I don't believe there's anything 'magic' (aka 'character') about the 85/1.2L II...the f/1.4L IS renders beautifully. Unless by 'character' you mean that nostalgic feel of focus-by-wire, the fact that you can enjoy a sip of coffee while the lens achieves focus, and the satisfying click of a lens hood that just pushes on instead of using the traditional bayonet mount. In that case, the 85/1.2 has character in spades.

+1

The old saying,"Everything in photography requires compromise," still applies. I gave up 1/3 stop of light and the mythological magic of the 1.2 and, in return, got a lens that is amazingly close optically, has quick AF, and excellent IS. And it is much better balanced than the grapefruit shaped 1.2.

Now, according to Dustin "Tamron" Abbott (JUST JOKING!), CA is not easy to deal with on this lens. I still think he had a bad copy, as he stated in one segment of his epic review, so I can't speak for his experience. For me, LR CC's eyedropper in Lens Corrections clears up the CA immediately. Here are two quick examples, cropped to the extreme. We all know glass, white gems, metallic surfaces are affected by CA; the attached shots were taken just as part of getting to know the lens, not as a test.

Look carefully at the sneaker and the gator's teeth. Before and after one touch of the eyedropper.

 

[YuengLinger]

Just for context, here are the uncropped shots of the photos above.

 

[ahsanford]

I don't believe there's anything 'magic' (aka 'character') about the 85/1.2L II...the f/1.4L IS renders beautifully. Unless by 'character' you mean that nostalgic feel of focus-by-wire, the fact that you can enjoy a sip of coffee while the lens achieves focus, and the satisfying click of a lens hood that just pushes on instead of using the traditional bayonet mount. In that case, the 85/1.2 has character in spades.

Bookmarking this to use this same argument up when a proper new 50 comes out.

Some people will cling to their 'magic' and 'character' and they honestly may not be wrong -- beauty being in the eye of the beholder and what not.

But I'll take a lens that focuses before next Tuesday, is not FBW, has IS, and mops the floor with its predecessor sharpness-wise. The rendering of the 85 is f/1.4L IS seems terrific to me, but (a) I never shoot portraiture, (b) light falloff and bokeh isn't a high priority for me and (c) my livelihood doesn't depend on my output.

- A