neuroanatomist said:
jolyonralph said:
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.