Should I sell my 70-200L vii for the 85mm 1.2?

[treyconnally]

I know that these lenses are completely different, but I have the 35L and it almost never comes off of my body. I love it.

I shoot wedding, portraits, street photography... etc. etc. The 70-200 is great and all, I just never use it...

Should I sell it and get the 85mm 1.2 and then have the 35L, 85L & 24-70mm?

I'm open minded. Just looking for some opinions

I'm shooting a 5DMKii & 1vHS.

 

[Loswr]

I use my 70-200 II more than my 85L II. But....

The 70-200 is great and all, I just never use it...

Few things make less sense than hanging onto a lens you don't ever use. If that's the case, I'd say swap it for the 85L II.

 

[heptagon]

Then the 85 probably wouldn't get used. Maybe invest the money otherwise.

 

[dhofmann]

I shoot wedding, portraits, street photography... etc. etc. The 70-200 is great and all, I just never use it... Should I sell it and get the 85mm 1.2 and then have the 35L, 85L & 24-70mm? I'm shooting a 5DMKii & 1vHS.

Of the 35L, 24-70mm, or 70-200mm, which is the one you use for portraits now?

Maybe you would prefer the 135mm f/2.0L for portraits.

 

[PackLight]

The 70-200 is great and all, I just never use it...

I think you should hold on to it. In my opinion you can't find a nicer looking paper weight.
Plus, do not forget the pride in ownership. It is just cool to be able to say "my 70-200 does this or is good at that" to your photo buddies. But my photo buddies are more in to wildlife and such so that might not be a good perspective.

But let's weight the 85mm, it is a really cool lens. I think you could get the exact same benefit out of it that you do the 70-200mm, even more so if your buddies are more in to portrait type work they will be far more impressed.

Any way, good luck with your decision.

 

[IIIHobbs]

Maybe you would prefer the 135mm f/2.0L for portraits.

This!

I think you will find that the 135 f2L is a very good prime to put in place of (any) 70-200. It is fast, sharp and much more practical in many applications than the 85 f1.2L.

 

[AlicoatePhotography]

I love the 85mm 1.2L It has magical properties. It is slow to focus though. I would wager that if you are shooting portraits and you have a large enough space, you can get better photos with the 70-200L. That is if you want shallow depth of field. I think you can use 200MM and F2.8 and get a shallower depth of field than 85mm at 1.2. Of course it depends on how you frame it, and what distance you want from your subject. The versatility is there with the Zoom. I would say focus speed and sharpness are on the side of the zoom. I think at 1.2 the soft edges add to the look and feel though. Both are heavy. If the 70-200 isn't on your camera due to weight, then I would say look at the 135L as previously mentioned. I love that lens, and if you have the room to shoot it, it has a similar look to the 70-200L, just at 135MM, you can get better bokeh and it is F2.0. Which does help at plays, music performances, etc... Well, just my two cents. Good luck, I wish I was in your predicament.

Tom

www.alicoatephotography.com

 

[sheedoe]

I have both and find myself using the 85 a lot more. Not only because its smaller and lighter, but the bokeh at 1.2 is amazing. Its very sharp wide open, unlike, say... the 50mm 1.2. If I were to keep one, I would definitely keep the 85mm. Now if you are a working professional who needs the versatility and range of a zoom then I would choose the 70-200mm.

 

[Random Orbits]

Rent/borrow the 85L II and see if it will satisfy your needs before making that decision. An unused lens has no value to you, but you might as well figure out which FL would suit you best before plunking down all that cash.

 

[treyconnally]

Of the 35L, 24-70mm, or 70-200mm, which is the one you use for portraits now?

Maybe you would prefer the 135mm f/2.0L for portraits.

It's funny you ask. I use the 70-200 for portraits it drives me batty wanting that lovely bokeh. I just reviewed 3 of my shoots that I've edited and the pictures were all predominately shot between 80mm - 130mm haha

I definitely see the value of the 135mm as a great replacement for the 70-200mm now....

So what would you do with the extra $1,000?

Rent/borrow the 85L II and see if it will satisfy your needs before making that decision. An unused lens has no value to you, but you might as well figure out which FL would suit you best before plunking down all that cash.

I think I will definitely do this before I purchase either lens. I never think to rent items.

 

[drjlo]

I know that these lenses are completely different, but I have the 35L and it almost never comes off of my body. I love it.

I shoot wedding, portraits, street photography... etc. etc. The 70-200 is great and all, I just never use it...

Should I sell it and get the 85mm 1.2 and then have the 35L, 85L & 24-70mm?

I'm open minded. Just looking for some opinions

I'm shooting a 5DMKii & 1vHS.

As much as I love my 85L, I wouldn't sell my 70-200 II to get it. They just have too-different uses, especially since the image-stablized 400 mm (with the excellent Canon 2x TC III) is super nice to have.

Perhaps keeping the 70-200 and buying a used Sigma 85 f/1.4 would be an option. That is Sigma's very strong effort.

 

[dirtcastle]

If you already have the 35mm f/1.4 L, and it stays on your camera, then a "holy trinity" quiver might be considered:

35mm f/1.4 L
85mm f/1.2 L
135mm f/2 L

You could get either the 85mm or the 135mm and see how it works for you. Of course, if we are talking about a prime lens "replacement" for the 70-200mm f/2.8 L, I would recommend the 135mm f/2.

 

[RLPhoto]

I know that these lenses are completely different, but I have the 35L and it almost never comes off of my body. I love it.

I shoot wedding, portraits, street photography... etc. etc. The 70-200 is great and all, I just never use it...

Should I sell it and get the 85mm 1.2 and then have the 35L, 85L & 24-70mm?

I'm open minded. Just looking for some opinions

I'm shooting a 5DMKii & 1vHS.

You may want to read my mini-article on the 85L II.

http://ramonlperez.tumblr.com/post/33253428138/fast-prime-shoot-out-pt-1-85mm-1-2l-ii-mini-review

I prefer my 135L. Its more practical.

 

[IIIHobbs]

So what would you do with the extra $1,000?

Consider the 100 f2.8L Macro

 

[hammy]

i have the 70-200 v2 and bought the 85 1.8 returned it and just received the 85 1.2 L today . i would recommend renting it to see if you like it. It's slow to focus in low light even with my 1Dx. The 85 1.8 would focus much faster and cheaper and lighter. Like the 70-200 L2, this thing is heavy. Thinking about returning it and get the 24-70 V2

 

[Dylan777]

i have the 70-200 v2 and bought the 85 1.8 returned it and just received the 85 1.2 L today . i would recommend renting it to see if you like it. It's slow to focus in low light even with my 1Dx. The 85 1.8 would focus much faster and cheaper and lighter. Like the 70-200 L2, this thing is heavy. Thinking about returning it and get the 24-70 V2

What is the reason made you return the 1.8? thx

 

[dirtcastle]

i have the 70-200 v2 and bought the 85 1.8 returned it and just received the 85 1.2 L today . i would recommend renting it to see if you like it. It's slow to focus in low light even with my 1Dx. The 85 1.8 would focus much faster and cheaper and lighter. Like the 70-200 L2, this thing is heavy. Thinking about returning it and get the 24-70 V2

I also find the 85mm f/1.2 AF to be slow. But what I noticed is that if I "pre-focus" before I compose, it is much quicker to achieve the final focus when I need it. And now that I pre-focus habitually, I almost never notice how slow the AF is. But that's just me. And I tend to compose rather carefully and I'm not shooting sports and trying to focus back-and-forth between all sorts of distant a close-up objects.

 

[treyconnally]

I've looked nonstop at portraits for the past 3 days from the 85 1.2 & the 70-200 and I'm always drawn to the 85mm. I think I'll ditch my 24-70 as well, and get the 135mm with that.

Thanks my friends!

 

[birtembuk]

Got both and use both but obviously for pretty different photo styles. I'll sure keep 'em both but I admit that this 85/1.2 is too good to be true. So, if I really had to make a choice, it would be utterly Cornelian but in the end I'd give back the 70-200. Sigh ... :'(

 

[treyconnally]

Got both and use both but obviously for pretty different photo styles. I'll sure keep 'em both but I admit that this 85/1.2 is too good to be true. So, if I really had to make a choice, it would be utterly Cornelian but in the end I'd give back the 70-200. Sigh ... :'(

I put an add up for my 70-200mm. After looking at photo after photo... After photo... I'm convinced that even though it's slow focusing, I'll love the way the pictures turn out.

I just hope I don't lose too much money selling my 70-200. I bought it when it was released for $2499. (At the time a good deal) because of the price spikes after the earthquake reached the upwards of $2,999 for the lens.