Some Information About the EF 85mm f/1.4L IS [CR3]

[jolyonralph]

So guessing the price is driving up the price? Interesting.

You can be pretty certain that someone at Canon has assembled a spreadsheet with every single price prediction for this lens posted on here and other open forums.

It'd be quite stupid for Canon to sell it for any less than the average of that.

Thats why I think it'll cost about $40

 

[YuengLinger]

So guessing the price is driving up the price? Interesting.

You can be pretty certain that someone at Canon has assembled a spreadsheet with every single price prediction for this lens posted on here and other open forums.

It'd be quite stupid for Canon to sell it for any less than the average of that.

Thats why I think it'll cost about $40

Sounds like a good time to use the old "tail wagging the dog" expression.

 

[BillB]

I find it interesting that a lens that (most of us) would peg north of $1500 now has some rumored component/element 'tells' that imply it may not be that expensive.

My gut still says:

• It's an L prime, and not a 'slow' one like the relatively inexpensive 100mm f/2.8L Macro, 200mm f/2.8L II, 400 f/5.6L, etc. Fast L primes are historically quite pricey.
  
  
• An f/1.4L IS lens is an industry first for a FF system (if I'm not mistaken), so there's a strong cachet of 'have your cake and eat it too' best-ness for the money-is-no-object crowd. Consider: this would not be unlike an EF 24-70 f/2.8L IS surfacing, which Canon would surely ask around $2k for.
  
  
• It will (likely, speculating) have modern ring USM with FTM mechanical focusing -- not focus by wire -- so it's AF speed and handling will likely entice current 85 f/1.2L II users.
  
  
• It's a 50+ MP world these days and it's a very competitive world these days. I don't think Canon will pump out a 'meh' staple professional tool like an 85 f/1.4. If this was only an enthusiast-grade tool to sit behind the f/1.2L II on the prestige ladder, I don't think it would be an L lens -- I think they'd have just made an 85mm f/1.8 USM II in that case.

...and that would (in my mind) trump any tells that Canon found a way to keep the elements reasonably priced. I'm still expecting a pricey lens here -- north of $1500 -- but I could be wrong.

- A

I think you are right about a price north of $1500, and suspect that that it may well be more than $2000. The big question in my mind is the size and weight. It isn't going to be small, but I doubt that Canon will put something out in pickle jar territory. Maybe it will be comparable in quality and size to the 35LII.

 

[jolyonralph]

Sounds like a good time to use the old "tail wagging the dog" expression.

;D I already said it was too late

But it's interesting. Everyone is expecting this lens to be expensive. I'd like to hope we are pleasantly surprised, but the lens will cost however much Canon think they can get away with charging. They are in the business of keeping their shareholders happy, not their customers.

 

[jeffa4444]

I'm not a lens designer but work closely with one in the field of motion picture lenses. A good 85mm such as the Zeiss 85mm T1.4 Master Prime is a much more complex lens than many have presumed here. Optics have advanced considerably but so have coatings and its is in this area that subtle but important changes have been made. CNC machining and CAD design have also meant tighter tolerances can be kept in the final assembly with less adjustment required for each lens mechanically.
So complex glass types & coatings increase costs but modern manufacturing techniques reduce cost especially assembly.
The cost will be dependent on many factors R&D, materials, complexity,assembly time, marketing, distribution, after care and importantly sales volumes. Price too high and volumes are lower and unit costs higher, price too low and profit is left on the table and / or cost recovery is extended.
Until we see finished lenses and know the optical qualities putting a price on the lens & estimating the premium is near impossible and just a guess.

 

[BeenThere]

Okay, I'm changing my guess to $500. Mark you spreadsheet Canon.

 

[GMCPhotographics]

For me and my shooting needs...as much as I love my 85L...its a big lump of glass to lug around a wedding all day. I don't want to replace my 85L, but a lighter option to take over my existing 85's current duties would be well welcomed. I may even be able to ditch my 100 L Macro from my bag if the short focus distance and IS unit are good enough to shoot ring shots. Maybe even with a short 25mm tube on the new 85 LIS would make this a workable option.

 

[ahsanford]

For me and my shooting needs...as much as I love my 85L...its a big lump of glass to lug around a wedding all day. I don't want to replace my 85L, but a lighter option to take over my existing 85's current duties would be well welcomed. I may even be able to ditch my 100 L Macro from my bag if the short focus distance and IS unit are good enough to shoot ring shots. Maybe even with a short 25mm tube on the new 85 LIS would make this a workable option.

About that -- its apparently only 10% lighter:
http://www.canonrumors.com/updated-canon-ef-85mm-f1-4l-is-specifcations/

And I'm a little surprised that it is. One would presume a huge pickle jar (longer/heavier/larger outer barrel diameter) is needed to get more/better glass in the corners to improve off-center resolution like the Otuses and Arts of the world.

- A

 

[GMCPhotographics]

For me and my shooting needs...as much as I love my 85L...its a big lump of glass to lug around a wedding all day. I don't want to replace my 85L, but a lighter option to take over my existing 85's current duties would be well welcomed. I may even be able to ditch my 100 L Macro from my bag if the short focus distance and IS unit are good enough to shoot ring shots. Maybe even with a short 25mm tube on the new 85 LIS would make this a workable option.

About that -- its apparently only 10% lighter:
http://www.canonrumors.com/updated-canon-ef-85mm-f1-4l-is-specifcations/

And I'm a little surprised that it is. One would presume a huge pickle jar (longer/heavier/larger outer barrel diameter) is needed to get more/better glass in the corners to improve off-center resolution like the Otuses and Arts of the world.

- A

Yep...I'll pass. It's a poor man's 85IIL and not enough size / weight /MFD reduction to warrant the sticker price if I already have a fine copy of the 85IIL.

 

[Viggo]

For me and my shooting needs...as much as I love my 85L...its a big lump of glass to lug around a wedding all day. I don't want to replace my 85L, but a lighter option to take over my existing 85's current duties would be well welcomed. I may even be able to ditch my 100 L Macro from my bag if the short focus distance and IS unit are good enough to shoot ring shots. Maybe even with a short 25mm tube on the new 85 LIS would make this a workable option.

About that -- its apparently only 10% lighter:
http://www.canonrumors.com/updated-canon-ef-85mm-f1-4l-is-specifcations/

And I'm a little surprised that it is. One would presume a huge pickle jar (longer/heavier/larger outer barrel diameter) is needed to get more/better glass in the corners to improve off-center resolution like the Otuses and Arts of the world.

- A

Yep...I'll pass. It's a poor man's 85IIL and not enough size / weight /MFD reduction to warrant the sticker price if I already have a fine copy of the 85IIL.

"A poor mans 85 L II", really? I'll take proper AF, corner quality and IS over the bendy cornered Ca-ridden soft heavy with useless AF one aaaany day

 

[SecureGSM]

Vigo,

GMCPhotograpics copy of the lens qualities of which you have just described is "a fine" one, you see. It resolves on high resolution bodies just fine,I take it, and totally magical from corner to corner.

 

[YuengLinger]

Reading between the lines of a few posts, nobody I'll single out, I can already hear the drumbeats:

BUT. IT. WON'T. HAVE. THE. MAGIC. OF. F/1.2. AND. MY. MOJO. WILL. BE. STOLEN!

If it has the qualities of the 35mm f/1.4 and IS, a new era of Canon portrait work will be issued in. Oh, yes.

 

[Viggo]

Vigo,

GMCPhotograpics copy of the lens qualities of which you have just described is "a fine" one, you see. It resolves on high resolution bodies just fine,I take it, and totally magical from corner to corner.

Hehe, yeah it's not that long in between I read "My copy of the 50 f1.2 L dosen't have focus shift" 8)

 

[Jopa]

For me and my shooting needs...as much as I love my 85L...its a big lump of glass to lug around a wedding all day. I don't want to replace my 85L, but a lighter option to take over my existing 85's current duties would be well welcomed. I may even be able to ditch my 100 L Macro from my bag if the short focus distance and IS unit are good enough to shoot ring shots. Maybe even with a short 25mm tube on the new 85 LIS would make this a workable option.

About that -- its apparently only 10% lighter:
http://www.canonrumors.com/updated-canon-ef-85mm-f1-4l-is-specifcations/

And I'm a little surprised that it is. One would presume a huge pickle jar (longer/heavier/larger outer barrel diameter) is needed to get more/better glass in the corners to improve off-center resolution like the Otuses and Arts of the world.

- A

Yep...I'll pass. It's a poor man's 85IIL and not enough size / weight /MFD reduction to warrant the sticker price if I already have a fine copy of the 85IIL.

What if it costs $4k+?

 

[Khalai]

Vigo,

GMCPhotograpics copy of the lens qualities of which you have just described is "a fine" one, you see. It resolves on high resolution bodies just fine,I take it, and totally magical from corner to corner.

Hehe, yeah it's not that long in between I read "My copy of the 50 f1.2 L dosen't have focus shift" 8)

But my 50L really does not suffer from visible focus shifting 8)

 

[Viggo]

Vigo,

GMCPhotograpics copy of the lens qualities of which you have just described is "a fine" one, you see. It resolves on high resolution bodies just fine,I take it, and totally magical from corner to corner.

Hehe, yeah it's not that long in between I read "My copy of the 50 f1.2 L dosen't have focus shift" 8)

But my 50L really does not suffer from visible focus shifting 8)

LOL

 

[SecureGSM]

no, it does not... until you take your sunglasses off and look at that image again ;D ;D

But my 50L really does not suffer from visible focus shifting 8)

 

[wockawocka]

For me and my shooting needs...as much as I love my 85L...its a big lump of glass to lug around a wedding all day. I don't want to replace my 85L, but a lighter option to take over my existing 85's current duties would be well welcomed. I may even be able to ditch my 100 L Macro from my bag if the short focus distance and IS unit are good enough to shoot ring shots. Maybe even with a short 25mm tube on the new 85 LIS would make this a workable option.

Word. I'll gladly take a half stop of light loss in exchange for less CA, sharpness across the aperture, IS and finally, and more importantly, fast AF. 1.2 is nice but it brought a whole lot of other baggage with it.

 

[sulla]

As some pointed out, the EF85 1.2 II does have optics and AF that are not easy to use. Such were my thoughts when I rented a 85 1.2 II and used it on a 5D1. Focus was not easy to achieve always and it was slow. I also borrowed a 85 1.8 from a friend of mine, that was way easier to handle, but did not like the images too much.

Later on, I bought a 85 1.2 II used, because - like Mr. Wilde - I just couldn't resist temptation. f/1.2 is sooooo much more light than f/1.8. DOF-shallowness also. While focus is still on the slow side, I find it not difficult to achieve perfect focus with the excellent AF system of my 5D3. Focus by wire becomes the new standard with STM lenses anyway, and I got used to it. Yes, it still feels strange.
Since, I have just fallen absolutely in love with that lens. It is amazing.

The IS in the new 85 1.4 lens will be a game changer, I believe. Probably that lenses greatest asset. A real advantage over the 1.2. The rest (AF-speed, build quality, image rendering, colour rendering, price) remains to be seen, however.

I doubt I will ever sell my 1.2 II, but if I didn't have one already...