85mm

<p>So I purchased an 85mm f1.8 lens. I have buyers remorse. I haven't used it yet but think that rather than this lens I should have opted for the cheaper 50mm 1.8. Will there be that much difference? I am shooting simple pics of grandkids and steelhead (yes, the fish).</p>

<p>Help me not feel guilty! oh and this is my first post:)<br>

Lyne</p>

<p>At this point, don't focus on whether or not you should have purchased something else. Just use this lens to the point where it's a non-issue. Enjoy the gem you've acquired.</p>

<p>85 F1.8 is a great lens incredibly sharp for it's price. If you are shooting APS-C then the 50mm may be a better choice as the 85 is quite long after the crop factor (136mm equivalent angle of view). The 50 F1.8 is reasonably good optically but has slower AF than the 85. The 50 F1.4 is another good lens.</p>

<p>First, let me welcome you to photo.net!</p>

<p>... and about that lens you have just bought, in a matter of days or weeks, you will think about this post and kick yourself for even barely thinking you have made a mistake. That little 'gem' is one of my favourite pieces of kit, and so it is with almost everybody else I know who has a copy. I'm sure you too will soon love it!</p>

<p>You don't say what camera you are using it on, but either way the 85mm lens serves as a really good short telephoto on a 35mm-sensor camera, and a really good medium telephoto on an APS-C camera like one of the Rebels or a 7D.<br>

Personally, for the kids the additional reach of the lens on the APS-C (Nikon calls it 'DX') should be handier than the shorter 50mm.<br>

If you're shooting a 35mm sensor ('FX'), then 50mm is not an ideal portrait lens, for that matter.</p>

<p>Both will be good for low light, especially if you can live with a little noise and are willing to go to really high ISOs. If you want a broader reach than either of these lenses, you might want to look at another bargain in the Canon lineup-- the EF 28mm f/2.8 - a nice normal lens on the smaller sensor.</p>

<p>For that matter, despite what Katerine Hepburn said, you can "have it all" in this case. The EF 50mm f/1.8 is widely available used for around US$100 if you are patient in bidding on eBay. Heck, buy two.</p>

<p>The 85mm f1.8 is one lens I can't imagine anyone having buyer's remorse about. It's one of my favorite lenses (on full frame, but I love the 135mm FOV on a full frame too, so I'm sure I would also find it extremely useful on a crop sensor). It has astonishingly good IQ for the price and focuses a lot faster than the f1.2 version, which is a bit of a one trick pony.</p>

<p>The 50mm f1.8 and the 85mm f1.8 actually compliment each other rather than being an either/or proposition. I would use the 85mm for while and you may think about adding the 50mm, but you won't want to be letting go of the 85mm! </p>

 

<p>Which camera are you using?</p>

<p>If you have a 5D or 5D2 you will love this lens and think your post was silly as soon as you see the pictures!</p>

<p>The same generally goes for the EF-85mm on the Rebel / xxD series cameras. However (and as mentioned above) you may find this lens somewhat too confined especially when taking photos of people indoors. You may find yourself taking more headshots with this lens if you don't have a lot of space or if you prefer to be closer to your excellent subjects (grandkids!). </p>

<p>A couple of other things I learned about this lens after buying it. It is very fast and very quiet when focusing. If you like blurry backgrounds, this lens rocks! If you plan on taking lots of pictures of shiny things (like chrome, etc) you might see some purple along the edges. This lens does not focus very close so if you plan on taking up close shots of the steelhead you will probably have to crop the photos to get the final close up image. If your grandkids are quite young, you might want a lens even wider (eg 28mm, 35mm) since you can stand a lot closer and they will fit entirely into the photos.</p>

<p>If you really need a "fast" lens (in your case your lens is f1.8) you have one of the best. However, if you don't really need this aperture you might want to look at the Tamron 17-50 f2.8 lens (unless you have a 1D or 5D). This is a great lens, allows in a lot of light, you can still blur backgrounds and most importantly, you can work in a more comfortable focal length range. It shouldn't cost a lot more than your brand new Canon EF-85mm.</p>

I have the 85 1.8 and the 50 1.8. The build is much better, the focus faster and quieter and I think the image is better on the 85. You must be in CA, WA or OR because that's where the steelhead used to be when I grew up particularly on the Eel river. The worlds greatest pound for pound fighting fish and you can eat it too. If you want to shoot someone landing a fish the 85 will give you more distance particularly with a crop body. You can do good human (as opposed to steelhead) heads with this on a crop body. Welcome Cori. I have both full frame and crop bodies. I use it to shoot swimming indoors in dark corners. You can catch action in low light where my 2.8 lens won't. For those who don't know, steelhead are ocean run rainbow trout that have a shiny steel colored head that can grow much larger like 20 to 40 lbs. than rainbow trout. Photographing someone landing one of these fish can make quite exciting pictures. For this I would stay with the 85.

<p>Comparing the 85 1.8 and the 50 1.8 is apples & oranges in several dimensions.</p>

<p>1. the 85mm is far superior lens in sharpness and AF, even at f/1.8 the 85mm is stellar<br /> 2. the 85mm is far superior in build and performance, it's not a throwaway lens at all<br /> 3. the 85mm is "worth" every penny of its price.</p>

<p>However, the 85 is a pretty long lens on an APS-C body and not really that useful for indoor portraits, unless you're in a gym. I rate the 85 1.8 a 4-star lens in Canon's line-up. It's tops! (tied with several lenses IMO, including some venerable fast L zooms like the 24-70...)</p>

<p>The 85mm f1.8 doesn't compare to the 50mm f1.8, it's more direct comparison is the 50mm f1.4 for build and image quality.</p>

<p>The 85mm f/1.8 is one of the very best non-L lenses that Canon makes, performing at the same level as many of their best lenses. For certain purposes it is a great tool!</p>

<p>Dan</p>

<p>Make sure to get a polarizer to help with the fish (I'm assuming they are in the water), but I'm sure you'll love this lens. WO it has some CA problems around the edges, but other than that, it's a fine lens, and one <em>once you use, you'll love to use</em>, especially if you only are using kit zooms now. The 50/1.8 is a better deal (1/4 the price) of course, but a more limited in it's capabilities -- I wouldn't expect to catch an in focus fish w/ the 50/1.8 for example. </p>

<p>The 50mm f1.8 is an excellent lens for the price, the 85 f1.8 is just an excellent lens. Love it!</p>

<p>Don't worry. When the first batch of keepers comes rolling out of your camera, the buyer's remorse will vanish just like that.</p>

<p>Thank you so much for all of your knowledge. I shoot with a Canon 50d and have an 18-200 3.5-5.6 and 28-135 (think that came with it) and 100-300 4.5-5.6. I was happiest with the 18-200 and will now try the new prime lens. I appreciate all the guilt lifting remarks... <br>

now, can you help me remove guilt from the new washer and dryer? lol. Husband shouldn't go fishing is all i'm sayin...<br>

Thanks and the forum is wonderful.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>I have buyer's remorse...Help me not feel guilty!</p>

</blockquote>

<p>You didn't spend five times as much for an 85/1.2 L II. Does that help to alleviate your guilt?</p>

<p>Seriously, the 85/1.8 is one of Canon's best lenses at any price. If you find the 85mm focal length to be useful on your 50D, there's absolutely no reason to feel any remorse. And even if you don't find it to be useful, you can always return it or sell it. Again, there would be no reason for remorse.</p>

<p>In any case, you're not limited to owning just one lens; you can always get a 50mm lens later, or a zoom, or whatever you like.</p>

<p>By the way, welcome to photo.net, Cori. We are a guilt-free community.</p>

<p>Compare the results for similar shots with your other three lenses and you will no longer have buyers remorse for the 85, it will be with the others!</p>

<p>I love my 85 1.8. I used it with my 40D and it was awesome, but now with my 5D I like it even more. Very sharp, and I bought mine used on Craigs List for a very good price. I paid $300 for it. I also bought the 50 1.8 mk I, and this is also a nice lens. I paid a little more for the mk I version, but I liked the idea of the steel mount, and a better manual focus ring. Both are nice lenses, but i feel the IQ of the 85 1.8 is slightly sharper. Have fun with your lens and don't worry! All the best.<br>

Paul</p>

Normal portrait rang is from 80-135 so if you compare both lenses are in the range

So both will work great. I have the 50 & 85 using on my 7d and I like the extra reach of the 85 & the 50 is fine too