85mm f/1.8

[will king]

About a week ago I started a thread asking about the 85mm f/1.2 vs the 85mm

f/1.8. I took a few test shots of with the 85mm f/1.8 mounted on my 20D. I

have to say that this lens is a bargain for the performance. I've been

shooting indoors at ISO 100 or 200 without a flash. Here's a shot with the sun

setting behind some trees and other houses and behind my son as he is running

towards me. ISO 100, f/2.2. I am impressed, especially at just over $300

compared to $1800 for the f/1.2.<div></div>

[kevin conville]

No argument here. Talk about diminishing returns! One would have to place a very high

value indeed in that wee bit of additional lens speed for the cost in price, size, and weight.

 

Same can be said about the 50 F1.2. Maybe a few others.

[bernardwest]

I posted a question about a month or so ago asking for suggestions on portrait lenses, and this lens was recommended highly. So I bought it, and have been extremely pleased with it. Here's one I took of my new baby girl with her gran. Normally she's not looking this cranky, and I have some great smiling shots, but this pic really shows how nice this lens is.<div></div>

[will king]

Yes, very nice Bernie. The smooth bokeh is awesome with this lens wide open.

[frolickingbits]

I have one as well, and it's phenomenal. Used it for some portraits of a poet in her office today, with somewhat dim window light, and a fill flash, it performed great. I've also used it in a couple weddings, almost always in low light. The AF is amazingly fast, it's sharp, and the bokeh is great. I sometimes wonder if the folks buying the f1.2 lenses have more money than brains....<div></div>

[chrisjb]

Thanks for sharing Will, I like using a 135mm but sometimes its a lil long, this lens is a bargain, I was trying to justify the L, but now I can`t, its great to see folks happy with their choices.

 

have fun

[bloosqr]

I noticed that the 85/1.8 is out of stock both at adorama and B&H? is something going on?

[jim_larson1]

Note that the focusing speed of the 85/1.8 is superior to the 85/1.2 (by all accounts).

 

The 85/1.2 really is better than the 85/1.8 for portraits. . .real premium quality optics. BUT. . . for general purpose work, the 85/1.8 is probably superior.

 

Note: I don't have a 85/1.2. I do have a 85/1.8. I use it for portraits and as a short telephoto in place of a 70-200/4L (which is too big for the day bag). Everything I know comes from the excellent Castleman review.

[dogbert]

"I sometimes wonder if the folks buying the f1.2 lenses have more money than brains...."

 

Personally I would not bother with the 85/1.2 as it doesn't suit my needs but if you are a pro relying on it for your living then I think it is a samll price to pay. When you consider the years of training one puts in, and the other costs associated with running a business plus presumably ambitions to earn $70K + per year then I don't think an $1800 lens that will last a decade or more is necessarily a bad investment.

[fourfa]

plus if you buy smart (clean used, the occasional triple rebate) and treat your gear well, expensive glass is free. it's not hard to sell it for what you paid or just a little less, or sometimes just a little more. Takes a lot of the sting out of obsessing about value.

[andre_reinders]

Me too!

 

I got mine a couple of weeks ago. I was really having a hard time deciding about what to get to upgrade my lenses. I shoot film and digital (20D). While the 50mm f1.8 is a nice portrait type of lens on the 20D - I really had no portrait lens for my Elan 7N - now I do!

 

I also got a Tamron 1.4x TC at the same time as I got the 85mm f1.8 - this gives me 85mm x 1.6 x 1.4 = 190mm (FOV) @ f2.5 on the 20D. Helped to fill the gap of the (very) consumer EF 75-300mm USM f4-f5.6 that I just sold off.

 

Here is a photo of my son at the park, f2.8, ISO 100, 1/640, with 1.4x TC<div></div>