Home · Register · Join Upload & Sell

Moderated by: Fred Miranda
Username  

  New fredmiranda.com Mobile Site
  New Feature: SMS Notification alert
  New Feature: Buy & Sell Watchlist
  

FM Forums | Canon Forum | Join Upload & Sell

1
       2       end
  

Archive 2011 · 85 f1.2 not for action?

  
 
mark fadely
Offline
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · 85 f1.2 not for action?


So my sis invites me to the ballet and I brought a few fast lenses. I have really never shot any action with the 85 f1.2 so I thought I would see how it would go. To my surprise shooting wide open on a MKIV the keeper rate was tremendous. Here's a few examples shot at f1.2. I thought someone might be interested since you only hear about how poor the AF is on this lens with moving subjects.

http://fadely.smugmug.com/Other/ballet/i-nQwBXxM/0/XL/ballet8l-XL.jpg

http://fadely.smugmug.com/Other/ballet/i-wrqH894/0/XL/ballet13l-XL.jpg

http://fadely.smugmug.com/Other/ballet/i-HJm7MMj/0/XL/ballet15l-XL.jpg

http://fadely.smugmug.com/Other/ballet/i-467SFX8/0/XL/ballet16l-XL.jpg




Dec 17, 2011 at 05:14 PM
TrojanHorse
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · 85 f1.2 not for action?


Not to rain on your parade, but dancers moving largely horizontally aren't really going to tax your tracking ability. I tried it for diving once... but that was on a 40D too, so who knows.

Those look pretty awesome at f1.2 btw, nice job.



Dec 17, 2011 at 05:56 PM
Karver
Offline

Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · 85 f1.2 not for action?


I think real AF test would be with objects moving towards camera not laterally.


Dec 17, 2011 at 05:57 PM
Ian.Dobinson
Offline
• • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · 85 f1.2 not for action?


Those images remind me of a very old Paul Hogan Fosters advert.

'Blimey that blokes got no strides on '



And I agree. AF in those situations should be quite easy.



Dec 17, 2011 at 06:09 PM
Jammy Straub
Offline
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · 85 f1.2 not for action?


I like your ballet photos and I'm glad the AF worked for you.

I said that truthfully and just to spite everyone else who posted



Dec 17, 2011 at 06:49 PM
RobertLynn
Offline
• • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · 85 f1.2 not for action?


Look at Russ Isabella's work...he used an 85 1.2 for gymnastics.


Dec 17, 2011 at 06:59 PM
TrojanHorse
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · 85 f1.2 not for action?


Pfft, Russ has no idea what he's doing.




Dec 17, 2011 at 07:18 PM
mark fadely
Offline
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · 85 f1.2 not for action?


, tough crowd around here I was pretty impressed with shooting at f1.2. Guess you have to shoot mosquitoes flying right at the camera to get any love in here! Just kidding guys, but seriously, in 5 yrs here I haven't seen much moving action shot at f1.2 so it seemed worth a post.

And yes, I am familiar with Russ's great work in gymnastics, but I didn't remember him using an 85 1.2.



Dec 17, 2011 at 08:35 PM
scalesusa
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · 85 f1.2 not for action?


The 85mm L is fast enought for most average use, under really difficult conditions where objects are moving toward you rapidly, it might have a issue. If you are doing sports and quickly move to a different area that is nearer or further, the slower AF will delay you while it focuses, but for stage images, the AF is already close to best focus, and only needs a slight tweak as a dancer moves around.


Dec 17, 2011 at 08:36 PM
PetKal
Offline
• • • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · 85 f1.2 not for action?


Well done, Mark. Even lateral action is difficult to get focused right with 85L wide open.
Heck, people have a hard time focusing on the eyes of their cat which poses for them motionless.

Here are a few PIF shots I did a few years ago with 1DMkIIN + 85L MkI at f/2.2.
I have some wide open shots somewhere too, I might be able to retreive them later.

Edited on Dec 18, 2011 at 10:13 AM · View previous versions



Dec 17, 2011 at 09:04 PM
Hrow
Offline
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · 85 f1.2 not for action?


I think you did a great job Mark. Don't worry about "those" guys who think shooting ballet at 1.2 is easy, they're just cranky. It's Saturday and maybe they'll get lucky tonight and be in a better mood tomorrow.


Dec 17, 2011 at 10:10 PM
mark fadely
Offline
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · 85 f1.2 not for action?


PetKal wrote:
Well done, Mark. Even lateral action is difficult to get focused right with 85L wide open.
Heck, people have a hard time focusing on the eyes of their cat which poses for them motionless.

Here are a few PIF shots I did a few years ago with 1DMkIIN + 85L MkI at f/2.2.
I have some wide open shots somewhere too, I might be able to retreive them later.


Thanks Peter, and nice BIF pics. I knew you had shot birds with almost every lens in the Canon lineup and here is a fine example with the 85L. That is an impressive job with the Pigeons as they move toward the camera with such a small target zone.



Dec 17, 2011 at 11:36 PM
mark fadely
Offline
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · 85 f1.2 not for action?


Hrow wrote:
I think you did a great job Mark. Don't worry about "those" guys who think shooting ballet at 1.2 is easy, they're just cranky. It's Saturday and maybe they'll get lucky tonight and be in a better mood tomorrow.


, thanks Henry. I just posted these because I was surprised at how well this heavy glass lens did while shooting to it's strength of sharp shots at f1.2. But then adding in some movement would certainly tax the AF accuracy a bit with such a thin DOF one would think. Like I say, I don't recall seeing action of any kind with this lens @ f1.2, but I have to say no forum search was done beforehand. I would be interested to see a post like this if I was considering purchasing this lens. I just didn't know shooting moving targets at f1.2 was so easy until I read all the replies



Dec 17, 2011 at 11:46 PM
TrojanHorse
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · 85 f1.2 not for action?


Hrow wrote:
. It's Saturday and maybe they'll get lucky tonight and be in a better mood tomorrow.

We can only hope.



Dec 18, 2011 at 01:22 AM
OntheRez
Offline
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: On
p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · 85 f1.2 not for action?


Not exactly on topic as I'm not fortunate enough to own a 85mm f/1.2, however, I have been using its poor cousin the f/1.8 extensively in basketball in a poorly lit gym. I think we would all agree that - at a minimum - basketball action is less predictable and more erratic than ballet. I don't get as high of a keeper rate as I would like due, in no little part, to operator error, but I've found a number of my better images come from the 85. How different are the focusing systems between the two lenses? The narrow focal plane even at 1.8 is a huge challenge.

Robert



Dec 18, 2011 at 10:41 AM
rick_reno
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · 85 f1.2 not for action?


Great shots, I really like the last one.


Dec 18, 2011 at 11:05 AM
TrojanHorse
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · 85 f1.2 not for action?


Robert - the 85L is a whomping big honking chunk of glass. It doesn't snap into focus so much as ooze into focus. (compared to the 85 1.8).

Mark's getting teased a little in this thread but I'd say getting what he got up above at f1.2 is still pretty remarkable. I'm calling that operator ability more than saying the 85L is suited for action.



Dec 18, 2011 at 11:51 AM
rslhc
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: On
p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · 85 f1.2 not for action?


Great shots. For 1.2 the results you got are very impressive. I definitely agree with others that this is as much operator ability as it is the abilities of the 85. Well done!


Dec 18, 2011 at 04:30 PM
Jefferson
Offline
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · 85 f1.2 not for action?


It might not be all that great for action shots...but it shure takes pretty pictures,

Worth having just for that

Jefferson



Dec 18, 2011 at 07:10 PM
pjbishop
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · 85 f1.2 not for action?


I think what we have here is the 85 f/1.2 behaving itself in the hands of a good photographer. It's a pleasure to see these fine shots of the dancers.


Dec 19, 2011 at 04:58 AM
1
       2       end




FM Forums | Canon Forum | Join Upload & Sell

1
       2       end
    
 

You are not logged in. Login or Register

Username       Or Reset password



This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.