faremax wrote:
I don't understand though how you would lose $300 with the Sigma if you said that you bought it used. I know good used copies sell for about $700-750 which is about $150-200 less than the cost of a new lens.
Sorry my mistake, I bought the sigma new. The 85L I bought used for a great deal. 1500 canadian, perfect shape with b+w filter.
jdben622 wrote:
Your "cons" for the Canon don't have much to do with IQ or the ability to capture an image. (Canon 85/1.2 doesn't have as smooth a background )
Whereas your cons for the Sigma do. So fewer cons, but more significant.
They can both have amazing image quality and the differences are really minor, but the focus issues I have are important to me. Even though the Canon has more cons in my mind it is still my choice of the two due to the focus, and the fact that a lot of the other items are really not that important or will be picked up by anyone else.
I will post some examples later today why I feel the bokeh of the sigma is marginally better. Just my opinion and may also be just my copies.
Good read on number one, maybe I should sell both . I am really considering giving that lens another go.
#2 Tony tweeted a while ago his thoughts had changed about the sigma and is now using the 85L again. He didn't exagerate on it, so don't hold me to it. Just saying .
faremax wrote:
I think that Sigma is slightly sharper wide open than 85L at f/1.4 and up until f/2.8. Looks like TDP comparison seems to support my findings (here).
Plus, TDP is showing the Sigma to have much lower chromatic aberation.
canon pants wrote:
Good read on number one, maybe I should sell both . I am really considering giving that lens another go.
#2 Tony tweeted a while ago his thoughts had changed about the sigma and is now using the 85L again. He didn't exagerate on it, so don't hold me to it. Just saying .
Thank you.
Really.?.?.?.I guess Tony will have to update his review and blog then.
Here are some samples of how the lens renders out of focus highlights. I know that these are large and exagerated but the same harsh edges would also be included in smaller highlights or out of focus areas. If you are looking for creamy any 85mm lens with a large aperture will do it, but I think based on these pictures the siggy will be a little more creamy. I can post some nature shots tomorrow but don't have time tonight, I dont think it will be a huge difference but as seen it may be noticable in certain situations.
Maybe I am wrong, or maybe it is just my copies of the lens, would still love to hear your opinion.
edge100 wrote:
85L mkII absolutely has full-time manual focus.
And I can't imagine anything smoother than the bokeh from the 85L. I'd love to see some side-by-side shots showing that the Sigma is better (equal I can believe, but better)
Damaging the rear element is not really a huge concern, so long as you're careful.
Okey dokey, the lens has manual focus when the shutter button is depressed. Would be nice if it worked while the camera was just on but oh well.
Thanks for the heads up, I probably would not have noticed otherwise.
faremax wrote:
Just the lens, but Sigma did contact me and asked what body I was using it on.
This might be an issue when you switch the body later on. Reverse engineering does not work well for all bodies at all, some OEM firmware update might impact the 3rd party lenses as well.
I much prefer the signature of the Canon to the Sigma when photographying actual subjects; portraits and weddings for me. Sigma focuses more quickly, yet, less accurately, than the Canon. Both fine lenses; strokes for folks.
I had the 85L II, and bought the Sigma with the intention of deciding if I liked it better, or at least as much, and keeping it and selling the L if so. Well, I compared them in a number of different scenarios, and I would give the Sigma a slight edge for bokeh, but the L simply resolved more detail, and that mattered more to me, so I returned the Sigma.
mttran wrote:
This might be an issue when you switch the body later on. Reverse engineering does not work well for all bodies at all, some OEM firmware update might impact the 3rd party lenses as well.
When was the last time Canon released a firmware update for Canon 1D Mark II N?
) 
colours and focus are two most important things in fotography