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Archive 2013 · 135L vs 85 1.8

  
 
Greg M
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · 135L vs 85 1.8


I've got both of these lenses. Picked them up after letting my 70-200L IS II go. I've done a quick and simple comparison of the bokeh between these 2 lenses. I've found that I like the 85 1.8 over the 135L. The 85 seems much smoother while the 135 has circles. Used some pine trees as the background. Am I crazy or am I missing something?

I haven't used many primes in the past. Always preferred zooms. Are there any other affordable primes that are a gem like the 85 1.8? I know about the 50mm lenses. I am interested in considering another prime or two.

I use a 6d and have the Tokina 16-28 as well as the Canon 24-105L and 70-200L f/4 IS. I also have the 70-300 IS non-L that I got for a steal when I bought the 6d. Surprisingly it's a very good lens! Far superior to the 75-300 that I had a long time ago. Since I got it soooo cheap I just might keep it.



Nov 08, 2013 at 02:32 PM
dhphoto
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · 135L vs 85 1.8


Greg M wrote:
Are there any other affordable primes that are a gem like the 85 1.8?



100mm f2.

Halfway between both with the bonus of being a multiple of 50mm.

A 'sleeper L'



Nov 08, 2013 at 02:38 PM
Greg M
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · 135L vs 85 1.8


Is there some significance to being a multiple of 50?


Nov 08, 2013 at 02:44 PM
David Baldwin
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · 135L vs 85 1.8


Each to their own, but wide open the 135 has better CA correction, the 85 does exhibit some purple fringing.


Nov 08, 2013 at 02:49 PM
dhphoto
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · 135L vs 85 1.8


Greg M wrote:
Is there some significance to being a multiple of 50?


Only that when you use large format you often use lenses that are more or less multiples - no zooms available!:

65mm Super Angulon, 135 Schneider Symmar, 240 Symmar, or 90mm, 180mm, 360mm etc

So if you extend that down to 35mm format: 24mm, 50mm 100mm etc

It's surprising what you can do if you don't have a choice of focal length. You just adapt.

I have a 135L that, frankly, I don't like much now I don't shoot theatricals. I find it an odd length and almost never use it, I use the smaller, more discreet 100 f2 instead

Edited on Nov 08, 2013 at 02:55 PM · View previous versions



Nov 08, 2013 at 02:52 PM
Karl Witt
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · 135L vs 85 1.8


Believe what you see

100 2.8L Macro with IS could be a bargain to put in the mix and gain IS!

Karl



Nov 08, 2013 at 02:55 PM
dhphoto
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · 135L vs 85 1.8


Karl Witt wrote:
Believe what you see

100 2.8L Macro with IS could be a bargain to put in the mix and gain IS!

Karl


Apparently a stunningly good lens for almost anything. Never tried one.



Nov 08, 2013 at 02:57 PM
johnctharp
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · 135L vs 85 1.8


dhphoto wrote:
Apparently a stunningly good lens for almost anything. Never tried one.


Sharper and with better bokeh than the 135L, but with LoCA performance closer to the 85/1.8. I love my 100L, but it's getting harder to keep, and Sigma's 150/2.8 OS does look quite nice for macro work, while the 135L seems unbeatable for portrait work. Of course, budgets, and so on... .



Nov 08, 2013 at 03:20 PM
Mpking
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · 135L vs 85 1.8


If you need something longer the 200mm 2.8L mark II is excellent and can be had for under $600 used I believe.


Nov 08, 2013 at 04:30 PM
gdanmitchell
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · 135L vs 85 1.8


Greg M wrote:
I've got both of these lenses. Picked them up after letting my 70-200L IS II go. I've done a quick and simple comparison of the bokeh between these 2 lenses. I've found that I like the 85 1.8 over the 135L. The 85 seems much smoother while the 135 has circles. Used some pine trees as the background. Am I crazy or am I missing something?

I haven't used many primes in the past. Always preferred zooms. Are there any other affordable primes that are a gem like the 85 1.8? I know about the 50mm lenses. I am interested
...Show more

I have both, and I think that they are both excellent lenses. The 85mm f/1.8 is one of Canon's little gifts to photographers, given its small size, low cost, and excellent performance, and I'm surprised it isn't used more than it is. The 135mm f/2 is a classic Canon lens with outstanding performance in essentially every way. (Among L lenses, it is also a really great deal for those who need a prime of this focal length.)

I'm a bit bit perplexed by your report of awkward bokeh from the 135. In my experience it produces very smooth out of focus quality.

I have not used the 100mm lens mentioned above, but I have heard good things about it and reports that it is in the same league as the 85mm f/1.8. I have some experience with the newer IS version of the 100mm macro and it is also a fine all purpose lens.

There are quite a few good choices in this range. Don't get too hung up on trivial differences among them in image quality - they are all fine performers. Look for the one with the focal length that you prefer and don't ignore price. (If you are not positive about focal length, a zoom can be a better option.)

Dan



Nov 08, 2013 at 05:44 PM
Robin Smith
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · 135L vs 85 1.8


85/1.8 is good value but not really in the same league as the 135L in my opinion. It's excellent when stopped down.


Nov 08, 2013 at 05:47 PM
erikburd
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · 135L vs 85 1.8


I have both and the 135L blows the 85 away. You can't begin to compare them.

I use my 85 as a short telephoto lens that doesn't get any attention. The 85 has much more CA, especially wide open. If you stop it down to 2.5 or so then you're set.

The bokeh from my 135L is completely smooth, so I'm not sure why you would be seeing circles. Could you post a sample?

I haven't used the 100 f/2 but I've heard that it's pretty much identical to the 85 except for the focal length. Another great sleeper lens.



Nov 08, 2013 at 06:11 PM
Paul Mo
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · 135L vs 85 1.8


dhphoto wrote:
Apparently a stunningly good lens for almost anything. Never tried one.


Rubbish bokeh compared to the other two.



Nov 08, 2013 at 07:21 PM
Paul Mo
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · 135L vs 85 1.8


gdanmitchell wrote:
I'm a bit bit perplexed by your report of awkward bokeh from the 135. In my experience it produces very smooth out of focus quality.


Yup. It's a bokeh monster!



Nov 08, 2013 at 07:22 PM
pjbuehner
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · 135L vs 85 1.8


I am primarily a sports shooter so take this opinion in that light:

85 1.8 is a great lens and for the price, perhaps one of the best deals from Canon.
That being said, I find the 135 F2 in another league. The AF is faster and more accurate and the sharpness and IQ wide open (even compared to the 85 at 2.0) are better.

Well below both is the 50mm 1.4-the AF is slow and unreliable

The only other prime lens I own is the 200mm F2 which outperforms them all by a long margin. For the price, it should.

As far as bargains go, how about the newer IS lenses? They seem to get good reviews and aren't terribly expensive. I think one is a 35mm and maybe a 24mm? That would give you a wide angle IS lens.

One thing to consider is as people weigh in on what is a good or bad lens is copy variance. I had a 70-200 F2.8 IS that I hated. I now have a 70-200 2.8 IS II that is amazing. Others rave about the earlier version and are meh about the new one.
I have a 24-70 that I am not thrilled with...ok for center sharpness and newspaper work but forget a group portrait. Others say that the 24-70 is a workhorse and love it. I don't think people are nuts, I think that they have that much variance coming out of the factory. LensRental (I forget his name) did a great article about this last year some time. It is worth the read.

You have a couple of good lenses. Personally, I think that the 100 is too close to those to keep all of them unless you get the macro IS version...that would add something to your bag.

Good luck.
Peter



Nov 08, 2013 at 07:35 PM
gdanmitchell
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · 135L vs 85 1.8


Robin Smith wrote:
85/1.8 is good value but not really in the same league as the 135L in my opinion. It's excellent when stopped down.


I would beg to differ. I shoot both and will use either with equal enthusiasm, with the focal length being the only significant difference determining the choice.

(We could argue that the 135 is "better," but the difference are trivial when it comes to photographic results. In reality, both are excellent.)

Dan



Nov 08, 2013 at 08:06 PM
RobertLynn
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · 135L vs 85 1.8


I always hated when people did this to me, but I hope you won't be mad that I did this to you.

I own both. I use the 85 1.8 more.
I also own some other nice lenses and I have no problem with the 85 1.8.



Nov 08, 2013 at 09:37 PM
outlawyer
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · 135L vs 85 1.8


The 135 is in a different league, I agree; the "Weirdo Focal Length League."

Had both, still have the 85. The 135 can't be beat when you need 135, but for me that was almost never.



Nov 08, 2013 at 10:07 PM
ChrisRD
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · 135L vs 85 1.8


I've always liked both lenses...both excellent and sharp wide open IME. Always used 85mm a lot more so I no longer own a 135.

On the bokeh thing...always found the 135 to be stellar in this regard. Maybe there was some other factor skewing your comparison (i.e. lighting, shooting angle, subject-to-background distance, etc.)?



Nov 08, 2013 at 11:22 PM
esanchez
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · 135L vs 85 1.8


I also have the 100mm F2 and love it. Super sharp at F2 and great bokeh. When looking through pics I can always pic out the pics taken with the 100mm F2 as they have a certain look to them.


Nov 09, 2013 at 11:16 AM
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