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Archive 2014 · Best 85mm lens for Canon

  
 
Parkertinsley
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Best 85mm lens for Canon


I am currently looking for a new 85mm lens for my Canon 6D. I need a sharp optic that can focus fairly quickly and deadly accurately for my portrait photography. The 85 1.2L II seems a little out of my price range but I don't know what to do so I would really appreciate any suggestions!


Oct 10, 2014 at 05:15 PM
popinvasion
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Best 85mm lens for Canon


Until sigma refreshes the 85 1.4 I would not look into those. They can be great and they can be very inconsistent.

The 85 1.2L II is great, but its also soft. Its not that sharp. Many will defend it to the death, but the fact is the 85 1.8 is sharper. The 85 1.8 while being sharper also loses some of that dreamy quality that the 1.2 has. And sharpness isn't everything but you have to ask yourself what you need in a lens. The 1.2 by about 1.8 is better but still not as sharp as the 1.8. They are both equal imo at 2.8 and beyond. They both have CA pretty badly. To me its not a major concern as 90% of the time its an easy fix in lightroom. The 85 1.2 is a killer lens, but so is the 85 1.8 and you can pick up a 1.8 for $300-$325 all day long. The 1.2 will be over 5 times that amount. Is that 1.2 quality worth it, imo occasionally yes, but the ability to hand hold a 1.2 shot and get it right consistently takes a ton of practice, your DOF is so thin that any slight movement and you will have your in focus portion on a nose, eyebrow, ear. It takes practice to use a lens like the 85 1.2 and the results at times are mind blowing. That said, I still find the 135L a better bargain and imo it gives a better blur and compression effect. So… for the price of a 1.2 you could buy a 135L and an 85 1.8 and still have a good chuck of change left over for something like a 600 ex rt. If money is no object, pick up the 1.2 and be the envy of many, but practice practice practice.



Oct 10, 2014 at 05:30 PM
mogud
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Best 85mm lens for Canon


I agree that the 85 II is an expensive lens but, I disagree with popinvasion about the 85 1.8 being sharper as evidenced by the link.

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/ISO-12233-Sample-Crops.aspx?Lens=397&Camera=453&Sample=0&FLI=0&API=2&LensComp=106&CameraComp=453&SampleComp=0&FLIComp=0&APIComp=0

I would also like to disagree that the 85 II has terrible CA's. All reviews that I read before getting mine indicated that the 85 II has hardly any CA. LoCA it does have but are gone by f2.0. Vignetting is a slight problem which can be corrected. The 85 II focuses by wire and the 85 1.8 does not. On non 1-Series bodies, focusing is slower on the 85 II than the 85 1.8.

I agree with popinvasion that you might be better served by getting the Canon 135L and 85 1.8 for portrait work and have money leftover rather than buying the 85 II.



Edited on Oct 10, 2014 at 07:03 PM · View previous versions



Oct 10, 2014 at 06:14 PM
David Baldwin
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Best 85mm lens for Canon


I have never used the 85L and so can't comment on it. However I have owned 3 copies of the 85mm f1.8 at various times and can confirm that it is very sharp and focuses very quickly indeed. Unless you need very shallow depth of field (and are reconciled to paying for a f1.2 optic) the Canon 85mm f1.8 is an absolutely cracking lens, and it is pretty cheap so is a no brainer.


Oct 10, 2014 at 06:26 PM
jcolwell
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Best 85mm lens for Canon


I think you should look at the EF 85/1.8 USM. It's very sharp, responsive (fast AF), relatively inexpensive, small, and light.

I take an EF 85/1.8 as backup for my 70-200/2.8L IS II when shooting events that I travel to, when I don't think I'll need my 85/1.2L II.

The 85/1.2L II is a lot heavier and more expensive, but it's not any less sharp. I posted some comparison images a few years ago, see link below.

https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/952008/0&year=2010#9001470

In the 'old photodo" MTF tests, the 85/1.2L (Mk I) scored 4.6 out of 5.0 on their logarithmic, weighted-MTF scale. Only one of the 399 lenses tested there (by a leading Hasselblad optical technologist) had a higher score, the EF 200/1.8L at 4.8, and 390 lenses had lower scores. I've owned (or still own) five of the top nine old-photodo lenses, and the Mk II version of the 85/12L Mk I that was also in the top nine. By reputation, the 85/1.2L II is sharper than the Mk I version tested at photodo, and I have no reason to dispute this. Don't get me wrong. These MTF tests aren't the end-all and be-all metric of lens performance, but I can assure you that any lens that scores 4.0 or greater on the old photodo weighted-MTF scale is definitely not "soft" - it's sharp. Unless you got a dud.



Edited on Oct 10, 2014 at 06:43 PM · View previous versions



Oct 10, 2014 at 06:41 PM
stempsons
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Best 85mm lens for Canon


I have the 85L (v1), the 85 1.8 and the 135L. All are great lenses, the 85L is the sharpest of those three (for me anyway) and it's also the slowest focussing and the heaviest. That said, the 85L and the 135L are easily my favorite Canon lenses.


Oct 10, 2014 at 06:41 PM
John Caldwell
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Best 85mm lens for Canon


popinvasion wrote:
The 85 1.2L II is great, but its also soft. Its not that sharp...


Interesting, do you actually own and use this lens? Just curious how impressions can differ so much from my own.

John Caldwell



Edited on Oct 10, 2014 at 07:26 PM · View previous versions



Oct 10, 2014 at 07:03 PM
popinvasion
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Best 85mm lens for Canon


John Caldwell wrote:
Interesting, do you actually own and use this lens? Just curious how impressions can very so much from my own.

John Caldwell



I have owned two. I'm being a little too critical. Don't get me wrong it can be sharp and user error definitely plays a role. I just get more keepers out of the 1.8 and my experience is that it's sharper. I shouldn't have said the 1.2 is not sharp, just imo less sharp. But part of that is the 1.8 is faster to AF and 1.2 is very tricky wide open. I do want to own one again so I'm not against the lens but if asked I would 9/10 suggest starting with the 1.8, followed by 135L. Then a 70-200, then the 85 1.2. Then the 100L and then the 200 F2 and then..... It never ends



Oct 10, 2014 at 07:09 PM
jcolwell
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Best 85mm lens for Canon


The Canon EF 85/1.8 USM scored 4.1 at the old photodo.


Oct 10, 2014 at 07:27 PM
gwaww
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Best 85mm lens for Canon


I have owned the 85 1.8 and have rented the 85 1.2 more than once. I now own the Sigma 85 1.4 and have owned it since it's release and it has taken many portraits and been used in many weddings without a hitch. It is an excellent lens and focuses faster than the 85 1.2. If I had received one that was inconsistent I would send it in to Sigma. I have found their service to be very good.


Oct 10, 2014 at 07:30 PM
popinvasion
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Best 85mm lens for Canon


gwaww wrote:
I have owned the 85 1.8 and have rented the 85 1.2 more than once. I now own the Sigma 85 1.4 and have owned it since it's release and it has taken many portraits and been used in many weddings without a hitch. It is an excellent lens and focuses faster than the 85 1.2. If I had received one that was inconsistent I would send it in to Sigma. I have found their service to be very good.


The minute an Art version is released I'm signing up.



Oct 10, 2014 at 07:35 PM
jcolwell
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Best 85mm lens for Canon


popinvasion wrote:
The minute an Art version is released I'm signing up.


I'm saving up for the "David".



Oct 10, 2014 at 07:39 PM
hauxon
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Best 85mm lens for Canon


People often tend to forget the excellent 100/2. A close relative to the 85/1.8, very similar lenses but I liked the 100 more of the two.


Oct 10, 2014 at 08:28 PM
jcolwell
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Best 85mm lens for Canon


Hrannar, is that an Arctipus that you're grappling with in your new avatar?


Oct 10, 2014 at 08:31 PM
hauxon
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Best 85mm lens for Canon


Just tryin to control the gear and the elements!


Oct 10, 2014 at 08:45 PM
hauxon
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Best 85mm lens for Canon


posting double!


Oct 10, 2014 at 08:45 PM
jcolwell
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Best 85mm lens for Canon


Next, you'll be railing against the wind.


Oct 10, 2014 at 08:48 PM
jcolwell
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · Best 85mm lens for Canon


...railing against the wind.


Oct 10, 2014 at 08:48 PM
hauxon
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · Best 85mm lens for Canon


Another non 85 portrait lens and hidden gem is the 135/2.8 SF ...if you skip using the SF part. It feels kind of cheap but is very sharp from 2.8 up and has fine bokeh. It's the poor mans 135L.


Oct 10, 2014 at 08:55 PM
NCAndy
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · Best 85mm lens for Canon


I find the 85 1.2 plenty sharp even wide open. I think the problem often is the dof can be very narrow and if one likes to focus and then recompose, that might cause the initial point of focus to be soft, like an eye for example. The 85 1.8 is a great lens. It doesn't have as nice bokeh as the faster lens and has a good bit of ca at wide apertures. It does focus faster though. It also is sharp enough wide open for portraits unless your objective is to show every single imperfection.

I generally use the 85 1.8 for indoor sports (gymnastics) and the 82 1.2 for people work.

These are the 85mm lenses I own and use, though often the 70-200 II is the go to choice for being more versatile if the aperture will work.



Oct 10, 2014 at 09:01 PM
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