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Archive 2017 · The FE 85mm Travel Conundrum

  
 
chez
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p.3 #1 · p.3 #1 · The FE 85mm Travel Conundrum


justruss wrote:
All I know is that the more I use the Batis 85-- the more I come to appreciate it. I actually quite like the bokeh: high degree of blur, but nice structure in the background so that I don't lose sense of place. It's reliable, fast, works with eye-AF well.


I also like the stabilization in the lens as I shoot with the A7R / A6000 combination.



Jun 13, 2017 at 08:27 AM
jhinkey
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p.3 #2 · p.3 #2 · The FE 85mm Travel Conundrum


GMPhotography wrote:
John here is what I would do buy another 85 1.8 test it between the two and sell one if them. Given the price of 600 bucks you can play around a little and not get burned.



Well, I did just that just now. We'll see how a 3rd sample compares to the 2nd (and first badly de-centered copy bought right after they hit the local pro shop shelf).




Jun 13, 2017 at 06:00 PM
GMPhotography
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p.3 #3 · p.3 #3 · The FE 85mm Travel Conundrum


Worth a try. Fingers crossed you get a good one


Jun 13, 2017 at 06:35 PM
echelonphoto
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p.3 #4 · p.3 #4 · The FE 85mm Travel Conundrum


Based on my many travels with canons....I would take a 70-200 f4, 16-35, and maybe the 55 1.8 for portraits. Having a longer lens I think is a must for scenics...having a wide lens for interiors is a must as well. The 70-200 at f4 blurs the background out very nicely for people portraits and the 55, being so sharp is a great all around lens. This all can be managed very well on a belt with a spyder holster and two small lens pouches. NO weight on the shoulders on these trips. BTW...I have used the sony system and am looking to buy an a7r2 soon.


Jun 16, 2017 at 09:34 AM
jhinkey
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p.3 #5 · p.3 #5 · The FE 85mm Travel Conundrum


GMPhotography wrote:
Worth a try. Fingers crossed you get a good one


Very strange - the new copy arrived and I went out and tested both at the same time and they are nearly indistinguishable from each other optically.

AND

My corners on my 2nd copy now are much much better than when I first tested it.
I don't know if I did a better job testing it this time or some element movement mechanism got loosened up into it's working tolerance.

Both are very good copies of the lens. Not quite up there with my 85ZM or the 85Lox, but very very good.

So, not to be a jerk, I'm keeping the 3rd copy and selling the 2nd copy. I could return the 3rd copy for a full refund, but that's just not right.

I may trade the 2nd copy in on the 85Lox and then have three full options for the upcoming travel.



Jun 18, 2017 at 01:21 PM
jhinkey
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p.3 #6 · p.3 #6 · The FE 85mm Travel Conundrum


I will say that my 85ZM, even wide open at f/4, has more "snap" to the image compared to the 85/1.8 Sony (@f/4 of course).

So my original conundrum is still going. I'm going to do a preliminary packing of my camera gear today and see how the volume requirements go to see if the ZM, Sony, or a potential Lox are going to go in the bag.



Jun 18, 2017 at 01:26 PM
SoundHound
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p.3 #7 · p.3 #7 · The FE 85mm Travel Conundrum


Travel for me means people on the site. People dressed up special. Groups of people. Architecture and the sense of place. All medium wide to wider wide. On one trip I used a Fish Eye. The distortion was less important that covering everything in its relationship. Teles or even medium teles are seldom useful for me on a trip.

Also note that tiny sensors have useful deep DOF. I once took two APS C cameras (one with 3 lenses) and a RX100 MK III to Europe. After the first few days I left everything at the hotel except the RX100.
If I wanted lightweight and a tele I would bring the RX10 MKIII (24mm to 600mm F4.0).

The 1" sensored RX100 was truly the camera that could hold focus for a table full of people-lengthwise. Also I could hold my arm up with the tiny RX100 (less profile than some smart phones) in front of speakers and wait for the moments. Not effective with the big cameras.

Back home I was pleased with the IQ,but ai short all RAW. No not mural sized enlargements but all WEB use, eMails and letter size prints-larger for well lite exteriors. If I did it again I would bring two cameras a RX100 and another for a backup.



Jun 20, 2017 at 08:07 AM
GMPhotography
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p.3 #8 · p.3 #8 · The FE 85mm Travel Conundrum


I had a weird experience when testing mine the mid depth once was off than it tested better when I tried it again. Element stuck is a real possibility. It's fine now but was not sure what to make of it and it happened only once so I thought it could have been me.

jhinkey wrote:
Very strange - the new copy arrived and I went out and tested both at the same time and they are nearly indistinguishable from each other optically.

AND

My corners on my 2nd copy now are much much better than when I first tested it.
I don't know if I did a better job testing it this time or some element movement mechanism got loosened up into it's working tolerance.

Both are very good copies of the lens. Not quite up there with my 85ZM or the 85Lox, but very very good.

So, not to be a jerk, I'm keeping the 3rd copy and selling
...Show more



Jun 20, 2017 at 08:29 AM
jhinkey
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p.3 #9 · p.3 #9 · The FE 85mm Travel Conundrum


Copy #2 of the 85/1.8 is sold and on it's way to California.
Local pro shop would only give me $290 trade in value on a Lox 85 - that was way too low.

Now for the Lox 85 . . .



Jun 21, 2017 at 08:21 PM
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