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	Username   Password FM Forum Rules Canon SLRs, primes, and zooms lenses reviews FM Forums | Canon-mount SLRs | Join Upload & Sell    Search Used end    Archive 2009 · 85 f1.2L Slow Focus

jdiperna Offline Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #1 · 85 f1.2L Slow Focus I apologize if this is an old topic, but I'll still ask. I played with this lens yesterday at B&H and the focus was extremely slow. I'm looking at it for weddings, available light work in church and such. If you are using it under these conditions, I'd be interested in hearing your opinions. Jul 10, 2009 at 02:51 PM

MSC Offline Dedicated FM Upload & Sell: On p.1 #2 · 85 f1.2L Slow Focus It is very slow compared to nearly any other lens. But fast enough for the kind of subjects you are talking about shooting...and the 1.2 gives you options that no other lens can in lowlight (or in any light for the bokeh affects). Did you try the Version II of the lens? Still slow as a dog but faster than the Version I. Jul 10, 2009 at 02:55 PM

Tad Killian Offline Dedicated FM Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #3 · 85 f1.2L Slow Focus HERE ya go. Jul 10, 2009 at 04:09 PM

Seth Tower Offline Dedicated FM Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #4 · 85 f1.2L Slow Focus The AF module has an enormous amount of glass to move, hence the slow focus. The Mark II version is noticeably faster, but by no means fast. Jul 10, 2009 at 04:14 PM

MrAdventure Offline Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #5 · 85 f1.2L Slow Focus this is a well documented feature of the lens...google is your friend. Jul 10, 2009 at 04:15 PM

bobbytan Offline Dedicated FM Upload & Sell: On p.1 #6 · 85 f1.2L Slow Focus Slow is relative. It's really fast compared to my AF-confirm alt lenses! Jul 10, 2009 at 04:36 PM

Aberdeen Photo Offline Dedicated FM Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #7 · 85 f1.2L Slow Focus Jim, I have both the II and original and they are slow, and slower in focus speed. The 2 is slightly faster. I notice you shoot portraits and weddings. This lens is magical on a ff body for portraits and great also for wedding work. You will be pleased with this lens. best Tom Jul 10, 2009 at 04:44 PM

TeeJay Offline Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #8 · 85 f1.2L Slow Focus It's not as bad as I thought it would be. I just got my 85L 2 weeks ago and was worried about all the slow AF talk. It's nowhere near too slow for weddings or portrait work. Chasing kids around for snapshots, now that's another story, although my 7 month old son faired well: Jul 10, 2009 at 04:59 PM

R. Eisenberg Offline Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #9 · 85 f1.2L Slow Focus This is one of those rare instances where all the good things that you hear about a piece of equipment are true. Of course, they come at a price, and these are to my mind the weight and relative slowness in focus acquisition of the lens. Of course, when carrying the lens with a full bag for several hours, you will slow down too. But I suspect that when you see the special quality of the images that it can produce, you will find that these drawbacks are offset. Jul 10, 2009 at 05:03 PM

jfulton Offline Dedicated FM Upload & Sell: On p.1 #10 · 85 f1.2L Slow Focus Yes, it's no speed demon, but I learned to appreciate slowing down for critical focus. I usually manually and instinctually rack the focus close to the range before I even AF to help. It's totally worth the effort and it doesn't bother me especially considering the results. It's a go to for situations like bridal portraits. Jul 10, 2009 at 05:09 PM

bobbytan Offline Dedicated FM Upload & Sell: On p.1 #11 · 85 f1.2L Slow Focus The bottom line is the 85L is generally/maybe too slow for fast-action sports and birds-in-flight but it's definitely not too slow for portraits and weddings. PetKal has done some incredible BIF shots with the 85L to prove the point that the 85L can be used to shoot almost anything really: http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/783015/6#7214585 Jul 10, 2009 at 05:23 PM

jdiperna Offline Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #12 · 85 f1.2L Slow Focus Thanks for all the feedback. Right after I pay for my daughter's wedding, the 5DMii and 85 f1.2 will be next. Jul 13, 2009 at 01:17 PM

cmM. Offline Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #13 · 85 f1.2L Slow Focus It's slow. The only slower focusing lens I own is a manual focus Carl Zeiss I've shot bunch of weddings with it. It's fast enough for that (under normal circumstances). cmM. Jul 13, 2009 at 04:23 PM

lovinglife Offline Upload & Sell: On p.1 #14 · 85 f1.2L Slow Focus Think of it this way - Can u name any other lens that is f/1.2 and even has autofocus? (there is only one that comes to my mind, the 50L) On top of having autofocus, the IQ is exceptional.. It is slow - but really very useable. Jul 13, 2009 at 05:17 PM

joezasada Offline Dedicated FM Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #15 · 85 f1.2L Slow Focus The 85L II isn't really 'slow' - it's 'precise' - the focus ring moves a lot further than the average lens, and since the AF motor has to move that much, it seems slower. Think of it like you're driving in first gear... the engine has to turn more revolutions to get where you are going... The precise focus comes in handy when working at F/1.2 though! The downside: not so good for fast moving objects! Jul 13, 2009 at 05:18 PM

PetKal Offline Dedicated FM Upload & Sell: On p.1 #16 · 85 f1.2L Slow Focus bobbytan wrote: The bottom line is the 85L is generally/maybe too slow for fast-action sports and birds-in-flight but it's definitely not too slow for portraits and weddings. PetKal has done some incredible BIF shots with the 85L to prove the point that the 85L can be used to shoot almost anything really: http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/783015/6#7214585 Thank you, Bobby.....shooting BIF with 85L is not exceptionally difficult at all, just that there are not too many idle souls like myself who have tried. In fact, with prefocusing, or "zonal focusing", if you wish, the lens AF drive is fast enough for many applications. Now, there is another component of the AF speed equation that people often do not think about: the speed of camera AF algorithm execution and issuance of the control signal to the lens. The less light the camera AF sensors get, the slower and more halting the camera AF routine becomes. Which means that for given ambient/target light level, a superfast lens like 85L will allow a maximum AF routine execution speed. Such lens will also allow the best possible focusing in low light. Think of a drab grey pigeon flying towards you.....low contrast, low light emissivity target, moving fast into the lens. The 85L will allow the camera to latch onto it in the fastest possible manner. Or I should perhaps say the lens will allow the camera to focus, period. No point in having a super fast lens AF drive (like 400 f/5.6) if the camera does not get enough light to focus fast and reliably. The 400 f/5.6 is zipping back and forth snappily......but nothing ends up in focus. Jul 13, 2009 at 05:57 PM

Hask Offline Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #17 · 85 f1.2L Slow Focus I'm no lens expert, but wouldn't this lens be a heck of a lot faster if it was rear-focussing? No need to move heavy elements in that case... Maybe something for v3 Jul 14, 2009 at 06:03 AM

Sahid Limon Offline Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #18 · 85 f1.2L Slow Focus I've used the 85L for 4 of my weddings in the past. The lens is fan-freakin-tastic in almost everything except the focus speed. The first wedding I covered was during the day, and I instantly fell in love with the lens. However, the second wedding was when I experienced the bad side of slow focus from this gem. The reception started in the evening and went on till the night, with very low light. I tried to get the lens to focus for dance shots, but it was so slow, that I was missing most of the action. When it would finally focus, it would re-focus again since people were moving, and it would take a while to lock on again... and ultimately miss focus. I ended up switching to the 50mm f/1.4, and just using that to get the shots. The lens was so slow, that I ended up missing some good action shots. On another wedding, the lens was fantastic again for the most part, but at the reception in a dimly lit hotel, it was hard to focus once again... and quite annoying to be honest. As a wedding photographer, I have a strange love-hate relationship with this lens. I love this lens to death, and am more than likely going to purchase it anyway since it's so nice and sharp. Infact, it's one of the sharpest lenses I've ever used to this day. However, the slow AF really annoys me for wedding work, and I wish there was a way around it. As I have told others in the past, rent them both, and see which one works for you (in normal daylight and low ambient light), and then get the one you like best. Jul 14, 2009 at 06:28 AM

Daan B Offline Dedicated FM Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #19 · 85 f1.2L Slow Focus Sahid Limon wrote: I've used the 85L for 4 of my weddings in the past. The lens is fan-freakin-tastic in almost everything except the focus speed. The first wedding I covered was during the day, and I instantly fell in love with the lens. However, the second wedding was when I experienced the bad side of slow focus from this gem. The reception started in the evening and went on till the night, with very low light. I tried to get the lens to focus for dance shots, but it was so slow, that I was missing most of the action. When it would finally focus, it would re-focus again since people were moving, and it would take a while to lock on again... and ultimately miss focus. I ended up switching to the 50mm f/1.4, and just using that to get the shots. The lens was so slow, that I ended up missing some good action shots. On another wedding, the lens was fantastic again for the most part, but at the reception in a dimly lit hotel, it was hard to focus once again... and quite annoying to be honest. As a wedding photographer, I have a strange love-hate relationship with this lens. I love this lens to death, and am more than likely going to purchase it anyway since it's so nice and sharp. Infact, it's one of the sharpest lenses I've ever used to this day. However, the slow AF really annoys me for wedding work, and I wish there was a way around it. On what cam? Jul 14, 2009 at 07:13 AM

adimage Offline Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #20 · 85 f1.2L Slow Focus I only have the version II of the lens and yes, it focuses slow, but it works in preety much any wedding situation. As a side note, on the 5D it is visibly slower than on a 1D(s) mk III. I was actually preety amazed by the difference. You can visually notice how the AF motor is running turning the lens faster. I have no trouble getting in focus shots of the bride coming towards me in the church and getting nice action shots. Jul 14, 2009 at 08:49 AM

I Am Luna Offline Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #21 · 85 f1.2L Slow Focus Sorry for threadjacking: ...but how do you guys feel about the version 1 versus the version 2 of the 85L? I'm seeing mixed results. Jul 14, 2009 at 12:19 PM

Sahid Limon Offline Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #22 · 85 f1.2L Slow Focus Daan B wrote: Sahid Limon wrote: I've used the 85L for 4 of my weddings in the past. The lens is fan-freakin-tastic in almost everything except the focus speed. The first wedding I covered was during the day, and I instantly fell in love with the lens. However, the second wedding was when I experienced the bad side of slow focus from this gem. The reception started in the evening and went on till the night, with very low light. I tried to get the lens to focus for dance shots, but it was so slow, that I was missing most of the action. When it would finally focus, it would re-focus again since people were moving, and it would take a while to lock on again... and ultimately miss focus. I ended up switching to the 50mm f/1.4, and just using that to get the shots. The lens was so slow, that I ended up missing some good action shots. On another wedding, the lens was fantastic again for the most part, but at the reception in a dimly lit hotel, it was hard to focus once again... and quite annoying to be honest. As a wedding photographer, I have a strange love-hate relationship with this lens. I love this lens to death, and am more than likely going to purchase it anyway since it's so nice and sharp. Infact, it's one of the sharpest lenses I've ever used to this day. However, the slow AF really annoys me for wedding work, and I wish there was a way around it. On what cam? First wedding was on a 20D, next two were on the 5D, and the last one was on a 5D mark II. Jul 14, 2009 at 05:30 PM

SoundHound Offline Dedicated FM Upload & Sell: On p.1 #23 · 85 f1.2L Slow Focus I bought the cheaper Mk I 85L and the 85 F1.8 (for fast focus and low weight utility). Both were cheaper than a Mk II. Jul 14, 2009 at 05:52 PM

Dawei Ye Offline Dedicated FM Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #24 · 85 f1.2L Slow Focus Hask wrote: I'm no lens expert, but wouldn't this lens be a heck of a lot faster if it was rear-focussing? No need to move heavy elements in that case... Maybe something for v3 Yeah you're right the front focusing group is probably the major reason why it's so slow Jul 15, 2009 at 08:09 AM

Rick Sidor Offline Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #25 · 85 f1.2L Slow Focus I have the MK I version and when I first received it I thought it was slow (which it is).. However, I think that's viewed from an end to end range which doesn't happen too often. I've learned to pre focus shots and the smaller adjustments seem pretty quick. Candids can be a bit tough to try and fire off a quick shot, but I think the lens produces such great results its worth the effort. Jul 15, 2009 at 10:29 AM

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