What is the quickest Auto Focus portrait lense with 1D MKII?

I have a 50 mm f1.4 which is pretty slow, a 70-200 mm IS which is pretty slow and a 17-40 mm f4 which is pretty quick but not long enough for portrait.

Any thoughts will be appreciated..

Regards,

Charles Teton

85mm f1.8 is considered one the the fastest focusing lenses in the canon lineup (by some anyway).

85mm f1.8

Am I missing something? My 50mm f/1.4 and 70-200 IS both focus very fast. The only issues I may run into is in low light situations where just about any lens is going to struggle.

How are you judging "fast"?

I'm with Bill on the 70-200 IS. Mine focuses very fast in decent light.

I agree that the 85/1.8 focuses very fast. So does the 135/2, but that is a bit long for most portrait uses on the 1.3X bodies.

85MM f/1.8, definitely. The 50MM isn't necessarily "slow", but it's focusing isn't quite as "assured'. The 85MM f/1.8 locks quickly and accurately, and almost never hunts. I was surprised to see that the 85MM is faster even than the excellent 135MM f/2L.

Of course, I'm shooting on a 20D so I don't fit your profile entirely. The 135MM f/2L is great - and it's much more usable for portraiture on the 1D than it is on the 20D.

85mm f/1.8, indeed. From what I've heard from people who own both, it's actually faster at focusing than the 135mm f/2. I own the 85mm f/1.8 and can say it really is quite fast. It's also a perfect portrait lens for 1.6X bodies.

Thanks for you comments, I was thinking that the 85 mm f1.8 was going to come out tops but was not sure, I'll definately try one.

Yes I am taking about reasonably low light and close up i.e. f2.5 at 1/80 at 400 ISO. Full technical details below for the photograph.

I've found that with my new 1D MK II, after being recalibrated by Lehmanns in Stoke on Trent because it was front focusing very badly, I get about 70% in focus on very fast moving children! With the 10D the ratio was about 40%.

Don't get me wrong I love the 70-200 mm and the 50 mm, the 50 mm with the 10D was a great portrait lens but with the 1D it looks like for low natural light it will be the 85 mm f1.8, I would love to get the 85 mm f1.2, but what what I need it for its AF would be to slow... I've tried one...





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I have the 50, the 85, the 135, and the 70-200 and they are all what I would call very fast on the 1D, even the 50 and its not even true USM. If your halfway prefocused all these lens will lock in a fraction of a second.

Are you talking about the lens hunting in bad light perhaps instead ?

I have never heard of any complaints about AF speed for portrait shooting before with any lens really. Even the "slower" lens you mentioned have always worked great for me shooting sports and action so Im not quite sure if Im understanding what your asking...

I'm assuming that when you are comparing AF speed you are doing so in low light. My 50 f/1.4 has never hunted in adequate lighting and has always "locked on" pretty fast. I would say the 70-200 is faster at acquiring focus, but the 50 certainly is no slouch.

If you are talking about AF speed in AI Servo mode then that is a different story as well, then I can see where AF speed may play a major factor, but since your original question had to do with "portrait" lens I was assuming your subjects would not be moving about...

Had the 85 1.8 before and 135 2L now. I belive the later to be faster on my 10D. But it might be wishful thinking...

The EF 85mm f/1.8 isn't an "L" lens - How is the quality compared to the 1.2L?

The Big Bad wrote:
I have the 50, the 85, the 135, and the 70-200 and they are all what I would call very fast on the 1D, even the 50 and its not even true USM. If your halfway prefocused all these lens will lock in a fraction of a second.

Are you talking about the lens hunting in bad light perhaps instead ?

I have never heard of any complaints about AF speed for portrait shooting before with any lens really. Even the "slower" lens you mentioned have always worked great for me shooting sports and action so Im not quite sure if Im understanding what your asking...

Thanks for your help... 15 years ago, before making 2 feature films, makingmymovie.com I used to be a fashion photographer in both Milan and London. Focus was never a problem and in those days it was all manual on a reflex 5x4, a RB Auto Graflex, and a posing model. With children, the way I shoot which is in natural situations, without tons of light and not posed... At 2 years old its difficult to get them to eat let alone stand still...

Most of the time because they are ducking and diving, running, jumping etc... I use AF speed in AI Servo, with the 1D C.Fn 20, tracking sensitivity set to 4: Fast, and I generally use 1 selected AF point with C.Fn 17, AF point actiation area set to 1: Expand.

What I was asking was 'what is the fastest focusing AF lense in the portrait range'.

Thanks for your info, Charles.

Edited by charlesteton on Dec 14, 2004 at 08:19 PM GMT (Reason: Weblink did not display properly)

wjmeyer wrote:
I'm assuming that when you are comparing AF speed you are doing so in low light. My 50 f/1.4 has never hunted in adequate lighting and has always "locked on" pretty fast. I would say the 70-200 is faster at acquiring focus, but the 50 certainly is no slouch.

If you are talking about AF speed in AI Servo mode then that is a different story as well, then I can see where AF speed may play a major factor, but since your original question had to do with "portrait" lens I was assuming your subjects would not be moving about...

Yes, reasonably low light. Specs as per the photo I posted.


AF speed in AI Servo mode then that is a different story as well

That is really what I'm talking about... The 50 mm is great but in AI Servo mode I can hear it and nearly feel it trying to catch up with my subject set to use the centre AF point.

The quickest lens would probably be the one which has to move the elements less from CU to infinity...

Thanks for your help. Charles

Charles, thank you for clarifying. In this regard you are correct, the 50 does seem to be "slower" than other lenses for low light AI Servo focussing in low light with moving subjects and know exactly what you're talking about because I have two little ones (with one due the 29th) and I am constantly trying to get them to be still for shots which as you know is an impossibility.

I have no experience with the 85mm f/1.8 but it sure sounds like people rave about it's AF speed; however, I'm curious if they are talking about AF speed in low light in AI Servo mode, that would certainly be the test.

I have used my 50 in very low light and have had some great shots but used it in One Shot mode and not AI Servo.

It's interesting that you mention your 17-40 being the fastest AF of your group in these particular situations. I am guessing this is due to several factors, the first being the depth of field on your wide angle zoom is much greater than the 70-200 and the second being due to the wide angle itself offering a broader area for the sensors to achieve focus. Just some thoughts there, others may have different opinions.

It certainly sounds like the 85mm f/1.8 is worth a try and after reading all the positive comments about it here, I think I will give it a look myself. Incidentally, on a 1.6x factor body (10D/20D, etc.) the 85 becomes a 136mm f/1.8 becoming the equal to the 135mm f/2 L in focal length and a little faster. I'm sure the optical quality is not up to par, but from what others say it sounds like it is pretty close.