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kkroeker
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Registered: Feb 3, 2009
Location: Canada
Posts: 115
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Review Date: Apr 20, 2010
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $379.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Sharp wide open and beautiful bokeh
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Cons:
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none so far.
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Sharp, sharp & sharp...even wide open @ 1.8 this baby is sharp! The bokeh is oh soooooooo creamy too  I don't know why I waited so long to get it. If your're considering buying this lens just go & buy it... you'll love it
I am shooting it on a 7d.
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 Apr 20, 2010
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Trevor Sowers
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Registered: Aug 14, 2009
Location: Canada
Posts: 81
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Review Date: Apr 14, 2010
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $550.00
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Sharp wide open. Good build. Light. Fast and accurate AF.
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Cons:
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Would prefer a bayonet hood although the clip on one has not been a problem it's just finickier to attach.
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I don't hesitate to shoot wide open. I love this lens for portraits indoors and out. I also use it for sports where it's wide aperture and fast AF rock!
If you think you want a short telephoto prime don't waste your time thinking about it, just buy it.
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Apr 14, 2010
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Marc de Wit
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Registered: Apr 3, 2010
Location: Netherlands
Posts: 0
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Review Date: Apr 7, 2010
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Fast AF , usable 1.8 , very sharp starting at 2.5 , colors , bokeh
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Cons:
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To much CA , very poor hood (very loose clampsystem ) , Canon's arrogancy in not changing this and still asking a lot of dollars / euros is unbelievable.
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Top IQ ,
the hood is a disaster and not Canon worthy
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Apr 7, 2010
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supergrandma
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Registered: Apr 1, 2010
Location: United States
Posts: 0
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Review Date: Apr 1, 2010
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $350.00
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Fast autofocus, good build quality, sharp, affordable, f/1.8
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Cons:
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Purple fringing, slightly soft wide open
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The Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 is a superior and affordable prime. I use it primarily for portraits on a 450D, and it functions superbly. The autofocus is fast and accurate, and the build and image quality exceed the price of the lens. Wide open, center performance is relatively impressive, and stopped down to f/2.8, images are incredibly sharp across the frame. The lens' only real downside is its tendency to produce purple fringing, which generally isn't problematic. As a whole, the lens is fantastic, especially considering its low price.
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Apr 1, 2010
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Phil UKNet
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Registered: Oct 20, 2007
Location: Thailand
Posts: 0
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Review Date: Mar 27, 2010
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Cheap, light weight, great low-light performance, very good image quality, pleasant bokeh, good reach on a crop body
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Cons:
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None really
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This lens is a real bargain. The image quality is indistinguishable from my L lenses and it is a lot faster than any of my L lenses.
The construction may not be to L standards, but it feels quite solid. Not being an L lens, it doesn't come with a lens hood but I haven't really found a hood to be necessary.
The shallow depth of field and smooth bokeh makes it a good portrait lens. It's particularly good for street photography and candid photos. It's not much bigger than a 'standard' lens; it's not white; and it therefore doesn't attract attention.
The reach is good on a crop body camera and for portraits you have a comfortable working distance from your subject.
Compressed landscape scenes are also good. The closest focusing distance isn't that close so there are limits with macro-type work.
Considering the image quality and price, I can't criticise any aspect of this lens.
For some sample images see:
http://phil.uk.net/photography/canon_85F18.html
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Mar 27, 2010
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fusionphoto
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Registered: Apr 16, 2005
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 17
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Review Date: Mar 2, 2010
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $379.00
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Cost, quick AF, good DOF, sharpness across the board
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Cons:
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Some CA wide open
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I bought this lens a few days ago for a great price. After some initial testing I have found it to be a pleasing lens to use, usable wide open at 1.8 but get even sharper stopped down a little.
I had considered the L 85 f1.2 but the extra price did not warrant the purchase so I went with this, and I'm glad I did it will surely become one of my favs.
Built quality although no L is still very good and the lens feels solid and well built.
It does, as has been reported in other reviews, suffer from some vignetting when used wide open and some CA is apparent but nothing that will cause me a problem. A good lens I would recommend to a friend.
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Mar 2, 2010
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Keith Broad
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Registered: Aug 14, 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 109
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Review Date: Feb 17, 2010
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Razor sharp, fast, responsive AF, very nice contrast, colour and bokeh, value
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Cons:
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Lens hood is a clamp style - not very secure
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I finally bought this lens after considering the 'L' version. The 1.2 was very tempting, but I heard really good stories about the 1.8. The thing that swayed me most was the focus speed. I tried a 1.2 in the shop and found it was pretty slow. The 1.8 is no speed demon, but it is acceptably fast. I have tried the lens on both my 1DIII and 5D2 and it doesn't need to be micro-adjusted.
My first outing with the lens (portraits of my very active grandchildren) produced shots with beautiful bokeh, contrast and outstanding sharpness. This may be my favourite lens for a while.
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Feb 17, 2010
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denoir
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Registered: Feb 11, 2010
Location: Sweden
Posts: 4184
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Review Date: Feb 17, 2010
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $700.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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sharp, nice bokeh, fast
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Cons:
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CA
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This is my favorite prime lens. Exceptionally sharp, excellent in low light and it produces a great creamy bokeh. It's probably the best value lens you can buy. Build quality is OK - not up to 'L' standard but better than for instance the 50/1.4. The auto focus is very fast.
The only negative aspect is the purple fringing that you get in high contrast areas.
Overall a fantastic lens with probably the best value for money that you can get from Canon.
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Feb 17, 2010
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ajt36
Offline
Buy and Sell: On
Registered: Dec 15, 2008
Location: United States
Posts: 442
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Review Date: Feb 15, 2010
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $339.00
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Solid; nicely balanced on my 30D; Sharp stopped down a bit; Beautiful bokeh
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Cons:
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Low light focusing; Minimum focus distance, at least initially
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I bought this lens used a few months ago. I've used it off and on and I was initially not thrilled with it, but not hugely hating it either. As I've used it more and more, I started liking it more and more. I would not sell the lens. It is a nice focal length, especially on a crop camera, like my 30D.
My copy does not seem to have the chromatic aberrations (CA) at wider apertures that others have complained of. On the other hand, unlike others, my copy doesn't seem to be very sharp at 1.8, but by f/2.5 - 2.8 it is very nice. I don't shoot often at 1.8, so no big deal. My copy also seems to hunt in low light, especially below f/4... maybe it needs a calibration and that is why it was put on consignment at my local shop.
It took some time to get used to the longer minimum focal distance. It is a portrait lens, but coming from the 50mm/1.8, it was initially a bit of a turn off. Once I got used to it, however, the lens really began to grow on me.
It has a nice weight to it... feels very balanced on my 30D. Overall, I like it more and more every day and am looking forward to using it this spring when the flowers start blooming.
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Feb 15, 2010
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cauchy
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Registered: Jan 16, 2008
Location: Norway
Posts: 0
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Review Date: Dec 12, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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image quality (very good even wide open), nice bokeh, good construction and feel, fast AF, price, USM
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Cons:
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some CAs wide open (was worse on the 40D, on the 5D Mark II it is not really an issue)
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This is a fantastic lens. I really liked it on my 40D and I absolutely love it on the 5D Mark II. On the crop sensor it showed quite a bit of CAs up to around f/2.8 but on the fullframe it is not an issue. The EF 85 f/1.8 USM has an excellent image quality and a pleasant bokeh - which makes it a great portrait lens! It is quite sharp even wide open and the AF is fast and accurate.
I have never used the 85mm f/1.2L lenses (and I bet they are very good) but if f/1.8 is enough I bet you will be very happy with this lens! Especially for the relatively low price it is actually a no-brainer, get it if you have a Canon body!
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Dec 12, 2009
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Fr3d
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Registered: Nov 28, 2008
Location: Germany
Posts: 290
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Review Date: Nov 14, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $400.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Small, light, fast, cheap, sharp.
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Cons:
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Need to buy hood extra. Some CA wide open.
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I'm using this lens on a 5DII ... it is alot of fun to play with the shallow depth of field. I usualy stop down to f2 for sharpness but f1.8 too isn't bad at all. It's a lot of lens for the money. Highly recommended!
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Nov 14, 2009
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EZarris
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Registered: Oct 1, 2009
Location: Australia
Posts: 0
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Review Date: Oct 1, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $450.00
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Solid build, good IQ, f/1.8, fast AF, great bokeh, lightweight
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Cons:
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None really. Could use IS if i had to pick.
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This is a great lens. Sharp and fast, it is excellent for portraits. For the price, it's really hard to beat. Could benefit from IS, but then again, all lenses would and you know id doesn't have it when you buy it.
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Oct 1, 2009
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ersatz
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Registered: Aug 24, 2009
Location: United States
Posts: 222
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Review Date: Aug 24, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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AF Speed, Contrast, Bokeh, Sharpness, Aperture, price
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Cons:
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Purple fringing in high contrast areas
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I got mine used and at $250 it was a steal. The AF is very quick and accurate even in low light, not to mention quiet. The lens is fairly sharp at 1.8 and has excellent center sharpness @2.8 and all round at f/4. On a full frame it exhibits some vignetting until 2.8 but still quite useable. I've noticed purple fringing in high contrast areas even when using the et-65 lens hood. The wider the aperture the great it becomes, but still quite acceptable. I find it is a tad soft wide open but this make it excellent for portraits expecially with the wonderful bokeh.
Build quality is great for the price. It certainly isn't L glass quality but it is far better than the plastic 50mm 1.8 that people rave about. The lens has a good heft to it for the size but still balances well on cheaper plastic bodies like the 1000d. The AF motor is durable as with the lens hood attached I've bumped into objects and it still functions well. The same cannot be said for the 50mm 1.4 as even a slight jolt can damage it's AF motor.
The manual focus ring is decent, though it feels a little gritty. But with the superb USM AF you'll probably rarely use manual focus.
While it does lack IS, I really haven't found it to be an issue at this focal length even on a crop body. But it does tend to be a tad long on a crop to use a walkaround lens.
This is by far my favorite Canon non L-glass prime. The 100mm f/2 is great but a tad too long on a crop, and I find the AF on the 85mm better in all regards.
I know people like the 50mm because of their focal length but the 1.8 and 1.4 have poor build quality/durability and their AF is horrendous. And wide open or at comparable apertures they aren't anywhere as sharp as the 85mm 1.8 is.
I think when you factor in all the qualities of this lens and it's price it is probably the best value.
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Aug 24, 2009
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versatile
Offline
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Registered: Aug 24, 2009
Location: N/A
Posts: 0
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Review Date: Aug 24, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Sharpness, AF speed, contrast, USM, price!
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Cons:
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CA
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This is a true must-have!
I am a hobbyist, and I bought this lens about a month ago. I have been using it on both 30D and 40D cameras, and I have to say, that, while 30D sometimes is still hunting for focus with this, the 40D was absolutely instant and silent to focus.
The sharpness is excellent, and the contrast is much much much better than it is with, say, 50/1.8 II lens. Excellent backgroud separation.
There is one drawback, though, and it is CAs. They rule the picture in high-contrast areas and are notable even on the tiny LCD of my 30D. However, as a lightroom user I am not afraid of those 
For the price paid this is an excellent lens, built, well, not like a tank, but somewhere near for sure.
Highly reccomended!
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Aug 24, 2009
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Fulcrum
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Registered: May 23, 2008
Location: Finland
Posts: 2
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Review Date: Aug 22, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Excellent sharpness, contrast, colour reproduction, fantastic bokeh. Silent.
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Cons:
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AF sometimes misses in the dark. Feels shoddy and plastic.
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I traded my old and noisy 28mm/2.8 for this and boy, I am glad I did.
No more focus BUZZ, no more pentagon-shaped bokeh. And less missed shots, because the AF is close to perfect even in the dark. And now I can enjoy a quiet walk in the forest.
I have rarely seen a bokeh as pleasing as the one this lens is capable of. Of the lenses I personally own, only 400mm/5.6L USM and Contax Zeiss Sonnar T* 135mm/2.8 produce as good or better results. The bokeh is perfectly round and buttery smooth.
The images taken with this lens require significantly less post-production work and noise reduction. The colours are very near to perfect in almost every image taken with this one.
There is one thing that worries me about most of the Canon lenses (especially the short non-L primes), and that is the shoddy, plastic feel. I love the sturdy feel of a Zeiss or an L-series bird tele. Not shoddy at all, unlike these little plastic jars. But I guess it will be able to hold itself together long enough.
I could not have bought myself a better birthday present.
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Aug 22, 2009
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MarcyJillGood
Offline
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Registered: May 19, 2009
Location: United States
Posts: 997
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Review Date: Aug 15, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Very sharp; very fast.
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Cons:
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Heavy lens
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Very sharp lens - I love the IQ. Focuses fast, even in low light. Take beautiful portraits. If you have a cropped body, it's a bit long for walk-around use at an event (I seem to turn to zooms, or to the 50mm 1.4 in those situations). Built solidly & somehow feels heavier when working with it than some of the larger lenses. Perhaps this is because it seems heavy for its size (I have small hands - might be part of the problem). I can't recall what I paid for it, so I haven't listed that info. Also do not feel qualified to rate the build, because I know so many FM members use L lenses as the benchmark. I've never dropped a lens or broken one, so I have no experience in comparing how tough they are when that happens (hope I never have to learn the hard way).
Currently using XSi & recently purchased 5D Mkii, but haven't tried this lens on it yet.
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Aug 15, 2009
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Reviews
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Views
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Date of last review
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307
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462555
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Feb 14, 2013
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Recommended By
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Average Price
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95% of reviewers
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$349.50
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Build Quality Rating
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Price Rating
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Overall Rating
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8.92
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9.46
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9.4
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