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David Israel
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Registered: Nov 6, 2007
Location: United States
Posts: 3755
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Review Date: Nov 28, 2007
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $329.00
| Rating: 7
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Pros:
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Reasonable Price, wide aperature
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Cons:
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Softer than my L Zoom lenses, occassional front focusing
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The EF 85 f1.8 has become my least used lens (by me, anyway. I have a friend who does portrait photagraphy and she borrows this lens from me all of the time). My EF 70-200 f2.8 L IS has virtually replaced this lens, for me. The Zoom is sharper at 85mm than this prime is, so I hardly ever use it. In spite of this, however, I do still recommend this lens. Why?
My EF 70 f2.8 L IS cost over $1,700.00 and this lens cost me $329! There is the "Law of Diminishing returns" to consider. If you can pay 200% more to get 20% better performance, is it worth it to you? Would you pay 400% more to get 10% better performance? Each person has to make these decisions for themselves.
Our most respected local photography studio uses this lens (with great results, I should add). I thought that, surely, they must use the 85 f1.2; but they don't, they use this lens!
This lens is a little long for full portraits on my 1.6 crop factor body (I'll bet it would be perfect on a 5D), but makes a decent head and shoulders lens. My biggest complaint about my lens is that in lower light it seems to front focus a little, requiring some manual adjustment. It does focus quietly, however.
If you are coming from a package lens (i.e. 28-105 f4-5.6 lens) than the 85 f1.8 will really feel like a stellar performer. If you are accustomed to a red stripe on most of your lenses than the image quality may seem more "adequate" than exceptional.
My opinion of this lens changed over time. When this WAS one of my better lenses, it was the bomb! When this became one of my more affordable lenses, it compared less favorably to other lenses in my bag. However, when you take price into consideration, I still feel that this lens delivers a lot for the cost. I would still recommend this lens to a friend and I'm still not quite prepared to part with it (and that should tell you something).
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 Nov 28, 2007
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Steve Spencer
Offline
Buy and Sell: On
Registered: Nov 7, 2006
Location: Canada
Posts: 6327
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Review Date: Nov 25, 2007
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $325.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Fast autofocus, great IQ, great in low light, very sharp from f/2.0
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Cons:
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none
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This is a very nice lens at a very reasonable price. With its fast focus and wide aperture it is easy to use even in low light. A stellar performer and an excellent value.
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Nov 25, 2007
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Wil Fry
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Registered: Nov 19, 2007
Location: United States
Posts: 0
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Review Date: Nov 19, 2007
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $309.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Fast AF, Extreme sharpness, Low cost, Great bokeh
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Cons:
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No hood
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This is the sharpest lens I've used on my Canon Rebel XTi. It's regularly produced crisper images than the 50mm f/1.2, and sharper than the 70-200mm f/2.8L.
For portraits, I haven't found anything better. The 85mm f/1.8 gives great "bokeh," focuses quickly and quietly, and the colors and contrasts of each photo are dead-on.
My only complaint is that it doesn't come with a hood, and the one you can buy for it isn't that great (flimsy, ugly). I'm not sure why Canon can't include their hoods like Sigma does.
For just over $300 (brand new), I haven't found anything in this category that's better.
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Nov 19, 2007
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jcmedeiros
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Registered: Jun 30, 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 746
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Review Date: Nov 14, 2007
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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price-focus speed-contrast
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Cons:
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el cheapo hood
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The EF 85 f/1.8 may be the best value in the Canon line up. I used it this Fall to shoot volleyball and I am very impressed. It consistently produces sharp contrasty images. Wide open it has a nice smooth brokeh. I've used the 85 f/1.2L and the 1.8 hold up quite favorably against it, especially considering the price difference.The focus speed is also quite good, way better than the high inertia 1.2/L.
At its price point, the 85 1.8 is very tough to beat.
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Nov 14, 2007
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toma7
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Registered: Jan 31, 2007
Location: Austria
Posts: 0
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Review Date: Nov 12, 2007
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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perfect portrait lens, sharp from f/2.2, DOF, light, bokeh, cheap, fast AF, might be the best non-L lens, not much worse than 85mm 1.2
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Cons:
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some CA wide open, focusing distance
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Nov 12, 2007
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Perry Ge
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Registered: Jul 30, 2007
Location: N/A
Posts: 9
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Review Date: Nov 4, 2007
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $357.00
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Sharp, super-fast AF, gorgeous bokeh, great IQ, price!
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Cons:
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Some CA wide open under harsh conditions, AF can hunt a bit in low-light, stupid hood.
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Picked one of these up second hand and it's my favourite lens by far. Amazing bang for the buck - images are sharp, colours and contrast are great, 1.8 aperture is really useful for creating gorgeous bokeh or shooting in low-light conditions. The AF is lighting quick and for the most part, very accurate. Fantastic price for a lens of this quality as well.
My only beefs with it are that there is a bit of CA when shooting wide open under certain conditions (when harsh whites with sharp borders are present), and in low light, the AF occasionally hunts. The lens hood is also an incredibly stupid clip-on design that feels flimsy at best.
All in all, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this lens - especially given its price!
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Nov 4, 2007
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Peter Kotsa
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Registered: Nov 1, 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 265
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Review Date: Nov 1, 2007
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $670.00
| Rating: 5
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Pros:
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compared to the 1.2 version its quite good/sharp
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Cons:
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misses focus quite a bit at 1.8
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good lens but not at pro levels. CA plus not focussing accurately is where this lens is let down.
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Nov 1, 2007
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sivrajbm
Offline
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Registered: Mar 15, 2005
Location: United States
Posts: 2785
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Review Date: Oct 31, 2007
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $314.00
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Speed, handling, IQ, bokem, sharp, vibrant colors and bright viewfinder image.
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Cons:
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Hood not included
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This is my second 85/1.8 the first died in a tragic second story balcony accident. I really like this lense, it fast and sharp. It's the perfect portrait lenses on a 1-series camera. For all that it does Canon could have put a red ring around it and no one would think anything different it's that good. To get the most from it outside in bright light get the hood it helps kill flare and improve color, contrast and saturation. This little lense is a real winner.
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Oct 31, 2007
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Doug Weasner
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Registered: Oct 24, 2007
Location: United States
Posts: 221
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Review Date: Oct 24, 2007
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $360.00
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Fast and reliable autofocus, even in low light on a Rebel XTi. Fabulous sharpness and incredible bokeh, especially for a consumer lens.
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Cons:
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Pay extra for a hood...and a clip on one at that? Buyers of genuine Canon glass deserve better than that, L or not, IMO.
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This lens gets it done without breaking the bank. Ring USM with full time manual, usable wide open with great sharpness from f2.0 on (at least on my copy). Good color, flare resistance, and other hallmarks of high optical quality are there as well. Past reviewers have mentioned unusual CA with this lens - I haven't noticed it with my mostly indoor use of this lens.
Sharp. Zoom. Cheap: Pick 2. For photographers on a budget, Canon's lineup of prime lenses will introduce you to a new level of image quality that consumer zooms just can't reach.
After using this lens, then going to pick up the hood about a month later, that was a sizable let down. My Tamron and Tokina lenses have solid bayonet mount hoods; I feel like I'm going to break the hood for this unit every time I clip it on/off. The excellent performance of Canon consumer prime lenses in general keep me loyal to them in that segment, but I will look at either L units or to other manufacturers (as I did with my Tamron 17-50 and Tokina 50-135) for my zoom lens needs.
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Oct 24, 2007
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S Zozgornik
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Registered: Oct 17, 2007
Location: Germany
Posts: 9
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Review Date: Oct 17, 2007
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Best Lens for the money
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Cons:
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none
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A Gem, sharp even at 1,8.
Quick focus, well build but compact and lightweight.
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Oct 17, 2007
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lord_malone
Offline
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Registered: Oct 9, 2005
Location: United States
Posts: 496
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Review Date: Sep 25, 2007
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $349.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Focal length on both full frame and APS-C sensors, image quality more than matches the 85 1.2L I & II, AF speed, large max aperture (sadly not 1.4 or below, but fast nonetheless, cost vs. the 85 1.2L, lightweight, inconspicuous, sharp, sharp and sharp! Does sports, weddings, portraits, household pets, ducks... This is an L lens in disguise.
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Cons:
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lens hood is bit weak, lens hood sold separately, AF is a tad noisy, doesn't have that L quality build (obviously for the price)... Honestly I really can't pick this lens apart. This is the best prosumer lens I've ever used PERIOD.
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BLUF, this isn't a very technical review. Most everything good that can be said about this lens has already been mentioned and repeated. I'll just hit on a few points that are important to me. I once owned the mighty 85 1.2L and it was truly a stellar performer. I used to long for the days I could go back to having that ultra-fast 1.2 aperture, but the 85 1.8 pretty much mitigated the need. The 85 1.2L is now at the very bottom of my lens priority list, and I don't even feel that it's a necessity any longer. Yes, the 85 1.8 is THAT GOOD. How can a $350 lens possibly match its more expensive faster brother(s) for IQ? I don't know, but Canon has done something right and this is absolutely to best bang for buck non L glass you can buy. If you're in need of a lens for indoor sports, this lens fits the bill. Fast aperture is a plus, but the faster auto focus puts the 1.2 version to shame. If you're in need of a lens for portraits, this lens is arguably among the best Canon has to offer, and ranks right up there with the 85L and 135L. I've used this lens for weddings and environmental portraits and it does not disappoint at all. This lens is sharp across the aperture range, and out performs some L's I've owned. If you're considering the 85L, I strongly recommend you try this lens before you plunk down all that hard earned cash. Yeah, this lens may not have a red ring, but it deserves one.
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Sep 25, 2007
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kingoftheapes
Offline
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Registered: Mar 9, 2006
Location: United States
Posts: 70
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Review Date: Sep 25, 2007
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $320.00
| Rating: 8
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Pros:
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Fast, good price, fast focus, light
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Cons:
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purple fringing, contrast suffers when wide open
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This lens is excellent for portraits and low light situations.
Focus speed is fast and tracking moving subjects is easily done.
Contrast seems a bit poor at f1.8 and purple fringing is obvious in high contrast situations.
The hood is cheaply constructed and could fit more snugly.
This lens and the 50mm 1.8 are very close in range but the 85mm f1.8 is a much better performer in focus speed and bokeh.
Overall, a very good lens for the money.
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Sep 25, 2007
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Daniel Hwang
Offline
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Registered: Mar 18, 2007
Location: United States
Posts: 68
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Review Date: Sep 6, 2007
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $329.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Sharp @ wide open, creamy bokeh, FAST AF
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Cons:
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I hate the hood
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This lens produces some amazing pictures.
It somehow makes my ugly friend look pretty/handsome.
Mine was sharp out of the box at all aperture even @ 1.8.
AF was fast and dead on.
CA wasn't noticeable in real life shooting unless you shoot a sheet of crumpled foils.
Only thing I don't like about this lens is its hood.
It won't fit tightly.
I can hold the hood and spin the lens freely.
Come on canon, even sigma makes better hood/fit.
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Sep 6, 2007
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bubbles55
Offline
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Registered: Jul 13, 2005
Location: United States
Posts: 85
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Review Date: Sep 5, 2007
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $325.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Great portrait/headshot lens. Excellent quality for the price. Colors pop.
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Cons:
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I'm constantly amazed that I use a $325 lens for professional portraits. For any other type of professional photography I'd have to spend at least a grand to start up. Wild life? Sports? Wedding? Forget about it. But here I can show up with a lens that costs about the same as my session fee and produce amazing beautiful results.
The colors this lens produces are second to none. They just seem richer and fuller than the colors on my mid-range zoom lens.
My one complaint is the lens doesn't look very impressive on my camera. From 10 feet away I can't tell if my 50 1.8 is mounted on the camera or the 85 1.8. I've yet to get confused and shoot a session with the wrong lens, but it's not really going to impress a client like the 85 1.2 will. This isn't a real complaint, it's just an observation.
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Sep 5, 2007
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Don Farra
Offline
Image Upload: Off
Registered: Sep 4, 2007
Location: United States
Posts: 0
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Review Date: Sep 5, 2007
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $280.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Super sharp images, clear, clean and free of distortion. Fast focusing that is dead on.
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Cons:
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none
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Compared to my 85 1.2 L lens this lens is a speed demon and for images shot beyond 3 feet and above f/4.0 they appear nearly the same to me. This lens can track my 3 year old daughter running around and playing, indoor or outdoors, while the 85 1.2 L cannot. Great value when you consider the price.
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Sep 5, 2007
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mordonio
Offline
Image Upload: Off
Registered: Nov 26, 2005
Location: Malaysia
Posts: 0
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Review Date: Jul 28, 2007
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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price, fast autofocus, weight
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Cons:
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CA, no hood (again), min. focusing distance, weight (what a relief)
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this should be in every photographer's (amateur/advance) kit ... usable, although CA is evident on objects with shiny surface or fabric, at 1.8 and very sharp from 2.0 onwards ... USM works great in those dimly lit locations ... wish it can focus a little more closer (3 ft. is minimum focusing distance) ... bokeh is very good considering its a 'cheap' lens and not an 'L' lens ... basically this is a 'portrait' lens ... you cannot ask for more for this lens except maybe the incredibly expensive hood ... get it and be amazed ...
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Jul 28, 2007
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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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463991
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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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