Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM
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Review Date: Dec 19, 2010
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Excellent sharpness wide open, stunning & unique DOF capabilities, outstanding bokeh quality.
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Cons:
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"drive-by-wire" manual focus system, no wheather sealing, rear element is flush with the back end of the lens which makes lens changing a daunting affair, some chromatic abberations wide open with high contrast, autofocus speed is OK but could be faster.
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I have only had this lens for 4 days but I am already taken back by the amazing photos that this lens is capable of.
The minimum DOF is actually not as shallow as on my 35mm F1.4, because this lens focuses down to 30cm (min DOF for the 35mm lens is about 5.5mm at 30cm versus 8.2mm for the 85mm lens at the closest focusing distance of 95cm). This makes the 85mm lens slightly easier to focus correctly at the minimum focus distance.
However what the 85mm lens does that my 35mm does not is isolate subjects from thier background at several meters away. The images produced by this lens when used in this way are unique and stunning. See an example here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/michael_elford/5273682122/
Whilst this lens is 5 times the price of the 85mm F1.8 lens, I believe it is good value, at least for me. Out of the hundred or so images I have taken I have only stopped the lens down twice. F1.2 on this lens is not a novelty, it is where the lens comes into its element and it will be the apeture at which mine is used 99% of the time.
People have commented that the autofocus is not fast however I would say that for me it is quite satisfactory. It is not the fastest autofocus I have but it is not so slow as to bother me (as the 100mm non-L macro does sometimes).
Yes the lens is heavy and expensive but you get what you pay for and there is over a kilogram of canon goodness packed into the 85mm 1.2L II.
Only a couple of things bother me about this lens, that is:
- The rear element is flush with the back of the lens and makes changing lenses a daunting affair.
- The manual focus ring is quite undamped and drives the autofocus motor electronically (no mechanical link).
- The hood rotates when focusing (but the lens does not).
- Some chromatic abberation in high contrast situations at F1.2 (unavoidable really and can be corrected by computer)
I must stress that the good features of the lens far outway these minor issues and I would recommend the lens 100%.
Thanks for taking the time to read my review and good luck if you manage to get your hands on one!
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