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Archive 2018 · 85/1.2 II vs 1.4 IS

maxx9photo
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · 85/1.2 II vs 1.4 IS

Guys,

Please share your thought between the two, I currently have the 1.2 and curious how the 1.4 stack up against it. I know IS is the biggest factor of benefit of the 1.4. I might just rent one (1.4) before I decide if I will let go my beloved lens.

Sorry if this has been posted and thanks in advance!

Aug 15, 2018 at 10:44 AM

Access
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · 85/1.2 II vs 1.4 IS

I think most today would go for the f/1.4 unless they really need the extra wide open aperture. Unless you are actually doing a lot of shooting at f/1.2, the f/1.4 just makes more sense.

Aug 15, 2018 at 11:52 AM

johnctharp
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · 85/1.2 II vs 1.4 IS

The 85/1.4L IS is also faster focusing, lighter, not smaller but better sealed- you really have to want the 'special' rendering and shallow DOF of the 85/1.2L (I/II) to pick it over the f/1.4 lens for regular work.

I will also say that I can see the utility in having both.

Aug 15, 2018 at 12:12 PM

adittam
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · 85/1.2 II vs 1.4 IS

I've also been contemplating the 85 f/1.4. Currently, I use the 70-200 f/2.8 IS II for almost all of my portrait work, and am wondering if the 85 f/1.4 is worth the investment for a guy who only shoots paid gigs intermittently. FWIW, I currently have the 85 f/1.8 and rarely use it; I almost always choose the 70-200.

Aug 15, 2018 at 01:07 PM

michi098
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · 85/1.2 II vs 1.4 IS

adittam wrote:
I've also been contemplating the 85 f/1.4. Currently, I use the 70-200 f/2.8 IS II for almost all of my portrait work, and am wondering if the 85 f/1.4 is worth the investment for a guy who only shoots paid gigs intermittently. FWIW, I currently have the 85 f/1.8 and rarely use it; I almost always choose the 70-200.

I had the 85 1.8 and it was a nice lens, but AF was so random with my copy. When I got the 5DIV, it was the first camera which could actually focus it somewhat reliably. I sold the 1.8 and bought the 85 1.4 L IS and to no surprise it is miles better.

On the other hand, a friend of mine just bought a 70-200 2.8 L IS II and we switched for fun on a afternoon and took portraits and other shots at a party of ours. It kind of made me doubt my purchase of the 85 1.4. His 70-200 took great portraits and still blurred the background nicely, especially whenever further zoomed in.

In other words, especially if you say you rarely take the 85 1.8 out of your bag, I would save the money.

Sorry for going off on a tangent, never got my hands on the 85 1.2, can't comment about it.

Aug 15, 2018 at 01:21 PM

Dragonfire
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · 85/1.2 II vs 1.4 IS

The 85L IS is a well thought out lens with all the bells and whistles to make it a first class lens, it just has no soul, no sex appeal and no POP.

I owned the 85L 1.2 and used it for weddings for 5 years and I purchased the 85L IS for less than a month and returned it.

When I need a 85L it will be the 1.2.

Aug 15, 2018 at 01:41 PM

jcolwell
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · 85/1.2 II vs 1.4 IS

I'm sticking with the 85/1.2L II, for sure. Plus, some Alt lenses.

OTOH, if not for the 100/2.8L IS Macro, I'd be all over the 85/1.4 L IS. I typically use the 100/2.8L IS Macro as backup for my 70-200/2.8L IS II at events (and sometimes instead-of, in tight quarters), where the IS is invaluable. My 'normal' focal length backup is the 50/1.4 USM, which I'll replace in a heartbeat (or mouse-click) when the 50/1.4L IS becomes available.

Aug 15, 2018 at 01:54 PM

adittam
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · 85/1.2 II vs 1.4 IS

michi098 wrote:
I had the 85 1.8 and it was a nice lens, but AF was so random with my copy. When I got the 5DIV, it was the first camera which could actually focus it somewhat reliably. I sold the 1.8 and bought the 85 1.4 L IS and to no surprise it is miles better.

On the other hand, a friend of mine just bought a 70-200 2.8 L IS II and we switched for fun on a afternoon and took portraits and other shots at a party of ours. It kind of made me doubt my purchase of the 85...Show more →

This is exactly the type of insight I was hoping for. Thanks for the reply!

Aug 15, 2018 at 02:10 PM

willis
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · 85/1.2 II vs 1.4 IS

I tried the 85 1.4L too and returned it. The 70-200II and 100L both do the job well enough but none of them surpass the 85 1.2L II when it's what's needed. The 85 1.4L IS is a really great lens and has many advantages but it's images are a bit clinical compared to the f1.2.
I put the cash toward a 35LII instead which is awesome.

Aug 15, 2018 at 02:27 PM

adittam
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · 85/1.2 II vs 1.4 IS

willis wrote:
I tried the 85 1.4L too and returned it. The 70-200II and 100L both do the job well enough but none of them surpass the 85 1.2L II when it's what's needed. The 85 1.4L IS is a really great lens and has many advantages but it's images are a bit clinical compared to the f1.2.
I put the cash toward a 35LII instead which is awesome.

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my 35LII.

Aug 15, 2018 at 02:28 PM

rslhc
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · 85/1.2 II vs 1.4 IS

I will update you shortly. I have had the 1.2 for a couple years and love it. Use it mostly for personal family photos. I just received a 1.4 yesterday. Spent the evening shooting pics of my son playing in the yard and the AF speed was amazingly refreshing. Wide open bokeh performance didn’t feel that difference. Closer min focusing distance was also welcome. Haven’t put it through it’s paces much, but seemed a bit sharper at 1.4 with less CA/Fringing.

Overall I’m a fan. It is larger, but it feels fine when in use. I will be comparing the two more in terms of bokeh, as it seems that it’s the only area that the 1.2 could pull ahead from a deficit or tie.

Aug 15, 2018 at 02:38 PM

mb126
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · 85/1.2 II vs 1.4 IS

I've shot both lenses a lot (I have the 85L IS, my second has the older 85L). The 85L IS through and through behaves like a modern lens which means higher contrast, higher resolution, lower (though still some) CA, and perhaps lacking "character" as some call it. I find the bokeh of the 85L IS better than the 85 Art and a little less smooth than the old 85L.
Nonetheless, it's the first 85 I can shoot wide open during a wedding processional and not worry about getting enough keepers. IS does make a difference shooting in that 1/125-1/200 range. It's also a highly capable landscape lens and conveniently takes 77mm filters like a lot of the other zooms. It's weather sealed and snappy to focus in a way that no other f/1.4 lens in this class can say. It's not *quite* the optically perfect gem that the 35L II is but it's a very, very worthy companion to that lens.

The older 85L has smoother rendering overall and a certain appeal/dreaminess to its images. I shoot and love the 50L so I get it. Out in the field I have no regrets about the 85L IS for my uses but YMMV.

Aug 15, 2018 at 02:39 PM

maxx9photo
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · 85/1.2 II vs 1.4 IS

willis wrote:
I put the cash toward a 35LII instead which is awesome.

I have the same lens, it is awesome!

Aug 15, 2018 at 02:42 PM

Tom RC
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · 85/1.2 II vs 1.4 IS

85mm at f1.2 is SPECIAL!!!!!!!!!!!!

Aug 15, 2018 at 06:25 PM

Jonesy
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · 85/1.2 II vs 1.4 IS

I sold my 85L II and got the 85 1.4 IS. It was my most used lens but it was so slow focusing and to use 1.2 the subject couldn't be moving. Now the new 85 I use wide open at 1.4 and photograph puppies for work moving all over in Servo mode and the eyes are sharp. Its fast and reliable!
Also got the 35L II. Bad bad lens!

Aug 15, 2018 at 08:06 PM

bipock
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · 85/1.2 II vs 1.4 IS

I've shot the 85 1.2 before - enjoyed it but not enough to keep it. Shooting at 1.2 was just a little beyond what my hands could render. Great blur, but a little slow on the focusing end.

The 85 1.4 is lighter, faster and easily one of my favorite portrait lenses (the other being the 70-200). However, it's clinical sharp - super sharp. There's times when I wish it was a little less clinical, little more soul, maybe a touch softer at times.

Other that small issue, I love mine and use it frequently.

Aug 15, 2018 at 08:08 PM

moondigger
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · 85/1.2 II vs 1.4 IS

The 85/1.4L IS is sharper, has less CA, focuses far faster, and weighs a little bit less than the old 85L.

The old 85L can open up to f/1.2.

The 85/1.4L has very effective image stabilization.

The 85/1.4L IS is an overall better choice than the 85/1.2L. (Yes, I have used both.)

The 85/1.4L IS is also a far better lens at 85 mm than any 70-200 zoom, for a wide variety of reasons. A 70-200 zoom is a far better lens if you frequently shoot at focal lengths the 85/1.4L doesn't cover.

Aug 15, 2018 at 08:45 PM

rscheffler
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · 85/1.2 II vs 1.4 IS

mb126 wrote:
I've shot both lenses a lot (I have the 85L IS, my second has the older 85L). The 85L IS through and through behaves like a modern lens which means higher contrast, higher resolution, lower (though still some) CA, and perhaps lacking "character" as some call it. I find the bokeh of the 85L IS better than the 85 Art and a little less smooth than the old 85L.
Nonetheless, it's the first 85 I can shoot wide open during a wedding processional and not worry about getting enough keepers. IS does make a difference shooting in that 1/125-1/200 range....Show more →

This pretty much sums up my opinion about the two. I've shot the 85/1.2 for ~10 years and recently added the 85/1.4. Since getting the 1.4, I have not gone back to using the 1.2, though initially I was not all that sure about whether I liked the look of the 1.4. I almost had buyer's remorse.

Yes, the 1.4 has a somewhat more modern, neutral, clean rendering. Yes, maybe that's a bit boring in comparison, but it's a much more predictable lens across a range of situations. I also find it to be sharper off-center and avoids veiling flare better in a range of backlit situations, unless of course you want the veiling flare of the 1.2.

As for whether it's good for portrait applications... sure, I guess. But if I have a choice and am working in a controlled situation, I prefer to work a bit longer in the 110-135mm range. IMO it just looks a bit better. If it's studio work, strobed, etc., it's probably going to be stopped down and in that case I use a 70-200 instead.

Aug 16, 2018 at 01:23 AM

artificialyello
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · 85/1.2 II vs 1.4 IS

johnctharp wrote:
The 85/1.4L IS is also faster focusing, lighter, not smaller but better sealed- you really have to want the 'special' rendering and shallow DOF of the 85/1.2L (I/II) to pick it over the f/1.4 lens for regular work.

I will also say that I can see the utility in having both.

You can't have tooo much glass! I'm quite happy with my adapted Takumar 85/1.9MF of course but if I wanted AF then the 1.4 would be the natural choice for outdoor events, street and nature but perhaps the 1.2 for studio, if you don' t depend heavily on corner sharpness and IS. The Sigma 85 Art would be a contender in the latter case too as well as the 105 Art in the former....

Aug 16, 2018 at 01:29 AM

Peter Figen
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · 85/1.2 II vs 1.4 IS

Sold my 1.2 Bought the new 1.4 and never looked back. Never missed the old one and really don't long for the old focusing speeds. The new lens, in MY hands is better all the way around. Your mileage may vary, but as far as not having enough pop or whatever, that's not my experience at all. Maybe it's the lighting and processing that makes the diff. For me, this new lens is the 85mm I always wanted but couldn't have until last December. It IS a brick though but it feels more solidly built that the old lenses, and it has a real focusing helicoid with a real, really great feeling focusing ring.

Aug 16, 2018 at 03:20 AM

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