Canon 85mm f1.8

[digitalfilm]

Has anyone out there used a Canon 85mm f1.8 USM lens with a DSLR?

If so, your comments would be appreciated.

[cmM]

I have one, and I love it. For its purpose (especially studio work), it's deffinitely my favorite lens.

[schmoelzel]

Great lens!! Inexpensive and optically up to L standard. Great for portraits and natural light pictures..........now that my 135F2 is gone :cry: this is what I will be using more often than not. You can't go wrong with this one.........here's a sample!!:lol:


http://theteahaus.netfirms.com/Canon/nfpicturepro/albums/userpics/10001/85F1.8-1D-A.jpg

[Mike H]

Great lens. Focuses quickly, very sharp, and not too large or heavy. On a digital camera it has extra reach. I use mine for portraits, wedding, dancers on stage, and local rock bands on stage. You can even use it to shoot tight basketball photos. It gives a lot of capability for just a little money (relative to the alternatives, anyway).

Mike H

[pturton]

I've had mine less than a week and see already that it is a great lens. Complaints I've read of CA seem to me to be greatly exaggerated. Sharp, great colour and bokeh. Looking forward to shooting an amateur volley-ball game next week with this lens.

Paul

[digitalfilm]

Thanks very much.


Your comments are much appreciated.

[drisley]

85F1.8 is an AWESOME lens. It's very close in image quality to the 135F2L at a fraction of the cost.
Plus, the AF speed is the best I've used. There is some CA when shot at f1.8-f2.5, but usually only under extreme circumstances.
Hey shcmoelzel? Why did you sell your 135F2L?!!!:shock:

85mm, f2.5
http://images2.fotop.net/albums/sharpnsmart/032005irish/IMG_5220.jpg

[robekert]

I think this lens should be on a "must have" list. It represents a fantastic bang for the buck. I had a 85 1.2L. I think the 85 1.8 is not a compromise. Is 1 stop worth 3 to 4X more? I know a comparison was not your original question, I just threw it in. This is a versitile, sharp lens. If you are thinking of getting it.......stop thinking and act. Get it. I used the lens to shoot basketball a few weeks ago. Ambient light. Lens wide open.

http://www.bytephoto.com/photopost/data/500/150903-05-05_BBall-005138.jpg?7364
Rob

[jyrgen]

Great Lens! I use it for portraits, concerts and other low light events. Can be used wide open without hesitation:

http://www.hot.ee/jyrgen/6272.jpg

[schmoelzel]

85F1.8 is an AWESOME lens. It's very close in image quality to the 135F2L at a fraction of the cost.
Plus, the AF speed is the best I've used. There is some CA when shot at f1.8-f2.5, but usually only under extreme circumstances.
Hey shcmoelzel? Why did you sell your 135F2L?!!!:shock:

85mm, f2.5
http://images2.fotop.net/albums/sharpnsmart/032005irish/IMG_5220.jpg


I know this would drive you nuts!!!:D I happened upon a trade for a 1D; so the DRebel is sold, the 135F2 is traded and now I have a 1D but no 135F2. I am sure that it will fill that slot in my bag again at some point. Love that lens but now I get to see how this 85F1.8 can do things!! Look for my small review of the 1D coming soon (for those that might be thinking of going this route since they are now cheaper than 20D's)

[radar-eclipse]

It focuses faster than the worshipped 85mm 1.2 L. Quick, small, fast!

[drisley]

Awesome pic Jyrgen! The colour is fantastic!

[22littlereasons]

I just bought one and am waiting to receive it... I can hardly wait.

[HKFEVER]

It focuses faster than the worshipped 85mm 1.2 L. Quick, small, fast!

Holly do you collect L lenses or just happen to need them.:p

[tommykjensen]

I wonder if I should get this lens for my trip to Disney world in april?

I already have the 50 mm f/1.8 but would the 85 f/1.8 be better for parades and the Fantasmic show (evening)?

[Vita Rara]

I will concur with the fans of this lens. It was my first USM lens, and my third prime. It is a jem of a lens. It focuses fast fast fast and accurate. This lens got me into candid people photography. I can fill the frame so nicely. I also use it to shoot indoor dance events. The fast focusing makes it all possible. As someone else said, this lens should be on the must have list.

Mark

[pcasciola]

The 85/1.8 is one of those lenses where I take a picture and say, "Did I really get this for only xxx dollars". In low light it's amazing. It can really get you out of a jam where the lighting is very poor and you can't use a flash, like this school gym which was only lit with about 8 sodium lights in the rafters.

http://www.casciola.com/pics/bball_8357.jpg

[sGu]

90% of shots in my basketball galleries (http://gu.smugmug.com/Sports/47874) were shot on 85mm 1.8, it is famously known as "Basketball lens", perfect focal length, fast focus, great optics, very affortable, too. However, I have yet to give it a go with portrait work.

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=61967

[digitalfilm]

Thanks to everyone who has posted a reply, it's made me even more confident that I have made the right choice in buying this lens.

All I have to do now is wait for it to arrive!, hopefully later this coming week.

[Phil Hall]

I have one coming from B&H on monday. It scores a 4.45 on the lense test yet is only $340.

Phil Hall

[Moses]

Since many of you may have both of these lenses, I thought I would ask: If you were to get only one, which one would you choose and why?

Canon Telephoto EF 85mm f/1.8 USM Autofocus Lens - $ 339.95
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/images/items/12182.jpg

or:

Canon Normal EF 50mm f/1.4 USM Autofocus Lens - $ 309.95
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/images/items/12140.jpg

[drisley]

Yikes! That is a TOUGH question.
I guess it depends on your needs. ;)

[pcasciola]

Definitely depends on your needs, but I'd pick the 85/1.8 because the 50/1.4 is too short even for indoor basketball. I still have the 50/1.8 too, but I hardly use it anymore.

[roanjohn]

I would choose the 50 f1.4. It's faster.........and its more versatile (for me). However, the 85 f1.8 is an AWESOME lens!!!

Ro1

[tim]

For me the issue would be that the F1.4 lens is almost a stop faster than the 1.8. I don't have either lens though :(

[wintoid]

My experience of the 50mm f/1.4 is that it isn't great at focusing in low light, especially with the shallow depth of field the wide apertures will give. It hunts a lot, and the only solution I found was to shoot at f/2.8 or less, so it didn't offer me any advantage over my Tamron 28-75 (which is probably sharper anyway).

I've got an 85mm f/1.8 on order, and from what I've heard of the focusing capabilities of this lens, I am really hoping it will give me what I was missing with the 50mm f/1.4. We will see!

[Jetmech1]

I love the 85mm 1.8 prime. It is great in low light. These pics are of my daughter playing B'Ball in a very poorly lit gym. ( I've posted them before).

John

[Citizensmith]

Yup, wonderful lens. Sharp and great background blur. I like mine so much I ended up getting rid of my 50 1.8 as I was never using it.

Good for things other than people as well.

Of course it doesn't look nearly as sharp now its a small, compressed jpeg. I'm sure you get the idea though.

[Steve Parr]

I just bought the 50mm f/1.8, but I'm thinking the 85mm f/1.8 would be a nice addition for taking live-band performance shots. I like the idea of a longer lens without the need for more stage lighting or a flash.

I'll probably keep the f/1.8...

Steve

[chucksberg]

It will almost take pictures in the dark, and focuses well also.

[johnbs]

I would always choose the 85/1.8 because:

a) it is a much better lense with only a marginally worse aperture

b) you can buy a 50/1.8 for so little money to cover that focal length, that it seems like a sin not to have one! The 50/1.8 is also so light, that you can always carry it along. Unless you really need to shoot at 1/4, why pay the extra over the 50/1.8?

c) I find that I nearly always want a longer focal length than 50, even on a 1.6 factor camera, unless I'm doing group photos or landscapes.

John

[griff2]

I'd go for the 85mm f4/1.8, it's an absolutely superb lens, and I'd be tempted to get one if I didn't have the range covered by the also superb 70-200 f/4L.

[rg-tom]

griff even though you have it covered by the F4L i'd get it anyway, the F1.8 is indespensible :D

BTW i picked mine up today, its great :D

[lkorell]

It's a great lens, and an essential one for any Canon DSLR shooter. It's one of the better non-L primes.

Lou

[boomerang]

I have the 50mm 1.4 & 50mm 1.8(havent had a chance to sell it yet)

I am intrested in the 85mm- but I shoot alot of family functions and portraits and find it hard to fit people in the frame or I am to close to shoot a head shot with the 50mm sometimes- this is why I bought the 17-40 for alittle more versatility.

My question is the- the 85mm in my guess would be tough to shoot candids or portraits compared to the 50.

What does the average 85mm user shoot?

[Jetmech1]

"What does the average 85mm user shoot?"

I take pictures of my kids playing indoor sports and use it for low light situations.