The battle of the 85 1.8 and 1.2

[roanjohn]

So finally did this test!!! Whew...........I'm still not sure if I did it correctly.

Anyways, here it is..........you guys can draw your own conclusions :lol:

Link HERE (http://www.pbase.com/roanjohn/image/42801331)

And here are some wide open crops:

f1.2 wide open

http://www.pbase.com/roanjohn/image/42801892.jpg

f1.8 wide open

http://www.pbase.com/roanjohn/image/42801893.jpg

Did you guys notice the difference???? :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

The biggest advantage the 1.2 version can give you is its light sucking ability............My shutter speed at 1.2 is 1/200.......as opposed to 1/100 at 1.8.

Ro1

[KevC]

The biggest difference is the $1110 missing from our wallets :)

I'm not doubting the 1.2L has awesome bokeh but I'd rather keep that *little* bit of cash in my pocket hehe.

[roanjohn]

The biggest difference is the $1110 missing from our wallets :)

.

:mrgreen:Aside from its light sucking ability........I forgot to mention its even better cash sucking ability!!!

Ro1

[Gary W. Graley]

Thanks! I'm thinkin' I'll just hang onto my 85 f1.8, not only is it paid for,
it is a wee bit lighter as well :)
G2

[pturton]

Now how to convince my wife that the $$$ saved by purchasing the 85 f/1.8 should go toward a 135 f/2 L, 35 f/1.4 and 24 f/1.4 ? ...not to mention the 300 f/2.8 and 500 f/4 ;-)

pt

[TheBlindOne]

good luck with that one;)

[Gary W. Graley]

I took a closeup photo the other night of a fellows custom knife, he had the pivot pin engraved and sent to me to make a sheath for it. Used the 85 f1.8 with a Raynox 250 closeup filter attached to allow me to get quite close to the knife;

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v130/GaryWGraley/EOS%2020D/85mm/engraving.jpg

I'm looking for a Canon 72mm 500D closeup lens if anyone has one to spare at a reasonable price of course :)
G2

[roanjohn]

Thanks! I'm thinkin' I'll just hang onto my 85 f1.8, not only is it paid for,
it is a wee bit lighter as well :)
G2

.......actually, a lot lighter...........the 1.2 version is really heavy...........I might keep my 1.8 version as well...........we'll see.

Ro1

[roanjohn]

Now how to convince my wife that the $$$ saved by purchasing the 85 f/1.8 should go toward a 135 f/2 L, 35 f/1.4 and 24 f/1.4 ? ...not to mention the 300 f/2.8 and 500 f/4 ;-)

pt

:lol: :lol: :lol: Just make sure it comes with dinner, wine and whipped cream.....then break the news!!!:lol: :lol: :lol:

Ro1

[roanjohn]

I took a closeup photo the other night of a fellows custom knife, he had the pivot pin engraved and sent to me to make a sheath for it. Used the 85 f1.8 with a Raynox 250 closeup filter attached to allow me to get quite close to the knife;

I'm looking for a Canon 72mm 500D closeup lens if anyone has one to spare at a reasonable price of course :)
G2

NICE!!! Ro1

[rdenney]

They appear to me to have identical bokeh at the same apertures, but 1.2 is definitely better than 1.8.

Of course, the 1.8 has a very good reputation for pretty rendering, so it's nice to know that Canon didn't mess that up by making the lens twice as big in diameter. They could have done, and quite easily.

Given that their performance is identical, you should keep the 1.2 and sell me the 1.8 for a very good price.

Rick "who thinks they both look good" Denney

[Tom W]

Given that their performance is identical, you should keep the 1.2 and sell me the 1.8 for a very good price.



My belief is somewhat different than Rick's. I think you should keep the 1.8 and sell me the 1.2 for a very good price. :)

[Pb2Au]

I can see a difference.. IMHO. Is it the bottom of a brown bottle? at f1.8, the ridges are clearly visable in on the right side, where as at f1.2, they have melted into the bokeh. The highlights don't look as "harsh" at f1.2 either.:D

[london]

I'm still a junior member of this forum, so I hope I can be forgiven for remarking that there sure is a lot of whining about the wife holding the purse-strings. "Now how to convince my wife that the $$$ saved by purchasing the 85 f/1.8 should go toward a 135 f/2 L, 35 f/1.4 and 24 f/1.4 ?" Etc. Etc.

Hey, it looks like we need to start a support group for guys who love expensive toys. Or at least a separate thread on managing checkbooks or how not to wreck the family finances by taking up an expensive hobby.

Anyway, we should be men enough to leave our wives out of this, don't you think?


Scott

[rdenney]

My belief is somewhat different than Rick's. I think you should keep the 1.8 and sell me the 1.2 for a very good price. :)

Yes, but as the owner of a 1DsII, you are obviously shopping way upmarket from me, so I have to take what I can get.

Rick "who could afford a 1DsII as well were it not for all the equipment in other formats, and for the other hobbies" Denney

[Tom W]

It's only a 1D II - and I'll add that my camera's self esteem suffers without that "s". Perhaps an 85/1.2 will help. ;)

[cactusclay]

Thats a very interesting test and thanks for doing it Roanjohn. I'm leaning toward being content with my 1.8, after seeing the comparison, but who knows, maybe some day I'll just have to have the L.

[radar-eclipse]

In my divorce, along with getting many things, I got the engagement ring back and then proceeded to buy my 1DSMII. I now call it the "Freedom Cam". We didn't have kids and we're only married 4 1/2 years. I am luckier than some.

[Tom W]

In my divorce, along with getting many things, I got the engagement ring back and then proceeded to buy my 1DSMII. I now call it the "Freedom Cam". We didn't have kids and we're only married 4 1/2 years. I am luckier than some.

Yes, you are lucky. Very Lucky judging from your equipment list. :) :)

[roanjohn]

My belief is somewhat different than Rick's. I think you should keep the 1.8 and sell me the 1.2 for a very good price. :)

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: Thats pretty funny!!!

Ro1

[roanjohn]

I can see a difference.. IMHO. Is it the bottom of a brown bottle? at f1.8, the ridges are clearly visable in on the right side, where as at f1.2, they have melted into the bokeh. The highlights don't look as "harsh" at f1.2 either.:D

The bokeh of the 1.8 is already buttery smooth..............the 1.2 just takes it to a different level of buttery smoothness.............if that makes any sense.

Ro1

[roanjohn]

I'm still a junior member of this forum, so I hope I can be forgiven for remarking that there sure is a lot of whining about the wife holding the purse-strings. "Now how to convince my wife that the $$$ saved by purchasing the 85 f/1.8 should go toward a 135 f/2 L, 35 f/1.4 and 24 f/1.4 ?" Etc. Etc.

Hey, it looks like we need to start a support group for guys who love expensive toys. Or at least a separate thread on managing checkbooks or how not to wreck the family finances by taking up an expensive hobby.

Anyway, we should be men enough to leave our wives out of this, don't you think?


Scott

.............the joys of being single!!!! :lol: :lol: :lol: TIP: Buy everything now before you get married............!!!

Ro1

[roanjohn]

In my divorce, along with getting many things, I got the engagement ring back and then proceeded to buy my 1DSMII. I now call it the "Freedom Cam". We didn't have kids and we're only married 4 1/2 years. I am luckier than some.

"Freedom Cam"???!!!??? This is starting to sound like Freedom fries.....!!!:lol: :lol:

That is a very interesting divorce story though..........

Ro1

[roanjohn]

It's only a 1D II - and I'll add that my camera's self esteem suffers without that "s". Perhaps an 85/1.2 will help. ;)

Definitely!!!!;)

Ro1

[mdm]

With all those things on the list I can see why you were divorced. Mine will be the same but with computer parts.

[mr.photoguy]

I'm still a junior member of this forum, so I hope I can be forgiven for remarking that there sure is a lot of whining about the wife holding the purse-strings. "Now how to convince my wife that the $$$ saved by purchasing the 85 f/1.8 should go toward a 135 f/2 L, 35 f/1.4 and 24 f/1.4 ?" Etc. Etc.

Hey, it looks like we need to start a support group for guys who love expensive toys. Or at least a separate thread on managing checkbooks or how not to wreck the family finances by taking up an expensive hobby.

Anyway, we should be men enough to leave our wives out of this, don't you think?


Scott

ohh boy..
hope you got your flame suit on..

[mr.photoguy]

In my divorce, along with getting many things, I got the engagement ring back and then proceeded to buy my 1DSMII. I now call it the "Freedom Cam". We didn't have kids and we're only married 4 1/2 years. I am luckier than some.
Wow! you got he ring back...
Mos women would rather have here Ovaries cut out by a blind antelope than give up the Rock.
Good Going..
Your Men's Club papers shall never expire with that one.

[mr.photoguy]

.............the joys of being single!!!! :lol: :lol: :lol: TIP: Buy everything now before you get married............!!!

Ro1
lmao .....
I am right there with you... lol..

[radar-eclipse]

My new motto is "Live the dream, Be the dream!" I'm coming up on five years cancer free, so it makes you see things differently.

[blue_max]

When it comes to wives, think very carefully before you answer the question "how much was that" because it will be used in evidence whenever money is mentioned ever again. A more modest and more easily justifiable amount will ease the relationship no end if you can get away with it!

Truth be known, we cannot justify spending this much on our hobby (unless it is your business), when the wife and kids have so much more sensible things to spend it on.

If you are single, you just have yourself to convince and yourself to blame when you don't have the other things that you should have bought instead. If you can't justify it to yourself, why do you think you should be able to justify it to a wife.

Getting back to the topic, there is no battle between the 1.2 and 1.8. If you can genuinly justify the price difference, then you should buy it. The rest of us will admire it from afar. The 1.8 is much closer than it has any right to be (it's not even an L) and at a third of the price is much more in my price bracket. I got mine second hand, so it's about a fifth of the price of the 1.2 new –*I won't be switching any time soon!

Graham

[rg-tom]

It's a good job the bokeh on the 1.2L is good, with the speed that thing focuses at it'll be the only thing you see :D

/me grabs a very very thick flameproof suit, and a nice fast focusing 1.8 USM to capture the action

[radar-eclipse]

The 1.8 focuses A LOT faster than the 1.2 in my experience. I had borrowed the 1.2 some time back.

Back to my topic, I had financed and started my wife's Pilates business which is doing pretty well. We always kept finances separate. She came into the relationship with next to nothing and I was more than giving, therefore she couldn't say or word, not did she want to when ever I bought something. Unique situation I'm sure. I'm already back in the batter's box with a new girlfriend.

[Andy_T]

Roanjohn,

thanks a lot for posting the comparison :D

While the 85/1.2 definitely is an incredible lens, I am pretty happy with the results of the 85/1.8.

Added to my wish list - will have to battle with the 70-200/4.0 and 17-40/4.0 for the pole position for my next shopping spree :D

Best regards,
Andy