85L + 1.4x vs 135mmL

So I have the 85L on order and thought i might be able to skip the 135L using a teleconverter. Has anyone run that setup before? Besides the slow focus on the 85L would the IQ be similar or slightly softer?

Canon TC is not meant to used with short FL lenses. Kenko or Tamron will work but IQ will be bad on 85 ( I assume)

I think:
Slightly softer, still very useable. You will also lose a stop too right?

but you will be saving quite abit of money, AND you can use extender on the other lenses as well.

I'd rather use the 70-200/2.8 you have than try to use the 85L with a TC (which it isn't designed to work with).

What are you trying to achieve with the TC combo that the 70-200 can't do?

It's not just focal length. The 135L is meant for a totally different purpose than the 85L. The focus speeds are at opposite ends of the spectrum, with the 135 being lightning quick and the 85L taking forever (not really but you get the point).

Personally, I really dislike it when someone thinks of putting a TC behind a lens.

IMHO, that would be the same as putting a UV filter in front of the lens. Why lose image quality?

Buy the lens you NEED. If you ned more, suck it up and put up the bucks for QUALITY.

Pay once, cry once and be done with it!

JeffreyG wrote in post #6965983
I'd rather use the 70-200/2.8 you have than try to use the 85L with a TC (which it isn't designed to work with).

What are you trying to achieve with the TC combo that the 70-200 can't do?

can that 70-200 shoot wider than 2.8? i think not, with a TC the 85L can go up to F1.8 and that still way faster than any of my 2.8 zooms. Though i expect some loss of IQ it will still be faster than the 135L.

I don't do any indoor sport shooting so the A/F is no issue for me. If i buy the 135L i'll probably use it the least out of the primes i plan to buy. When i do buy the 135L i'll be waiting for the markII to come out (pricedrop for MK1, unless the MKII update qualifies the purchase). That will still be the last in my list as i want the 35L 50L first but im waiting for the update news on these 2. Particularly the 50L, I'm waiting for a revision to fix the softness and shift focusing.

I suspect IQ problems. The 85L is an extremely fast lens. With TC and wide open isn't likely to be good.

The 85L + TC will lose 1 stop putting it so close to the 2.8, the difference is moot.

The 70-200 will also focus faster then the 85L without a TC.

Why don't you wait till you get the 85L before planning a course of action. You already said, a 135 would be rarely used.

bohdank wrote in post #6968770
The 85L + TC will lose 1 stop putting it so close to the 2.8, the difference is moot.

The 70-200 will also focus faster then the 85L without a TC.

Why don't you wait till you get the 85L before planning a course of action. You already said, a 135 would be rarely used.

Ditto that. Get the 85L and slap the TC on it. If it delivers the sea of purple CA that I suspect it will in any shot with contrast, then you can think about what you want to do at 135mm.

Just note, the Canon 1.4x teleconverter IS NOT COMPATIBLE with the 85mm F/1.2 L. It will not fit the lens due to the protuding front element of the TC. If you need 135mm just get the f/2 L - it's cheaper and very sharp.

bohdank wrote in post #6968770
The 85L + TC will lose 1 stop putting it so close to the 2.8, the difference is moot.

Well, uh, no...... The 85L at f/1.2 will provide an aperture of approx f/1.7, about one and a half stops faster than f/2.8. Given that one stop is worth hundreds of dollars, I would not say that the difference is moot.

Maybe I should just trade in my fast primes for slow ones, after all, there's no difference, right?

I have both the 85mm F/1.2 and 135 F/2 and I can tell you that there is not a great difference between the two in practice. If your goal is to get great background blur, both are essentially equal in their ability to create great bokeh behind even a full body portrait. Also, both (presuming you get a good copy of the 85mm F/1.2) are very sharp, though the 135 F/2 has an ever so slight edge there. I use them interchangeably, but if I were to loose one (cross fingers!) I could be perfectly happy having either and would not rush to replace it as the differences between the two are very subtle in my actual experience.

While the 85mm can be sharp, its noticeably softer (by a slight margin!) than the 135, so adding a TC would probably not be a great idea IMHO.

I think I'd rather crop my 85mm shots vs adding a TC.

I'd give it a shot and let you know, but I only have Canon's 1.4 TC, and it wont fit. I suspect the AF would be unbearable. I'm fine with the AF speed of my 85, but it is on the slow side. Adding a TC will slow it even more.

That said, buying an off-brand TC is cheap, so buy the 85 and give it a go. Its a cheaper experiment than buying a 135, and a 1.4x TC works very well on your 70-200 f/2.8, so it won't be waisted.

What are you shooting with these lenses? Is it studio work or field work?

Honestly if your getting paid why not get both and toss in a 70-200mm as well
If your taxes are set up then chat with your agent and see how much can be written off.
If your not getting paid then I would just have fun with the 85L you just ordered and wait to get the 135L.


-Eric-