Just got the 85mm 1.8 for my 5DII

Its about time I have a prime again. I am curious how it stacks up with the 85mm 1.2L, I will have to do a search.

......I miss my 85L

Some day I will have that bad boy again!

What.. A thread about 85mm f/1.8 w/ 5D2 and no photos? I just happened to get this exact same gear! Let me help you.

I sold my 85 1.2L and I'm selling my 135 f2 to justify the Zeiss 100 Makro f2. The 135 is just a tad long for when I'd want a fast prime in that area.

I sold off an 85 1.8 awhile back, because I tended to leave it in the bag in favor of the 135L, but I'm thinking I need to pick up another 85...great little lens.

It is a pretty nice lens, especially for the price, but I never seem to use it...always go for the 35L or 135L instead.

Anyways, Congrats on the pick up!

I've never owned the 85L but have had the 1.8 for well over a year. I bought it when I had a 40D and loved the focal length. When I went to FF I was sure I was going to buy the 135L right away but found the 85 was usefull in a different way and so I put off buying the 135 until very recently. I don't think either one is a substitute for the other or the things I shoot.

Its a great FL if you skip a 50 (as in 24, 35, 85, 135). I had both Canons 85s — the 1.2 is certainly superior in optics and focus speed, but the 1.8 far from crap. A few stops down, maybe they're damn close. For the price of the 1.2, you better use it often. I didn't. I only used (both) in low light, otherwise my 70-200. Only your budget is the answer.

mcluckie wrote in post #9556305
Its a great FL if you skip a 50 (as in 24, 35, 85, 135). I had both Canons 85s — the 1.2 is certainly superior in optics and focus speed,.

That must have been a typo.

From what I tried in the store (and read here), the 1.8 was faster in focus speed. The 1.2 is beautiful but, not does not focus as fast.

for what it's worth, the 85L clowns the 1.8 with the exception of the focusing speed and that's my personal opinion.

I've owned two copies of the 85 f/1.8 and while I love the image quality, I've been thoroughly unimpressed with its vaunted autofocus. It hunts, it's inaccurate, and one of them remained so despite two trips back to Canon for adjustment.

The autofocus is fast, but being fast isn't worth much if it's inaccurate.

I can't actually say I can recall the lens ever hunting. Can't say that about my other lenses.

I've had the 85L for two years and I just picked up an 85/1.8 today. I'm shooting a basketball game Tuesday night and I plan to use the 85/1.8 for some of it so I can give some comments on what I think of the AF after that.

I picked up the 85/1.8 specifically because I need an indoor sports lens at that FL, and the 85L is not really acceptable.

Next step (presuming I like the 85/1.8 OK for sports) will be to see if the cheaper lens is good enough to prompt me to sell the 85L for the things where AF speed does not matter. We will see.

Just for the hell of it, I just took a picture of black and brown sandles under my coffee table. Setting was ISO6400/F1.8, 1/40s.... it snapped into focus.

DrPablo wrote in post #9557244
I've owned two copies of the 85 f/1.8 and while I love the image quality, I've been thoroughly unimpressed with its vaunted autofocus. It hunts, it's inaccurate, and one of them remained so despite two trips back to Canon for adjustment.

The autofocus is fast, but being fast isn't worth much if it's inaccurate.

Wow, you must have been unlucky with your copies. My old 85 1.8 was very accurate in the AF department and very fast. I wish I hadn't got rid of it since it was very, very sharp at F2.

I'm thinking about buying another one to compare to the 85LII just for fun.