Canon 85 1.8 For Wedding Use?

What are your thoughts on this everyone? We have some quality glass in L series but its the f/4 version. We have a 100 2.8 macro that is fast but not fast enough so we would swap that out for something else. Thoughts?

Using a 5D Mark II as well...

I am wondering the same thing. Have you considered the 85L?

If the 85 1.8 produces nice photos why not? I don't see why people think they have to have a L lens to take nice photos. I have L lenses and I have just normal Canon lenses. If it takes a good pic it takes a good pic. Sure having that 85L would be nice but the 85 1.8 was significantly less for me. I could not justify the price difference for me.

That is exactly what I am wondering is the $1800 price point difference really worth the different in the 1.8 to the 1.2L?? I mean really. When it comes down to it that is a lot of rent, a lot of food, a lot of cloths for my kids for the difference of what?

Other consideration is the 50 1.4

Who has used or owned both please give us some thought/advice. I own both a 35L and 50 1.4. The IQ of 50 1.4 would give my 35L a run for it's $ from f2.0 and on. I wonder if I should get just 85 1.8 because I love the weight of my 50 1.4 and the left over $.

if you don't want to pay for the canon 85 1.2 and the 85 1.8 doesn't do it for you - have you considered the sigma 85 1.4?
price point between the two lenses above
excellent reviews
same focal length as you first mentioned.
and if i remember correctly - is considered more highly than the 50 1.4 (canon at least)

I used to have the 85 1.8 before and I could tell you it does the job well, it's AF is faster compared to its big brother. if bokeh is your goal get the L,

I use my 85 F/1.8 for almost every wedding, great for distance, candids, lowlight, and details. I prefer it to the 85L, F1.2 is amazing if the subject IS NOT MOVING AT ALL. Also it sucks to have to cut images because focus is off, and the 85L is just extremely slow on focus.

If wedding photo is your primary goal then perhaps you should replace some of your lens with ones that fit low lit situations, a little bit more.
Lenses

Or, perhaps, if you want to stay prime, you could rock the 35L/85 1.8 combo. That'll give you the low light coverage indoor.

grego wrote in post #12630464
If wedding photo is your primary goal then perhaps you should replace some of your lens with ones that fit low lit situations, a little bit more.
Lenses

Or, perhaps, if you want to stay prime, you could rock the 35L/85 1.8 combo. That'll give you the low light coverage indoor.

We are working on it, we are trying not to go into debt doing this we are trying to build our gear while we build up the business. So far its worked up till now. I think by next year we will have 24-70 2.8 and a 70-200 2.8 maybe IS. Then for a few primes just to have in the bag, a 85 1.8 and a 30 1.4...something like that!

i have them both, i've used them both for weddings, portraits, whatever.

the 85 1.8 can do about 95% of what the 85L can do, it can even focus faster. it will work fine.

want another opinion?

http://www.wlcastleman​.com/equip/reviews/85m​m/index.htm

The 85 f/1.8 is such a great piece of glass. For a wedding you have full control of distance from the B&G. Foot zooming with the 85mm maybe a workout if your going to use the prime lens combo with two bodies. I would say the 70-200 gives much more flexibility than an 85mm prime at a ceremony. It really comes down do light quality and if flash photography is allowed. The fact that the 85 f/1.8 has amazing bokeh and AF speed is lightening fast I'd rather use that for a ceremony than the 85L. The 85L seems to be a goto lens for bride's morning preparation due to luxury of time to compose the shot. If I had to give up one of my 85mm prime lenses I'd ditch my 85L. Reason is mfd sucks on that L lens and I'd give up 2/3 stop of light as long you can lock on with the extremely fast AF of the 85 f/1.8.

As the main photog you have full control of the distance you want to be from the B&G. I found the 35L/5dmk2 and 70-200/5dmk2 combo was a wonderful combo for me personally when shooting a ceremony. I left the 85L alone in the gearbag because the AF is a slug's pace and versatility is no where near using a 70-200 in good light.

I'd rather use an f/4 glass like the 24-105L for receptions because on a 5dmk2 its plenty shallow dof and in many cases you'd be either in good light or supplemented with fill/main flash. The 24-105L does not exhibit the back focus problems of the 24-70L when used f/2.8 at 24mm.

For the price of the 85 f/1.8 it'd be silly not to own one. Dont drool too much over the 85L because for the $$$ I'd put that towards a different zoom or prime that will maximize the use of your staple work. 85L to me is a nice to have due to its f/1.2 aperture for slow portrait sessions. For the $$ you save buying an 85 f/1.8 your better off putting that towards a 35L for rock solid bullet proof AF accuracy regardless of distance.

you shouldn't forget about sigma 85 1.4 when talking about 85L and the 85 1.8..I dont own the lens but will go for it one day.

The 85 1.8 will work fine, use and don't worry about it.

I use the 85 1.8 like crazy at my weddings. It's an awesome, awesome lens! EXCELLENT image quality right from F/1.8, unlike the 50 1.4.

It gave me a HELLUVA lot more keepers than my 85L. As a result, I kept the 1.8 and ditched the L. When you're shooting a wedding, nobody is going to wait for a slow focusing motor.