Anyone Use 85 1.2 during Reception?

I love this lens, but generally reserve it only for portraits. I was looking at the lastest issue of Photovision and in a segment on lighting at the reception, I was surprised to find how much these photographers used this lens (on 5D2 cameras).

It focuses so horribly slow I can't imagine it being very useful so I go with my 24-70, sometimes FF and sometimes crop. But I'd like to use it more. Anyone else do it much? Challenges with focusing?

I don't have it, but I do have the 85 1.8 and I just don't find the focal length working for me for recptions. I basically only use 2 (now 3) lenses once the reception gets underway. 135 for speaches (ow I use the 70-200) and the35 for all dancing shots.

Sometimes I use the 50: for garter and bouquet to get a little more detail on faces.

Yep. All the time. While it does focus slower than my other lenses, I like to use it during the first dance, speeches, etc.

Peacefield wrote in post #13053543
I love this lens, but generally reserve it only for portraits. I was looking at the lastest issue of Photovision and in a segment on lighting at the reception, I was surprised to find how much these photographers used this lens (on 5D2 cameras).

It focuses so horribly slow I can't imagine it being very useful so I go with my 24-70, sometimes FF and sometimes crop. But I'd like to use it more. Anyone else do it much? Challenges with focusing?

i've found that i usually keep roughly the same distance between myself and my subjects during a reception. after taking a shot, if you leave the focus alone, it rarely has to move very far and i've never had any problems with focus speed.

i only ever have focus speed gripes with this lens when i'm going from hyperfocal to something close, or MFD to something far.

I wouldn't use it in. It focuses so painfully slow is broad daylight, it would be a nightmare in dim light.

I've found it focuses as fast (or slow :P) as the 50L on the 5DII but I sold mine because I just can't find my rhythm at 85mm -- 50mm is much more where I feel comfortable.

But I use my 50L all the time throughout the reception so if I enjoyed shooting at that length more I'd definitely use the 85L during the reception.

i have 24-105is l and love it i rarely need to go below 4.0 on the ap. good fast paced lens

Bryan Grant Photography wrote in post #13055036
i have 24-105is l and love it i rarely need to go below 4.0 on the ap. good fast paced lens

Luckily you rarely need faster than 4.0, since that's all the lens can do I found the 24-105 pretty slow to focus in low light.

I used my 85 1.8 @ receptions, I prefer the 50mm tho

Downs Photography wrote in post #13055292
I used my 85 1.8 @ receptions, I prefer the 50mm tho

I prefer the 85 1.8 to the 1.2 all around.

jcolman wrote in post #13053604
Yep. All the time. While it does focus slower than my other lenses, I like to use it during the first dance, speeches, etc.

Thanks everyone. This is where those other togs were using it; the longer focal length and the narrower DOF gives an intimacy to these images specifically that I really like and would like to develop. I'm going to give it a go and see what happens this weekend.

85 1.8 for me...

85mm 1.4 Sigma

nicksan wrote in post #13056244
85 1.8 for me...

+1,000

I stick with the 70-200 IS L or 135L generally.