Considering the 85 1.2 L II... has lack of IS been a limitation for current owners?

I am considering getting the EF 85mm f/1.2 L IS. I will get my 5D3 next month and I am very curious to experiment with the thin DOF and blurred background. I also plan to use it for low-light shooting at concerts.

Has the lack of IS in this lens been a limitation for current owners of this lens?

Many thanks in advance for your views.

Well I have never really thougth about that. But given the lens itself is so expensive I doubt many would buy it if you add the extra cost of IS, I certainly would not.

Correct me if I'm wrong, I don't think there is any prime lenses out there come with IS beside the 100L macro, so I don't think Canon makes IS on prime.

For concerts you want to have a faster shutter speed anyways to avoid motion blur (except if you want it on purpose). So no need to get to an area where IS would be needed.

bizzle23 wrote in post #14105931
Correct me if I'm wrong, I don't think there is any prime lenses out there come with IS beside the 100L macro, so I don't think Canon makes IS on prime.

Ehhh theres plenty

EF 200 mm f/2L IS USM
EF 300mm f/2,8L IS II USM
EF 300mm 4,0 L IS USM
EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II USM
EF 400mm f/4,0 DO IS USM
EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM
EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM
EF 800 mm f/5.6L IS

I think it may be nice to have IS, but the 1.2 allows for some decent shutter speeds even in low light with ISO 1600+

24mm 2.8 IS and 28mm 2.8 IS, has just been added.

no, not for me but then i rarely use it.

The 85L is a DOG for concert shooting. Don't bother. Waste of money.

CosmoKid wrote in post #14106977
The 85L is a DOG for concert shooting. Don't bother. Waste of money.

+1. Its autofocus motor is notoriously slow.

It's a beautiful lens, but as has been said, very slow.

I think it would be possible to use it in a concert setting. The AF is slow when going from one end of the focus range to another; however, it is fairly quick (just not lightning fast) for small adjustments in focal distance.

I don't take many concert photos to myself; however I have taken photos of a band while walking the entire length of the parade (mostly backwards) and still maintaining good focus. Now people might be saying "but it's not dark like a concert" or whatever but I would think that the dual-variable nature of me walking backwards tracking a band walking forwards would be adequate.

Lack of IS is also not much of an issue, if I'm shooting moving subjects at speeds under 1/100 ish they're blurry (due to their movement) anyways.

So many complain that the 85L is slow....It is like everything else, once you learn to use it you find ways to make it work the way you need it to.

It is slow for multiple reasons but it is accurate. I had been shooting indoor sports with a 85 1.8 but always wanted to use the 85L 1.2 for portraits. I have found I use the 85L 1.2 for indoor sports now too. The additional light it lets in allows for pictures the 85 1.8 would not be able to do.

The only drawback to it is the CA....holy cow is it bad in bright sun. Be warned when using it in any bright condition. (At least in my experience, this is a negative of the 85 1.8 as well.) It something you can work around when necessary if you have to, but I use other lenses in bright conditions.

If it is the focal range you are looking for, you will not be disappointed. I would not hesitate to use it at a concert, the lack of IS has never been an issue either.

Here are some basketball pictures from this weekend using the 85L. Enjoy the new 5DIII and whatever lens you pick.

aaxsherm wrote in post #14109106
Here are some basketball pictures from this weekend using the 85L. Enjoy the new 5DIII and whatever lens you pick.

Seriously your samples aren't convincing at all. You did more harm than supporting your claim.

After seeing your shots, i'll make sure no 85L for indoor sports:p

kin2son wrote in post #14109156
Seriously your samples aren't convincing at all. You did more harm than supporting your claim.

I hate to say so, but I'll have to agree. That second shot is the kind of example people post on favor of super fast primes that is in fact a really poor use of a super fast prime. The shot is so tightly framed that I can clearly see that one eye is completely out of focus even in a tiny little web sized image.

Anyway - back on topic. I think IS is a great invention and I do love it on most lenses. That said, I like it a lot on longer lenses more than anything. And since the 85L is only a little long and also very fast, this lens is not one of the top choiced for me in needing IS.

BTW, here is an alternate take on the 85L for sports from yesterday. This is some moderately fugly lighting, although decent by gymnastics standards. Stobes are always prohibited for gymnastics.

I do use the lens occasionally for sports, but I consider the AF a limitation. This kind of thing (one athlete to track, no incredible movements) are within its capabilities.

Where the 85L falls down the worst in sports is when you are trying to shoot multiple athletes, because it takes too long to change from one to another.