85 1.8 or 135L

I love primes and I'd like to add a long prime to my collection, Right now I have a 24L and debating between the 85 1.8 or the 135L for my 5D. Any thoughts?

135L here. looove it

what do you shoot???

I am in the process of selling my 135L and opting a 70-200mkII...

Anything from Landscape with my 24L to portraits.

Portraits...you'll love the 135 F2L.

I use mine for full body (135)

I have been lusting over a 135L for a while now, every day I look at the 135L photos thread. I think after my birthday passes and one or two more pay checks pass I will have to pick one up!

Although the price of a used 85 1.8 is not bad at all!

I rented out a 135mm f/2L this weekend and I was hooked and I found one date code 2011 for a great price. I will have it next week. The DOF is great but not as creamy as the 85mm. I find myself always seeking out more reach.

I'd get the 135 for FF.

julius071 wrote in post #14240057
I rented out a 135mm f/2L this weekend and I was hooked and I found one date code 2011 for a great price. I will have it next week. The DOF is great but not as creamy as the 85mm. I find myself always seeking out more reach.

DOF and amount of background blur are not the same thing. A 85mm 1.2 has less DOF than a 400mm 2.8 with the same framing but the 400mm will be creamier and have more background blur. Another example 135 f/2 has the same DOF as the 200L f/2 with the same framing but the background is creamier with the 200L.

On a full frame body, I'd go with the 135L. Better bokeh, sharper lens, less chromatic aberration.

Have in mind that 135 is pretty long.
The lens on itself is great - destroys every Background to a creamy bokeh.

The 85/1.8 tho is a fantastic lens. It is not a L-Lens (thats why it is not that popular ) but on the other hand somehow cheap compaired to the 135L

n1as wrote in post #14240322
On a full frame body, I'd go with the 135L. Better bokeh, sharper lens, less chromatic aberration.

I agree with this for all the reasons above. Between the 2 lenses you're considering, I would choose the 135mm f2. If you're trying to decide berween the 2 focal lengths, why aren't you considering the excellent 100mm f2? Great portrait lens with beautiful bokeh and less chromatic aberration wide open than the 85mm.

I also sold my 85 1.8 for 135L. No regrets here. However, 135 would be a bit too long for indoor though.
85 had too much ca for me, so I had to get rid of it.

I think many had struggled between these 2 lenses. I have tried both, and also the Sigma 85mm F/1.4. I kept the 85 1.8 and 135L.
Here is a little comparison (strictly my personal opinion)

Sharpness: 135L >> 85 1.8, it’s really no competition. 135L is sharp across the frame wide open. For the 85 1.8, wide open is acceptable, but I mostly stop down 1 stop.

Distortion: Tie, both aren’t really field relevant

Colour: 135L > 85 1.8, the colour from the 85 is a bit faded, though a frd of mine said he preferred such colour reproduction for portraits.

Focus: 135L > 85 1.8, It’s actually very close, both are blazing fast

Price: 85 1.8 >> 135L, I bought the 135L for HK$ 5500, 85 1.8 for HK$2000, both used (1USD = 7.8HKD)

Value for money: Tie, for my price, they are both great value

If you do a lot of indoor portrait, avoid the 135L, it’s too long….Other than that…the 135L is one heck of a lens.
You can get the 135L first, getting a 85 1.8 (only around US$300 used) later will be easily justified
But not so the other way round

If you can afford it, get both. Try them out and sell the one you like less. Be advised of the two problems with this approach. These problems are one the up front cost, and two you will probably like both and keeping them.

As far as too long. Once you have them, you will learn their useful range. After that you will be using the FL that is appropriate (or more appropriate) for the situation. And I'm on a crop.

The only problem that I can possibly for see (with me anyway) is will I want/need the 85L when I also get a 5D (MK doesn't matter). But who knows when that will be.