I now know why everyone speaks so highly of the 85 1.8

I picked up a used 85 1.8 last Friday for just over $300 (before, had the nifty fifty and the 28-105 3.5-4.5). Went out a did a test shoot with my kids on Saturday. OH MY what a good lens for the money! The bokeh is just creamy goodness. So much faster than my zoom, and so much easier to use for portrait purposes.

I always liked the nifty fifty but had to get in obnoxiously close on some of the close up face shots. I will say that on a crop sensor body (the 50D), there were a few times I had to back up much further than I was accustomed too--for instance, a sitting on the ground full body pose. Almost became an issue a couple of times bc my wife was holding a reflector for me (it was an overcast day) and had to really rearrange the shot a couple of times to get full effect from the reflector but not get it or my wife in the shot.

But for IQ, usefulness for portraits, bokeh quality, I am sold on the 85 after just one session. Some of the shots had my wife and I giggling like schoolkids just from looking at them on the camera LCD. Stayed up til 2 am PPing bc I was so excited about them.

Count me as yet another fan of the 85 1.8.

Yep that is a banging inexpensive, fast little lens. Great length on a crop for those sweet personal shots. After using this lens I knew right away that when I go FF, the 135L will be a must.

I have seen some really nice shots with it but I also seem to remember someone reporting some CA issues? Is that true and if so can it be PP'ed away?

There is really no bad choice in 85mm lenses on Canon right now. Sigma, Canon (1.8 and L II), Samyang, Zeiss... The only question is how much you are willing to pay, but whatever you pay you get a good lens for the $$$.

magwai wrote in post #14463323
I have seen some really nice shots with it but I also seem to remember someone reporting some CA issues? Is that true and if so can it be PP'ed away?

In my experience with this lens, the CA is only a problem in really high contrast areas - think bare tree branches against a bright sky. That'll give purple fringing which can be a pain to deal with.

sleibrand wrote in post #14463473
In my experience with this lens, the CA is only a problem in really high contrast areas - think bare tree branches against a bright sky. That'll give purple fringing which can be a pain to deal with.

Since LR 4.1 introduced the Fringe Color selector and improved their CA tools, I don't even worry about this now. I don't have any problems using the lens wide open anymore.

sleibrand wrote in post #14463473
In my experience with this lens, the CA is only a problem in really high contrast areas - think bare tree branches against a bright sky. That'll give purple fringing which can be a pain to deal with.

Many of the fast primes will have purple fringing in the high contrast areas when shooting wide open. Here's a short tutorial on how to get rid of it.

http://www.buddytoupsj​r.com …urple-fringing-photoshop/

Stone 13 wrote in post #14463486
Since LR 4.1 introduced the Fringe Color selector and improved their CA tools, I don't even worry about this now. I don't have any problems using the lens wide open anymore.

I agree LR 4.1 RC2 works fantastically for this. I no longer worry about the high contrast situations at all.

Just sold the 85 1.8, found it nicer working than the slow expensive 85 1.2L MKI, but still a world of difference with a magic 135L which i'm going to order back again.
It's not for nothing part of the holy trinity

riffster wrote in post #14463118
Yep that is a banging inexpensive, fast little lens. Great length on a crop for those sweet personal shots. After using this lens I knew right away that when I go FF, the 135L will be a must.

Definitely. In fact, I took advantage of Canon's double rebates (was actually a triple rebate through Adorama) and bought a 135L with my 5D3 order precisely for this reason.

It's an awesome lens. Both on FF and crop. It's just... HMMM!

It's my only AF lens, that's how good it is!

The 85mm is probably my most used lens! I bought it 3 years ago when I got my first DSLR and its the only lens I have kept since the beginning. I like the lens a lot more since I've switched the full frame. It wasn't as usable for me on crop since it was so long but I dealt with it since it's such a good lens. I had some pretty bad CA /purple fringe issues on my 50D but have noticed since I got my 5d classic I have yet to see any bad CA. (does FF even affect this? Its just something I've noticed. I rarely see any purple fringe anymore since the switch.) The AF is so smooth and quick, one of the best lenses for the money.

luvallpups wrote in post #14463925
The 85mm is probably my most used lens! I bought it 3 years ago when I got my first DSLR and its the only lens I have kept since the beginning. I like the lens a lot more since I've switched the full frame. It wasn't as usable for me on crop since it was so long but I dealt with it since it's such a good lens. I had some pretty bad CA /purple fringe issues on my 50D but have noticed since I got my 5d classic I have yet to see any bad CA. (does FF even affect this? Its just something I've noticed. I rarely see any purple fringe anymore since the switch.) The AF is so smooth and quick, one of the best lenses for the money.

I see you have the 2 lenses I'm thinking of buying the 17-40 f4 L and the 70-200 f4 L i do already have the Canon 50mm 1.4. What are the pros and cons of your lenses?

Stone 13 wrote in post #14463486
Since LR 4.1 introduced the Fringe Color selector and improved their CA tools, I don't even worry about this now. I don't have any problems using the lens wide open anymore.

Ok that's good to know. I am seriously considering getting one of these or possibly the Sigma.

Do you ever see CA effects in the bokeh? I think that is harder to deal with.

@NHBEY39: you should consider the 70-200 f2.8 if you can swing it. Even the mkI IS or not.

They say the f4 might be a little sharper (than the mkI that is), but if you need to stop action in marginal to low light that extra stop will do wonders!

The f4 is still a great lens!

Can't speak on the 17-40, though it IS an L and most people love it. Judging by your lens list you look like you might really want to consider the 24-70 range?