15-85 or 85 1.8?

Ok, here I go again. I'm going after another lens again. I settled on a 17-85 and nifty fifty a while back after spending some time I find my use of the 50 is almost nil. I have taken quite a few nice photos with the 17-85. I would like to make a jump to a couple primes but also like the versatility of the 17-85? So now comes the big ? again. Sell the 50 and 17-85 and get the 85 1.8 or sell the others pony up a few more coins for the 15-85? Just curious as to what other opinions are on this subject. Thanks for your advice.

I just bought the 85 1.8. I haven't really tried it out yet since i just got it tonight. But i have read review after review and it was all positive. I have looked at hundreds of photos others have taken with the 85 and they are amazing. This is the only non L series lens i have but the reviews i have read said this lens puts out L series quality images.

trx125 wrote in post #15759938
Ok, here I go again. I'm going after another lens again. I settled on a 17-85 and nifty fifty a while back after spending some time I find my use of the 50 is almost nil. I have taken quite a few nice photos with the 17-85. I would like to make a jump to a couple primes but also like the versatility of the 17-85? So now comes the big ? again. Sell the 50 and 17-85 and get the 85 1.8 or sell the others pony up a few more coins for the 15-85? Just curious as to what other opinions are on this subject. Thanks for your advice.

I can't speak about the 85mm since I don't have one. But it will limit you to just 85mm. The range of the 15-85 makes it a terrific landscape and general walk-around lens. It goes very wide and moderately long. It has the widest focal range of any standard zoom, 5.66x. The IQ is great and the build is excellent. Reviews and commentaries say its far superior to the 17-85 and the 2 extra mm on the wide end will be very noticeable. Like your 17-85 the 15-85 will only work on crop cameras, so if you're intending on going FF anytime soon that's a consideration. Since you're trying to compare two very different lenses intended for different purposes, you really should first determine what you're intending to shoot and get the best lens you can afford to meet that need.

Are you planning to continue using your 17-85? If so, have fun with the 85/1.8.

If not, I'd get the 15-85. Realistically I can't live without a decent standard zoom because that lens will be the default lens on my camera. Most times I'm not going to be constantly swapping lens to get the right focal length.

Not going to keep the 17-85 or the Nifty 50, I find myself doing more family gathering type events(low light and indoors) and close up nature stuff(not macro). I have my 70-200 for the slightly longer reach. I have read most of the reviews and viewed the pics the 85 1.8 can produce. I find most of the family gathering I shoot are in the 85mm range and the 17-85 @ 85 produces excellent pictures but at 5.6 and stopped down slighty, I'm not getting the background seperation I would like. I guess my biggest concern with the 15-85 is getting that seperation. I'm thinking get the 85 1.8 now to use as my general portrait/walkaround lens and add a 10-22 or 16-35 later for my wider angle shots. But on the same hand I could sell the 17-85, keep the plastic fantastic, add some coin and pic up a used 15-85. Oh, decisions, decisions!

Having owned a 85 1.8, I found it too long for a general walk around lens on a crop camera. I would not be happy with it without shorter primes or a shorter zoom. Other than indoor sports, the 85 1.8 was not on my camera very often. Otherwise, a great lens. Fast AF and decent IQ, I did get some CA wide open.

HighPlainsPhotographer wrote in post #15761173
Having owned a 85 1.8, I found it too long for a general walk around lens on a crop camera. I would not be happy with it without shorter primes or a shorter zoom. Other than indoor sports, the 85 1.8 was not on my camera very often. Otherwise, a great lens. Fast AF and decent IQ, I did get some CA wide open.

I fully agree with this. I would hate to have only this lens on my camera. It's capable of producing amazing images, but on a crop camera it isn't particularly versatile. Indoors, in many homes it's too long to be generally useful for anything but head-and-shoulders-type shots. Also, it has an annoyingly long MFD, which makes it unsuitable for close-up work. On a crop camera, it shines for outdoor portraits and low-light sports, but I would by no means think of it as a general walk-around lens - far too limiting. Of all the lenses in my bag, if I had to choose one to sell, it would be this one. It's my least-used lens - although when I do use it, the results are stunning (apart from the CA in high-contrast situations). If you're not using your 50 mm prime, you're unlikely to use this lens either.

Given that you're doing a lot of indoor and low-light family photography, I'd have thought a Speedlite would be a better purchase than a new lens. Bounced light will do more to improve your indoor shots than a new lens, IMHO. And if you do decide to go with the 15-85, you'll also need a flash at some point.

I have both lenses. I barely use the 85 f/1.8 mainly because 15-85mm is my go to lens for every day stuff. 85mm is just way too long for anything but street photography for me. I suggest the 15-85. It's just way more versatile.

85/1.8 is an amazingly fast and accurate lens - a must for low-light situations like indoor sports.

But ..... as others have said, it needs an accompanying wide-angle to make the most of all venues. I use the 28/1.8 and 40/2.8 for other indoor shots, and 55-250 for outdoor work.

I would get the 15-85 and then the 135 f/2 after you save up some more.

I also have both, the 85 1.8 is only used for my daughter's indoor HS sports when I want to travel light and I have space to zoom with my feet. The 85 1.8 is a great performer, but it's my least used lens since I have the focal length covered by 2 other slower, but more versatile zooms...