85mm 1.8 Not sharp?

I bought a 85mm 1.8 last year based on my great experience renting one. However, for some reason, I can never seem to get the same sharpness out of mine in comparison to the rental lens. I am starting to wonder if something isn't right with my lens.

Here is a comparison. Top photo is with my copy of the 85mm and the bottom is the rental 85mm.

IMAGE LINK: http://s59.photobucket​.com …media/IMG_6927-1.jpg.html

Have you looked up a free PDF micro focus adjustment chart? It's not unusual for copy to copy to need some adjustment. Several threads on the boards here with full instructions on how to do the whole process if the lens is a little off.

Also at 1.8 I forget the approximate DOF near the MFD but a little movement on your or your model's part could be enough to cause this. the top photo it appears that her ears are in focus. If it's consistently back you can move it forward. I am assuming you've confirmed that in both photos the Af point selected is on the model's eye.

Could just be a softer copy; could be AF discrepancies. Have you tried calibrating the AF microadjustment? Have you tried sending in to Canon for calibration?

Were those two pictures shot at the same aperture, SS, and ISO settings? Were both utilizing a tripod to minimize camera shake?

I have spent hours with the micro adjustment using a chart. I thought I had it pretty good, but today's results proved that to be false. These are both shot at 3.5.

did you focus recompose? What was your shutter speed?

I did not recompose. Shutter speed is 1/250, no tripod.

Try using the tripod and shoot a static object. Handheld with a living, breathing subject can lead to missed focus with thin DOF. If the results are still soft, then it's a lens problem. If the results are sharp, it's 'user error' (not really you, but a combination of the aforementioned).

This... http://www.fredmiranda​.com/forum/topic/11872​47

seems to me that
the first photo with natural light outdoors
the second photo with flash or some source of light indoors

looks like in the first photo, her earring is whats in focus. it looks quite clear compared to her eyes

i'd send the lens to canon. i had a problem like this before, i sent it in for service and they found something wrong with one of the focus things (forgot exactly but they said something was off). lens came back and performed perfectly

Definitely looks like some back-focusing is going on. If you can't eventually get it adjusted correctly, I would send the lens to Canon to correct. I'm not sure if it needs to be specifically calibrated to your body etc though (I doubt it). The lens definitely doesn't seem soft though as your subject's ears appear to be sharp in focus.

You can sit and argue until the cows come home. Is it softness of front/back AF or decentering.

For front/back AF go to this site:

http://www.peleng8.com …k-focus.html#.UyBpfpjAMf​M

Download and make the target, read and follow the instructions carefully and you will determine whether it's front/back AF.

The target doesn't breath, the camera is on a tripod etc etc.

If, when you shoot the checkered target, the target appears soft, downoad a standard target and try to determine whether one side is sharper than the other (de-centering). Try narrow apertures as well.

If anything, you will have baseline photos to compare on improvement after you send the lens back to Canon.

So on a similar note, I just picked up the 85 and I am wondering the same thing. This was taken at 2.8 so you'd think it would be very sharper than wide open at 1.8 does it look sharp to you?

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MakisM1 wrote in post #16752871
You can sit and argue until the cows come home. Is it softness of front/back AF or decentering.

For front/back AF go to this site:

http://www.peleng8.com …k-focus.html#.UyBpfpjAMf​M

Download and make the target, read and follow the instructions carefully and you will determine whether it's front/back AF.

The target doesn't breath, the camera is on a tripod etc etc.

If, when you shoot the checkered target, the target appears soft, download a standard target and try to determine whether one side is sharper than the other (de-centering). Try narrow apertures as well.

If anything, you will have baseline photos to compare on improvement after you send the lens back to Canon.

This is a far better idea than simply posting an image on a forum, It does require some individual effort, but you'll discover way more information about your lens.

I'd like to see both lenses used with available light and both lenses used in a studio with flash.

What I've noticed, studio pics using flash always look sharper than available light pics.