Canon 85 F1.2 L contrast versus EF 85 1.8

Hi there

Hoping to buy a Canon 6D and would like to take some portrait shots. I have seen a You tube review that compared these two lens and it seems while both are good that the L Lens has greater contrast at all F stops.

Is this something that can be easily corrected using DPP or Lightroom

It seems like the 85 1.8 is a very good lens at a very good price. is there anything better in its price range?

Thanks for any suggestions

Kevin

You should take a look also at the Sigma 85mm f/1.4 EX
https://photography-on-the.net …ead.php?t=88665​1&page=373

warek wrote in post #17295554
Hi there

Hoping to buy a Canon 6D and would like to take some portrait shots. I have seen a You tube review that compared these two lens and it seems while both are good that the L Lens has greater contrast at all F stops.

Is this something that can be easily corrected using DPP or Lightroom

It seems like the 85 1.8 is a very good lens at a very good price. is there anything better in its price range?

Thanks for any suggestions

Kevin

Heya,

If you want autofocus that is lighting fast, no. The 85 F1.8 has no equal for price as a sharp, fast, affordable prime that is also lightning fast to focus.

The Sigma 85 F1.4 is better, but only slightly, and also commands twice the price. It's not nearly as fast to focus if that matters (doesn't for portrait usually).

And then there's better glass that is very inexpensive, but optically serious. Something like a Samyang 85 F1.4. Very good lens. Sharp wide open. Only $250 generally new. It's a manual lens though. This is not an issue for most portrait. Many portrait shooters shoot manual anyways for absolute control. It's easy with a 6D with an EG-S screen (precision matte).

Personally I use both.

I like the Samyang 85 F1.4 for portrait.
I use my Canon EF 85 F1.8 for sports/action.

Very best,

Topaz Clarity does a very good job of enhancing local contrast, offering much control. There are also several presets for portraits.

That said, I've never had the need/wish to use it on portraits taken either with the 85/1.8 or 135L, although I like it on macro shots. Depends on style, of course.

Have no 85/1.2 to compare.

agedbriar wrote in post #17295608
Topaz Clarity does a very good job of enhancing local contrast, offering much control. There are also several presets for portraits.

That said, I've never had the need/wish to use it on portraits taken either with the 85/1.8 or 135L, although I like it on macro shots. Depends on style, of course.

Have no 85/1.2 to compare.

Thanks for the replies, that Sigma 85 looks very impressive

I had the Sigma 85, (now have the Canon 85 1.2). Be careful with focus inconstancy, my copy was fine up to 6/7m past that nailing focus was a lottery.

gjc10212 wrote in post #17295762
I had the Sigma 85, (now have the Canon 85 1.2). Be careful with focus inconstancy, my copy was fine up to 6/7m past that nailing focus was a lottery.

yep, this is what I found too. Sold the sigma and bought the 85 1.8 again

I sold my 85 1.8 and bought a 100 2. I felt the 85 was a bit too short on ff, and the 135L is to pricey for me (had one, sold it for a 70-200 2.8). The 100 2 seems to focus as fast as the 85 1.8, and it has less CA.

It's +2 years i have the Sigma 85, never ever got a focus problem, near or far it always spot on each time and i use it almost always wide open ! and it follow my kids running without any problem at f/1.4 and it's already tack sharp wide open at f/1.4 and plenty of contrast ...

Reservoir Dog wrote in post #17295877
It's +2 years i have the Sigma 85, never ever got a focus problem, near or far it always spot on each time and i use it almost always wide open ! and it follow my kids running without any problem at f/1.4 and it's already tack sharp wide open at f/1.4 and plenty of contrast ...

It seems that an issue is inconsistency between individual sigma 85 lenses, I wonder about if and when a rumoured update with the ART model will improve that aspect.

In Australia a Sigma 85 is 779 + filter and a Canon 135 F2 L is from 1000 as a grey import
Canon 85 F1.8 is around 480

Recently I was in the market for a 85mm for my 6D. I spent 45 minutes at the local shop testing out the 85mm 1.2, 85 1.8, and Sigma 85 1.4

The 1.2 was the best quality but even if I could afford it I probably wouldn't have bought it. It isn't the quickest to focus, it's huge and it weighs a lot. I definitely wouldn't want to carry it around all day. So it was down to the Canon 1.8 and Sigma 1.4. Both had great image quality but the Canon was significantly cheaper ($370 after rebate) and lighter to carry. The Sigma was a nice lens but I didn't think it was worth near 3x the price of the 1.8 So I got the 1.8 and haven't looked back.

warek wrote in post #17298331
It seems that an issue is inconsistency between individual sigma 85 lenses, I wonder about if and when a rumoured update with the ART model will improve that aspect.

In Australia a Sigma 85 is 779 + filter and a Canon 135 F2 L is from 1000 as a grey import
Canon 85 F1.8 is around 480

By reading the comments on B&H about the Sigma (i don't recall if it's B&H or Amazon, but anyway ...) it's seems than from 2012 there is no more or "unhappy" customers (or very rare like the average for any brand) so may be sigma made an silent upgrade firmware, may be ...

But there is nothing "scientific" in my comment, and it's a long time i didn't read comments about this lens, so better you go by yourself read the comment and look at when they was posted, and make your own opinion because it's obvious that when we (every single one of us) speak about one particular lens that we like/love for whatever reasons, we cannot decently be 100% "impartial" even if we think we are

I bought mine brand new after 2012 and it was a nightmare

xpfloyd wrote in post #17298905
I bought mine brand new after 2012 and it was a nightmare

But it was a 2011 copy ( it's just a joke )

I loved the sigma 35 Art as the focus issues were cured by the dock. If sigma released a 85 art I would be very tempted although I do like the lightness of the 1.8