i need a new 85mm

I've come to the conclusion that I cant use my 135. I love the look, but its too long and handshake is a real issue for me. I'm much better with my 85. the focal length is perfect for me. but the 135 produces the look i want so i struggle with it.

I'm thinking about getting an 85/1.2 but im not sure I want to pay the premium for it. I could sell both my 85/1.8 and the 135L but i'd rather keep the 135.

The 85/1.8 is solid but i'm looking for something give a bit dreamier look when shooting wide open. is the 85/1.2 my only worthwhile option or does someone other than canon make a solid alternative. I'm also not opposed to say a 70-200/2.8 IS either...

thoughts?

Take a look at the Sigma 85 1.4

with the 85 ART rumored to be coming out i'm a bit leery of getting one just yet.

Time that the rumors are over and that Sigma announces the 85 Art officially.
As Sigma never makes f1.2 lenses it will be a Sigma 85 1.4 Art, probably without OS.

Don't know if I would sell my 85 1.2L (MKI) for that.
E.g. I bought a 50 1.4 Art because it's way sharper than the 50 1.2L wide open.

I think I would't buy a Sigma 85 1.4 Art only for the sharpness as the 85 1.2L MKI is allready a sharp lens (+ unique f1.2)
Maybe a 85 1.4 Art with OS, but not without.

Yes the 135L is sometimes a difficult lens to work with.
This weekend I took about 300 pics during carnaval, moving my lens fast at ISO 500 & fast shutterspeeds of 1/2000 at f2.
I think I have only +-120 sharp ones in the centre, the rest are blurry.

Despite of the superfast AF, this lens is ideal for modelshoots outdoor, where you don't move so much...

mike_311 wrote in post #17890311
with the 85 ART rumored to be coming out i'm a bit leery of getting one just yet.

mike_311 wrote in post #17890032
I've come to the conclusion that I cant use my 135. I love the look, but its too long and handshake is a real issue for me. I'm much better with my 85. the focal length is perfect for me. but the 135 produces the look i want so i struggle with it.

I'm thinking about getting an 85/1.2 but im not sure I want to pay the premium for it. I could sell both my 85/1.8 and the 135L but i'd rather keep the 135.

The 85/1.8 is solid but i'm looking for something give a bit dreamier look when shooting wide open. is the 85/1.2 my only worthwhile option or does someone other than canon make a solid alternative. I'm also not opposed to say a 70-200/2.8 IS either...

thoughts?

Well, 135 is so niche, you can only go wider or longer. You just said "it's too long" and then you're saying a 200mm might work. So, is it too long in the sense of shutter speed needs, or is it too long for working distnace needs? Makes a big difference. While you can get away with slower shutter on the 70-200 F2.8L II, it weighs a lot more, so you have to consider that. If you already have issues with shaking hands, do you think it will be difficult to hold a bigger, heavier lens, despite having IS that helps with the shutter speed need?

135L (subject at 20 feet, F2, DOF is barely 1 foot (0.79)
85 F1.4 (subject at 15 feet, F1.4, DOF is barely 1 foot (0.79ft)

So between working distance and faster aperture, you can get the same DOF.

As for amount of blur, the 85 F1.4 at F1.4 will produce more blur at the same distance as the 135L at F2, from 1 meter out to 30 meters, after 30 meters, the 135L will finally produce more blur, however, 30 meters is probably not your working distance.

The longer focal length will suck the background forward just a little bit more.

Other than that, you can recreate the "look" very closely.

I would look at the Sigma 85mm F1.4 at half the cost of the 85L. Also, compare the 85L and Sigma 85 F1.4 at F1.4 together, there are tons of threads about it, they're so similar it's almost a wash really, assuming both are good copies and both in proper focus, etc.

Very best,

You might consider another body with higher ISO capability to reduce your shutter speed. Did you consider a monopod to steady the camera?

Maybe I'm in the minority here, but I have the Sigma 50mm 1.4, not Art. I love it. I just can't justify going to the Art. So just because Sigma may come out with a 85 1.4 art, that doesn't mean that the current one isn't awesome.

philodelphi wrote in post #17890583
Maybe I'm in the minority here, but I have the Sigma 50mm 1.4, not Art. I love it. I just can't justify going to the Art. So just because Sigma may come out with a 85 1.4 art, that doesn't mean that the current one isn't awesome.

the sigma retails for ~$1000, when the ART comes out that price will likely drop so i'll probably wait regardless.

to answer a few other questions, i have a monopod which i do use, it helps a little. I also have a 5d2, I usually bump the ISO to 400 or 800 with no issues to get it sharp.

i just find the 85mm focal length to be what i prefer for shooting with, i only use the 135 because i love the images it makes but i need quite a bit of room to use it and forget using it outdoors. i was thinking about a 70-200/2.8 to cover both the 85 and the 135 plus some.

i started using more artificial light and the 85 is just easier to use all around without having to use HSS.

The 70-200 won't give you the look that the 135L does, altough it is close. You will need to be at 200mm to get a close look to the 135, and while the extra focal length does suck, the IS really does help. You clearly said you like the 85mm focal length, so that is what you need. You just need to decide on if you want the 85L or the current Sigma 85 1.4, or wait for the rumored 85 1.4 ART (most likely without OS). The 70-200 is a great lens, but anything other than a 85mm is a stop gap and you will eventually end up at the 85mm focal length.

BTW - I tested the 70-200 IS II side by side on an outdoor model shoot with my 135L and a rented 70-200 F4. Anything less than 200mm @ 2.8, the 135L blows it out of the water in that special "look" feeling.

mike_311 wrote in post #17890858
the sigma retails for ~$1000, when the ART comes out that price will likely drop so i'll probably wait regardless.

to answer a few other questions, i have a monopod which i do use, it helps a little. I also have a 5d2, I usually bump the ISO to 400 or 800 with no issues to get it sharp.

i just find the 85mm focal length to be what i prefer for shooting with, i only use the 135 because i love the images it makes but i need quite a bit of room to use it and forget using it outdoors. i was thinking about a 70-200/2.8 to cover both the 85 and the 135 plus some.

i started using more artificial light and the 85 is just easier to use all around without having to use HSS.

Heya,

For reasons similar to this, I use a Tamron 90mm F2.8 VC. It's basically an 85mm (90mm), and has modern 4 stop image stabilization. Razor sharp, compared to 100L. The trade off is that it's F2.8, but it's very good wide open. So it's a lighter weight lens than using a big heavy 70-200 F2.8 lens just to gain stabilization. I use it for portrait, with lighting, etc, too. I don't use my 85mm F1.4 with lighting outside, because I prefer to not have to use 8~10 stops or HSS just to make up for it. So the F2.8 doesn't bother me.

I would love if Canon would release an 85 F1.8 IS

Very best,

The bokeh on the 70-200 II is closer to the 135L than the 85 1.8. I enjoy the 85 1.8 but whe I shoot with it there is a richness thats missing from the 135L. Whether its bokeh, micro contrast, or whatever it just doesnt come close. The shots I've seen from the 70-200II are closer.

i hear you. i really enjoy my 85/1.8 too but its not the 135L. i see shots from the 85/1.2 and its there.

i'd like to try out a sigma 1.4, ive never own a sigma. is the sigma lottery a real concern with the older pre-art lenses? i'm kind of leery about buying one after reading so many posts over the years.

I was never able to justify paying the ridiculous top dollars for the 1.2L. So I bought the Sigma 1.4, and even found it it used for a nice 500 euros. After some 6 months the lens has received a lot of attention from, to the point that I barely use the 135mm anymore - which, in itself , is a great shame.

I just don't see the one extra stop being worth it. So far the F1.4 has been fast enough without a problem.

i dont "need" 1.2, i'm content with what 1.8 provides. The 85/1.8 just doesn't give that dreamy look and i'm looking for an 85 that will, if it exists. from what ive seen of the 85/1.2 it appears to. I'll be looking into the sigmas.

If you wanted to go super-crazy-dreamy you could try to get your hands on a Helios 40-2 85mm 1.5 (yeah, it's manual)

flickr search: https://www.flickr.com​/search/?q=helios+40-2&s=int

I think this photographer took nearly all these shots with one (portraits): http://direct3dvisual.​deviantart.com/gallery​/