alternative to canon 85mm 1.2

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joescrivens

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Hey there, does anyone have a good suggestion for an alternative prime to the canon 85mm 1.2,

any third party lens near this quality, range and speed but a little more reasonably priced?
 
hmmm I guess it is the 85mm 1.8 which is five times less expensive, anyone speak for using both lenses or either?
 
joescrivens said:
any third party lens near this quality, range and speed but a little more reasonably priced?
Click to expand...
No, not even close. The only real alternative, as you've discovered, is the Canon 85mm f/1.8.

The two Canon 85s are chalk and cheese. The 85/1.8 is a good little lens, light, sharp, fast to focus. The 85/1.2L is huge, heavy, and amazingly slow to focus. It delivers better image quality but not 5x as good (here is a comparison test), and in most circumstances the extra 2/3 of a stop of aperture isn't going to be critical to you.

But the real reason the 85/1.2L is 5x as expensive is simply that everyone who handles one immediately falls in love with it. I've seen a lot of lenses and I'd say this has without doubt the biggest "wow" factor of any. Just look at it. Don't you feel you want one of them at any cost?

Canon-EF-85mm-f-1.2-L-II-USM-Lens-on-30D.jpg
 
The 1.2 is, indeed, a lovely thing to behold. It's a bit of a heart-breaker that I've got to sell mine to raise some cash.
 
I can also recommend Canon 85mm f/1.8. As long as focus is perfect, the results are incredible wide open, just like 200mm f/2.8L. I've tried 85mm f/1.2 in Focus last year, and while it is very sharp, the vignetting is just horrible wide open (about 2EV), and focusing is slower. Apart from the f/1.2 look and speed there is nothing more very exciting about it. Canon 5D + 85mm f/1.8 is probably a better investment for the same money overall.
 
I love my 1.8 85mm.
Did a LOT of research and felt the quality(image and build), weight and AF speed just made the 1.8 a much better buy than the 1.2, to the point if I had to replace it because it wore out quicker than the 1.2 I still think it would be worth it. Of course it meant I could get a 100 macro too :)
which is also a peach.

Matt
 
As you have a crop camera I would suggest looking at the Sigma 50mm f1.4.

It is sharper than the Canon 50mm f1.4 and as sharp or sharper than the 85mm f1.8 and long enough with a crop sensor (80mm equivalent).
 
Samyang 85/1.4, comes with different names too. Big talk on FM
 
1.2 tis a beautiful and dream lens. I would love one. But I think the 1.8 is raved about enough to show that it too is an exceptional lens which makes me lean towards that as I don't need the extra stops or the antipro build quality.

Stewart I have no idea how you let some of that kit ever leave the door.
 
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