Canon 85mm 1.2

amtaylor · 11 Jul 2011

Just about to order one of these and I'm wondering out of interest, until i get a second ff body ill be using this sometimes on my 50d. How do you think the results will be compared to a 135mm f2. I reckon fairly similar but I'm just interested.

Buttkicker · 11 Jul 2011

The 135mm is a really great Lens and tack sharp... however having used the 85mm F1.2 I was totalluy blown away by it... it is one of those Lenses that you really need to use it before appreciating just how good it is

the autofocus is slow but the image quailty more than makes up for it
and in Low Light I have never seen a better light gathering Lens
Bokeh to die for

I owned the 135mm for about 5 years and got some real nice images with it... but the 85mm is right up at the top of the Canon food chain IMHO

HoppyUK · 11 Jul 2011

In terms of field of view and depth of field, 85 1.2 on a cropper is theoretically equivalent to a 136mm f/1.9 on full frame.

Johnd2000 · 12 Jul 2011

HoppyUK said:
In terms of field of view and depth of field, 85 1.2 on a cropper is theoretically equivalent to a 136mm f/1.9 on full frame.

Really? How does sensor size alter the max aperture of a lens?

HoppyUK · 12 Jul 2011

Johnd2000 said:
Really? How does sensor size alter the max aperture of a lens?

It doesn't, f/number doesn't change, but cropping the image alters the magnification factor in the depth of field equation (circle of confusion) as well as the effective field of view. Multiply both by the crop factor for equivalence.

So, if you have an 85 1.2 on a cropper, and stand side by side with someone using full frame with a 135 2, at their lowest f/numbers, you will get pretty much identical images. The one with the 85 1.2 will have a faster shutter speed though, and the one on full frame will have better image quality.

Johnd2000 · 12 Jul 2011

HoppyUK said:
It doesn't, f/number doesn't change, but cropping the image alters the magnification factor in the depth of field equation (circle of confusion) as well as the effective field of view. Multiply both by the crop factor for equivalence.

So, if you have an 85 1.2 on a cropper, and stand side by side with someone using full frame with a 135 2, at their lowest f/numbers, you will get pretty much identical images. The one with the 85 1.2 will have a faster shutter speed though, and the one on full frame will have better image quality.

Ahh, I'm with you now. Just misunderstood the original statement.

Greywolf · 12 Jul 2011

What buttkicker said. I bought this a few weeks ago. It focuses slowly but the bokeh is fantastic, really making the image pop. It's actually made me take more people photos they look so good.

adsayer · 12 Jul 2011

You'll love it, although it takes a while to get used to it (or at least I found it did). It's not one of those lenses you point and shoot with, for want of a better word.