Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM Medium Telephoto Lens for Canon SLR Cameras - Fixed

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I find that 85mm is just the *perfect* focal length for peoples faces. Im sure there is some sort of formula or theorem behind it, but for whatever reason, people tend to look good at 85mm. Its a good lens to work with, too, since you can capture flattering headshots without needing to be too far away, or so close that you start to get fisheye-ish exaggeration. I know people rave about the Nifty Fifties, but I really dont like using them for portraiture unless the surrounding environment is really going to play into the look of the desired final product. 85mm on a full frame camera is just a joy to shoot with. If you fancy yourself as a portrait photographer, THIS is the lens you need to grab those breathtaking shots where the subject just jumps out at you from the background. So why this lens over the Sigma f/1.4 or the Canon f/1.2? Well, I tried all three. It was an expensive experiment, but a worthwhile one. The Canon f/1.2 is ungodly. Its a beast. A bokeh machine. I loved what I got out of it, but I didnt feel like the performance justified the price for me personally. If I were shooting full-time, and needed my shots to publish in order to survive, it wouldnt even be a question, but as an enthusiastic hobbyist, I couldnt justify the price. Its amazing, but not magical. I really liked the Sigma f/1.4, and found almost everything about it to be top-quality. The feel, the focusing speed, the colors... all great. The reason I couldnt go with it, however, was the color fringing. Id read about the problem before, and was anticipating it, but didnt realize how present it would be in everyday shots. While Lightroom has a tool specifically for dealing with this problem, its a solution that can add softness to high-contrast areas. Picket fences, eyelashes, jewelry... I just cant consider a lens to be sharp if the colors arent aligned, and I just couldnt get past that fault. Maybe theyll do an ART version of it soon that addresses this? The EF 85mm f/1.8 has a nice feel to it, though certainly nowhere as smooth as the other two competitors. Focusing is really quick, and while youll notice vignetting up to about f/2.2, its not something Ive ever really felt compelled to correct in post. There is CA and fringing in very high-contrast situations, but nowhere as bad as what I saw on the Sigma. Considering the price, its somewhat of a no-brainer for portraiture and outdoor/landscape photography.

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I wasnt really sure what to expect when I received this lens. Of course I watched all kinds of youtube reviews and read all the dxomark specs, but sometimes you get a lens in your hand and only when you use it do you know what its true value is. So, I mounted this on my 5d4 and went camping for the weekend. We snapped maybe 100 images through the three days and I purposely left it in f/1.8 the entire time because I wanted to see what this thing can do, because if a lens cant exceed at its maximum aperture its not much value to me. I was thrilled with the results. Every picture was sharp. No microadjustments were necessary. I thought it might be similar in quality to my 50mm 1.8 STM, but the 85mm is far superior in quality in every way. My only complaint is that some of the images in the shade do have a purple-ish tint, which of course you can correct but its a pain as the amount of tint is different depending on the amount of light/shade.

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Its well built, but doesnt quite feel like L quality and doesnt have weather sealing or IS. But Ive seen a few L lenses that barely deserved that red ring. Its fast, sturdy, focuses just fine and has very good image quality even at 1.8. Ive read that the 85 1.2 is quite soft wide-open, so unless you really need a tank with the DOF of an eyelash and considering that you *may* need to stop down to 1.8 anyhow to get sharp images with the 1.2, this is a steal and a no brainer for a lot of people. It really is the best bang for the buck in prime portrait lenses. It has some vignetting and purple fringing, especially on FF, but thats all trivial to fix in post and automatic if you shoot jpg (which I dont) on a newer camera. The snap on hood is really my single, tiny complaint. With the money youd save over the 1.2 you could go buy a 70-200f4 IS or the older 2.8 version and have all your portrait folcal lenths covered.

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I use this lens on a Canon t4i. To say I love this lens would be an understatement. Autofocus is fast and accurate. Colors are rich and vibrant. Subjects are sharp, and the f/1.8 aperture produces rich and beautiful bokeh. I barely even have to touch the photos in Lightroom because they just look that accurate. If the quality of all my other lenses matched the quality of this lens, I would be a happy man. My one complaint? 85mm is sort of an awkward focal length for a lot of things. You have to be a good deal away from your subject, which may prevent you from using it in the house, but its not enough of a telephoto lens to zoom in to distant objects. I use this for portraits, where I can easily control how far I am from the subject, but as much as I love this lens, I usually take my 55-250mm lens if Im out and about. And then I die a little inside because this baby is left at home. Would I buy it again? Yes. Absolutely yes. If you want to see a grown man cry, wait until the day this lens gets damaged or stolen. Then I will cry. I will cry buckets over the loss of my poor 85mm lens.

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So as an amateur photography I was a bit nervous about this lens as I read on a pro photographers blog that it is very difficult to get the desired sharpness. After setting up lights and getting my "camera legs" so to speak I have to say that I was very impressed with this lens. I have a few photos where I can see the soft hairs on the models face and the eyes were super sharp, but it does come with a learning curve as a lot of my photos got the blur too. I think if you are someone who knows exactly what you are doing this lens is the tops for its price range, the rest of us will require practice and learning.

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The BEST purchase Ive ever made by far in my photography career! This lens makes even an amateur look professional! And Im just that! I love photography and although I have an eye for it and have been taking pictures for several years, Im by no means a professional....but even I can use this lens and make average pictures come out looking breathtaking! Its all in the lens! High quality. Heavy and heavy-duty! You wont be disappointed.

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This is one of the best non-L Canon lenses for portraits in my opinion. I get the same silky smooth bokeh as my 50mm 1.4 with greater sharpness and virtually no distortion. On a crop sensor you do need to move back a little farther than the 50mm but once you get your subject framed, well the pictures speak for themselves. I really wish the body was weather sealed like the L glass but I know that would only make it more expensive. All in all I love this lense.

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0:00 0:00 This video is not intended for all audiences. What date were you born? January February March April May June July August September October November December 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980 1979 1978 1977 1976 1975 1974 1973 1972 1971 1970 1969 1968 1967 1966 1965 1964 1963 1962 1961 1960 1959 1958 1957 1956 1955 1954 1953 1952 1951 1950 1949 1948 1947 1946 1945 1944 1943 1942 1941 1940 1939 1938 1937 1936 1935 1934 1933 1932 1931 1930 1929 1928 1927 1926 1925 1924 1923 1922 1921 1920 1919 1918 1917 1916 1915 1914 1913 1912 1911 1910 1909 1908 1907 1906 1905 1904 1903 1902 1901 1900 Submit Adobe Flash Player is required to watch this video. Install Flash Player Great lens if baught new, avoid used, this is an older lens. I have been using canon for a long time and understand that the focusing motor will make noise and will be audible but not to the extent that I had when I bought it from THE LUXURY COLLECTION CAMS, worst customer service and would advise you avoid, I left a review for them and others left negative and magically it was removed with 100%. Now the lens is very light weight and has little to no noise when it is not used and abused, I have attached a video to see what the focusing motor sounds like when it is in poor condition and not like new as some sellers might try to pass it off as. I would highly recommend the lens, with the 1.8f it gives you amazing focal length and great boken, if money is an issue, this is a great all around lens that has many applications beside portraits. Also keep in mind if you are on a rebel series cam like the t6i, there will be a crop factor of1.6 which turn the lens into a 136mm lens, so keep that in mind if this is your primary body. unfortunately I do not have photos to provide since the lens I had was defective but over all I know the quality photos that can be taken with this non L lens that produces L like photos.

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Ive shot canon for years and love their lenses. Bought this for a portrait shoot and I was horrified to see 95%+ of my photos badly out of focus when I brought them back onto the computer. Some focused too near, some too far. I tested it against my $100 50mm/f1.8 lens and the 50mm was dead on crystal focus every time and the 85mm one was way off in both directions. I tested shooting stuff in my backyard with plenty of light, shooting a ruler at an angle... all sorts of stuff and the 85mm never got it right. No idea why as Ive never experienced that with another lens. I may have just had a bad one and I returned it.

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Love the lens - I already own a 70-200 2.8 which does a good job but this 85mm is just way different. The focal length is awesome on people and models and the 1.8 aperture makes it bokalicious. Even if you have the 70-200 I would still recommend buying it. If you cant afford a 70-200 I would recommend this as alternative option for sure because you will see results fast. Even though this lens is awesome and is super sharp the only problem it has which can be fixed is the purple fringing when there is lots of contrast between dark and light. Other than that its a perfect lens.

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