I pride myself in having the right products for the job. The only way I can do that is by doing exhaustive research on each piece of gear I use when on a job… in fact, I may take it even a little overboard! I’ve thoroughly researched everything from travel surge protector to my underwear to my AA batteries (I’m a huge fan of Energizer E2 Lithium, but that’s another article!)
Needless to say, if a lens is in my bag, it’s been carefully chosen. I bought my 85mm right before a 9-country, 60 day journey through Asia, Africa and Europe. When I first starting looking into it, I was almost sure I would want the 85 f/1.2 but I was very wrong. The facts and tests quickly pointed me away from that lens. But, every other Canon lens I carry in my bag is L glass, so why would I buy a non-L, cheap lens at $350?
Here’s why:
1) The f/1.2 weighs 1025g, the f/1.8 weighs in at 425g. Nuff said.
2) The f/1.8 focuses has a closer focal length by about 6 inches.
3) The f/1.2 is much bigger and clunkier than the f/1.8.
4) The f/1.2 focuses slow! The huge glass elements in there take time to rotate and it’s not as snappy as the f/1.8.
5) We really don’t need f/1.2 anymore. Sensors are shooting at 102,000 ISO now, the days of REALLY needing the extra stop to f/1.2 are over.
6) Shooting at f/1.2 is nearly impossible in close distances! If you are shooting close-up portraiture work at f/1.2, you’ll quickly find that those your subjects’ eyelashes may be in focus, they’re eyeballs might be soft!
7) Often times adventure and travel photographers argue that they want the L lenses because they are weather-sealed and better fend off the elements. Not-so in this case. In fact, the 85mm f/1.2 is one of only a few lenses in the entire L line that are not weather-sealed (along with the T/S lenses.)
8 ) And last but not least, at $2200 the f/1.2 costs nearly SEVEN times that of the f/1.8.
If you want to see images samples from the 85 f/1.8, check out my portfolio at www.austinmann.com and just about any portrait you see has been shot with the 85 f/1.8. That lens is tack sharp.
You can see detailed specs on both of these lenses here:
4 Comments
Good review with a lot of wisdom. I have both lenses and have a real love/hate relationship with the 1.2. I miss the focus mark all of the time with it. But, when it is on, it looks great. I have the same problem (to a lesser degree) with the 50 1.2 vs the 1.4. The 50mm 1.4 makes a lot of noise when focusing though.
Good work,
gary
Well said Austin.
I totally agree.. though, i’ve never used the 1.2 …
lol.. this article makes me happy and proud of my trusty 1.8 =)
I’ve never shot with the 1.2 – but I will say that the 85 f/1.8 is the most dependable, sharpest lens in my bag. It doesn’t hunt like the 50mm f/1.4 in low light, and it’s deadly sharp, even wide open. Even for fast-moving subject, it locks on: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tbisaacs/3561681360/
agreed 100%.
I own a 1.8 and this past week got shot behind a 1.2 and found it not worth the .6 stop. So glad a wise man advised me to buy my 1.8.