Canon 85mm f/1.8 vs Canon 70-200f/4.

nessiemac

nessiemac

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Dave
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Help me!!

I bought the 85mm last week and after a shaky start, missing focus and generally error due to me, I've spent the last couple of days shooting with it and....

I can't really see the IQ to be any better than my 70-200 f/4 which has more consistent results for me.

Take these 2 shots for example.

1. 85mm at f/2.8. iso 100 and ss of 1/100 with flash fill.


IMG_9736 by nessiemac1, on Flickr

and

2. 70-200mm at 200mm at f/4. iso 100 and ss of 100 with flash fill


IMG_9543 by nessiemac1, on Flickr

Now, both of them are lovely photos that are very sharp even at 100% crop. So i am thinking why would i keep the 85mm and use it over the other lens?

I love my 70-200 and thought i would get even more love from the 85mm after all the great things i read about it so is it a case of more practice or am i comparing apples with oranges?

Trying to think when i would use the 85mm over the 70-200mm?

Hmmm..!
 
I have both, f4 IS and the prime. Had the prime first, then got the zoom.

I found the prime to be very sharp and fantastic to use. The zoom however is not as fast (being f4) and slightly too heavy to use comfortably for lengths of time. If not for the reach and versatility, I wouldn't have gotten the zoom.

The 85mm is really for portrait at f1.8, easily blur out the background at perfect working distance. You'd need to stand quite back to get similar effect at 200mm f4. Although some people prefer the 135mm f2 working distance.
 
I think my issue is how blooming hard it is for me to get good results at f1.8 consistently which is the reason i bought the lens. Hence i was using f2.8 to get good results! Is it just a big learning curve to get used to shooting with that shallow DoF?
 
This is an unfair comparison as you are shooting the 70-200 at its max aperture but not the 85?

To my eye the 85 is the better image.

I've started to favour the 85 over my 70-200 2.8L at weddings.
 
Stevie- said:
This is an unfair comparison as you are shooting the 70-200 at its max aperture but not the 85?

To my eye the 85 is the better image.

I've started to favour the 85 over my 70-200 2.8L at weddings.
Click to expand...

Cheers Stevie

The problem is at max aperture on the 85mm i am finding it very difficult to get good sharp results. I know this is my, and not the lens problem, but how can i use the 85mm wide open and get good results?
 
nessiemac said:
Cheers Stevie

The problem is at max aperture on the 85mm i am finding it very difficult to get good sharp results. I know this is my, and not the lens problem, but how can i use the 85mm wide open and get good results?
Click to expand...
I find the 85 doesnt hit max sharpness until just over F2, maybe even f2.8, if you are shooting at 1.8 and comparing it to the zoom at f4 then you'll be disapointed with the results. Having said that I agree with above the 85mm shot looks "better" to the eye, nicer colours for a start, better background blur etc. Remember also the zoom is an L lens, the 85 isnt, its a very good sharp lens but its not an L, additionally you may need to micro adjust the camera to get the best out of the 85 because of manufacturing tolerances, whereas for the zoom it may already be giving its best results for the same reason but at the opposite end of the manufacturing tolerances.
Matt
 
I have had a go with a focus chart over the weekend and it showed that on a tripod with good light etc, that the focus was spot on.

I had a few attempts at f1.8 and the best ones are here...

1.


IMG_9664 - Version 2 by nessiemac1, on Flickr

and

2.


IMG_9769 by nessiemac1, on Flickr

Both at F1.8. Natural light in no1 and bit of flash on no 2.

Now i really like these 2 shots but it was hard work and quite a few shots to get these.
 
Last edited:
I find it very easy to get pin sharp results from my 85mm at f/1.8. TBH I've looked at your photos in the other thread and it simply looks like either the camera has moved after locking focus or its front focusing? Those last two photos above are fantastic however!

The 85mm has a huge low light advantage over the 70-200 f/4 for starters, and size and weight....

Keep trying with the 85mm. It's very rewarding and one of my favourite lenses.
 
odd jim said:
I find it very easy to get pin sharp results from my 85mm at f/1.8. TBH I've looked at your photos in the other thread and it simply looks like either the camera has moved after locking focus or its front focusing? Those last two photos above are fantastic however!

The 85mm has a huge low light advantage over the 70-200 f/4 for starters, and size and weight....

Keep trying with the 85mm. It's very rewarding and one of my favourite lenses.
Click to expand...

Thanks Jim,

I'm not expecting to suddenly make amazing photos but i think i'll have to keep practising. Which is great fun and hopefully get to grips with it in time.:)
 
f 1.8 can be tricky, Your focal plane will be narrow so, for example, if you focus and recompose the scene (as I often do with the 5d MKII's miserable 9 point system) you can miss shots this way.
 
Have you got AF micro adjustments? I had the same problem with my 35 1.4...on my 500D it was almost useless never could achieve good focus.

On my 6D I played with micro adjustments and suddenly I can attain good focus at 1.4.

Also ive read the internal focusing screen is inaccurate below f2.8 or so; so what you see isn't what you always get. Canon offer a precision focus screen for fast lenses on the 5d3/6d.

With that said, micro adjustments + learning how my lens manual focuses has sorted the problem for me. Even with AF I sometimes use the manual over ride for very slight adjustments and find it gives me a better in focus area.

As said above get a feel for the prime and it'll reward you.

Also prefer pics of the 85.
 
the main reasons to use 85mm are amazing bokeh and speed in low light. It blurs background same or better as zoom at 200mm f/4. The reason why the 70-200mm shot doesn't get so many likes is because of bright and nervous bits in the out of focus ares.
 
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