85mm 1.8 comes alive on full frame

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joescrivens

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I have owned the 85mm 1.8 for quite a while and although I liked it I didn't used to use it much on my 7d because it just felt too long and it didn't bowl me over. I was considering selling it to help fund my 5d.

After getting my 5dMk2 I put it on again as I wanted a small lens and wow, it just came to life, it's amazing how much difference my experience with it was on full frame, i love it.

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It is alive on FF, but there is no reason why it would be dead on 'crop'. It works just fine on my 40D and gives somewhat different yet excellent results. That would be the equivalent of 135mm f/2L on crop if you like, not a bad lens by any merit.
 
daugirdas said:
It is alive on FF, but there is no reason why it would be dead on 'crop'. It works just fine on my 40D and gives somewhat different yet excellent results. That would be the equivalent of 135mm f/2L on crop if you like, not a bad lens by any merit.
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The focal length combined with the full frame sensor just took it to the next level in my experience, it didn't excite me on my crop, now it does!
 
No.1 is a lovely picture, an 85mm is on my wishlist, but agree, a FF camera will bring out the best.
 
I had the same experience with the 50 1.8 - still waiting for new primes to arrive after upgrading to a 5d2 so I had to use my trusted nifty fifty it and I was shocked what a difference it made. It's as if it's a different lens!

BTW. These shots rock! Were they shot wide open?
 
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I'm sure they were wide open - look at that vignetting!

But great lens and gives the 85L a hard time justifying it's price.

Graham
 
Have you got the in-camera lens correction on? That should cure the vignetting (if you want to cure it that is...).
 
blue max said:
I'm sure they were wide open - look at that vignetting!

But great lens and gives the 85L a hard time justifying it's price.

Graham
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the vignette was added post processing

1 was wide open, the others were between 1.8 and 5.6
 
arad85 said:
Have you got the in-camera lens correction on? That should cure the vignetting (if you want to cure it that is...).
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No, I don't see any vignette with this lens naturally I added the vignette post processing :thumbs:
 
daugirdas said:
It is alive on FF, but there is no reason why it would be dead on 'crop'. It works just fine on my 40D and gives somewhat different yet excellent results. That would be the equivalent of 135mm f/2L on crop if you like, not a bad lens by any merit.
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joescrivens said:
The focal length combined with the full frame sensor just took it to the next level in my experience, it didn't excite me on my crop, now it does!
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Given the effects the full frame sensor has on the DoF for one thing I can see why you'd think the lens comes alive. It was great on my measly 400D but magical on my 5d2. One of the best Canon lenses around in my opinion. Built like a tank too.
 
Second to last is a beaut. I really like the distance yet it's still enough to blur the background. Grr. can't afford this lens for another few weeks :thumbs:.

What f/stop was second to last taken at if you don't mind me asking?
 
neil_g said:
the first 2 look soft to me? either that or im struggling to find the focal point..
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no 1 was at 1.8 and it's not soft, but the focal point is on the eye lash instead of the eyeball, user error not the lens

100 crop

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no.2 is pretty much the same, but I included it to show off the bokeh more :thumbs:
 
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trencheel303 said:
Second to last is a beaut. I really like the distance yet it's still enough to blur the background. Grr. can't afford this lens for another few weeks :thumbs:.

What f/stop was second to last taken at if you don't mind me asking?
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thats my favourite too, it was at 2.2
 
i had the same experience with my 135 f2. on a crop it's great, on full frame it's out of this world.

seeing how sharp those pictures are out of the 85 1.8 has given me another one of those itches... maybe if i can't get a sharp 50mm sigma i'll get one of these instead... or maybe add another few quid and get a 70-200 f2.8???

decisions decisions!

ps: lovely pictures by the way.
 
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cuthbert said:
i had the same experience with my 135 f2. on a crop it's great, on full frame it's out of this world.

seeing how sharp those pictures are out of the 85 1.8 has given me another one of those itches... maybe if i can't get a sharp 50mm sigma i'll get one of these instead... or maybe add another few quid and get a 70-200 f2.8???

decisions decisions!

ps: lovely pictures by the way.
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don't give up on your sharp copy of the sigma, got mine in the second copy and I will use it a lot I can see that even with the 85mm!
 
Hi Joe,

Awesome photos! The 85mm is definitely my favourite lens. The B&W headshots in my gallery inside a club/pub were with the 85mm, ambient light wide open on a 5D mkII. The Stella one was manual focused. I use it on my 7D now and it's still my favourite lens, I llove getting in close, but from afar :lol:
 
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R.Y.K. LEE said:
Hi Joe,

Awesome photos! The 85mm is definitely my favourite lens. The B&W headshots in my gallery inside a club/pub were with the 85mm, ambient light wide open on a 5D mkII. The Stella one was manual focused. I use it on my 7D now and it's still my favourite lens, I llove getting in close, but from afar :lol:
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Ha, only in photography terms would that last line make sense and I agree with the point, if there is space being able to get a close up without being too close is really good especially for candids but also subjects feel more comfortable as your not in their face. I need a fast prime now I have bought my 5d so it will be decision time soon.
 
amtaylor said:
Ha, only in photography terms would that last line make sense and I agree with the point, if there is space being able to get a close up without being too close is really good especially for candids but also subjects feel more comfortable as your not in their face. I need a fast prime now I have bought my 5d so it will be decision time soon.
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Hey Andy :)

Grats on that full frame! The 85 is a great lens to get now that you're on FF. I found the 50 was a little wide for my liking on the 5D, just couldn't frame it tight enough without including background clutter :D
 
I'm struggling to see where it's OOF!! Great shots. Do like mine on a 1.5x crop though - lovely portrait lens
 
yeah, some great shots there. can't imagine why it wasn't up to scratch before, but then what do i know? can i ask waht pp did you do if any? just trying to learn.:nuts:
 
Dan573 said:
yeah, some great shots there. can't imagine why it wasn't up to scratch before, but then what do i know? can i ask waht pp did you do if any? just trying to learn.:nuts:
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Not a ton of pp, mostly a slight s on the curves adjustment to give more contrast then unsharp mask then adding a vignette
 
You can spot the USM a mile off - it's much sharper and crisper than standard sharpening that the likes of DPP uses.
 
Maybe I should consider this lens. I've been hankering after an 85L again, but the results of this on the 5D2 look pretty good (plus this 1.8 is lighter and smaller, always a bonus!).

Thanks for posting these up.
 
py6km said:
Maybe I should consider this lens. I've been hankering after an 85L again, but the results of this on the 5D2 look pretty good (plus this 1.8 is lighter and smaller, always a bonus!).

Thanks for posting these up.
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it really is a small lens, it's the smallest I have now!
 
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