I'm after some advice on my next purchase..

onform

onform

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matt
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well it has been a year this friday since I bought my first DSLR!! and what a year it has been :) and to mark the occasion I am going to buy myself a new lens.

A year ago my plan was to get the 24-70 2.8L and then the 70-200 2.8L IS this year which would petty much cover all that I would need focal length wise.. but since then I have discovered the wonderful world of primes!! :bonk::bang:

I have had the pleasure of testing out some of the best telephoto primes canon has to offer and I am now after a little bit of advice.

I shoot mainly portraits and a few social occasions Cough weddings cough etc.. My style is very much get in close and personal and wide open with the 24-70 or 50mm 1.4 so I'm not sure I will need the the length of the 70-200 but it is very versatile and I will be covered for almost any eventuality..

70mm to 135mm seems to be the limit to what I like shooting at with 85mm being about right.

I have a budget that will stretch to the 85 1.2L but I think the slow auto focus will really bug me..

If I don't buy the 85 1.2 I will more than likely buy the 85 1.8 during the year so that's out..

I have used the 135 f2 and for some reason it just feels a little too long and it has no IS which will help in low light.. so that's out..

I have not tried but love the idea of the new 100mm 2.8L macro which is proving to be a corker of a lens for portraits too.

So I guess what I'm trying to say is, those people that have gone this route before me I would like some advice as to what they did and what they regretted and loved about all these lenses..
 
I'd have to seriously consider the 85mm 1.2L,particularly on a full frame body. I don't think the slow AF would bother you one bit in practice - it's actually very positive, and it would bother you even less when you saw the results.;)

I've now sold mine but the only regret I had about it was not using it enough. I did use it for a wedding where it was invaluable for interior shots in the evening - just about anything is possible with that lens.

I have the 70-200 2.8L IS and it's just about the least used of my current lenses. That's not saying anything at all against the lens, which is excellent, it's just that I mostly shoot with longer glass, but it's too good a lens to get rid of for those occasions when I do use it. I certainly never felt the urge to use it for a wedding, but that would depend on your shooting style I suppose.
 
I'd second CT regarding the 85mm F1.2, it is one of the sweetest lens going, and the ability to shoot in such low light is priceless.

Also the 135mm F2, I use it a lot for head and shoulders type shots, and it has the creamiest bokeh.

My line up for portaits is 50mm F1.4, 85mm F1.2 and 135mm F2 (on a 1Ds MKII)
 
I think it is really down to the 70-200 or the 85 1.2 now... Do you guy's use the auto focus assist beam built in to canon flashes to help the 85 1.2 focus???

Although you say it is great in low light how often did you get the focus spot on at f1.2??

Will I have problems using the centre focus and recomposing?? remember I have a 5DI not a 1ds so the focus points are not as good!
 
I have the 35 1.4, not the 85 and it's damn hard getting the right bit in focus at wide open, the focal plane is so short. The 85 will be even harder.

I'd get the 1.8 and a 135mm for when you need something longer (or that's what my logical head would do anyway, in reality I'd probably get a 1.2 then a 135 in six months).
 
I never found focusing a problem with the 85mm 1.2 even in low light and never needed or used focus assist. I found I soon got the hang of it and got a high rate of sharp shots even wide open.

I'd have to say that focusing and recomposing is a total nono though, it's not a good idea at all with DOF being that thin.

I've never used a 5D1 so I can't advise on off -centre focus accuracy at all, but no doubt someone will have some exoperience of the combo?
 
I have decided to go for the 85 1.2L, thanks to you guys for your help.. watch this spacefor the results...lol
 
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