85mm F/1.2L - WOW!

[Amfibius]

I was at a workshop yesterday and one of the other photographers kindly lent me his 85/1.2L to try.

This is an impressive chunk of a lens. Even if you are used to handling L lenses, the build quality on this thing will impress you. The lens feels heavy for its compact size. The hood has a little click release and is much nicer than other Canon twist-lock hoods. When I mounted it on my 10D, the balance felt right (my 24-70/2.8L is so big that the camera feels a bit unbalanced). The AF is slow, probably because the poor USM motor has to move all that glass around.

I pointed it at the model, and took this shot with ambient light:

(F/1.2, 1/60s, ISO 400, handheld)

Wow, amazing! I focused on the left eye. The DOF is so shallow that the right eye is slightly out of focus. I love the way the focus just melts away so smoothly on her cheeks and hair. This lens gives things a certain 3D quality. (Yes I know the colour is a little bit flat - I forgot to boost the saturation after I corrected WB and removed noise - that's my fault).

I thought I would point the lens at a less attractive subject:

(F/1.2, 1/90s, ISO 400, handheld)

Yup, same thing. Rob hasn't got the best skin and I unfortunately locked focus on the tip of his nose instead of his eyes but once again the lens is so sharp.

All I can say now is that I want one so badly that it hurts! Pity it's so expensive! Anybody want to buy a slightly used kidney?

(Moderators: if selling a kidney is against CS buy and sell policy for non-photographic equipment kindly let me know and I will remove the sale)

 

[CaeSiuM]

Wow, amazing! I focused on the left eye. The DOF is so shallow that the right eye is slightly out of focus. I love the way the focus just melts away so smoothly on her cheeks and hair.

Now, I think that is a real abuse of shallow depth of field. You must be one of those bokeh-addicts.

 

[Jed]

Actually, you need to stop down a fair deal to get both eyes in focus if they are not on the same focal plane... otherwise regardless of whether you shoot at f4 or f1.2, the same situation results.

 

[agape01]

Perhaps, photogs that are really into bokeh should buy this piece of glass.

 

[Terence]

Perhaps, photogs that are really into bokeh should buy this piece of glass.

Your keen sense of observation never fails to amaze me Caleb.

 

[nightwolf75]

Your keen sense of observation never fails to amaze me Caleb.

hahahaha..... :bsmilie: :bsmilie: understatement of the decade?

but seriously, amfibius, wah lau... u shld have just konk the photog's head and ran off with the lens! seriously good piece of lens sia.... well, at least you've helped settled one question abt the quality of the 85mm lens. i believe someone posted a week back asking which lens is better, this or the tamron 90mm Macro, for portrait bokeh.

 

[ST1100]

Mistake, Amfibius, mistake. You shouldn't have touched that lens.

The 85/1.2L is not a good match with the 10D. When you (eventually) get your 85/1.2, you'd probably find that the AF 'tolerance' on the 10D is a little loose for the 1.2 DOF - there'll be a lot of 'almost-there' shots. Then you'd want a 1D/1Dii/1Ds for the dead-on AF, which is about the same weight as your 10D+grip anyway. That'll set you back 4k at least, lens plus camera.

Mistake, Amfibius, mistake.

:bsmilie:

 

[lavenderlilz]

Mistake, Amfibius, mistake. You shouldn't have touched that lens.

The 85/1.2L is not a good match with the 10D. When you (eventually) get your 85/1.2, you'd probably find that the AF 'tolerance' on the 10D is a little loose for the 1.2 DOF - there'll be a lot of 'almost-there' shots. Then you'd want a 1D/1Dii/1Ds for the dead-on AF, which is about the same weight as your 10D+grip anyway. That'll set you back 4k at least, lens plus camera.

Mistake, Amfibius, mistake.

:bsmilie:

LOL!!!!!!!! You are so funny!!!!!!!
:bsmilie: :bsmilie: :bsmilie:

 

[dkw]

All I can say now is that I want one so badly that it hurts! Pity it's so expensive! Anybody want to buy a slightly used kidney?

Into organ trading now are we ? I bid $200, but only if condition is >9/10 :bsmilie:

 

[Amfibius]

The 85/1.2L is not a good match with the 10D. When you (eventually) get your 85/1.2, you'd probably find that the AF 'tolerance' on the 10D is a little loose for the 1.2 DOF - there'll be a lot of 'almost-there' shots. Then you'd want a 1D/1Dii/1Ds for the dead-on AF, which is about the same weight as your 10D+grip anyway. That'll set you back 4k at least, lens plus camera.

Yeah I know ... the moment I looked through the viewfinder I was in love

BTW there seems to be nothing wrong with the AF on my copy of the 10D. If it can lock focus on a bee on my macro lens then it should be OK with the 85/1.2. If I have to buy a 1-series body as well then I'll have to sell my other kidney and go on dialysis

Already started putting money aside for the 85/1.2L