EF 50mm f1.4 or EF 85mm f1.8?

M_Six · 01-08-2011, 01:04 AM

Both are close in price on Amazon. Anyone with experience with these lenses care to comment? If could only swing one of them, which would it be?

BMW F22 · 01-08-2011, 01:06 AM

85mm is more geared towards portraits. The 50mm lens is more of an all around prime.

M_Six · 01-08-2011, 01:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BMW E90

85mm is more geared towards portraits. The 50mm lens is more of an all around prime.

Figured as much. My AT-1 (dating myself) came with a 50mm and I lived with that as my only lens for a couple years. Perfect size.

God, I miss that camera.

BMW F22 · 01-08-2011, 01:19 AM

I came really close to picking up an 85mm 1.8. I stopped myself because I haven't gone shooting in a while so it would have just sat here. Why not get the 85mm used and use the money saved and pick up a 50mm 1.8? If you like it then just pick up the 50mm 1.4 later.

M_Six · 01-08-2011, 01:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BMW E90

I came really close to picking up an 85mm 1.8. I stopped myself because I haven't gone shooting in a while so it would have just sat here. Why not get the 85mm used and use the money saved and pick up a 50mm 1.8? If you like it then just pick up the 50mm 1.4 later.

You know I've read so many reviews and comments about the 50mm f1.8 vs the 50mm f1.4. The universal theme is that you'll love the images of the 1.8 but it's so cheaply made that you'll move to the 1.4. So I figure I'll just skip the foreplay and jump to the 1.4.

I have a week in NYC coming up in May. I plan on camping out at B&H photo so I may pick peruse the 85mm there. I think they have used lenses.

vivekk · 01-10-2011, 05:07 PM

They're both great lenses. I bought the Canon 50mm f/1.4 a couple of years ago & the UK forum members bought the 85mm f/1.8 as a present when I broke my leg!

The 50mm is a great all-round lens & I used that to get some shots when we went over to the Nurburgring, 18 months ago. The 85mm is a fantastic portrait lens & is great at low light levels, but you need to great your distance from the subject 'just right', to make the most of it. I didn't find that to be as much of a practical problem with the 50mm.

Here are a few examples of photos I've taken with the 2 lenses (I have yet to play sufficiently with the 50mm on the 5d Mark II, so the first examples are of the 50mm on my old 450d):

1 Canon 450d + 50mm f/1.4 ( x1.6 crop with the APS-C sensor on this body):

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2 Canon 5d Mark II + 85mm f/1.8:

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Viv

kamek · 01-10-2011, 06:04 PM

What camera body will you be using it on?

01-08-2011, 01:04 AM	#1
M_Six Free Thinker 19771 Rep 7,561 Posts Drives: 2016 MB GLC300 4matic Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Foothills of Mt Level iTrader: (0)	EF 50mm f1.4 or EF 85mm f1.8? Both are close in price on Amazon. Anyone with experience with these lenses care to comment? If could only swing one of them, which would it be? __________________ Mark markj.pics "Life is uncertain, eat bacon now." -UncleWede
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01-08-2011, 01:06 AM	#2
BMW F22 Major General 3677 Rep 9,783 Posts Drives: ///M235i Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Bay Area iTrader: (8)	85mm is more geared towards portraits. The 50mm lens is more of an all around prime.
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01-08-2011, 01:19 AM	#4
BMW F22 Major General 3677 Rep 9,783 Posts Drives: ///M235i Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Bay Area iTrader: (8)	I came really close to picking up an 85mm 1.8. I stopped myself because I haven't gone shooting in a while so it would have just sat here. Why not get the 85mm used and use the money saved and pick up a 50mm 1.8? If you like it then just pick up the 50mm 1.4 later.
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01-10-2011, 05:07 PM	#6
vivekk THE Viv 192 Rep 4,743 Posts Drives: 330i SE Join Date: May 2005 Location: the North, UK iTrader: (0) Garage List 2005 BMW e90 330iSE [0.00]	They're both great lenses. I bought the Canon 50mm f/1.4 a couple of years ago & the UK forum members bought the 85mm f/1.8 as a present when I broke my leg! The 50mm is a great all-round lens & I used that to get some shots when we went over to the Nurburgring, 18 months ago. The 85mm is a fantastic portrait lens & is great at low light levels, but you need to great your distance from the subject 'just right', to make the most of it. I didn't find that to be as much of a practical problem with the 50mm. Here are a few examples of photos I've taken with the 2 lenses (I have yet to play sufficiently with the 50mm on the 5d Mark II, so the first examples are of the 50mm on my old 450d): 1 Canon 450d + 50mm f/1.4 ( x1.6 crop with the APS-C sensor on this body): 2 Canon 5d Mark II + 85mm f/1.8: Viv __________________ [TiAg ▪ Dakota Black ▪ Active steering ▪ Sports suspension ▪ 162s ▪ Sports seats ▪ Al trim ▪ Bi-Xenons ▪ F&R PDC ▪ NavPro ▪ Voice control ▪ Bluetooth ▪ 6CD Logic7]
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01-10-2011, 06:04 PM	#7
kamek Brigadier General 366 Rep 3,447 Posts Drives: 2018 X3 M40i Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Queens, NY iTrader: (4) Garage List 2008 BMW 328xi [8.20]	What camera body will you be using it on?
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