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Reviewed by Ben Lee, http://dslrlensesonline.com editor.
Canon EF 85mm lens
The Canon 85mm 1.8 is another example of an exceptionally high quality Canon prime lens for a budget price.
I would go so far as to say that everyone should own a copy of this lens regardless of if you enjoy portraiture photography or not.
Why? It’s just that the EF 85mm has so much going for it – super image sharpness and very pleasing bokeh but also high in portability and low in weight.
While the image sharpness is outstanding throughout the range of this lens, it is best utilized from f/2.8 onwards. Color and saturation are also very good and auto focus is fast and accurate.
Canon 85mm 1.8 review
A lot of users who already own this lens agree that it is the best portraiture lens they have ever owned – remarking that the combination of the 85mm focal length and fast f/1.8 aperture brings out detail and clarity in faces that simply wasn’t present in other lenses.
Bokeh-addicts will also enjoy the amount of background blur that is produced wide open and of course a good amount of bokeh is the key to any successful portrait shot in my opinion.
People have also commented that the 85mm gives their subjects a lot of 3-dimensionality, which I think is pretty cool because we as photographers (well, most of us) are always looking to recreate a scene as accurately as possible and the images really pop when get them printed.
Canon EOS 40D with EF 85mm 1.8 lens
What’s more, people who have little vested interest in photography can usually tell which images came from this lens and which came from something else, which I think says a lot.
The Canon 85mm 1.8 lens is also perfect for low light and indoor photography because of the extremely wide aperture.
Furthermore, it is great for indoor sports photography where light can also be limited. It also excels in this regard because it has slightly more reach than a traditional 50mm portrait lens.
The focal length is especially useful on a 1.6 FOVCF camera which the reach is extended further still.
| What you will like |
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| What you won’t like |
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A reminder about the Canon EF 85mm for novice photographers
As with all prime lenses, there is no actual zooming in or zooming out to achieve the composition that you want.
Instead, you are the one that is going to have to do the moving – either away from or towards your subject.
This seems like an obvious thing to mention in this review, but many people will be put off by the lack of zoom ring and will opt for a mid-range zoom lens instead.
Obviously this lens will be limited to situations where there is plenty of room to move about – I can’t imagine it working too well in a room full of people or anywhere there are large crowds in confined spaces.
It may take some getting used to, but the good news is that you quickly become accustomed to it and almost know instantly whether the lens is going to “work” in any given situation.
What others are saying about the 85mm EF lens
Abdulrahman Aljabri from Jedda, Saudi Arabia summed it up well:
If you plan to photograph friends and family then this is the lens. You will take sharp pictures with the right kind of effects for portraits like compression and beautiful bokeh.
The lens is fast and designed excellently for maximum control and comfort. You won’t miss a shot because of shake with slow shutter speeds and even if you do (that’s a big if) you can put its speed to use by dialing a higher aperture.
It’s only draw back is that it has a pretty tight angel of view on 1.6 factor SLRs. I can’t think of any other prime in the non-L canon line up that matches this lens (other than possibly the 50mm 1.4). Truly an incredible value, buy it with confidence!
Read the rest of this review here
| Where can you buy and how much should you pay? |
You should not be paying any more than $450 for this lens.
Amazon.com have it for a fair deal cheaper at the moment, but I have no way of knowing how long their deal will last.
Please help support the maintenance of this site by using this link to make any purchases you might be thinking of making. I get a small commission from your purchase but it doesn’t cost you anymore to buy the lens. It would be greatly appreciated, thankyou.
Conclusion
The Canon 85mm 1.8 will open up a whole new world of possibilities for photographers who have tried their hand at portraiture photography in the past and didn’t get the results they expected or wanted. Of course, you still have to get the basics right, but this lens will have you well on the way to the pictures that you see in magazine publications.
Its low cost ensures that there is hardly any risk involved for anyone who wishes to give this lens a try – though I can’t see how anyone would be disappointed with the 85mm 1.8.
I can almost guarantee that you will find some useful application of this lens which will leave you with a big grin on your face – even if it is ins’t exclusively taking portraits.
photo credit tbisaacs
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- Canon 100mm Macro f/2.8 USM – Making High Quality Macro Photography Fun
- Canon 50mm 1.8 II Lens Review – A Must Own Canon Prime Lens
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Filed under: Canon DSLR Lenses
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