New 85mm f/1.2.

[PhilHolland]

It's 2am and for some reason I'm posting this now.

I finally jumped on board with the 85mm f/1.2.
I honestly can say I really wasn't considering this lens since I enjoyed my 100mm f/2 so much for similar situations. However, after many positive words from people here and a couple of photographers I know just telling me "Don't use it or you'll buy it." I plopped down the cash.

This is my first actual shoot with the lens and all I can say is wow. Focusing takes a bit of getting used to, but I actually like the whole precision of it's slowness. It's terribly sharp wide open. I don't own another lens that can produce similar results. I didn't really enjoy 85mm on my 10D two years ago, but now that I'm full frame I seem to like the range as well as the 100mm mark.

I guess what I'm saying is Mark go get your commision check from Canon. You sold another one!

http://www.artbyphil.com/phfx/photog...n_headshot.jpg

Cheers,

Phil

[Bill_Foote]

Phil,

I had a poor copy a year ago and sent it back--erratic focusing. Three months ago I couldn't resist, as you experienced, and it is as you have experienced--awesome lens. Slower AF than other lenses, but accurate.

Bill/SOB

[Waleed_Alzuhair]

Congratulations, use it in good health..

I still have not decided between the Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L and the Canon EF 135mm f/2L.. Leaning a bit towards the 135 though..
Would it be possible to post a photo taken at f/1.2 for subjects a few meters away, please [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]
Say a couple of people standing a couple of feet away from a wall?

Thanks

[PhilHolland]

Waleed - I'll see if I can get a group shot going in the near future with the lens. There are plent of those shots around the web though.

Bill - Yeah. It seems the bug is biting a few people. My local camera shop tells me that they really don't sell too many of these though.

Here's another. This time with just natural light.

http://www.artbyphil.com/phfx/photog...y_headshot.jpg

[Waleed_Alzuhair]

Thanks Phil, pulled a few images from the net and the bokeh is amazing..

I have the 85mm F1.2 and the 135mm F2. I wouldn't be without either.

I always use just one single sensor, always placing it on exactly what I consider the most important subject point in the photo.Never any exceptions! I move from one sensor to another so I always have the best located sensor to focus on my subject point without having to re-aim the camera after focusing.

Because of this focusing method, which I assure everyone is the absolutely most accurate focusing method with these cameras (IMO, but just so no one minds my statement), I never notice any slowness or quickness in the auto-focusing of these lenses.

The lenses are masterpieces, as far as I am concerned.

My hey-day was in Berlin through the 60s, when zoom lenses were uninteresting or not even around. My favorite focal length was a Nikon 85mm fast lens (I think it was 1.8), which I used exclusively for all portraits and for most other things, too. To me, it is the most usable single focal length. Using it with the messraster focusing device in a Nikon F, I was able to place the focal plane shallowly with total precision, and had enormous use of its shallow impression of depth of field for artistic purposes. And it was perfect for portraits where not too much skin-blemishes were wanted. Just leave it wide open or slightly stopped down, place the focal-plane exactly on the pupil of the nearest eye,and the eye will give the impression of great sharpness, while everything else remains gentle. The single sensor possibility of the EOS-1Ds series allows the same with the fabulous 1.2 85mm lens. It is the most fun to use of anything I can imagine.

My only beef with Canon is that they haven't brought out a 50 or 55mm F0.95 len for the EOS-line. At the time, that old Canon F0.95 was the only lens that made me wonder if my trusty Nikons were the best choice.

Save your bucks and try to get both lenses. you won't regret it.

Mark

[Waleed_Alzuhair]

Thanks Mark [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]