Such a great detailed review. You definitely hit a grand slam with your outstanding reviews. Happy New Year Dustin. Looking forward to your 2018 videos!
@14:30 You hit the nail in the head. That was exactly my same thought when they announced that lens. Your summary also is the main reason why Cannon couldn't price this lens higher than the competition. The target market just doesn't "need" an Otus competitor with autofocus. Great review as usual.
Brilliant. As always the most fair and unbiased review, while setting the standard for thoroughness. Thanks for all you do, sir. Happy New Year. Can't wait for the next run :)
Excellent, no nonsense round up review Dustin, right now, people are really spoilt for choice in this hotly contested 85mm market, looking forward to the head to head review soon!
Great breakdown Dustin; my apologies for busting your balls earlier (it's a bad New York habit). All things considered you are the best (unbiased) lens reviewer in my humble opinion. Much success to you and yours in the New Year!!
Dustin Abbott still hoping the new 50mm L that should be coming next yr decimates the competition. That said this lens still offers more usability than it's competitors.
I'm eager for such a lens, too. I've kicked around the idea of adding a Milvus 1.4/50mm to my kit, but autofocus at 50mm is kind of a big deal since you end up reaching for it so often. I'm using the Tamron 45mm f/1.8 VC as my main "50mm" option, but it's CA and onion bokeh irritate me at times.
Dustin Abbott considering the current price of the 50mm I'd say there is a good chance of an official replacement. I believe Canon sacrificed some sharpness on this lens to maintain the price point of the 85mm 1.2L ii
Well done, Dustin. Since I mostly shoot active events, hand held, the Canon 85mm is a better lens than I am a photographer. For my kind of shooting autofocus and IS offsets any weakness in sharpness. I'm retired engineer, and photography gets me out of the house. I live in New England. And enjoy putting an overnight bag together, and grab my big Lowepro bag of camera gear, and just go. Explore. No schedule. No particular destination. My bucket list: Gaspé Peninsula and all Canadian Maritimes.
You really are creating high standards for gear reviews :) Great stuff - after watching this review I would totally buy it for wedding photography over 1.2 version.
merry Christmas and happy new year Dustin and family,thank you for making great reviews for 2017 as always very informative and simple .looking forward to your great reviews or opinions in 2018
14:59 that shot concert. Oh. My. God. ❤️ Still can’t decide between the 85mm f/1.4 and 85mm f/1.2 (looking for second hand EF lenses). I think I go for better bokeh and risk being angry about the auto-focus speed :D And thank you very much for your professional review, Dustin. Feels a lot more constructive than many people out here on RUclips. #noOffense :D
Happy new year from Germany 😊 great Review 👍🏼 i have bought the 85 1.4 L IS USM and in real life Shootings it makes the difference compared to the Sigma 85 1.4 Art. With the Sigma Art i could only use the middle Af-point,... Now it is sharp on every Point. 👍🏼
After your reviews, it seems clear to me that this lens is a professional`s tool, appropriate for a working pro who needs to get certain shots in certain conditions. For my uses, more creative/experimental, I think the 85L 1.2 or the Mitakon 85 1.2 are better.
I use the lens for a few weeks for commissioned work. It does a very good job on all cameras and the Stabi allows image qualities that were previously not feasible. An ideal "compromise" between performance, weight and price. Thank you, your video has contributed significantly to the purchase decision.
I have just discovered you. A very impressive and well considered presentation which actually helps me make expensive decisions with better accuracy. Many thanks Dustin.
Super Review. Canon L lenses are normally the most ergonomic and easy to use lenses. This lens is also the same. It might not be the sharpest or best in terms of optics but it'll give more consistent result.
I think the Samyang is the better value, and I prefer the rendering because of lower CA. The fact that it comes in a native RF mount further pushes me that direction.
I am an ex Canon user (now Sony). However, I still collect Canon lenses. Your reviews are simply the best. Love the prison outfit and the backlit ears ;-)
I've been a canon user from the start and it's a constant battle when knowing when it is worth it to upgrade gear for me, especially lenses. You reviews are ALWAYS my go to. You do an amazing job at highlighting the short comings as well as the high points, while keeping a very common sense approach, and keeping it very "hey, in real life, here is how this works." I definitely agreed with the pros/cons you listed, but it is always reaffirming to hear someone of your caliber discuss these things as a sound opinion. (By the way, love this lens so much.) Thanks for the time and care you put into your reviews!!!
nice and fair review Dustin. I sold my 85 Art lens after I bought 85 IS. I’ve got same conclusion after I compared both 85 together. Canon 85 IS is definitely not the sharpest one in the market. But it is good enough to help us create perfect results. By the way, BR and IS can not be used together at this time. Canon still have some problem to set these two parts in one lens together. From my perspective, Canon wants to use BR at 35mm, 24mm, 14mm. And it uses IS at 85mm, 135mm. The new L 50mm lens would be a dividing line for IS and BR. If Canon releases a new non-L 50mm IS lens next year, then we will have a 50 1.2/1.0 with BR in the future.
Thanks for your wonderful review Dustin. Have you ever compared the performance in terms of IQ , sharpness , eye Af speed between an adapted Canon 85 1.4 IS and Sony 85 1.4 Gm on a Sony A7R3? Thx !
Dustin Abbott In the future if u got the chance to try out the canon 85.4 is on a Sony as well as the gm, please share with us your impressions here. Thx!
Great review Dustin! I originally planned on getting this lens but after all the reviews I've seen I think I''m going to keep my Sigma 85mm f/1.4 EX since I managed to get a good copy and don't want to give it up and regret it like I did with the 50mm EX. Have a happy new year :D
Dustin Abbott I definitely agree! I think the EX lenses were actually very close to the Art, but the copy variation and AF issues really plagued it. How do you feel the EX compared to the 85L IS?
It's been too long since I've reviewed it to make that judgment. What I remember is that it had a very different character than the ART. Warmer, and I felt smoother bokeh. Less contrast, and less "bite" to the images, but I remember liking the rendering. Here's Bryan's chart tests between the two: www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/ISO-12233-Sample-Crops.aspx?Lens=1168&Camera=453&FLI=0&API=0&LensComp=756&CameraComp=453&SampleComp=0&FLIComp=0&APIComp=0
Dustin Abbott you had borrowed a copy for the review and didn't own one right? Thank for the link! I remember looking at this comparison and seeing there was hardly any difference in the center and this made me decide to keep the Sigma. I regret selling my 50mm EX so I don't want to do the same with the 85, especially since I have such a good copy! Have a happy new year Dustin and hopefully Canon will release that FF mirrorless for you to review next year! Haha
Right, and that's almost always the case with the gear I review. Unfortunately for Canon (mirrorless), I'm probably about to buy a Sony a7R3 and won't really be in the market. I've learned to adapt to Sony weaknesses with the a6500, and the a7R3 seems to address a lot of them.
Hi Dustin. Thanks for another awesome review. I’ve shot indoor dog sports with the 85mm f 1.2 which I own. The autofocus is terrible for sports, but when 1/20 or so shots hit, the quality and blur is ahead of my competitors by a strong margin. My question is in Lightroom I can fix the strong purple fringing with that lens. Are you saying the CA in this lens is something that won’t go away with one click? I was a bit confused by that. I also owned the 35mm f 1.4 II by canon which is insane of an awesome lens. This lens apparently is not a longer focal length version of that excellent 35mm then? I’m debating an upgrade for the autofocus alone. I’m curious if it’s worth it in image quality also. Thank you again!!
I doubt the CA is worse on this lens. But longitudinal chromatic aberration often needs to be corrected by sampling the color (the same as with your 85mm F1.2)
This final verdict has the brilliant Dustin Abbott peculiarity and hallmark. It is a lens which I seriously consider, though having the Canon 1.2. Thank you Dustin for this distinguished review. May your reach be sacred and may your arm never tire in 2018. Willie PS: my understanding is that canon may bring out a new stabilized 135mm in 2018, thus before going for the new 85, I want to see what happens in 2018.
Hey Dustin!! This is a double thank you. I appreciate your guidance in helping with my 35mm choice as well as this review. I own the 85mm f 1.2 II lens and absolutely love it, but I was actually using it for indoor dog sports for which the autofocus was extremely difficult to get right. Would you say this lens can be used for fast moving dogs, or is it still pretty slow? I apologize for not watching the earlier reviews where you addressed this. Thanks
Awesome review Dustin! I am needing to get some primes in my line-up. 70:200 has been my main lens but want to get primes for portraits/weddings. Interested in finding out your opinion. Here in Australia, a Sigma Art 50mm 1.4 & Sigma Art 85mm 1.4 combined are the same price as Canon 85mm f1.4L. In your opinion, should I get just one prime or two for the price of one?
Hard to argue against the Sigmas if that is the reality on the ground. Just make sure you get the USB dock and do some work on focus calibration to be sure you get the best out of them.
I look forward to your A7R3 review. I’m a Canon shooter, deciding inbetween a refurb 5D4 or a new A7R3. I’d like to leverage your review and POV. Thanks and HNY!
Own one and took few shots... A solid lens for portraiture... Not a pro (a.k.a making a living out of it), learning how to shoot group shots @ 1,4L right now. A wonderful review Dustin
Great review, thank you. I've been using the Canon 85 f/1.8 for years and really like it for portraits, but would like an 85 with image stabilization. After watching your review I'm leaning toward the Tamron. How does it compare to the Canon 85 1.8 overall -- autofocus accuracy, image quality, low light performance, chromatic aberration? Thanks so much.
@@DustinAbbottTWI thank you. I would love to see some side by side shots next to the Canon 85 f1.8, just in terms of the differences in rendering between the two lenses.
Dustin, I am very torn between the Canon 85mm F1.4mm and it's Sigma and Tamron equivalents. I am a fledgling photographer who does volunteer photography for animal rescue butbI want to start doing headshots portraits for a fee. I also own the Canon 100mm Marco L, can you please give me some advice on which kens will give me the best bang for the buck
Hi Dustin! congrats for this useful review! I just get mi copy of this lens and i can clearly hear a "click" sound when the IS mechanism start/stop working. Is this normal? Thanks in advance :)
Hi Dustin Lawrence from Vancouver BC, I would like you to some day review the Sony a9 or the a7r m3.. To hear your overall take on that as I planned to switch....Thanks.
@@DustinAbbottTWI Thanks. I'm looking for a lens to buy to use in events and it will be my first big investment, with my past experiences, I need to have a very efficient stabilizer that can compensate for the low brightness of the environment, and that I can use at the maximum aperture without worrying about stopping down to achieve reasonable sharpeness. Thats why I would like to know which lens has the more sharpeness in maximum aperture.
Hello from Germany, do you think i should update my 85mm from 1.8-version to this new one with 1.4. I am a sports photographer and i use my 1.8 for indoor sports with bad light. First i thought about the Sigma one, but the autofocus is supposed to be slower than the 1.8-version. Thanks in advance and well done! Greetz Battal
Dustin Abbott What you think about the Sigma 85mm 1.4 Art. Would it be a solid upgrade from 85mm 1.8 to the Sigma one? The Sigma is much cheaper than the new Canon.
Yes and no. A lot of people love the optics of the Sigma but are disappointed by the focus. I guess it depends on your tolerance for periodic focus misses.
Still recommend a more statistically significant sampling rate when drawing conclusions, though your personal experience is certainly valid regarding the lens you empirically experienced and tested against the others...
I'm not really aware of hardly any independent reviewers that get the opportunity (or have the time) to evaluate multiple copies of every lens - particularly when the lens is just coming to the market and in high demand. B&H Photo supplied my review copy, and so that lens now has to be sold as used or removed from inventory. Multiply that by a number of copies... I've essentially only asked for a second copy of a lens if I really, really felt my findings were not in line with that of other reviewers. That hasn't been the case here.
My dilemma is new Canon RF 85mm F2 uses an inferior STM motor not as good as the stepping motor Nikon uses in their S Line Z mount glasses. Buying a stabilized 85mm has become either this or the Tamron. To be honest I have Tamron 35mm VC and enjoy using it on my DSLR, I have no confidence in Tamron's capability to sort out the f1.8 VC series compatibility issue with mirrorless systems. That leads me to your fantastic review. I think I am going to get a used Canon 85mm f1.4L IS. Thank you.
I have the 85mm 1.2L II. The 85mm 1.4 IS while intriguing, I'm not sure I want to "divorce" my 85 1.2. I've had it for 9 years, and quite happy with it.
If only, this 85mm, produce the same image quality 35mmLII, it will be super duper awesome lens.. Thx for the review.. it help me alot to finally ordered this lens.. ^^
in your opinion, which one produce better image quality, 85 mm 1.4 or 135mm f2? i have 135mm, really love the sharpness and the colour. but its hard to used this focal length in my work environment..
my 85 just arrived.. so thrilled with the bokeh and IS.. anyway, is this normal, my lens make sound when IS working.. not sound like focusing.. this is my 1st lens with IS, so i dont know is this normal or not.. thx alot..
I think, Canon did not use the special blue reflective optics, because they keeping it for the next generation of 85L f1,4. Canon is a developer company also. I do not believe this is the best what they could develop, produce.
The answer may be yes, then. The 85L IS has excellent light transmission (you won't lose much vs f/1.2) and the autofocus will be much quicker in lower light. The IS will help a lot, too.
I suspect your clarity of presentation reflects your clear process of evaluation. Ha! Is that pompous enough? Very informative. I trust your conclusions.
thank you. i was worried there was something wrong with my copy. the noise is quite audible. My concern is during video shoot with mic attached on my camera that i keep on getting the "clicks" when IS engaged/disengaged. any advice other than switching the IS off. much thanks.
Very nice review. Too bad I have invested in the 85mm f1.2 just a view months ago. The f1.2 is really hard to use for anything involving kids or moving objects without an IS. If you hit the focus, the bokah is insane. If...
@@panagiotistsiverdis Tnx yeah, well spotted. Still if anyone has experience with the RF 85 f/1.2 AF performance for stills on moving subjects I would love to hear about it. I appreciate the current crop of R bodies (with their low fps) may not be conducive to such discussions. But this is what we have at present and we could start from that and revisit the issue in the context of the eagerly awaited R5 with better AF and more fps.
@@dimitristsagdis7340 Mr. Dustin Abbott has done an amazing review on the RF 85mm lens. You should go and search his channel if you want to see it. If you want a quick recap: It's the closest thing to an Otus with autofocus you can get..
Canon EF 85mm f1.4L: Good enough but mediocre for the price Canon EF 85mm f1.8: Great for the price but not as fast and feels cheap Canon EF 85mm f1.2: Soft but BOKEH! Sigma 85mm f1.4: So big and heavy but class leading image quality Tamron 85mm f1.8: Not as fast but image stabilised and great image quality Canon RF 85mm f1.2: Probably one of the best autofocus 85mm lenses ever made but costs as much as a car
Oh no!! Snow. Please to GOD...keep the snow away from New Jersey (where I live). The cold weather is bad enough...but snow would make things far worse. Sorry for my rant...the snow out of your window made me cringe.
I can change my full frame Sony a99/2 body to be a aps-c frame, put on my Sigma 24-105mm f4 lens and now this lens is a 36-157.5mm lens....I can now engage the 1.4x or 2.0x clear view builtin lens and now this 24-70-mm lens can be a 72 - 315mm lens with excellent images...Result is this is the only lens the average person will ever need on this camera because now this lens is a 24-315mm........And the lens is stabilized!......OR i can use my Sigma 24-70mm f2.8 lens and it becomes a 24-210mm lens that completely out does the 24-240mm lens and challenges the 70-200 lenses, and it also is stabilized.......Smile......
7 лет назад
That's true but I've found shooting cropped (APS-C) exacerbates color fringing and other lens anomaly's reducing overall image quality.
Amazing Final Review, Dustin! Great work, as usual. Nobody does it better. THANK YOU.
Thank you very much, Paul
Excellent summary, thank you for the huge effort you put into your 2017 reviews, all the best for 2018
Thanks for the kind feedback.
If ever there was a definitive lens review, this is it. What an incredible review series! Hats off Dustin!
Thanks, Richard.
Such a great detailed review. You definitely hit a grand slam with your outstanding reviews. Happy New Year Dustin. Looking forward to your 2018 videos!
Thank you very much!
@14:30
You hit the nail in the head. That was exactly my same thought when they announced that lens. Your summary also is the main reason why Cannon couldn't price this lens higher than the competition. The target market just doesn't "need" an Otus competitor with autofocus.
Great review as usual.
Thank you
If they had a category for best lens reviewer you would win it hands down! Thanks for all the great content you put out .
That's kind. Thank you!
Great review. Knowledgeable, through, and thoughtful. Great resource. Appreciate your time and effort. Looking forward to more reviews and info.
My pleasure.
Brilliant. As always the most fair and unbiased review, while setting the standard for thoroughness. Thanks for all you do, sir. Happy New Year. Can't wait for the next run :)
Thanks, Marc. Happy New Year to you, too!
Excellent, no nonsense round up review Dustin, right now, people are really spoilt for choice in this hotly contested 85mm market, looking forward to the head to head review soon!
It's basically ready to go and in the release queue.
Happy New Year Mr Abbott!!! Looking forward to spend another year watching your channel! Best wishes from Korea :)
Thank you for your support. Happy New Year!
Exceptional work.
Thanks
and Happy New year
Thank you very much!
Great review!! I have a 5dsr so as you know, anything with image stabilization is welcome! Thank you for your hard work!!
It definitely it.
The best lens for wedding photo!
Thank you Dustin from Russia!
You're welcome!
Great breakdown Dustin; my apologies for busting your balls earlier (it's a bad New York habit). All things considered you are the best (unbiased) lens reviewer in my humble opinion. Much success to you and yours in the New Year!!
No problem. It's tough when expectations and reality don't line up.
Dustin Abbott still hoping the new 50mm L that should be coming next yr decimates the competition. That said this lens still offers more usability than it's competitors.
I'm eager for such a lens, too. I've kicked around the idea of adding a Milvus 1.4/50mm to my kit, but autofocus at 50mm is kind of a big deal since you end up reaching for it so often. I'm using the Tamron 45mm f/1.8 VC as my main "50mm" option, but it's CA and onion bokeh irritate me at times.
Dustin Abbott considering the current price of the 50mm I'd say there is a good chance of an official replacement. I believe Canon sacrificed some sharpness on this lens to maintain the price point of the 85mm 1.2L ii
Well done, Dustin. Since I mostly shoot active events, hand held, the Canon 85mm is a better lens than I am a photographer. For my kind of shooting autofocus and IS offsets any weakness in sharpness. I'm retired engineer, and photography gets me out of the house. I live in New England. And enjoy putting an overnight bag together, and grab my big Lowepro bag of camera gear, and just go. Explore. No schedule. No particular destination. My bucket list: Gaspé Peninsula and all Canadian Maritimes.
Gaspe is pretty amazing, for sure.
You really are creating high standards for gear reviews :) Great stuff - after watching this review I would totally buy it for wedding photography over 1.2 version.
Glad to help out!
Dustin Abbott in a prison outfit 😃 happy holidays Dustin, thanks for your work
They only let me out of my cells to shoot reviews :)
:) Good one Dustin.
merry Christmas and happy new year Dustin and family,thank you for making great reviews for 2017 as always very informative and simple .looking forward to your great reviews or opinions in 2018
Happy New Year to you, Robert!
Great summary, thanks.
You're welcome!
Really helpful , I do rethinking my collocation of photographic equipment
Glad to help out.
Honest and unbiased review! Thanks Dustin!
My pleasure
14:59 that shot concert. Oh. My. God. ❤️
Still can’t decide between the 85mm f/1.4 and 85mm f/1.2 (looking for second hand EF lenses). I think I go for better bokeh and risk being angry about the auto-focus speed :D
And thank you very much for your professional review, Dustin. Feels a lot more constructive than many people out here on RUclips. #noOffense :D
My pleasure
Take the 1.2
Happy new year from Germany 😊 great Review 👍🏼 i have bought the 85 1.4 L IS USM and in real life Shootings it makes the difference compared to the Sigma 85 1.4 Art. With the Sigma Art i could only use the middle Af-point,... Now it is sharp on every Point. 👍🏼
That's an important improvement, to be sure.
I love your reviews, sir. No matter what lenses you review I just enjoy watching them.
That's really great feedback.
Thank you Mr Abbott, i always enjoy your realistic reviews. Keep em coming :)
That's the plan ;)
After your reviews, it seems clear to me that this lens is a professional`s tool, appropriate for a working pro who needs to get certain shots in certain conditions. For my uses, more creative/experimental, I think the 85L 1.2 or the Mitakon 85 1.2 are better.
That's a fair assessment.
Anyone noticed those red ears due to the bright background? Pretty funny :) keep up the good work Dustin!
Someone called me a "demon elf" :)
I use the lens for a few weeks for commissioned work. It does a very good job on all cameras and the Stabi allows image qualities that were previously not feasible. An ideal "compromise" between performance, weight and price. Thank you, your video has contributed significantly to the purchase decision.
I’m glad the video helped
Brilliant review. Well said, Dustin.
Thank you
I have just discovered you. A very impressive and well considered presentation which actually helps me make expensive decisions with better accuracy. Many thanks Dustin.
Thank you!
Thank you for an awesome review! Would like to see your professional review and verdict on 85mm mk2.
Hi Trigran, that may not happen at this point. That lens has been out for a long time.
Super Review. Canon L lenses are normally the most ergonomic and easy to use lenses. This lens is also the same.
It might not be the sharpest or best in terms of optics but it'll give more consistent result.
It's a solid lens, for sure.
Thanks for the great review! Certainly made my choice between this lens and the f/1,2L mark II easier!
Glad to hear it!
Nice review Dustin. Thank you
You're welcome.
Watched the entire video. Good job Justin.
Thank you.
Sorry about the name "flub" Dustin. Haha!
Thank you very helpful
Thanks
Thank you for this amazing wrap up of canon 85 1.4 L. I'm looking forward to seeing more from you next year.
Happy New Year 2018
Thank you. I'll be around :)
Great review, I have just ordered the Canon 85mm 1.4 and looking forward to using it at my friends wedding.
Hope you enjoy it!
Is this lens still a good option in 2024? I use a Canon r6ii and the Sigma 105mm 1.4 at the moment
I haven't used it since I reviewed it, so its hard for me to comment on the performance today.
Great video Dustin, I'm looking at getting either a Nikon 85 1.4 or the new 105 1.4 lens soon.
I'm not as familiar with the Nikkor lenses, but I've heard good things about them.
Is this lens ok for indoor sports photography ??
Definitely. It's got good, fast focus.
What about focus speed and focus accuracy?
I believe that's covered in the review series
Can you make it easy for me and direct me to the relevant review? Please.
thx
Thanks for the great review. How is this compared to Samyang RF 85mm 1.4?
I think the Samyang is the better value, and I prefer the rendering because of lower CA. The fact that it comes in a native RF mount further pushes me that direction.
thank you. I’m gonna grab one.
I want to get that 35mm too.
I dig all your vids!
The 35 is brilliant.
I am an ex Canon user (now Sony). However, I still collect Canon lenses. Your reviews are simply the best. Love the prison outfit and the backlit ears ;-)
LOL - they are glowing, aren’t they
I've been a canon user from the start and it's a constant battle when knowing when it is worth it to upgrade gear for me, especially lenses. You reviews are ALWAYS my go to. You do an amazing job at highlighting the short comings as well as the high points, while keeping a very common sense approach, and keeping it very "hey, in real life, here is how this works." I definitely agreed with the pros/cons you listed, but it is always reaffirming to hear someone of your caliber discuss these things as a sound opinion. (By the way, love this lens so much.)
Thanks for the time and care you put into your reviews!!!
I'm glad you are enjoying the lens, and thanks for the feedback.
nice and fair review Dustin. I sold my 85 Art lens after I bought 85 IS. I’ve got same conclusion after I compared both 85 together. Canon 85 IS is definitely not the sharpest one in the market. But it is good enough to help us create perfect results. By the way, BR and IS can not be used together at this time. Canon still have some problem to set these two parts in one lens together. From my perspective, Canon wants to use BR at 35mm, 24mm, 14mm. And it uses IS at 85mm, 135mm. The new L 50mm lens would be a dividing line for IS and BR. If Canon releases a new non-L 50mm IS lens next year, then we will have a 50 1.2/1.0 with BR in the future.
Interesting. I've not heard that about BR and IS. What's your source?
@@DustinAbbottTWI what is BR ?
Thanks for your wonderful review Dustin. Have you ever compared the performance in terms of IQ , sharpness , eye Af speed between an adapted Canon 85 1.4 IS and Sony 85 1.4 Gm on a Sony A7R3? Thx !
I haven't, as I haven't use the GM lens, the a7R3 just arrived three days ago, and the Canon has gone home.
Dustin Abbott
In the future if u got the chance to try out the canon 85.4 is on a Sony as well as the gm, please share with us your impressions here. Thx!
Did you only examine one copy of the lens or multiple? Thanks for the review.
Only one. There aren't a lot of available copies bouncing around yet.
Very nice final verdict, and yes..i need this lens 😇
LOL - I think a lot of people will be eager to add this one.
Great review Dustin! I originally planned on getting this lens but after all the reviews I've seen I think I''m going to keep my Sigma 85mm f/1.4 EX since I managed to get a good copy and don't want to give it up and regret it like I did with the 50mm EX. Have a happy new year :D
I still think the 85 EX is underrated. To me it has a more "organic" rendering than the ART lens, even if it isn't technically as good.
Dustin Abbott I definitely agree! I think the EX lenses were actually very close to the Art, but the copy variation and AF issues really plagued it. How do you feel the EX compared to the 85L IS?
It's been too long since I've reviewed it to make that judgment. What I remember is that it had a very different character than the ART. Warmer, and I felt smoother bokeh. Less contrast, and less "bite" to the images, but I remember liking the rendering. Here's Bryan's chart tests between the two: www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/ISO-12233-Sample-Crops.aspx?Lens=1168&Camera=453&FLI=0&API=0&LensComp=756&CameraComp=453&SampleComp=0&FLIComp=0&APIComp=0
Dustin Abbott you had borrowed a copy for the review and didn't own one right? Thank for the link! I remember looking at this comparison and seeing there was hardly any difference in the center and this made me decide to keep the Sigma. I regret selling my 50mm EX so I don't want to do the same with the 85, especially since I have such a good copy! Have a happy new year Dustin and hopefully Canon will release that FF mirrorless for you to review next year! Haha
Right, and that's almost always the case with the gear I review. Unfortunately for Canon (mirrorless), I'm probably about to buy a Sony a7R3 and won't really be in the market. I've learned to adapt to Sony weaknesses with the a6500, and the a7R3 seems to address a lot of them.
Nice review. About this lens you used for the video, is it affected by red ears?
Quite obviously it is :)
@@DustinAbbottTWIlol keep up the good work
Hi Dustin Abbot, as usual great review. How do you compare this with canon 85 1.2 ii both at at 1.4 ?
I haven't directly compared them, but this lens will be a little sharper (less CA), but the 85LII will have (arguably) the better bokeh.
Hi Dustin. Thanks for another awesome review. I’ve shot indoor dog sports with the 85mm f 1.2 which I own. The autofocus is terrible for sports, but when 1/20 or so shots hit, the quality and blur is ahead of my competitors by a strong margin. My question is in Lightroom I can fix the strong purple fringing with that lens. Are you saying the CA in this lens is something that won’t go away with one click? I was a bit confused by that. I also owned the 35mm f 1.4 II by canon which is insane of an awesome lens. This lens apparently is not a longer focal length version of that excellent 35mm then? I’m debating an upgrade for the autofocus alone. I’m curious if it’s worth it in image quality also. Thank you again!!
I doubt the CA is worse on this lens. But longitudinal chromatic aberration often needs to be corrected by sampling the color (the same as with your 85mm F1.2)
What camera are you using?
This final verdict has the brilliant Dustin Abbott peculiarity and hallmark. It is a lens which I seriously consider, though having the Canon 1.2. Thank you Dustin for this distinguished review. May your reach be sacred and may your arm never tire in 2018. Willie
PS: my understanding is that canon may bring out a new stabilized 135mm in 2018, thus before going for the new 85, I want to see what happens in 2018.
I've heard that as well, though sometimes Canon moves a little slower than what we would all like!
Hey Dustin!! This is a double thank you. I appreciate your guidance in helping with my 35mm choice as well as this review. I own the 85mm f 1.2 II lens and absolutely love it, but I was actually using it for indoor dog sports for which the autofocus was extremely difficult to get right. Would you say this lens can be used for fast moving dogs, or is it still pretty slow? I apologize for not watching the earlier reviews where you addressed this. Thanks
It's much fast to focus, so yes, I think that could be done.
thx again, Dustin!
My pleasure.
Awesome review Dustin! I am needing to get some primes in my line-up. 70:200 has been my main lens but want to get primes for portraits/weddings. Interested in finding out your opinion. Here in Australia, a Sigma Art 50mm 1.4 & Sigma Art 85mm 1.4 combined are the same price as Canon 85mm f1.4L. In your opinion, should I get just one prime or two for the price of one?
Hard to argue against the Sigmas if that is the reality on the ground. Just make sure you get the USB dock and do some work on focus calibration to be sure you get the best out of them.
I look forward to your A7R3 review. I’m a Canon shooter, deciding inbetween a refurb 5D4 or a new A7R3. I’d like to leverage your review and POV. Thanks and HNY!
I'm not sure what has taken so long for the a7R3 to arrive. There was some shipping issue, and the holidays have slowed things down, too.
Many reviwers say it is way more sharp than ef 1.2. Do you still think that it is not sharp enough?
I think it is is sharp enough, but it has too much CA for my tastes, and that robs it of some apparent sharpness.
How to reduce auto focus lens sound .usm lens too noise
If that's an issue for you, switch to mirrorless. Stepping or linear focus motors are much quieter than comparative DSLR lenses.
Own one and took few shots... A solid lens for portraiture... Not a pro (a.k.a making a living out of it), learning how to shoot group shots @ 1,4L right now. A wonderful review Dustin
Thank you! Enjoy the lens
Group shots at 1.4? No Bueno.
Real world performance, will the 85 1.4 be better in sharpness compared to the canon 85 1.8? Is it a night and day difference?
The F1.4 is going to give both a sharper and better rendered image (smoother bokeh, more subject isolation, better color).
Great final review: I pretty much agree with anything you said!
Now that is a rarity!
Great review, thank you. I've been using the Canon 85 f/1.8 for years and really like it for portraits, but would like an 85 with image stabilization. After watching your review I'm leaning toward the Tamron. How does it compare to the Canon 85 1.8 overall -- autofocus accuracy, image quality, low light performance, chromatic aberration? Thanks so much.
The Tamron is an all-round better lens. More premium in rendering, quality of focus, CA control, and sharpness. It also has a much better build.
@@DustinAbbottTWI thank you. I would love to see some side by side shots next to the Canon 85 f1.8, just in terms of the differences in rendering between the two lenses.
Dustin, I am very torn between the Canon 85mm F1.4mm and it's Sigma and Tamron equivalents. I am a fledgling photographer who does volunteer photography for animal rescue butbI want to start doing headshots portraits for a fee. I also own the Canon 100mm Marco L, can you please give me some advice on which kens will give me the best bang for the buck
Hi Dustin! congrats for this useful review! I just get mi copy of this lens and i can clearly hear a "click" sound when the IS mechanism start/stop working. Is this normal? Thanks in advance :)
It depends on how loud it is. If you are hearing it even without your ear near the lens, then it probably isn't.
i see you improved the formatting of your video description, great job! :)
I've been working on upping my game :)
I need to see this lens vs the Tamron 85mm f/1.8 VC. I couldn't find that video of the 4 compared you mentioned in the video :-S
Look at the first image quality segment on the Canon and you'll find it.
hey dustin, i finally saved up for this lens! Wondering what aperture is the cat close up potrait taken?
f/2.8
He always covers all the bases,where I like to go for a honest opinion ..Now which 85 to buy?
Lots of solid options these days.
So many choices for 85mm lens. Thanks for your thoughtful reviews. But the bottom line is.... which of these 85mm lens would Dustin Abbott buy?
I already owned the Tamron, so I'm sticking with that for now. If I was fresh in the market, though, I'd probably go for this lens.
Now i want that lens.
That tends to happen sometimes :)
Hi Dustin Lawrence from Vancouver BC, I would like you to some day review the Sony a9 or the a7r m3.. To hear your overall take on that as I planned to switch....Thanks.
I've been expecting an a7R3 to arrive for several weeks. Not quite sure what has happened.
Talking about only sharpeness, who is more sharp? This 85mm 1.4 vs Canon 70-200mm 2.8 II? The 70-200 from Canon is one of best score lens in DXOMark
I didn't do that kind of comparison. At equal apertures I suspect the prime would be somewhat sharper.
@@DustinAbbottTWI Thanks. I'm looking for a lens to buy to use in events and it will be my first big investment, with my past experiences, I need to have a very efficient stabilizer that can compensate for the low brightness of the environment, and that I can use at the maximum aperture without worrying about stopping down to achieve reasonable sharpeness. Thats why I would like to know which lens has the more sharpeness in maximum aperture.
Hello from Germany,
do you think i should update my 85mm from 1.8-version to this new one with 1.4.
I am a sports photographer and i use my 1.8 for indoor sports with bad light.
First i thought about the Sigma one, but the autofocus is supposed to be slower than the 1.8-version.
Thanks in advance and well done!
Greetz Battal
I think that would be a solid upgrade. The autofocus, larger maximum aperture, and IS will all be an improvement for you
Dustin Abbott What you think about the Sigma 85mm 1.4 Art. Would it be a solid upgrade from 85mm 1.8 to the Sigma one? The Sigma is much cheaper than the new Canon.
Yes and no. A lot of people love the optics of the Sigma but are disappointed by the focus. I guess it depends on your tolerance for periodic focus misses.
Still recommend a more statistically significant sampling rate when drawing conclusions, though your personal experience is certainly valid regarding the lens you empirically experienced and tested against the others...
I'm not really aware of hardly any independent reviewers that get the opportunity (or have the time) to evaluate multiple copies of every lens - particularly when the lens is just coming to the market and in high demand. B&H Photo supplied my review copy, and so that lens now has to be sold as used or removed from inventory. Multiply that by a number of copies...
I've essentially only asked for a second copy of a lens if I really, really felt my findings were not in line with that of other reviewers. That hasn't been the case here.
The only lens I will be purchasing this year.
Enjoy!
Still no vs 1.2 video :(
Hope one day you can make one. :)
I only have so much time for comparisons! Sorry.
Does everyone know if it's good for sport photography on an eos r mount? Thanks! 😊
I'm afraid I haven't tested that combo.
@@DustinAbbottTWI thank you! 🙂
choose between this and the masterful Tamron equivalent sir ...
That really depends on your priorities. I'm going to release an 85mm showdown series next week that may answer that question for you, so stay tuned.
My dilemma is new Canon RF 85mm F2 uses an inferior STM motor not as good as the stepping motor Nikon uses in their S Line Z mount glasses. Buying a stabilized 85mm has become either this or the Tamron. To be honest I have Tamron 35mm VC and enjoy using it on my DSLR, I have no confidence in Tamron's capability to sort out the f1.8 VC series compatibility issue with mirrorless systems. That leads me to your fantastic review. I think I am going to get a used Canon 85mm f1.4L IS. Thank you.
Glad to help out, as always.
I love sharpness fall off. Nothing beats the look of my Nikkor DC lenses. I'm glad Canon isnt just chasing sharpness numbers for geeks.
I do agree on that front.
CA should be corrected in Canon DPP. I do, and it makes a difference.
For many shooters (including myself), that involves a major additional step in the workflow.
I have the 85mm 1.2L II. The 85mm 1.4 IS while intriguing, I'm not sure I want to "divorce" my 85 1.2. I've had it for 9 years, and quite happy with it.
Hey, if you're happy, then why switch?
If only, this 85mm, produce the same image quality 35mmLII, it will be super duper awesome lens..
Thx for the review.. it help me alot to finally ordered this lens.. ^^
I agree, but the 35L II is, in my opinion, the best non-supertele lens that Canon has ever made. That's not going to happen every time.
in your opinion, which one produce better image quality, 85 mm 1.4 or 135mm f2? i have 135mm, really love the sharpness and the colour. but its hard to used this focal length in my work environment..
That's a tough one. The 85mm focal length is more flexible, but I find images from the 135mm focal length more special.
my 85 just arrived.. so thrilled with the bokeh and IS.. anyway, is this normal, my lens make sound when IS working.. not sound like focusing.. this is my 1st lens with IS, so i dont know is this normal or not.. thx alot..
I think, Canon did not use the special blue reflective optics, because they keeping it for the next generation of 85L f1,4. Canon is a developer company also. I do not believe this is the best what they could develop, produce.
That doesn't really make sense to me, as such a lens would probably be ten years away.
Should I change from 1.2 to 1.4 IS?
The answer is yes only if you need IS, or weathersealing, or faster autofocus. If you don't really need those things, you've already got a great lens.
Dustin Abbott : most my shoot in low light
The answer may be yes, then. The 85L IS has excellent light transmission (you won't lose much vs f/1.2) and the autofocus will be much quicker in lower light. The IS will help a lot, too.
I suspect your clarity of presentation reflects your clear process of evaluation. Ha! Is that pompous enough? Very informative. I trust your conclusions.
Thank you. I appreciate the kind feedback.
anyone who has this lens hearing a clicking sound when IS on?
It should be very faint, only audible with your ear close to the lens.
thank you. i was worried there was something wrong with my copy. the noise is quite audible. My concern is during video shoot with mic attached on my camera that i keep on getting the "clicks" when IS engaged/disengaged. any advice other than switching the IS off. much thanks.
I have bought sigma 85 art once again ❤
Enjoy!
Very nice review. Too bad I have invested in the 85mm f1.2 just a view months ago. The f1.2 is really hard to use for anything involving kids or moving objects without an IS. If you hit the focus, the bokah is insane. If...
It's an amazing lens for certain applications, though the 85L IS is obviously a better general purpose lens.
The f/1.2 you got/refer to is it the RF mount version or the older (mirror-based) mount ?
@@dimitristsagdis7340 It's 2 years ago. There wasn't any RF 85mm during that time..
@@panagiotistsiverdis Tnx yeah, well spotted. Still if anyone has experience with the RF 85 f/1.2 AF performance for stills on moving subjects I would love to hear about it. I appreciate the current crop of R bodies (with their low fps) may not be conducive to such discussions. But this is what we have at present and we could start from that and revisit the issue in the context of the eagerly awaited R5 with better AF and more fps.
@@dimitristsagdis7340 Mr. Dustin Abbott has done an amazing review on the RF 85mm lens. You should go and search his channel if you want to see it. If you want a quick recap: It's the closest thing to an Otus with autofocus you can get..
its 2020 and im here 😅
Glad you're here!
Canon EF 85mm f1.4L: Good enough but mediocre for the price
Canon EF 85mm f1.8: Great for the price but not as fast and feels cheap
Canon EF 85mm f1.2: Soft but BOKEH!
Sigma 85mm f1.4: So big and heavy but class leading image quality
Tamron 85mm f1.8: Not as fast but image stabilised and great image quality
Canon RF 85mm f1.2: Probably one of the best autofocus 85mm lenses ever made but costs as much as a car
Sounds fairly reasonable.
Not worth IMHO. 3rd party lenses (tamron 650 €) are nowdays too strong. Canon has to offer more or much better to pay the price (Canon 1600€)
And that's where a lot of people will be on this lens. There are a lot of options.
Oh no!! Snow. Please to GOD...keep the snow away from New Jersey (where I live). The cold weather is bad enough...but snow would make things far worse. Sorry for my rant...the snow out of your window made me cringe.
It was like -30 when I shooting this segment!
I can change my full frame Sony a99/2 body to be a aps-c frame, put on my Sigma 24-105mm f4 lens and now this lens is a 36-157.5mm lens....I can now engage the 1.4x or 2.0x clear view builtin lens and now this 24-70-mm lens can be a 72 - 315mm lens with excellent images...Result is this is the only lens the average person will ever need on this camera because now this lens is a 24-315mm........And the lens is stabilized!......OR i can use my Sigma 24-70mm f2.8 lens and it becomes a 24-210mm lens that completely out does the 24-240mm lens and challenges the 70-200 lenses, and it also is stabilized.......Smile......
That's true but I've found shooting cropped (APS-C) exacerbates color fringing and other lens anomaly's reducing overall image quality.
Wash your window;D
At -20 C you don't do much window washing outside. It would not improve things ;)