| Sign in: |
| Members log in here with your user name and password to access the your admin page and other special features. |
|
|
|
|
|| SportsShooter.com: Member Message Board
Canon Primes
Jason Joseph, Photographer
 |
Dublin | OH | USA | Posted: 3:13 PM on 04.05.11 |
->> First of all, I know that there are a thousand and one posts regarding the lenses that I am going to ask about, simply because they are not new lenses. BUT, I am going to ask anyway because I am curious what people think RIGHT NOW about the comparison(s) that I am going to throw at you.
I have been using the Zeiss 50mm and 85mm primes for quite a while and I love them. However, for many shoots, the lack of AF kills. So, reluctantly, I sold them off. BTW, enjoy your new lenses Mr. Murphy-Racey, I know they are going to a good home!
So my question is, with current bodies, especially the 5DmkII, do the Canon EF lenses hold up ok? Does the glass do justice with the resolution? If they aren't good matches, should I consider dropping the $$$ on L primes? I am specifically looking at the 50/1.4 and the 85/1.4, in terms of EF. Thanks for any updated info! |
|
Michael McNamara, Photographer, Photo Editor
|
Phoenix | AZ | USA | Posted: 3:45 PM on 04.05.11 |
->> I have a 50/1.4 and an 85/1.8, and primarily use them on a 5Dmk2. And the autofocus is completely unreliable wide open. I start trusting the 50 at f/2, and the 85 at f/2.8. I don't start knowing that I'll get a sharp autofocus image until f/4.
David Burnett did a cool "In the bag" video with Grover on the PhotoShelter blog, and he said that he put the manual focus screens in his 5Dmk2 bodies and the 50/1.2 and 85 1.2 to help...that he uses AF to get close, and then adjusts manually to get it sharp. |
|
Vasha Hunt, Photographer
|
Opelika | AL | USA | Posted: 3:56 PM on 04.05.11 |
->> The 50mm1.4 is an unusual beast - it is very sharp from F5.6 on and pretty good at F2-F4. The F1.8 and F1.6 apertures work but are somewhat soft. Wide open, F1.4 is almost a totally different lens - It is soft around the edges and has a creamy bokeh. It is mostly sharp at the point of focus, but not tack sharp. Shooting at F1.4 is almost like shooting with a soft focus lens. It is actually a nice effect for isolating a subject, but it doesn't work for a lot of subjects that require good detail or sharpness. The F1.4 is more for weddings or portraits when you are going for a soft effect.
It isn't as fast as an L lens but is serviceable on 1D series bodies shooting basketball. My short experience with the 5D included some basketball and it convinced me that the 5D was not going to work as a second body. The AF of the 5D and the AF of the 50mm was just not good enough for basketball. I thought it resolved well on the 5D, but I shoot for newspapers and may have a less demanding eye for edge detail. |
|
Chris Wood, Photographer
|
San Diego | CA | US | Posted: 4:49 PM on 04.05.11 |
| ->> My experience is that 5DmkII struggles with many fast primes. The one lens that I can trust completely on that body is the 35mm F1.4. Even at very close working distance (small DOF for wide angle lens) it is excellent on that body. My 85mm F1.2 is almost useless except in the studio on the 5DmkII. I generally keep the fast primes on my 1 series body. |
|
Jim Colburn, Photo Editor, Photographer
|
McAllen | TX | USA | Posted: 9:24 PM on 04.05.11 |
->> I have a Canon 20/2.8, a 28/1.8, a 35/1.4, a 35/2, an 85/1.8 and a 135/2.
Ther are all excellent. |
|
Patrick Murphy-Racey, Photographer
|
Powell | TN | USA | Posted: 11:32 PM on 04.05.11 |
->> I love the canon primes, here is my cheat sheet for you:
28 1.8, love it, but many hate it... Weird!
35 2, another sleeper, sharp wide open, good contrast, very fast af though not usm motor... They go this one right, and cheap!
35 1.4L, wait for the II version unless you can buy it for under $1k
50 1.8 crap, good replacement for a body cap if you lose yours
50 1.4 fast af, mostly accurate, they break a lot..., not their best lens
50 1.2l awesome lens, sharp, decent contrast, great af speed, actually worth the money if you can swing it...
85 1.8 gr8 for the cash, sharp wide open, fast af for spts
100 2 usm, same as 85 1.8
85L I, sharp at 1.6 but not at 1.2, way slow af, not good for spts
85L II, awesome sharp lens wide open, near impossible to focus without help from live view at close focus distances, does not work well with 12mm tube (bummer), af is sloooooooowwwwww, not appropriate for spts
100mmL macro, amazingly sharp, super fast af, a real sleeper with the newest IS-- this is a killer lens, takes converters as well....
135 2L, awesome lens but needs service for being loose every four years or so... Fast af, sharp wide open, killer lens for the $, also takes 1.4x and 2x.... |
|
Jason Joseph, Photographer
|
Dublin | OH | USA | Posted: 10:30 AM on 04.06.11 |
->> Thanks everybody for your input! I think that based on your responses, I am going to go with the following:
35 /2
50 /1.2
And instead of replacing my 85, start using my 70-200 for more portraits.
Oh, and a couple of 50 /1.8's to replace some body caps that I've lost:) |
|
Dominick Reuter, Photographer
|
Cambridge | MA | USA | Posted: 1:42 PM on 04.06.11 |
->> Just make sure you pick up a precision screen (Eg-S for 5D2).
Without it you're just guessing and hoping that you're in focus, especially when shooting faster than 2.8. |
|
Brian Dowling, Photographer
|
Los Angeles | CA | USA | Posted: 2:05 PM on 04.06.11 |
->> The 50 1.4 isn't made for sports, but to me its sharp once locked in. I shoot mainly at 2.2 with it. The main photo on my website is sharp to me and was shot on a 5D2 at ISO 6400.
I never felt the 70-200 v1 was very sharp and would use my 85 1.8 for portraits, but with the 70-200L II it's so much sharper than the v1 one that I never use the 85 anymore. |
|
Kent Nishimura, Student/Intern, Photographer
|
Honolulu | HI | USA | Posted: 2:32 PM on 04.06.11 |
| ->> i second mr. reuter. get the Eg-S screen. makes a world of difference when using fast glass. in low light i just manual focus and the Eg-S helps me nail the shot...most of the time :P lol. |
|
Jesse Jones, Photo Editor, Photographer
|
Gainesville | Fl | USA | Posted: 3:00 PM on 04.06.11 |
| ->> I have a 5D MkII and an original 5D here (supplied by my employer) and the 50 1.2L is nice on the original 5D but I usually don't bother to use it on the 5DmkII. I am getting maybe 5% of shots in focus with that combo while on the 5D I am getting 75% in focus. Hopefully after a trip to CPS the MkII will be better. The lens when it is in focus is nice though, I am still waiting for my employer to order the 35 1.4 and 85 1.2 I requested but I am looking forward to those. |
|
Return to --> Message Board Main Index
|