85 f/1.2 or 70-200 f/2.8 IS

[Neil S.]

Whatever you get, both lenses are fantastic and some of the best glass you can buy.

You got some cool shots there, way to go.

How do you like it over there in Norway?

I spent 18 months in Iceland when I was in the Navy working with the P-3 aircraft. We sent people on deployment over to Norway for military exercises a few times. I never got to go though.

- Neil

 

[Montana]

I have the 85L and the 70-200 2.8 IS mkI (not the newer version). I can say the 70-200 gets used more, but when it comes time to do some indoor or outdoor portrait sessions, the 85L comes out of the bag! Its a fantastic lens. The focus by wire is odd, but I have gotten used to it without issue. (except when I go to put it in the hard pelican case and it has to be remounted to the camera to retract the barrel). I don't think I would enjoy being without either, but if I had to own just one........I would get the 70-200..............unless you are only shooting portraiture, then I might rethink it.

 

[mar1u5]

Whatever you get, both lenses are fantastic and some of the best glass you can buy.

You got some cool shots there, way to go.

How do you like it over there in Norway?

Thank you.

Norway.. We're run by a bunch of crooked politicians whose only goal is to make the divide between middle and upperclass as big as it possibly can. People are dying while waiting to get an operation, senior citizens are neglected to the point where they're dying, handicapped kids are stuck in retirement homes or left to the care of their parents without any financial aid (even those who require help with everything), our jails are full, our laws are WAY to leanient and we're invaded by criminals from other countries because of this (the wast majority of people in our prisons are people from foreign countries), we pay 30-40% in taxes, EVERYTHING is taxed (goods and services), last winter old people were freezing to death in their own homes because they couldn't afford the electricity... and we're one of the riches nations in the world.

And that's just some of our problems.. Sorry for the rant, but mostly when I speak to people from other countries they have been fooled by the propaganda that norway is a wealthy country where everything is just super-duper and everyone is happy. And that's not exactly the trouth, to put it mildly. But we do have beautiful nature, that part's true :thumbup:

 

[table1349]

Not that I have noticed. I rarely shoot at 1.2, Usually at 1.4-1.8 range on up. Depends on the shoot and the number of subjects in the shot. The bokeh however is killer. The perfect 85mm for me would be the sharpness of the two combined with the bokeh of the 1.2 and the focus speed of the 1.8.

I totally agree with you.

It could have been such an amazing lens overall, but sadly they fell short on many aspects of it, and especially the AF system.

Its really a love/hate thing for me.

It is such a unique lens though, and incredible in many ways.

Remember the two lenses are actually two different beasts designed for two different purposes. For their purposes both the f1.2 and the f1.8 perform magnificently. I just hate buying anything that is single purpose if I can help it.

 

[Neil S.]

Norway.. We're run by a bunch of crooked politicians whose only goal is to make the divide between middle and upperclass as big as it possibly can. People are dying while waiting to get an operation, senior citizens are neglected to the point where they're dying, handicapped kids are stuck in retirement homes or left to the care of their parents without any financial aid (even those who require help with everything), our jails are full, our laws are WAY to leanient and we're invaded by criminals from other countries because of this (the wast majority of people in our prisons are people from foreign countries), we pay 30-40% in taxes, EVERYTHING is taxed (goods and services), last winter old people were freezing to death in their own homes because they couldn't afford the electricity... and we're one of the riches nations in the world.

And that's just some of our problems.. Sorry for the rant, but mostly when I speak to people from other countries they have been fooled by the propaganda that norway is a wealthy country where everything is just super-duper and everyone is happy. And that's not exactly the trouth, to put it mildly. But we do have beautiful nature, that part's true :thumbup:

I didnt know any of this. Sad to hear...

 

[Neil S.]

Remember the two lenses are actually two different beasts designed for two different purposes. For their purposes both the f1.2 and the f1.8 perform magnificently. I just hate buying anything that is single purpose if I can help it.

Ya the 85 1.2 is such a specialized lens.

The money would be much better spent on a general purpose workhorse like the 70-200 2.8 mk II for most people.

That was pretty much the point that I was trying to make to the OP on which one to get.

Speaking of that, where is the OP lol?