Canon 135mm f/2 or Sigma 85mm f/1.4

[3bayjunkie]

I have a canon 50mm f/1.8 and a sigma 70-210mm f/2.8. Next i want a sigma 17-35mm f/2.8-4 because it is less than half the price of the 17-35mm f/2.8 and ill mostly use it at 17mm.

Next i would like either the 85mm f/1.4 or the 135mm f/2. I really want the canon 200mm f/1.8 but it is out of my price range at the moment.

Note all these lenses will be used for weddings.

Thanks for your opinions,
Cj

 

[TheBiles]

Get the 85 if you're on a crop body and the 135 if you're on full-frame.

 

[3bayjunkie]

Get the 85 if you're on a crop body and the 135 if you're on full-frame.

Ok that is a good way to look at it. I shoot film so not cropped.

 

[Derrel]

Get both focal lengths, but get the 85mm FIRST...it will be VASTLY more-useful. 135 is very,very narrow-angle in anything less than wide-open spaces. 135 is highly selective, and at less than 20 feet, is simply too narrow-angle to allow you to capture MANY typs of event scenes...135mm is a focal length I grew up with, and I own both 85 and 135mm lenses of various speeds, both f/2,f/1.8,and 1.4 models. For longer-distance candids, a 135mm lens is simply almost unbeatable--SHARP, wide-aperture, EASY to focus, narrow angle of view, shallow DOF at indoor ranges, and so on...BUT, at a wedding, there are quite often 5 to 20 people "in the way", and the long distances needed between the camera and the subjects means that 135 is just "too tight", or even worse, that people will come between you and the subjects because of the extreme distance between the subjects and you, that entire "zone" seems like "free space" to wedding guests who have zero idea that they are blocking your shot.

With an 85mm lens at 20 feet, the field of view is 8.5 feet tall, at that distance, so it can do a "tall, full-length" bridal couple's portrait, from 20 feet, no issues....with a 135...'issues' can creep up. From the BACK OF THE CHURCH, a 135 IS SWEET!

The 85mm lens is also VERY small and compact, and is exceptionally non-threatening, making it one of the absolute best candid lenses....people do NOT tense up or freak out when they see you with the Canon or Nikon 85/1.8 lenses...NOT the same reaction as when using a big, large, black lens like the 135/2-L...it makes you look like a "peeper"...the 85/1.8 is the exact opposite...I have seen the images from the Sigma 85/1.4...I honestly do NOT see why anybody would buy that lens instead of Canon's excellent 85/1.8 EF OR Nikon's truly SUPERB 85/1.8 AF-S G...no idea at all...

 

[3bayjunkie]

Get both focal lengths, but get the 85mm FIRST...it will be VASTLY more-useful. 135 is very,very narrow-angle in anything less than wide-open spaces. 135 is highly selective, and at less than 20 feet, is simply too narrow-angle to allow you to capture MANY typs of event scenes...135mm is a focal length I grew up with, and I own both 85 and 135mm lenses of various speeds, both f/2,f/1.8,and 1.4 models. For longer-distance candids, a 135mm lens is simply almost unbeatable--SHARP, wide-aperture, EASY to focus, narrow angle of view, shallow DOF at indoor ranges, and so on...BUT, at a wedding, there are quite often 5 to 20 people "in the way", and the long distances needed between the camera and the subjects means that 135 is just "too tight", or even worse, that people will come between you and the subjects because of the extreme distance between the subjects and you, that entire "zone" seems like "free space" to wedding guests who have zero idea that they are blocking your shot.

With an 85mm lens at 20 feet, the field of view is 8.5 feet tall, at that distance, so it can do a "tall, full-length" bridal couple's portrait, from 20 feet, no issues....with a 135...'issues' can creep up. From the BACK OF THE CHURCH, a 135 IS SWEET!

The 85mm lens is also VERY small and compact, and is exceptionally non-threatening, making it one of the absolute best candid lenses....people do NOT tense up or freak out when they see you with the Canon or Nikon 85/1.8 lenses...NOT the same reaction as when using a big, large, black lens like the 135/2-L...it makes you look like a "peeper"...the 85/1.8 is the exact opposite...I have seen the images from the Sigma 85/1.4...I honestly do NOT see why anybody would buy that lens instead of Canon's excellent 85/1.8 EF OR Nikon's truly SUPERB 85/1.8 AF-S G...no idea at all...

Good advice. I have the 50mm f/1.8 and it doesnt seem like a great lens. I was thinking the sigma f/1.4 would out due the canon f/1.8 but i appreciate your advice. I may get the canon 85mm f/1.8 until i can afford the f/1.2.

 

[TheBiles]

If you're dissatisfied with the 50 1.8, you should definitely look at the Canon 50 1.4. It's tiny, fast, and it has better sharpness across the image than even the 50 1.2.

 

[Derrel]

I honestly think Canon 's smaller, lighter, less-obtrusive 85mm f/1.8 is the BETTER lens for candids and people work....it focuses FASTER than the 85/1.2-L, which is a simply MASSIVE "hunk of glass". It is not known for fast focusing...the smaller,lighter 85/1.8 is a VERY fast,adept autofocusing lens. MANY beginners who buy the 85/1.2-L go on-line and write glowing reviews of the lens after owning it for a few hours, or a day or two...people who are a bit more dispassionate and unbiased will usually point out that the 50/1.2-L and 85/1.2-L Canon lenses have some very serious drawbacks with their use and performance...they are specialty tools...and they bring with them some actual 'issues' that many newbie owners have no idea about.

Here's a real-world example: take a SMALL lens and photograph with it in public, and see what kind of reactions you get. THEN, switch to a BIG lens, and see how much more negatively and distrustfully people react to you. I have used the Nikkor 85mm f/2 Ai AND the 85/1.4 Ai-S and AF-D models in public...the 85/2 is SUPER-small, like a 50mm 1.4...people barely notice it! The 85mm f/1.4 lenses, all of them, are HUGE, and have a GAPING HOLE at the front when a lens hood is used...people react in a very negative manner when an optic like that is staring at them. The 85mm 1.8 Canon EF is quite compact....people barely react to it. If you want to be able to move through crowds and NOT be a sore thumb, think about smaller, much less-obtrusive gear, as well as lenses that autofocus RAPIDLY, and RELIABLY...which means the 85/1.2-L moves wayyyy down on the list...

I'm not talking about how one's Photo friends and family relate to us with our gear--I mean regular "real people" who are not friend with photo-nuts like us...

 

[3bayjunkie]

If you're dissatisfied with the 50 1.8, you should definitely look at the Canon 50 1.4. It's tiny, fast, and it has better sharpness across the image than even the 50 1.2.

I agree with the 50mm 1.4 as an option. I owned one of the sharpest nifty fifties fir nikon, 50mm f/1.4 ai. However it was manual focus. I wanted auto focus with my canon and only had $100 at the time so i got what i paid for.

I do eventually want the f/1.2 of both 50 and 85 for portraits. Just trying to get a variety of lenses now without breaking the bank.

I honestly think Canon 's smaller, lighter, less-obtrusive 85mm f/1.8 is the BETTER lens for candids and people work....it focuses FASTER than the 85/1.2-L, which is a simply MASSIVE "hunk of glass". It is not known for fast focusing...the smaller,lighter 85/1.8 is a VERY fast,adept autofocusing lens. MANY beginners who buy the 85/1.2-L go on-line and write glowing reviews of the lens after owning it for a few hours, or a day or two...people who are a bit more dispassionate and unbiased will usually point out that the 50/1.2-L and 85/1.2-L Canon lenses have some very serious drawbacks with their use and performance...they are specialty tools...and they bring with them some actual 'issues' that many newbie owners have no idea about.

Here's a real-world example: take a SMALL lens and photograph with it in public, and see what kind of reactions you get. THEN, switch to a BIG lens, and see how much more negatively and distrustfully people react to you. I have used the Nikkor 85mm f/2 Ai AND the 85/1.4 Ai-S and AF-D models in public...the 85/2 is SUPER-small, like a 50mm 1.4...people barely notice it! The 85mm f/1.4 lenses, all of them, are HUGE, and have a GAPING HOLE at the front when a lens hood is used...people react in a very negative manner when an optic like that is staring at them. The 85mm 1.8 Canon EF is quite compact....people barely react to it. If you want to be able to move through crowds and NOT be a sore thumb, think about smaller, much less-obtrusive gear, as well as lenses that autofocus RAPIDLY, and RELIABLY...which means the 85/1.2-L moves wayyyy down on the list...

I'm not talking about how one's Photo friends and family relate to us with our gear--I mean regular "real people" who are not friend with photo-nuts like us...

These are all very good points. I appreciate you sharing your knowledge. I do want the f/1.2 lenses for their wide open apertures and extremely shallow depth of field. The softness and slow zooming doesn't bother me. My style using film and wide open apertures is a soft elegant feel, so im not looking for the photos to always appear tack sharp.

Also, the slow focusing might not be an issue since i will mostly use these lenses for portraits where there isnt much movement going on. For my candids i will be using primarily my 70-210mm f/2.8 until i can upgrade to a canon 70-200mm f/2.8 IS