Looking to buy a prime lens

[MohaimenK]

1st ch. 85 1.8
2nd 135mm 2L
3rd 85 1.2L (but it's not cheap! and not sure if going L would be THAT much better??)

I'd use them for dark church shots and candits during reception.
Although I do use flash during reception, not worried about that as much as the dark churches.

 

[Aayria]

1) 85 1.2 for what you're looking for...
2) 135 L for far away indoor shots, or outdoor portraits.
3) 85 1.8 is ok, and a decent lens.. but personally I would always wish in the back of my mind that I'd been more patient and saved for the 1.2 =P

On a side note. If you're hoping to get seriously into wedding photography, I think it's important to save and purchase the best gear you can afford. If I shot cannon, that would mean aiming for all "L" glass IMO.

 

[Neil S.]

Mostly the 85 1.2 is about the massive aperture that it brings.

The lens has quite a few problems including poor AF, and really bad CA sometimes when shooting wide open.

It will really teach you about DOF though, and it does have the ability to take some really creative shots.

It has outstanding color/contrast/sharpness as well.

Hope this helps.

- Neil

 

[MohaimenK]

1) 85 1.2 for what you're looking for...
2) 135 L for far away indoor shots, or outdoor portraits.
3) 85 1.8 is ok, and a decent lens.. but personally I would always wish in the back of my mind that I'd been more patient and saved for the 1.2 =P

On a side note. If you're hoping to get seriously into wedding photography, I think it's important to save and purchase the best gear you can afford. If I shot cannon, that would mean aiming for all "L" glass IMO.

I see, well I always bought L lenses except for the 50mm (and the 10-800 :lmao If I get the 1.2L it'd have to wait a while because it's $1900 and till I start getting more paid work, I can't afford that now. Where 1.8 I can pick it up for $350

 

[Big Mike]

Fast glass does help, no question. But consider that you already have one of the best cameras for low noise at high ISO. Many wedding photographers that I know, would have no problem shooting at ISO 6400 on a 5D II. And that combined with even F2.8, is a lot to work with.

Consider that it wasn't long ago that ISO 800 was 'really pushing it'...and we seemed to be OK with that. :er:

 

[MohaimenK]

Neil, yes I just read about its problems. I usually read lens review on the digital picture website. Pretty helpful with smple images also.

Big mike, yes I have no problem pushing to high ISO either. I've pushed ISO 4000 even 5000 and have gotten good result. Except for my 2nd wedding I got some dissapointing shots w/out flash. So far that's the darkest church I've shot in.

So using 70-200 2.8L should be ok in churches with high ISO?

 

[GooniesNeverSayDie11]

You should be fine with 2.8 on a 5dII. Besides shooting at f1.2 is pretty shallow. You get better light for af and composing though.

 

[Overread35]

From what I've read and heard a 24-70mm f2.8 and a 70-200mm f2.8 are almost the breadwinners for many wedding photographers - especailly when combined today with the new high ISOs and (when possible) correct use of flash.

I'd also add that I've recenetly been seeing very favourable comparisons of the new 70-200mm f2.8 IS L M2 against the 135mm f2 L where mostly aside from the wider aperture and debates on bokeh the zoom is pretty much just as sharp and contrasty.

 

[Neil S.]

So using 70-200 2.8L should be ok in churches with high ISO?

Yes 2.8 is fine for 99% of shooting situations.

Very fast glass just brings with it the ability to isolate your subject better, as well as gathering more light.

It is a fine line though, because it is very easy to miss your focus when the focal plane is so thin. If you are off by a fraction of an inch it can kill the shot.

The AF on the 85 1.2 is inaccurate as well as slow, and this leads to missing your focus sometimes at no fault of your own.

If you do end up getting it, my recommendation is to experiment a lot by forcing yourself to shoot at 1.2, 1.4, etc. Doing this will allow you to know what aperture you need to set for a given situation, even before you release the shutter.

You cannot simply shoot the lens wide open all the time. If you did you would end up throwing out the vast majority of your shots.

So the lens really does teach you some things, and its really unique.

Its just a love/hate thing for me since its far from perfect.

 

[MohaimenK]

I see thanks! I actually went with 24-105 4L before as I use it as my all around lens and now with the 5d MK2 ISO capabilities, I am happy with it. No problem w/ lighting what so ever. But I only use that lens for reception. I could always drop to my 16-35 2.8 if I need to but since I have flash I am generally ok so I am not really missing the 24-70 2.8 but of couse if I'm in a large hall, I'd almost always use the 70-200 or 16-35 for group shots

BTW, so nobody recomends the 85 1.8 for the price? To have in the bag?

 

[Village Idiot]

1st ch. 85 1.8
2nd 135mm 2L
3rd 85 1.2L (but it's not cheap! and not sure if going L would be THAT much better??)

I'd use them for dark church shots and candits during reception.
Although I do use flash during reception, not worried about that as much as the dark churches.

$300 on POTN.
Canon Digital Photography Forums

Was posted in September though.

The only reason I bought the 85 f/1.8 is for the shallower DOF. I shoot concerts in DC and Baltimore using a 17-40 f/4 and anywhere between 1600-6400 ISO. It's not a problem with the 5D MKII.

 

[GooniesNeverSayDie11]

The 85mm 1.8 is a great buy....but you dont need it. The 70-200L is better.

 

[MohaimenK]

Thanks guys! Will keep what I have and save money

 

[Village Idiot]

Thanks guys! Will keep what I have and save money

Should setup a shoot. You can use mine. Where the 85 f/1.8 really shines is stopping it down and shooting at f/2.8. You still get a relatively shallow DOF with the longer reach and the FF sensor, but you also get an extremely sharp image.

 

[MohaimenK]

Thanks guys! Will keep what I have and save money

Should setup a shoot. You can use mine. Where the 85 f/1.8 really shines is stopping it down and shooting at f/2.8. You still get a relatively shallow DOF with the longer reach and the FF sensor, but you also get an extremely sharp image.

Yeah we will. I have read that in many places that even if a lens opens really wide, it's ideal to go 1 stop above to get the best clarity out of the lens. The wedding book I'm reading at the moment he uses 2.8 (24-70 and 70-200) and about 80% of the time he's keeping it at constant f4 and he'll stop down, never up. Maybe 2-3 pix I've seen him actually use f2.8.