Opticallimits

I would not hesitate to try the EF 85mm f1.8 USM. It is indeed a fine lens.

[quote name='wim' timestamp='1301528165' post='7241']

You must eb very lucky in that case.



My first one was decentered badly, the second had very bad vignetting, the third one was kinda ok, but PF was rather bad, and CA was there till F/2.8 - F/4 or worse, depending on the lighting conditions. And I really found it not very great wide open or close to wide open. Needed to stop down to F/2.2 to F/2.5 at least for acceptable results.[/quote]



I was lucky as well. Only one copy but without any problems whatsoever other than wide open CA, which didn't trouble me much. Sharp as tack from f/1.8 onwards, superb AF, small, cheap, what more could I have asked? In fact, [url="http://forum.photozone.de/index.php?/topic/795-next-pz-lens-test-report-sigma-af-85mm-f14-hsm-ex-dg/page__view__findpost__p__7312"]the 85/1.8 is my dream 85mm lens[/url] and if I'd feel the need for a 85mm lens I wouldn't hesitate to buy another copy.



[quote name='wim' timestamp='1301528165' post='7241']

I had a 28 F/1.8, 50 F/1.8 Mk I and 85 F/1.8 setup for low light photography, originally. The 85 was by far the worst of this little setup. The 50 Mk I was good, the 28 was very good.[/quote]



Talk about different copies. I had the same setup and my rating would be the exact opposite i.e. 85 > 50 > 28.

With regards to 85f1.8 for those who had good experience - what body; and those with bad experience what body ?

[quote name='you2' timestamp='1301752353' post='7324']

With regards to 85f1.8 for those who had good experience - what body; and those with bad experience what body ?

[/quote]

I have the 85mm f/1.8. Used on 7D mostly. My copy needs AF micro adjust to AF accurately. Once done it works great. Love the fast AF. Can't fault sharpness. Don't love the PF but that's manageable.

[quote name='you2' timestamp='1301752353' post='7324']

With regards to 85f1.8 for those who had good experience - what body; and those with bad experience what body ?

[/quote]



My 85/1.8 performs very well on my 7D. Haven't tried it on any other body...

1D and 40D.

[quote name='you2' timestamp='1301752353' post='7324']

With regards to 85f1.8 for those who had good experience - what body; and those with bad experience what body ?

[/quote]

400D, 40D, 5D, both good and bad.



Kind regards, Wim

[quote name='allanmb' timestamp='1301560228' post='7243']

I would really like to get the L equivalents but for my use I cant justify the cost because I don't use them that often; I am primarily a bird photographer.



Anyway, I haven't had the lens for long so don't really have any fantastic shots to show but below is my eldest son taken wide open with the 85/1.8. Looking closely at the few pics I do have so far has made me realise that the lens has some mild front focussing issues. Perhaps yours did too? Not an issue nowadays as most bodies have MA.[/quote]

No. The first one had bad decentering, which wouldn't go away, not even at F/8. I would either have the bottom right corner sharp, or the rest of the image, never both. The next had habd very bad vi=gneeting, which also wouldnt go away'. A bit like your photograph below, but then 10X worse.



The third one was kinda ok, but it was only usable from F/2.2, and had a lot of PF, really a lot, and general focusing issues - missed too often.



I got an 85L II instead - never looked back.

Quote:

Nice photograph.



I do hope you added the vignetting yourself, in PP.



Kind regards, Wim

[quote name='Yakim' timestamp='1301701501' post='7315']

I was lucky as well. Only one copy but without any problems whatsoever other than wide open CA, which didn't trouble me much. Sharp as tack from f/1.8 onwards, superb AF, small, cheap, what more could I have asked? In fact, [url="http://forum.photozone.de/index.php?/topic/795-next-pz-lens-test-report-sigma-af-85mm-f14-hsm-ex-dg/page__view__findpost__p__7312"]the 85/1.8 is my dream 85mm lens[/url] and if I'd feel the need for a 85mm lens I wouldn't hesitate to buy another copy.







Talk about different copies. I had the same setup and my rating would be the exact opposite i.e. 85 > 50 > 28.

[/quote]

Yes, that is what most people report.



I had a really good 28, so good in fact, that I was really worried about getting a 24L, until I had really established it was a lot better, and didn't really need the 28 as a backup <img src='http://forum.photozone.de/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />.



Kind regards, Wim

Then I guess I should have bought your 28/1.8. <img src='http://forum.photozone.de/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />