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>f1.8 85-90mm lens, for <$600?
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PostPosted: Sat Jun 25, 2016 1:05 pm    Post subject: >f1.8 85-90mm lens, for <$600? Reply with quote
I need a fast ( >f/1.8...1.2-1.4 would be ideal ) 85-90mm lens for low-light portraiture and shallow DoF applications.

Not too fussy about razor-sharpness (would rather have a slightly soft, old-school rendering, anyway), but needs to have decent contrast and excellent build quality and ergonomics.

I am using a Canon 100D right now, and will be upgrading to a full-frame Canon or Pentax in the future.

I was eyeing the C/Y mount Planar T* 85mm f/1.4's, but what other options do I have?
(Not particularly interested in Samyang offerings, however - I think, with my price range, I can get older stuff with better build quality).

Last edited by Damp Cat on Sat Jun 25, 2016 7:35 pm; edited 2 times in total


PostPosted: Sat Jun 25, 2016 1:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Click here to see on Ebay <-You really need some luck to get this one.


PostPosted: Sat Jun 25, 2016 3:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Yes, C/Y Planar, or Nikkor 85/1.4. There's also an option of Sigma 85/1.4 but that may not be the smartest buy at the moment.


PostPosted: Sat Jun 25, 2016 3:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Minolta 85/1.7
Konica, Pentax, and Canon all have 85/1.8's
That SMC Pentax A* 85/1.4 normally goes much higher... Same goes for the Leica 80/1.4.
It's kind of odd that Canon never did f1.4 but went straight from 1.8 to 1.2


PostPosted: Sat Jun 25, 2016 3:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
What about a 100/2 with a 0.8x widener?

Probably a hassle to cobble together the right combo of widener and step up/down ring though


PostPosted: Sat Jun 25, 2016 3:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Vivitar 85/1.8 preset.
Expensive, but much less than $300 usually.


PostPosted: Sat Jun 25, 2016 7:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
samyang/rokinon 85mm 1.4 go for 200$ used and near as good as the contax planar 85mm 1.4


PostPosted: Sat Jun 25, 2016 7:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
It's just outside your parameters but... Mamiya 80mm f/1.9. $250.


PostPosted: Sat Jun 25, 2016 7:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
luisalegria wrote:
Vivitar 85/1.8 preset.

blotafton wrote:
It's just outside your parameters but... Mamiya 80mm f/1.9. $250.


There's a good reason why I'm looking for lenses faster than 1.8 - I've never quite been satisfied with the low-light performance of my EF 50mm f/1.8 and my friend's EF 85mm f/1.8.

Are there any compelling reasons for me to consider either of these two recommendations, besides their price?
I mean, anything special in their IQ? Bokeh? Micro-contrast? Sharpness?


PostPosted: Sat Jun 25, 2016 8:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
There is some love for the Vivitar 85/1.8's bokeh.
Look around, there are fans.
I had one, thought it was about equivalent to the Nikkor, and sold it on.

Personally all of these are six of one and a half dozen of the other, anything more than 2.8 for a portrait headshot on 35mm or full frame sensor is making more trouble than its worth, my opinion, YMMV. The slightest movement and you are off.

I spend a lot of time doing test shots on seagulls with 85-200mm lenses, and its challenging at f/4. People are if anything less patient than seagulls, which I hire for peanuts.

Getting an 85/1.4 focused perfectly is that much harder than a 1.8, and if your practical aperture is f/2.8 anyway, well, theres that.
Practical limits on real life utility, but in this your own experience should be your guide.


PostPosted: Sat Jun 25, 2016 8:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Damp Cat wrote:
There's a good reason why I'm looking for lenses faster than 1.8 - I've never quite been satisfied with the low-light performance of my EF 50mm f/1.8 and my friend's EF 85mm f/1.8.


But that's your camera, not the 85/1.8 (I don't consider old 50/1.8 to be lens). Trust me on that - I've owned almost every camera from 400D to 700D, plus 7D and some of the xxD's. That 18mp sensor Canon used until recently just was not that good in low light.

As a side note: I've been shooting FF for 3 years now, and I am coming to the conclusion that all I need is 24-70/2.8 II, 70-200/2.8 of some flavor, and 100/2.8 macro.


PostPosted: Sat Jun 25, 2016 8:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I like Asahi S-M-C Takumar 85mm f/1.8 m42 lens. Pretty sharp wide open, great bokeh too.

A few with this lens from my Flickr stream

Also not too expensive, I got mine less than $200 from eBay. I think $400 top.

Should be adaptable on OP's current and future camera.


PostPosted: Sat Jun 25, 2016 9:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Damp Cat wrote:
luisalegria wrote:
Vivitar 85/1.8 preset.

blotafton wrote:
It's just outside your parameters but... Mamiya 80mm f/1.9. $250.


There's a good reason why I'm looking for lenses faster than 1.8 - I've never quite been satisfied with the low-light performance of my EF 50mm f/1.8 and my friend's EF 85mm f/1.8.

Are there any compelling reasons for me to consider either of these two recommendations, besides their price?
I mean, anything special in their IQ? Bokeh? Micro-contrast? Sharpness?


Just the price in my example. A C/Y Planar 85mm f/1.4 would be my personal pick.

For low light performance, fast lenses like f/1.2 does not directly translate to better performance due to sensor design. I'm looking for an article explaining this in detail but can't find it at the moment.


PostPosted: Sat Jun 25, 2016 10:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Helios 40 (40-2) is my favorite but its not that ergonomic (focus ring might be a problem). but its ship enough and have very good build quality, old school rendering and about half stop faster than 1:1.8 .


PostPosted: Sat Jun 25, 2016 10:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Actually I see that ZE Planar gets into 600 range every so often - that would be an excellent choice.


PostPosted: Sat Jun 25, 2016 11:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Gardener wrote:
Yes, C/Y Planar, or Nikkor 85/1.4. There's also an option of Sigma 85/1.4 but that may not be the smartest buy at the moment.


How does the Zeiss (there are two variants of the old C/Y version, right?) and the Nikkor (I assume you're referring to the AI-s version?) compare in terms of bokeh and contrast?


PostPosted: Sun Jun 26, 2016 6:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I am sure that google will produce any number of highly subjective comparisons.


PostPosted: Sun Jun 26, 2016 9:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Welcome Damp Cat

I notice your question is actually reasonable, compared to the many historical more usual requests for "any fast, wide, under $45?", etc.. Bravo to that!

Suggest going to camera store trying your camera brand prime lenses in focal lengths you want. For example, try Canon 1.8/50 & 1.4/50, maybe 1.2/50 too, then try 1.8/85 & 1.4/85 -- the purpose is to prove to yourself you really need the speed. Wink Just in case, this isn't like loudspeaker shopping, if you know what I mean, never mind if you don't...


PostPosted: Mon Jun 27, 2016 12:31 am    Post subject: Re: >f1.8 85-90mm lens, for <$600? Reply with quote
Damp Cat wrote:
I need a fast ( >f/1.8...1.2-1.4 would be ideal ) 85-90mm lens for low-light portraiture and shallow DoF applications.

Not too fussy about razor-sharpness (would rather have a slightly soft, old-school rendering, anyway), but needs to have decent contrast and excellent build quality and ergonomics.

I am using a Canon 100D right now, and will be upgrading to a full-frame Canon or Pentax in the future.

You also mentioned you're not happy with the low light performance of a 50/1.8 & 85/1.8.... The reason your asking for faster than f1.8 lenses.
Is it the noise you get from having to boost the ISO so as to get decent shutter speeds?
If it is ISO noise that is bugging you, an f1.2 lens will still not cure your problem, only delay it by a stop.
I more or less went through the same thing with my cameras and lenses trying to shoot low light candids without flash, I was using f1.2 lenses and still not happy with the amount of noise I was getting, I started with the 30D, then 40D, on to the 1DIII where things got a bit better(less chroma noise), then the NEX-7 where the noise level was similar but different, the noise was less objectionable but still not perfect, I now have the A7r and it is definitely better then all the others, but still not ideal, honestly, I think only an A7s will really help cure me of low light issues.
Converting to B&W does help the noise be less objectionable, that is my last resort to save a picture.


PostPosted: Mon Jun 27, 2016 5:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
As Lightshow mentioned, I'm not sure finding something faster than f/1.8 is gonna address your noise issues by an appreciable amount. f/1.4 is less than one stop difference and f/1.2 is less than two. But when you're talking about an 85/1.2 you're well outside your limit of $600. Maybe not with a 50/1.2 or 55/1.2.

Using my NEX 7 as an example, I see almost no difference in noise between ISO 100 and ISO 400, which is a two stop difference, which is roughly the difference in EV you'll see between an f/1.8 lens and an f/1.2 lens.

Also, if I were you, I wouldn't sell short the Samyangs. The 85/1.4 is an outstanding optic. Search here for many examples -- or I'm sure you can find thousands on Flickr, which will show you just what that lens is capable of.

But if you still don't want the Samyang, and you have to have an 85mm for your EOS, I'd recommend a good ol' Nikkor 85mm f/1.8. You simply can't go wrong with Nikkor. And as I mentioned above -- the light gathering difference is just not enough to matter for what you're describing. Plus, you can pick one up in the $200 range. But if you feel you just have to have that f/1.4 speed then you might consider the Nikkor 85mm f/1.4. It sells for less than your $600 max too, so that's another option for you.


PostPosted: Mon Jun 27, 2016 11:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I have a spare Nikon H auto 85mm f1.8 with matching hood and Nikkor Polarizing filter in EX. ++ condition for sale,if interested PM me.


PostPosted: Mon Jun 27, 2016 5:58 pm    Post subject: Re: >f1.8 85-90mm lens, for <$600? Reply with quote
Damp Cat wrote:
I need a fast ( >f/1.8...1.2-1.4 would be ideal ) 85-90mm lens for low-light portraiture and shallow DoF applications.
...
I am using a Canon 100D right now, and will be upgrading to a full-frame Canon or Pentax in the future.


In terms of full-frame, 85mm F1.8 is equivalent to 136mm F2.88. If you are willing to spend up to $ 600 in a lens, I think an alternative is to buy a used FF camera body and a 135mm F2.8 lens. You can buy, for example, a Canon 5D in excellent condition for $600:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Used-Canon-Digital-SLR-Camera-EOS-5D-Body-Only-Japan-/171876509995?hash=item2804a3692b:g:RVoAAOSwHnFVu2hp

With a FF camera you'll have a much wider road ahead because you can use thousands of legacy lenses without giving up the original performance of these lenses. Fast lenses (apertures greater than F2) usually have only fair performance when working at maximum aperture. The loss of resolution is much more evident when those lenses are used on cropped-sensor cameras. Besides, there are tons of good and cheap 135mm F2.8 lenses to choose from. In contrast, 85mm F1.8 lenses are relatively rare and usually expensive.
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