85mm Recommendations

[ryanbarlin]

Hello,

I'm new to manual lenses, but i'm looking for a solid manual 85mm prime that's affordable (under $300, otherwise i'd look at the Canon EF 85/1.8 USM). I have seen some Jupiter 9 2/85mm's on ebay around the $160-220 range + postage .

I'm looking at using it for portraits, preferably one that will work well inside/outside.

I'm using a Canon 5D Mark II and have a m42 convertor already but would use any mount if I can convert.

[hifisapi]

how much is the canon ef 85mm f1.8?

[ryanbarlin]

It's about $400 Australian for that lens, depending on where you buy it.

[SonicScot]

The Jupiter-9 is a wonderful lens and excellent for portraiture. There is an element of sample variation, meaning some are better than others due to (perhaps) quality control. If you find a good one you'll be delighted with it. They can be found for very little money, I paid £40 for mine last year.

[Aanything]

I'd consider:
Samyang 85/1.4
Takumar 85/1.9
Jupiter 9
C/Y sonnar 85/2.8

If you can live with f2.8, my advice is to grab the sonnar.
The samyang is very sharp, and the one with a more modern look.
The Jupiter 9 usually goes from soft to sharp through the aperture range, it draws pleasant oof areas, and it's the cheapest of the lot.
The tak - I have a super takumar, not the Smc - is delicate and poetic and delivers soft pastel colors. I'm completely in love with mine.


These all should fit your budget, but there are surely many others ( like nikkors) that will be excellent and not too expensive.

[caspert79]

Pre-ai Nikkor 85mm f/1.8 is the way to go. Try to get the multicoated (H.C.) version. They usually go for around 200 $, but I found mine for 90 euros (about 120 dollars). Great colors, plenty of sharpness and contrast. Good performer wide open. I had two of these lenses, both were equally good.

[ryanbarlin]

Thanks guys, that's a lot of choices! I might do a bit of research on each of the models in the thread.

[caspert79]

Only way to find out is to use it yourself.

[Nordentro]

Helios 40 maybe?

[Rick1779]

With a bit of luck you can get also the Leica-R Elmarit 90

[atiratha]

Pancolar 80/1.8 . You cannot go wrong with this lens but it really depends on what body you use it for. If you have Pentax, Samyang is better for you because it has the A contacts.

[ForenSeil]

Leica Elmarit-R 90/2.8
It's the sharpest lens with high (micro-)contrast, the most natural colors and second smoothest bokeh. It works perfectly well for potraits - there are some nice samples in the forum. Also it's compact enough to carry around every day. That lens would be my #1 recommendation.

C/Y Sonnar 85/2.8
For me optically very close behind the Elmarit. Very sharp, T* coatings/colors, smoothest bokeh of all my recommendations and as compact as Leica Elmarit-R. If you're looking for a great lens with smooth bokeh this is the way to go. It's also slightly cheaper than the Elmarit. Would be my #2 - but if you prefer the slightly more poppy T* colors over Leica colors of the Elmarit I this should be your #1.

Helios 40 85/1.5
Who doesn't know this lens here? Swirly bokeh, unique rendering. Looks very cool, but it's also the softest of my recommendations. Generally expensive these days though and often above your limit.

Samyang 85/1.4
An modern 85/1.4 for less than 200€ (used) - sharp, good bokeh, thinnest DOF... simply a very nice lens for the best price. I would say it's optically only very slightly inferior to the well known double priced Planar 85/1.4. Only drawback is it's size and weight compared to Sonnar and Elmarit. But that's physically unavoidable with <=F2 85mm lenses. Would be my personal #3 and it #1 in price/performance ratio

Canon EF 85/1.8
It has AF, it's optically as good the Samyang and it has a very good price/performance ratio. If you don't have the skills to focus fast 85mm lenses this THE way to go.

[shapencolour]

From 85mm lenses adaptable to Canon they are a few within given price limit,that I can recommend

1.C/Y Sonnar 85/2.8 - my personal favourite





2.Sonnar 85/2.8 in Rollei mount without HFT coatings - smaller than the previous one with only slightly inferior IQ



Consider also Nikkor 85/2 AI/S , Olympus Zuiko 85/2 and for some more (500 USD),an excellent piece of glass - Voigtlander Apo Lanthar 90/3.5 - optically the best of the bunch.Canon EF 85/1.8 is also a very good and not expensive performer.

[wuxiekeji]

+1 on the Samyang 85/1.4. You can find it for <USD250 in like-new condition, cheaper used.

I sold mine and switched to Contax Zeiss 85/1.4 which I'd wholly recommend as well, but that's about twice your stated budget.

The Samyang is no slouch though, it's just as sharp as the Zeiss, but doesn't have that contrasty "punch" that Zeiss lenses usually do, and given my amassed Contax collection it was annoying in post-processing to have one lens having different colour tones (all the rest of my Contax stuff have almost identical colour rendition), so I switched. But it really was a good lens. If I didn't have a Contax collection I'd have probably just stuck with the Samyang. For portrait work especially of women you often do not want too much contrast or microcontrast.

Here are some samples of the Samyang 85/1.4 shot wide open (I know, it's stupid to shoot f/1.4 in daylight, but I was doing this deliberately to test the limits of this lens) with minimal post-processing (mainly for saturation, contrast, white balance). I think I used an ND filter for a couple of these as well. Anyway, it's a very good lens. Mind you these samples are broad daylight, i.e. extreme conditions for such a lens.

[ckrook]

Nikkor 85 f2.0 AIS is a really great lens. The Samyang/rokinon 85/1.4 is also a good performer. Both are really compact and nice!

[Orio]

[significantimagery]

The Cyclop-1 85mm f/1.5 is a great budget lens if you primarily would shoot wide open with it and you don't mind that it does not have an aperture.

[ForenSeil]

[wuxiekeji]

[Oldhand]

Buy the Samyang if you want a new lens - very best value for money for a new manual focus lens.
If it was me , I would save for a bit longer and buy the Canon EF 85 f1.8.
If you intend to use it wide open, the AF is a boon, as you have such a shallow dof to manage - and getting focus just right can be problematic at this aperture sometimes.
These regularly go for around $300/used on Ebay Australia.
OH

[SonicScot]

[ForenSeil]

[pinholecam]

IMHO, the problem with good manual 85mm is that competition is stiff.

On the MF and cheap and NEW end, we have the Samyang 85/1.4.
On the convenience end there is the EF85/1.8

You will have to love something on the others to 'buy with your heart', as their prices are so near the above 2 (or above the Sanyang in cost) .
J9 85/2 - problem is the current costs and risk of bad ones. Nice copies are real nice. Mine's a lemon, my friend's copy is sweet.
Tak85/1.9 - Gentler rendering and drawing than the later SMC ones, I like it quite a bit.
Nikon Ais 85/1.8 - Less sort after due to modern offerings available for Nikon. Can't comment on it much, I've not tried it.

[izvar]

[atiratha]