Canon 85mm F1.8 - Canon Portrait Lens for Serious Amateurs and Semi-Pros
I'm always looking for the best equipment for my Canon Digital SLR.
And when I find it, I always want it.
Most of the time, though, I can't afford it.
I am a guy of moderate means with a family that also has needs.
Bottom line is that my photography hobby has financial limitations.
I am not a pro, so I can't use that as an excuse to buy the newest and best.
So I keep looking.
And every once in awhile, I come across something that is so good, I can't let it pass.
The Canon 85mm f/1.
8 lens is one of those lenses that needs to be in my camera bag.
It isn't just a desire, it's a necessity.
OK, I'm working toward breaking this to my wife, but this lens has capabilities so compelling that it "seems" like a necessity.
Here are a few reasons for my passion about owning this lens.
1.
Reviews by other owners.
This is my main source of reading material.
Call me a nerd, if you want, but I read equipment reviews like others read the daily news.
It's just what I do.
The reviews for the Canon 85mm f/1.
8 are like reading about the next best thing since baked bread.
Check them out at Amazon.
2.
The Exact Focal Length for a Canon Portrait lens.
You might think that 135mm is the perfect focal length for portraits, and you would be right.
The Canon EF 135mm L lens is the model of choice for many professional shooters.
But they are using cameras that are full frame, much more expensive cameras than I can afford.
So with my digital SLR, there is an APS-C sensor.
All Canon models in the entry-level and mid-level range have this type of sensor.
That simply means that each lens has a crop-factor of 1.
6x added to the focal length.
If you do the math (multiply 85 times 1.
6) you get 136mm.
That's pretty darn close to 135mm.
3.
Wide aperture at a bargain price.
The aperture is the amount of open-ness you get from a lens when the shutter lets light in.
The smaller the number, the wider the opening, and f/1.
8 is a really small number in aperture terms.
Why is this important? It's a photography term known as "bokeh".
Bokeh is that pleasing background blur that all professional photographers value so highly when taking head shots.
The Canon 85mm f/1.
8 has a very wide aperture which is totally capable of professional looking photographs.
And at a price that is a fraction of what you have to pay for that Canon 135mm L lens.
That's my rant about a great portrait lens.
Of course there are some technical specifications you may be interested in.
I recommend you research any product before buying.
One of the best parts about buying a lens is that they don't change as often as the offering of digital cameras.
This lens has been around for quite a while, and it still satisfies those who buy it.
It will bring a smile to your face, as well.
And when I find it, I always want it.
Most of the time, though, I can't afford it.
I am a guy of moderate means with a family that also has needs.
Bottom line is that my photography hobby has financial limitations.
I am not a pro, so I can't use that as an excuse to buy the newest and best.
So I keep looking.
And every once in awhile, I come across something that is so good, I can't let it pass.
The Canon 85mm f/1.
8 lens is one of those lenses that needs to be in my camera bag.
It isn't just a desire, it's a necessity.
OK, I'm working toward breaking this to my wife, but this lens has capabilities so compelling that it "seems" like a necessity.
Here are a few reasons for my passion about owning this lens.
1.
Reviews by other owners.
This is my main source of reading material.
Call me a nerd, if you want, but I read equipment reviews like others read the daily news.
It's just what I do.
The reviews for the Canon 85mm f/1.
8 are like reading about the next best thing since baked bread.
Check them out at Amazon.
2.
The Exact Focal Length for a Canon Portrait lens.
You might think that 135mm is the perfect focal length for portraits, and you would be right.
The Canon EF 135mm L lens is the model of choice for many professional shooters.
But they are using cameras that are full frame, much more expensive cameras than I can afford.
So with my digital SLR, there is an APS-C sensor.
All Canon models in the entry-level and mid-level range have this type of sensor.
That simply means that each lens has a crop-factor of 1.
6x added to the focal length.
If you do the math (multiply 85 times 1.
6) you get 136mm.
That's pretty darn close to 135mm.
3.
Wide aperture at a bargain price.
The aperture is the amount of open-ness you get from a lens when the shutter lets light in.
The smaller the number, the wider the opening, and f/1.
8 is a really small number in aperture terms.
Why is this important? It's a photography term known as "bokeh".
Bokeh is that pleasing background blur that all professional photographers value so highly when taking head shots.
The Canon 85mm f/1.
8 has a very wide aperture which is totally capable of professional looking photographs.
And at a price that is a fraction of what you have to pay for that Canon 135mm L lens.
That's my rant about a great portrait lens.
Of course there are some technical specifications you may be interested in.
I recommend you research any product before buying.
One of the best parts about buying a lens is that they don't change as often as the offering of digital cameras.
This lens has been around for quite a while, and it still satisfies those who buy it.
It will bring a smile to your face, as well.
