Canon 85mm f 1.8 USM

MAC wrote:

suggest - Listen to Steven

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/post/50547255

sharpest lens dpreview has tested; great bokeh - as opposed to 70-200 II which is ok, but a bit of cats eye in the corners – see photozone.de

http://www.dpreview.com/lensreviews/canon_100_2p8_is_usm_c16/

black and rather light and discrete

most fun per dollar lens:

headshot pro photographers know 100L is as good as 85 F1.2 L F2.8 +

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/post/50340466

best application for the 85 f1.8 imo is in bad gym lighting where you are photographing fast moving players at ss 1/500 and you need f2. In street – unless they are running – you’d be shooting the 85 f1.8 at ss 1/100 without pod – yuk. Many times you need the 100L to shoot 1/40 or 1/60 handheld

Otherwise imo 100L wins:

They improved the 100L focus speed (center switch setting) over the older version which was known to be a good portrait lens. This extra AF speed and 4 stop IS and some of the best bokeh made the 100L a Great Portrait Lens. Listen to Glen and others who are pros.

4stop IS, fast to focus, some of the best bokeh, 1 ft min focus dist, black, rather light, colors and contrast are L,

For crop users, my recommended lenses are: 17-55 IS or 15-85 (top tier lenses – read The digital Picture Site), 60 f2.8 macro (blazing sharpness across the frame and fast USM – if you compose with outer points), 100L, and 50 f1.4 for f2-f2.2 shooting and 50f1.8 as backup because it is so cheap.

As always - YMMV