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Canon 85 f/1.2L AF suitable for catching young kids indoors?

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batesmarshall

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Hi all,

I'm considering the Canon 85 f/1.2L for portrait use but I'm also interested in using it indoors for candid portraits of my fast moving kids. For those of you who own this lens, do you think the AF is fast enough for this purpose (AI Servo mode on a 20D0. Clearly I'll be OK from a shutter speed perspective, but I want to make sure the AF system can keep up and maintain accurate focus tracking.

Thanks!

Bates
 
be sure to get the II version, it has faster AF.

i have been able to shoot my kids sledding with it. it tracks accurately and is fast enough for something like that.

kids sprinting around, i don't know.

and don't shoot at f/1.2 when they're moving a lot. :-) :-)

--
Bob Alfieri
Chapel Hill, NC
http://alfieri.smugmug.com
 
With this lens, 'depth' of field is sort of the wrong word. It's more like focal plane...there is very little depth at f/1.2 and if you are trying to nail the focus on a moving subject, it will be difficult. Wide open, you'll have to take lots of shots and focus will be hit and miss.

The 85mm f/1.8 will definitely focus faster.

That said, the 85mm f/1.2 is a pretty darn nice lens with unique capabilities because it is so bright and can throw your background into a deep blur. Builds the muscles, too.
 
Of course you can photograph your kids with this lense, but I would never buy it for that sole purpose. It very heavy and very expensive.

At F/1.2 there will be nothing in focus except for the very point you focus on, so you'll be using it F/2.0 and up.

Because of this, the much lower weight and price, and the faster autofocus, you're better off with the superb Canon 85/1.8. It's lightweight, it's one of the sharpest lenses around, and its 400 bucks or less.
 
Sipelpomp said:
Of course you can photograph your kids with this lense, but I would
never buy it for that sole purpose. It very heavy and very
expensive.
Click to expand...
Hi, thanks for your comment. Of course, my original post stated that I'm hoping this lens can do double duty for me: portraits as well as chasing my kids around. I have rented and truly enjoy the f/1.8 version, but I'm looking for something a little more special for this purchase. In my book, there's nothing wrong with heavy and expensive. ;-)
 
batesmarshall said:
Hi, thanks for your comment. Of course, my original post stated
that I'm hoping this lens can do double duty for me: portraits as
well as chasing my kids around. I have rented and truly enjoy the
f/1.8 version, but I'm looking for something a little more special
for this purchase. In my book, there's nothing wrong with heavy
and expensive. ;-)
Click to expand...
There may bot be anything wrong with heavy and expensive, but there is something wrong with slow focusing. You rented the 85 / 1.8 and loved it, but want something "a little more special". Why not rent the 85 / 1.2L and see how much more special it is, and if its "specialness" is worth the price not only in dollars, but in terms of size, weight, and AF speed? Then you'd know for sure.

--
--joe

http://www.josephjamesphotography.com
http://www.pbase.com/joemama/

Please feel free to criticize, make suggestions, and edit my photos. If you wish to use any of my photos for any purpose other than editing in these forums, please ask.
 
Autofocus at f/1.2 is very difficult even on stationary subjects. On my 5D when the light falls down to 1/100 sec at ISO 200 at f/1.2 I get about a 50% hit rate. In stronger light AF is spot on and I can get close to 100% when I am very careful. But I have never got even one single f/1.2 in-focus shot using AF servo on a moving kid.

Barnett
 
Its really easy getting moving targets in focus using the 85L at 1.2. Just prefocus and have the kid run or jump right into the focus plane.
This is what I did with these shots:
http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=5143348
http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=5169445&size=lg

Tracking is possible if the kid moves slowly around. With more than just a little movement the 1.8 is a much better choice. IQ is almost the same and AF is much, much faster. The AF on the 85L is not very suitable for tracking moving kids.

90% of these kid shots are taken with the 85L at f/1.2 under lighting conditions that required the ST-E2 and its inferred light beam to focus using any of the outer focus points.
http://www.photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=679253

--
Regards, John Valliant Lauritzen
http://www.photo.net/photos/John_Valliant_Lauritzen
 
batesmarshall said:
Hi all,

I'm considering the Canon 85 f/1.2L for portrait use but I'm also
interested in using it indoors for candid portraits of my fast
moving kids. For those of you who own this lens, do you think the
AF is fast enough for this purpose (AI Servo mode on a 20D0.
Click to expand...
It works very well for this purpose. Unless your kids are running back and intentionally avoiding the camera, the AF is enough to get the job done (and sometimes good enough when they are actively dodging!). Its also fine shooting at f1.2. As long as you practice your technique, it works wonders here.

--
-CW
 
if you used the 85mm 1.8 for this purpose. 85mm is pretty tight for indoor houses. Not sure what indoor places you're talking about but in my house my 85mm is way too tight to shoot kids running around. Even the 50mm is a bit too tight. So, are the rooms you're going to be shooting your kids in large enough for you to use an 85mm lens?
 
but when I hear 'kids moving about' I don't think of portrait shots - I think of full body shots. So, while this is a nice shot I would question if it's the styyle of shot the OP is after.
 
I bet your second image was not taken at F/1.2.

The first one is very cool though. I'd frame it, it's a marvel! Everything is just right. The background is a bit too blurry to my taste, but you probably get off on that since you bought this lense :-)

I still think the 85/1.8 is preferable for 99.9% of the occasions, even if price and weight and AF speed don't matter to you. BTW if the weight doesn't matter now, then it will after hanging from your neck for an hour.

For once, I'll go with Ken Rockwell. This is a unique, specialty lens. You know it if you need it. If you have to ask, get the 85/1.8.

This beast has only two advantages: it's F/1.2 and it looks totally radical.
 
Hi,

I own this lens and I have no hesitation in using it for sports/action photography indoors or out. From my experience, the 85/1.2LII focuses faster and more accurately on the 1DIIN than the 30D-----but so are the rest of my lens lineup.

As mentioned before, if you want an 85mm lens with fast AF, you might want to look at the 85/1.8.

Good luck.

Jose
batesmarshall said:
Hi all,

I'm considering the Canon 85 f/1.2L for portrait use but I'm also
interested in using it indoors for candid portraits of my fast
moving kids. For those of you who own this lens, do you think the
AF is fast enough for this purpose (AI Servo mode on a 20D0.
Clearly I'll be OK from a shutter speed perspective, but I want to
make sure the AF system can keep up and maintain accurate focus
tracking.

Thanks!

Bates
Click to expand...
--
Shooting with the All-World--------1DIIN and the All-Bokeh team: 35/85II/135L
http://www.pbase.com/jmb_56/favorite_poses
http://www.pbase.com/jmb_56/canon_1dmk2n
http://www.pbase.com/jmb_56/canon_30and20d
http://www.pbase.com/jmb_56/maxxum_7d
 
Ooops, just read that you already tried out the 85/1.8.
José B said:
As mentioned before, if you want an 85mm lens with fast AF, you
might want to look at the 85/1.8.

Good luck.

Jose
batesmarshall said:
Hi all,

I'm considering the Canon 85 f/1.2L for portrait use but I'm also
interested in using it indoors for candid portraits of my fast
moving kids. For those of you who own this lens, do you think the
AF is fast enough for this purpose (AI Servo mode on a 20D0.
Clearly I'll be OK from a shutter speed perspective, but I want to
make sure the AF system can keep up and maintain accurate focus
tracking.

Thanks!

Bates
Click to expand...
--
Shooting with the All-World--------1DIIN and the All-Bokeh team:
35/85II/135L
http://www.pbase.com/jmb_56/favorite_poses
http://www.pbase.com/jmb_56/canon_1dmk2n
http://www.pbase.com/jmb_56/canon_30and20d
http://www.pbase.com/jmb_56/maxxum_7d
Click to expand...
--
Shooting with the All-World--------1DIIN and the All-Bokeh team: 35/85II/135L
http://www.pbase.com/jmb_56/favorite_poses
http://www.pbase.com/jmb_56/canon_1dmk2n
http://www.pbase.com/jmb_56/canon_30and20d
http://www.pbase.com/jmb_56/maxxum_7d
 
Considered the price and everything mentioned here, why not rent it for a weekend, and see if it's for you?

That could save you a lot of reading, asking, guessing, and maybe 1400 bucks.
 
Typically 2.8 isn't fast enough to stop action indoors unless you're using a flash.

Everything is a trade-off though. The 85mm 1.8 is a great lens - I use it to shoot indoor sports but it's way too tight to shoot fulll-body shots of kids in my house. My 2.8 lenses just aren't fast enough to stop motion in my house lighting - you need pretty bright lights to get the shutter speeds you want to stop motion - 1/400 or so.
 
John_A_G said:
Typically 2.8 isn't fast enough to stop action indoors unless
you're using a flash.
Click to expand...
This is true for me and more. I guess I've got really quick kids (or maybe just really dim lights). I found even f/1.2 wasn't fast enough in my house to get shots of my kids on the move. Hadn't really like to use flash that much because of the extra bulk but I'm getting used to it now (probably should read that as I'm getting better with it).
 
It's not very large, and it doesn't have a ring type USM, but the lowly EF 50 f/1.4 offers oustanding focusing speed (better than the 85 f/1.2 II), great IQ, and great low light shooting ability, as well as a very nice portrait perspective on a crop sensor body.

At less than $400, it is a no brainer for any basic kit, and I never leave home without it in my pocket or camera bag. The 85 is awesome in it's own right, but it redefines the term 'shallow depth of field' wide open, has no better IQ or bokeh at f/1.4 and above, and costs a small fortune. Do you already own a 70-200 f/2.8 IS L? It costs about the same, makes incredible portraits, and will end up being mounted on your camera far more often than the 85 f/1.2. Especially as your children grow, and their fun gets faster, and a playing field away.

I'd bet that for chasing your kids around the house, and for taking nice portraits, the 50 f/1.4 would serve you very well.

--
Voyager
 
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