85 f/1.2L II is a DREAM COME TRUE!

carlk wrote:

The fact it's a great lesn does not mean it should be an easy to use lens. No lens is but this one is particular tough with it's super thin DOF when wide open. You have always keep the perfect focus or it will be oof where you don't want it to.

I shoot 80%+ of my 85L shots wide open. How do I do it? First I make sure MAF is set up perfectly for cameras that have it. Then I never use f&r. Not only that I never shoot in one shot mode either. I always shoot in AI servo with the AF point kept at the object. A slight movement of the camera or the object after focus lock, if you shoot in one shot mode, would throw the focus off. If you still could not get sharp wide open picture with these practices then you should send your lens to the service. Think about it, why Canon would bother to make this lens if it does not allow you go create good images at f1.2?

As usual always take a look at the user before you blame it on the equiment.

gatorowl wrote:

It is a very special lens indeed for Canon. I occasionally shoot it at 1.2 but generally find the sweet spot for acceptable DOF to be 1.4-1.8. I shoot at 1.2 for "fun" but find most of my keepers at the smaller apertures.

Again, please share some of your 1.2 samples. I'd love to see how you manage and exploit the incredibly narrow DOF that 1.2 produces. I suspect that I'm not the only one who could benefit from your samples.

Acemetric wrote:

I don't think I'll ever use this lens at anything but 1.2. And therein lies the difference between it and the 1.8. It's just plain magic wide open. Just wow.

Thanks for the advice on technique.  I assume that your reference about "blaming the equipment" is  standard boilerplate you use when discussing this lens.  I haven't noticed anyone on this thread criticizing the IQ of this lens especially not me.

Also, I have no problem getting the desired area of my shots in focus at 1.2.  Rather than technique, I suspect that my problem is one of composition.  Having a single eye in focus is rarely the most pleasing shot for me.  Thus, rather than a problem with technique (and technique is even less of a problem with the 5DIII), my problem is one of composition.

I really would like to see samples of strong shots taken at 1.2, especially shots that would not be the same--or better--at 1.4.