Feedback: EF 85 mm f/1.8 USM sharpness for handheld shots

pilou1253 wrote:

Hi there!

I am thinking of buying the 85 mm f/1.8 to go with my 70D. The aim is primarily to do portraits in real life situations, i.e. without tripod and both inside (low light) or outside.

I would like to have feedback from users who uses this lens for similar purposes : is the fact that this lens is not IS a problem for such shots? I am for now using 50 mm f/1.8 II (no IS, but smaller focal length - satisfaying results) or 18-135 mm IS STM. With the latter, whose max focal length corresponds to the 85 mm on my 70D, I find the IS useful. However, with the 85 mm I have an extra margin due to the wider aperture and thus faster shutter speed allowed - not to mention the smaller DOF.

In other words, I am trying to assess if there is a risk for me to be disappointed by sharpness limitations with this lens - being non IS - compared with my 18-135, despite the gain in smaller DOF.

If you've got an 18-135, then the primary reason to add the 85/1.8 is for the considerably wider aperture. And if you don't use it at those wider apertures, then it's largely a waste of money.

However, if you do intend to buy it for that nice, bright f1.8, then you need to understand this: the DOF will be razor thin compared to you kit lens, requiring some really solid technique. You can't, for example, let the camera choose your AF point. Rather, you must be very specific to tell the camera exactly where you would like for the lens to focus.

If you learn to use this lens properly, then it will provide you with some beautiful portraits that you simply won't get with a darker lens like your kit lens, even at the same 85mm focal length.

For indoor shooting, however, I will still caution that there is so much more to good light than simply having enough. A properly-used flash will open up a whole new world of indoor photography, and you'll likely end up with far more keepers than the 85 in low-light situations.