Canon 85mm f/1.8 EF USM Autofocus Lens USA
- Price: $398.00
- Instant Savings: -$40.00 Offer ends FEB 4 '12
- You Pay: $358.00
- Free Shipping (USA)
- In Stock
The Canon 85mm f/1.8 EF USM Autofocus Lens is a highly practical medium telephoto lens with superb delineation and portability. Images are sharp and clear at all apertures. Through computer simulations, the lens has been designed to give beautiful background blur. Since the front lens group does not rotate during focusing, special filter effects are not affected.
Note! Lens is compatible with full frame format cameras.
Go To
| Performance | |
|---|---|
| Focal Length | 85 mm |
| Aperture |
Maximum: f/1.8 Minimum: f/22 |
| Camera Mount Type | Canon EF |
| Format Compatibility |
35mm Film / Full-Frame Digital Sensor Canon (APS-C) |
| Angle of View | 28° |
| Minimum Focus Distance | 2.79' (85 cm) |
| Magnification | 0.13x |
| Maximum Reproduction Ratio | 1:7.69 |
| Groups/Elements | 7/9 |
| Diaphragm Blades | 8 |
| Features | |
|---|---|
| Image Stabilization | No |
| Autofocus | Yes |
| Tripod Collar | No |
| Physical | |
|---|---|
| Filter Thread | 58 mm |
| Dimensions (DxL) | Approx. 3.0 x 2.8" (7.62 x 7.11 cm) |
| Weight | 14.99 oz (425 g) |
REVIEW SNAPSHOT®
by PowerReviews(based on 951 reviews)
Ratings Distribution
99%
of respondents would recommend this to a friend.
Pros
- Fast / accurate auto-focus (856)
- Consistent output (507)
- Lightweight (492)
- Nice bokeh (460)
- Easily interchangeable (430)
Cons
- Heavy (58)
- Slow focus (27)
- Weak casing (18)
- Blurry focus (9)
- Chromatic aberration (9)
Best Uses
- Low light (506)
- Weddings (429)
- Sports/action (287)
- Portraits (263)
- Night photography (235)
- Reviewer Profile:
- Photo enthusiast (247), Semi-pro photographer (234), Pro photographer (134), Enthusiast (85), Semi-professional (77)
- Was this a gift?:
- No (497), Yes (28)
Most Liked Positive Review
I think they forgot the red stripe
Wow, am I glad I bought this lens. I used to be all about zooms until I discovered the joys of wide apertures. I had my 50/1.8 always on my 30D until this...Read complete review
Wow, am I glad I bought this lens. I used to be all about zooms until I discovered the joys of wide apertures. I had my 50/1.8 always on my 30D until this came along. Although I’d been wanting something more wide angle, I needed a portrait and sports lens more. A lot of people talk about walk around lenses and this lens is fine for me. I can always find an interesting way to shoot something with being able to have the nice DoF control of 1.8. Indoors, the 1.6x camera crop makes it a bit long for anything but upper body portraits, but obviously you can do the math on that before getting this beauty.Its size is very nice. It’s about as long as the camera is thick, so it’s very compact and light but it still feels really solid. I dropped this lens (attached to my 30D) from waist height right on its front onto a snowy sidewalk. Aside from some dings, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with it. I’ve also had it out in the snow where it’s gotten pretty soaked and there are no issues whatsoever. I thought for sure that the focusing ring would be a little harder to turn, but it’s just like new still. The USM truly is next to silent as well. AF is about twice as fast as the 50/1.8 and about half as fast as the 70-200/2.8, which I expected just based on the prices. (I base this off of how easily the lens focuses on something in the background of what I’m shooting and back to the subject itself in AI Servo). I think my 30D might need to be calibrated, or lowlight AF is just not too good on the 30D because I was shooting indoor cycling and I was pretty let down that very few of my shots were sharp. Outside, AF is great and I’ve shot passing cars wide open and they’re very sharp.It’s nice that the 50/1.8 is so cheap, but having full time manual focusing is so nice on my 85 (and every other Canon EF lens). I find f/1.8 on my 85mm to require manual focusing at close distances because I don’t want any misfocused shots. I’m actually trying to not rely on AF as much because manually focusing makes me slow down and compose better. Plus, close up portraits wide open need the attention so you get the eyes in perfect focus. The bokeh is nice and lights are very round.I think this stacks up VERY well against L glass, especially for the price. Of course the 85/1.2 is an experience of its own that I haven’t had. I couldn’t think of any way to improve this lens and it has never let me down. I got it for [$]on a rebate from Canon and it’s already paid for itself a couple times. That makes me VERY happy. Just try to find someone that doesn’t recommend this lens.Here are some of my best examples of its sharpness and bokeh[@]
VS
Most Liked Negative Review
Good Prime for portrait, not perfect
I bought this prime mainly for portrait and close up of people/animals/objects. The lens is very fast and light, the assembly is of good quality and overall is a good bang for ...Read complete review
I bought this prime mainly for portrait and close up of people/animals/objects. The lens is very fast and light, the assembly is of good quality and overall is a good bang for your bucks (in the range of $400-$450). I'm really happy about its sharpness and it's very fun to use, the colors of the subjects are nice and the contrast is perfect. Overall, a good lens and it gives all you would expect from it.
What it really disappoints me is a very bad purple fringing and a very bad chromatic aberration around small details, particularly in high contrast and high luminosity situations. They say that stepping the aperture helps reducing these well-known defects, but as far as I can say, they are still annoying up to f4.0 in a consistent number of pictures, so this is an annoying defect that spoils the evaluation what is, apart from that, an excellent lens. I'm happy of the purchase, but there is margin of improvement.
Reviewed by 951 customers
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Displaying reviews 1-20
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Pros
- Easily Interchangeable
- Lightweight
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Canon 85mm f/1.8 EF USM Autofocus Lens:
This is a great starter lens for my portrait photography. I would have upgraded if I had the money, but this lens works fine as I am just starting out v
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Fast / accurate auto-focus
- Nice Bokeh
- Strong Construction
Cons
Best Uses
- Indoors/Low Light
Comments about Canon 85mm f/1.8 EF USM Autofocus Lens:
I have a one year old daughter, and this fast lens is perfect for taking her picture, with large aperture and quick auto focus.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Low Light
- Nice Bokeh
Cons
Best Uses
- Indoors/Low Light
- Sports/Action
- Weddings/Events
Comments about Canon 85mm f/1.8 EF USM Autofocus Lens:
Semi-professional photographer. Have used multiple Canon L series lenses for sports, wedding, and event photography. This 85mm prime is a great value and excellent lens for a non-L model. I highly recommend this lens.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Easily Interchangeable
- Fast / accurate auto-focus
- Lightweight
- Nice Bokeh
- Strong Construction
Cons
Best Uses
- Indoors/Low Light
- Night Photography
- Sports/Action
- Video
- Weddings/Events
- Wildlife Photos
Comments about Canon 85mm f/1.8 EF USM Autofocus Lens:
Extremely useful lens. This is the fastest, clearest prime telephoto lens in this price range. This is a must have for Photographers and DLSR Video users.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Lightweight
- Nice Bokeh
Cons
- Weak Casing
Best Uses
- Video
- Weddings/Events
Comments about Canon 85mm f/1.8 EF USM Autofocus Lens:
We use this lens with a canon 60D shooting video. For the price it worths the money and have a really nice boken.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Fast / accurate auto-focus
- Nice Bokeh
Cons
Best Uses
- Indoors/Low Light
- Night Photography
Comments about Canon 85mm f/1.8 EF USM Autofocus Lens:
This lens does just what I had wanted in a portrait lens. Sharp focus, shallow depth of field and at 1.8 very nice bokeh in the background. I use this mostly for outdoor portraiture's helps to make the background soft and the subject razor sharp. Cuts down my post processing time(='s money). For me it is a super people lens. Again 1.8 is good for low light candids.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Easily Interchangeable
- Fast / accurate auto-focus
- Nice Bokeh
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Canon 85mm f/1.8 EF USM Autofocus Lens:
I kid you not. This is a hidden gem. I took this lens out on a planned trip to the local aquarium. I shot this lens on a crop body, thru thick clear acrylic. Photos still great, and definitely sharp. I shot mostly at f2.0 and f2.2, so I did not get a chance to see what f1.8 would do to the sharpness. Either way, the focusing was so quick and right on. Unless you really need a zoom, a nifty fifty..and this lens will get you pretty far as a hobbyist. On a crop body, you may need to get a lens to cover the wide-angle, but then you'll have a good arsenal in your bag. Highly recommend this lens. One other thing to mention--the bokeh is just awesome.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Lightweight
- Nice Bokeh
Cons
- Lens Creep
- Slow Focus
Best Uses
- Indoors/Low Light
- Wildlife Photos
Comments about Canon 85mm f/1.8 EF USM Autofocus Lens:
It is a good fixed-focus lens for portrait. That is a good choice that I can afford and enjoy it.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Fast / accurate auto-focus
- Nice Bokeh
- Sharpness
Cons
- lens hood not included
- Manual focus too fast
Best Uses
- Sports/Action
Comments about Canon 85mm f/1.8 EF USM Autofocus Lens:
In short, this is an "L" lens in disguise!
Very sharp, fast AF, nice bokeh, perfect contrast and solid build.
In my camera's body it translates into 120mm so it may be too telephoto for some people. I'm well aware of this so I take that into consideration when deciding which lens to use. I use it with a T2i for sports and portrait photography (mainly motorsports AT NIGHT, drag racing and videos too). If used for video be aware that the manual focus ring only moves about quarter turn. So focusing is VERY fast, not necessarily good when manual focusing. The only reasons why I deducted a star in the rating.
Back to photos…the fact that the lens accepts 58mm filters is a plus as they are cheaper than the 72mm's and such. The front element does not rotate which is good when using circular polarizing and ND filters. Another minus is that you have to buy a lens hood since it is not included with the lens.
As mentioned before, this lens is VERY sharp. I have not experienced any chromatic aberration as stated in some older reviews. This is not a macro lens, the minimum focal distance is about 2.5 feet. It has a depth of field indicator but is not of much help.
Overall, a VERY good lens and it gives all you would expect from it. I highly recommend it and specially now with the rebate. So take the leap like I did and buy now!
Side note: I have read of some users complaining of soft focus at 1.8. You have to be aware that at 1.8 the depth of field is very shallow. Therefore anything outside the focus point will be gradually out of focus. This will happen with any lens 1.8 or faster. Not a fault of the lens but of the user inexperienced with fast lenses.
Another side note: This lens is so sharp my wife hates it (because it shows all her wrinkles and "desperfections" when doing portraits of her hahaha).
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
- Indoors/Low Light
Comments about Canon 85mm f/1.8 EF USM Autofocus Lens:
Great for portraits. Good in low light but requires tripod (long shutter speed) or a flash to get true colors.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Fast / accurate auto-focus
- Nice Bokeh
Cons
- Purple fringing wide open
Best Uses
- Portraits
- Weddings/Events
Comments about Canon 85mm f/1.8 EF USM Autofocus Lens:
I use the 85 1.8 as a portrait lens on a Canon 7D. For this purpose, it is a fine lens, giving good bokeh and being acceptably sharp wide open. I was debating getting this and a Sigma 1.4, but the price of the Sigma is much higher, and the focusing on Canon bodies seems to be hit and miss.
I have not tried this lens for indoor sports yet, but it has good reviews for that. Compared to my 50 1.8 lens, it is much faster and more reliable. Compared to my Canon 24-105L IS and 70-200 2.8L IS, the AF is quick, but around the same.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Durable
- Fast
- Rugged
- Sharp
Cons
Best Uses
- Indoors/Low Light
- Sports/Action
Comments about Canon 85mm f/1.8 EF USM Autofocus Lens:
This lens is hard to beat for the price. OK ... it's not an L lens. But you'd be hard pressed to prove it in everyday shooting. Nice sharpness, especially in the mid f/stops. Nice length for portraits and everyday kind of shooting. The 1.8 is especially nice for a lens in this range (and this price). Very helpful if you're shooting indoor sports. What you lose in reach you make up for by getting to reduce your ISO. Although it does put a premium on getting the focus right.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Lightweight
- Nice Bokeh
- Strong Construction
Cons
Best Uses
- Indoors/Low Light
- Night Photography
- Weddings/Events
Comments about Canon 85mm f/1.8 EF USM Autofocus Lens:
Smooth operation,fast and sharp!
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Durable
- Fast / accurate auto-focus
- Nice Bokeh
- Strong Construction
Cons
Best Uses
- Sports/Action
- Weddings/Events
Comments about Canon 85mm f/1.8 EF USM Autofocus Lens:
purchased mainly for portraits and occasional basketball pics. I was so shocked by the beatiful bokeh (which I have read about). You have to see it in person to appreciate it. For indoor sports you will have to be close to the action and have ideal lighting which most gyms do not to get spectacular indoor sports pics. I will be saving my pennies for a 135 f/2 for that.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Lightweight
- Nice Bokeh
- Strong Construction
Cons
- Blurry Focus
Best Uses
- Indoors/Low Light
- Weddings/Events
Comments about Canon 85mm f/1.8 EF USM Autofocus Lens:
I bought this lens and thought I did the research on it but I must of missed the mark. I think its sole purpose is portraits but for me it is not wide enough. It is a smooth lens just slow focus. All in my opion. Takes nice pictures.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Fast / accurate auto-focus
- Lightweight
- Nice Bokeh
Cons
- Color Fringe
Best Uses
- Portraits
Comments about Canon 85mm f/1.8 EF USM Autofocus Lens:
I bought this lens to get those portraits with that creamy bokeh that just melts. It delivers on that at 1/5 of the cost of the 1.2.
The only issue I have with it is extremely bad purple color fringing on high contrast areas. It gets ridiculous if you take a picture of a bare tree limbs on a blown out sky.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Fast / accurate auto-focus
- Lightweight
- Nice Bokeh
Cons
Best Uses
- Indoors/Low Light
- Sports/Action
Comments about Canon 85mm f/1.8 EF USM Autofocus Lens:
This lens is terrific for 5th grade basketball in dark gymnasiums. Very fast shutter speeds freeze action. The background blur is beautiful. My first time using it, and the other parents wanted copies of the photos.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Durable
- Fast / accurate auto-focus
- Nice Bokeh
- Strong Construction
Cons
- Difficult to Clean
Best Uses
- Indoors/Low Light
- Landscape/Scenery
- Sports/Action
- Video
- Weddings/Events
- Wildlife Photos
Comments about Canon 85mm f/1.8 EF USM Autofocus Lens:
What I can say about this is awesome. This is a must have lens. You dont have to pay more than $2000 for the 1.2 version unless you are rich. It sharp and performs as well as the 1.2
Pros:
Light weight
Good construction
Sharp
Fast
Cheap
Cons:
Doesn't come with lens hood and case.
Easy to let dust get in.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Fast / accurate auto-focus
- Lightweight
- Nice Bokeh
Cons
Best Uses
- Indoors/Low Light
- Landscape/Scenery
- Night Photography
- Sports/Action
- Weddings/Events
Comments about Canon 85mm f/1.8 EF USM Autofocus Lens:
Leave your big, heavy, inaccurately-focusing zoom lens at home and put this baby on your camera. It is just the right size and weight to balance perfectly on my 5D classic. The focus is accurate, the images are sharp and the bokeh is wonderful. Use it wide open for outdoor portraits or stop it down for scenics.
If you like to use manual focus, you will like this lens a lot more than most modern lenses. The focus ring moves smoothly and has a long range of motion to allow precise focus.
Since the mechanism is much simpler than the problem-prone zoom lenses, the chances of getting a lemon are very low.
This is a good lens for an artist who wants L-lens optics and function, but does not need the high price, water sealing, and ultra-heavy constuction.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Durable
- Fast / accurate auto-focus
- Strong Construction
Cons
Best Uses
- Indoors/Low Light
- Landscape/Scenery
- Night Photography
- Sports/Action
- Weddings/Events
Comments about Canon 85mm f/1.8 EF USM Autofocus Lens:
I bought this lens after reading so many positive reviews about it.. It seems to be well constructed and feels very solid...I was blown away after seeing the shots I took with this 85mm from both my Canon 40D and 5D Mark 2.. Very sharp and good contrast.. Every bit as good as my 17-40mm Canon L lens.. The 85mm 1.8 is an L lens without the red stripe and missing the big price tag as well.. Another positive I should mention..I saved 150 dollars buying from B@H even after paying tax.etc to Canada.. Very happy with this experience.. Happy New Year everyone..
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Displaying reviews 1-20
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- Price: $16.88
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Hoods & Covers
- Price: $14.95
Cases & Wraps
- Price: $11.99
Protection/Camouflage
- Price: $39.99
This item is usually Drop Shipped from the MFR/Distributor within 7-10 days (subject to availability). Your order will be charged at the time of placing the order with the vendor.
Protective Wraps & Mats
- Price: $9.00
What's in the Box
- 58mm Snap-On Lens Cap
- Lens Dust Cap E (Rear)
- 1-Year Warranty
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