The Canon 85mm f/1.4 is the lens on my camera about 90% of the time! This is a must-have if you are looking for a new addition to your lens collection! It provides the ultimate beauty, sharpness, bokeh, and blur! Read my Canon 85mm f/1.4 review below to see why it’s one of my favorites.
Your Cleveland Photographer’s Canon 85mm f/1.4 Lens Review
1. Clarity
The Canon EF 85mm f/1.4 IS USM is one of the best lenses for portrait photography. This is a prime lens, which is the only type of lens I shoot with. It’s a fixed focal length designed with less glass than a zoom lens, giving you a sharper image. You can dive more into the difference between prime lenses and zoom lenses. The 85mm also has image stabilization, which the Canon 50mm f/1.2 and Canon 35mm f/1.4 don’t have. This is helpful when using a lower shutter speed or when my arms are getting tired from holding my Canon EOS 5D Mark IV.
2. Focal Length
The 85mm focal length makes the background look closer and larger to your subject, which creates a gorgeous blurry background, making your subject stand out more. A 50mm will reveal how we see the scene with our eyes, and a 35mm will show more of the environment around the subject.
85mm
35mm
3. Build
The build of the Canon 85mm f/1.4 is undoubtedly made to last. The cost is about $1600, an investment for sure. The quality of the lens and the image it creates are worth every penny. I use this lens for family portraits, seniors, headshots, and cake smashes. After several years and a lot of use, it’s still looking brand new. Canon prime lenses hold their value, so you can be sure of reselling at a higher price with no problems.
4. Aperture
Another plus with the Canon EF 85mm f/1.4 IS USM is the aperture of 1.4. Prime lenses allow you to go wider and allow more light in. This is extremely helpful with low-light situations. It will also allow you to create more of a blurry background. When shooting wide open, make sure your focal point is set correctly, and when shooting more than one person, they are all on the same focal plane.
Canon 85mm f/1.4 Review
To conclude, between the Canon 35mm f/1.4, Canon 50mm f/1.2, and Canon 85mm f/1.4, the 85mm is by far the best for me and the line of portraits I do. Sometimes I switch to my 35mm to show more of the environment and have a different effect to add to a gallery. With the clarity of the glass, the sharpness with image stabilization, the focal length, and the beautiful blur it creates, you will definitely step up your portrait photography game with this lens!
Before you go, check out more blogs on camera gear and photo sessions!
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