# 85mm: Which one to buy used now to hold value for resale when RF comes out?



## eyeheartny (Oct 24, 2018)

I'm a new EOS R owner and loving the camera so far. I'm finding myself craving an 85mm lens for it already and since I'm new to Canon, I don't have a lens portfolio to choose from. I have the Canon adapter so I can use EF lenses no problem, but I don't want to do so long-term knowing there's likely an RF 85mm in the pipeline before too long.

I'm debating the following:

Do I purchase a used 85mm f1.2 locally from a Craiglist seller for around $1k and use it until the RF version comes out sometime in 2019 or 2020?
Or do I buy a new specimen of the 85mm f1.4 IS and take the depreciation hit selling that when I inevitably get the RF version? I haven't seen any used samples of this lens floating around at enough of a discount to make it make sense...even on eBay they're going for around $1400.
Or do I get a used version of the Sigma 85mm f1.4 EX DG HSM (non-Art series) for around $650?
Or are there other options I should be looking at? 
Thanks!


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## Maximilian (Oct 24, 2018)

Hi *eyeheartny*!

I don't know how much used you are to such really wide apertures like f/1.2 or f/1.4. You can do some DOF calculation and find out that there will be just some centimeters/inches in focus. so for portraits this means if eyes in focus the nose tip isn't any more. quite difficult to handle. If you already worked with such lenses, sorry for noting this. 
Of course, if the rumor of an RF 85/1.2 is true a used EF 85/1.2 would be the best choice IMO. 
I wouldn't go for any *new *lens if you are already planning to buy that RF 85/1.2. Too much money burned.
So I'd vote for that RF 85/1.2.
But ...
If you are not used to any aperture wider than f/2.0 or f/1.8, I'd save more money and buy an EF 85/1.8, best would be used.
Of course it is optically not as good as all the options you've mentioned, some CA, some contrast missing, less DOF capabilities etc. 
But it's a good bang for the buck. You'll save money, you'll get used to this great portrait FL and you can train on low DOF, knowing it'll get even more difficult.
And it is small.
I own it, I use it on a FF body. I am not really in love with it, but I like it for it's size and price performance.
Just think about it and let us know how you'll decide


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## jd7 (Oct 24, 2018)

I agree with Maximilian that a second-hand EF 85/1.8 is worth considering. If you need or want at least f/1.4 obviously it's a no go, and it isn't quite as good optically as the lenses you listed. However, it is relatively cheap, small and light and the optics and AF are good for the money (and size and weight). I can imagine it being quite a nice balance on the EOS R (although my total experience with an EOS R is a few minutes in a shop so perhaps I shouldn't be making statements like that!). I had the EF 85/1.8 before I switched to the Sigma 85/1.4 EX. The Sigma is optically better but there are times I wonder if I should have kept the little Canon. (In fact, I'm currently considering whether to sell one of my 50 Art or 85 EX, although I may just end up keeping both. One variation on that which has occurred to me is to sell the Sigma and pick up an EF 85/1.8 for occasional use.)

I know you asked specifically about 85mm lenses, but for what it's worth if I was in your shoes, I would probably go for a 135/2L. You should be able to pick up one relatively cheap (for an L lens), it's a fantastic portrait lens if you have the space to use it, it's a reasonable size and weight for what it is, and it would give you a moderate telephoto to go with your RF 28-70 and RF 50. Of course, if you really want 85mm though, it wouldn't be the right decision for you.


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## eyeheartny (Oct 24, 2018)

jd7 said:


> I agree with Maximilian that a second-hand EF 85/1.8 is worth considering. If you need or want at least f/1.4 obviously it's a no go, and it isn't quite as good optically as the lenses you listed. However, it is relatively cheap, small and light and the optics and AF are good for the money (and size and weight). I can imagine it being quite a nice balance on the EOS R (although my total experience with an EOS R is a few minutes in a shop so perhaps I shouldn't be making statements like that!). I had the EF 85/1.8 before I switched to the Sigma 85/1.4 EX. The Sigma is optically better but there are times I wonder if I should have kept the little Canon. (In fact, I'm currently considering whether to sell one of my 50 Art or 85 EX, although I may just end up keeping both. One variation on that which has occurred to me is to sell the Sigma and pick up an EF 85/1.8 for occasional use.)
> 
> I know you asked specifically about 85mm lenses, but for what it's worth if I was in your shoes, I would probably go for a 135/2L. You should be able to pick up one relatively cheap (for an L lens), it's a fantastic portrait lens if you have the space to use it, it's a reasonable size and weight for what it is, and it would give you a moderate telephoto to go with your RF 28-70 and RF 50. Of course, if you really want 85mm though, it wouldn't be the right decision for you.



I don't _need_ 1.4. The calculation is more about which lens will retain demand due to performance/popularity/etc, which would preserve its value in the used market and let me lose as little value as I can. Here's the mental math I'm doing: the 85 1.4 isn't available used and so I have to absorb the depreciation that comes with buying a new lens. If I assume a 50% loss in value from new to selling used in 18 months, the monthly cost ends up being around $41. The question is whether buying an 85mm 1.2L II for ~$950 would have a flatter depreciation curve. In other words, could I sell an 85mm 1.2 in 18 months for $700? $650? If so, then the monthly cost is approximately $16 net to me after the sale. If I look at the cost of an 85mm 1.8 at $300 new (not much of a used market available) and assume that that would be resold for a 75% loss (less of a demand of this lens), it would be a monthly cost of $12.50 to me. 

What I am not clear about is the strength of the secondary market for each of these lenses. Could I sell an 85 1.4 more easily than a 1.2? These are the questions I'm trying to get a handle on.


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Oct 24, 2018)

I'm sure you could sell a 85mm f/1.4 for a better price right now, but a used one will cost you more as well. If you can find a Canon 85mm f/1.4 for $1000 get it. 

The 85/1.4 prices have yet to drop, when they do, it will be sharply while your $900 f/1.2 lens will drop off more slowly.


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## eyeheartny (Oct 24, 2018)

Mt Spokane Photography said:


> I'm sure you could sell a 85mm f/1.4 for a better price right now, but a used one will cost you more as well. If you can find a Canon 85mm f/1.4 for $1000 get it.
> 
> The 85/1.4 prices have yet to drop, when they do, it will be sharply while your $900 f/1.2 lens will drop off more slowly.




Thanks, that price watch tool looks useful. It's not an 85 1.4 for $1k, it's an 85 1.2 I have seen for that price with a local seller. It's the rate of the dropoff I'm interested in-- if I buy a 1.2 for $1k now, am I looking at a 20% loss in 18 months? A 50% loss? Same for an 85 1.4...if I buy it new now, what rate of depreciation in value can I expect over 18 months? I realize the 85 1.4 is too new to have real data. I'll dig into the pricing history for the 85 1.2. Does that tool include used prices?


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Oct 24, 2018)

eyeheartny said:


> Thanks, that price watch tool looks useful. It's not an 85 1.4 for $1k, it's an 85 1.2 I have seen for that price with a local seller. It's the rate of the dropoff I'm interested in-- if I buy a 1.2 for $1k now, am I looking at a 20% loss in 18 months? A 50% loss? Same for an 85 1.4...if I buy it new now, what rate of depreciation in value can I expect over 18 months? I realize the 85 1.4 is too new to have real data. I'll dig into the pricing history for the 85 1.2. Does that tool include used prices?


Used prices tend to stabilize over time and drop off slowly. A 85mm F/1.2 going rate right now is a little under $1000. If you buy one, it might drop 10-15% in 2 years, its unknown because the R lenses may cause a little faster drop off, but that would happen to both lenses.

A new 85mm f/1.4 should drop 25-35% in 2 years and then stabilize. I see one 85mm f/1.4 that sold used for $1300 recently. so that was about a 20% reduction from new price of $1600 just going out the door.

For $300 more, I'd get the f/1.4 lens, its going to be a better lens in my opinion, so that's worth something, but either one is a great lens. I have been bit by Sigma lenses too many times, so I have a tough time recommending one. Everytime a new Canon camera comes out, there seems to be more lens firmware bugs found.


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## Viggo (Oct 24, 2018)

I wanted to keep my 85 L IS, but it doesn’t look awesome on the 30mp sensor of the EOS R (and it is the best 85 Canon).... The 35 L II looks gorgeous, and since I was dumb enough to try the RF50 I’m done buying EF lenses. I will keep the 35, but I don’t think the 85 is worth keeping, especially since a new RF85 f1.2 is coming next year. I wish I had waited


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## eyeheartny (Oct 24, 2018)

Mt Spokane Photography said:


> Used prices tend to stabilize over time and drop off slowly. A 85mm F/1.2 going rate right now is a little under $1000. If you buy one, it might drop 10-15% in 2 years, its unknown because the R lenses may cause a little faster drop off, but that would happen to both lenses.
> 
> A new 85mm f/1.4 should drop 25-35% in 2 years and then stabilize. I see one 85mm f/1.4 that sold used for $1300 recently. so that was about a 20% reduction from new price of $1600 just going out the door.
> 
> For $300 more, I'd get the f/1.4 lens, its going to be a better lens in my opinion, so that's worth something, but either one is a great lens. I have been bit by Sigma lenses too many times, so I have a tough time recommending one. Everytime a new Canon camera comes out, there seems to be more lens firmware bugs found.



This is great feedback, and I *truly* appreciate it. Very helpful information about the dropoff rate. It's not about the cost-- $300 more is immaterial in this case. It's a set of two questions that nest together: first, which one performs optimally on my EOS R? And second, which one is the smarter buy in terms of effective monthly cost after a resale when the RF 85mm comes out? It looks like taking worst-case estimates for both lenses, the effective monthly cost of the 1.2 is about $11, assuming a 20% dropoff at a $1k purchase price. The 1.4 looks like an effective cost of $31/month for 18 months. This assumes I could sell each lens without too much difficulty.

Interesting questions to ponder. I may rent both lenses. Since I already have the control ring adapter, using either on my EOS R should be painless except for the added size. I did this size comparison of the 85s in question, plus the 24-105 (since I currently have it as a rental), the 50mm 1.2, and the upcoming 28-70.


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## eyeheartny (Oct 24, 2018)

Viggo said:


> I wanted to keep my 85 L IS, but it doesn’t look awesome on the 30mp sensor of the EOS R (and it is the best 85 Canon).... The 35 L II looks gorgeous, and since I was dumb enough to try the RF50 I’m done buying EF lenses. I will keep the 35, but I don’t think the 85 is worth keeping, especially since a new RF85 f1.2 is coming next year. I wish I had waited



Whoa! A few questions here!  First of all, what do you mean dumb enough to try the RF50? Do you like it or not? I have one coming in the 2nd shipment from B&H in a few weeks so I'm VERY curious what you mean. 

Second, what do you mean about the 85 IS not looking awesome on the ROS R? Are you having performance problems? Color rendition, sharpness, AF speed, etc? I'd love to hear what you mean, see sample pics, etc. Have you compared with the 85 1.2 to see if that is a better performer?


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## Viggo (Oct 24, 2018)

eyeheartny said:


> Whoa! A few questions here!  First of all, what do you mean dumb enough to try the RF50? Do you like it or not? I have one coming in the 2nd shipment from B&H in a few weeks so I'm VERY curious what you mean.
> 
> Second, what do you mean about the 85 IS not looking awesome on the ROS R? Are you having performance problems? Color rendition, sharpness, AF speed, etc? I'd love to hear what you mean, see sample pics, etc. Have you compared with the 85 1.2 to see if that is a better performer?


I wasn’t really prepared to pay the premium for the RF50, but I had to try it, and now I HAVE TO get it, it’s the best lens I have ever used along with the 200 f2.0, it’s razor, razor sharp wide open, no CA, awesome AF. Despite what I’ve read the vignetting isn’t bad at all and it’s a feather compared to what I expected for weight.

The 85 wasn’t all that sharp on my 1dx2 and the EOS R with higher res shows it’s weaknesses even more, the purple fringing and sharpness wide open is disappointing... AF, vignetting, distortion, IS, handling etc is very very good. AF is better on the R and I can get all of the sharpness out, except it isn’t the sharpest lens to begin with...


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## eyeheartny (Oct 24, 2018)

Viggo said:


> I wasn’t really prepared to pay the premium for the RF50, but I had to try it, and now I HAVE TO get it, it’s the best lens I have ever used along with the 200 f2.0, it’s razor, razor sharp wide open, no CA, awesome AF. Despite what I’ve read the vignetting isn’t bad at all and it’s a feather compared to what I expected for weight.



Well, if I wasn't already super excited to get the 50, now I'm desperate for it to arrive. The AF performance on the 24-105 is outstanding and I assume it'll be similarly so on the 50.



Viggo said:


> The 85 wasn’t all that sharp on my 1dx2 and the EOS R with higher res shows it’s weaknesses even more, the purple fringing and sharpness wide open is disappointing... AF, vignetting, distortion, IS, handling etc is very very good. AF is better on the R and I can get all of the sharpness out, except it isn’t the sharpest lens to begin with...



Huh, interesting. You may have just saved me $1600.  If I end up waiting on the RF 85, I'll be a one-lens guy with the 50mm for a while until the RF 28-70 arrives. Not a terrible situation for a month or so considering the lens is supposed to be incredible. If I'm reading your advice correctly, it sounds like you're saying I should probably just wait and get the RF 85 and skip the 1.2 and 1.4? Or worth seeing how the 1.2 performs on the EOS R?


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## Viggo (Oct 24, 2018)

eyeheartny said:


> Well, if I wasn't already super excited to get the 50, now I'm desperate for it to arrive. The AF performance on the 24-105 is outstanding and I assume it'll be similarly so on the 50.
> 
> 
> 
> Huh, interesting. You may have just saved me $1600.  If I end up waiting on the RF 85, I'll be a one-lens guy with the 50mm for a while until the RF 28-70 arrives. Not a terrible situation for a month or so considering the lens is supposed to be incredible. If I'm reading your advice correctly, it sounds like you're saying I should probably just wait and get the RF 85 and skip the 1.2 and 1.4? Or worth seeing how the 1.2 performs on the EOS R?


I don’t want to spend anyone else’s money, but if I didn’t have the 85 L IS now, I would get the RF50 and keep my 35 and be happy. I couldn’t afford both the RF50 and RF85, so I would go 50 and 35, because those two or top two out of my top three FL favorites. I wouldn’t have bought an EF lens now that I have the EOS R... maybe an old 70-200 for soccer etc, but that’s neither here or there...


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## eyeheartny (Oct 24, 2018)

Viggo said:


> I don’t want to spend anyone else’s money, but if I didn’t have the 85 L IS now, I would get the RF50 and keep my 35 and be happy. I couldn’t afford both the RF50 and RF85, so I would go 50 and 35, because those two or top two out of my top three FL favorites. I wouldn’t have bought an EF lens now that I have the EOS R... maybe an old 70-200 for soccer etc, but that’s neither here or there...



Well, I'm giving you an opportunity to help me spend-- or not spend-- my money! I'm thinking that the writing is on the wall to not put money into EF lenses if I am all-in on the RF ecosystem, which I am. So you've been very helpful there. I guess I should relax and trust that the two lenses I've got coming are incredible performers and I'll be able to capture some amazing images with them. My reason for looking at an 85mm is it's one of my favorite focal lengths...the subject separation and compression is just outstanding on a good sensor. I hate knowing that I'll miss shots at that focal length for the next 12-18 months, but it's okay. Or I guess I could get the cheap 85 1.8 just to have one on hand and flip it if I'm not loving it or when the RF comes out. Anyway, if you want to help me collect some AMEX points (see what I did there?) you're welcome to weigh in.


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## Viggo (Oct 24, 2018)

Haha! Yeah if I could get what I wanted it would be ; 35 L II, RF28-70, RF50 and RF85.. oooo, that sounded really fun and exciting... A used 85 L (either one) wouldn’t cost you almost anything to flip later. I only buy lenses new that I KNOW I’m not going to sell... and sometimes I do anyway


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## eyeheartny (Oct 24, 2018)

Viggo said:


> Haha! Yeah if I could get what I wanted it would be ; 35 L II, RF28-70, RF50 and RF85.. oooo, that sounded really fun and exciting... A used 85 L (either one) wouldn’t cost you almost anything to flip later. I only buy lenses new that I KNOW I’m not going to sell... and sometimes I do anyway



Yeah, I know myself too well to think that I'll never sell anything. I expect the RF lenses to stick around for the very long term in my bag. You're making me think I may want to look at the 85 1.2 that's on Craigslist locally for $1k. If I can flip it in a year or so for $8-900 I'd be happy with that, as long as it performs really well. I haven't been able to find any samples with that lens on the R...


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## Viggo (Oct 24, 2018)

eyeheartny said:


> Yeah, I know myself too well to think that I'll never sell anything. I expect the RF lenses to stick around for the very long term in my bag. You're making me think I may want to look at the 85 1.2 that's on Craigslist locally for $1k. If I can flip it in a year or so for $8-900 I'd be happy with that, as long as it performs really well. I haven't been able to find any samples with that lens on the R...


The thing the 85 f1.2 struggles with is AF, and the EOS R will be better than DSLR’s with it. It’s soo precise ... I’m thinking the R would be the best body for the 85 f1.2... haven’t tried, but I have owned like 6-7 copies of it over the years


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## eyeheartny (Oct 24, 2018)

Viggo said:


> The thing the 85 f1.2 struggles with is AF, and the EOS R will be better than DSLR’s with it. It’s soo precise ... I’m thinking the R would be the best body for the 85 f1.2... haven’t tried, but I have owned like 6-7 copies of it over the years



Oh man. Did you sell them because they were off in some way or just flipping them and getting bored? I'm going to New Orleans next week but when I'm back I may rent the two 85s I'm considering and see how they do on my R. The local seller for $1k sold his lens so that deal is off anyway.


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## Viggo (Oct 24, 2018)

eyeheartny said:


> Oh man. Did you sell them because they were off in some way or just flipping them and getting bored? I'm going to New Orleans next week but when I'm back I may rent the two 85s I'm considering and see how they do on my R. The local seller for $1k sold his lens so that deal is off anyway.


There’s always a lens or two I want and/or need, and when I bought a new body, I wanted to try some lenses on that body I wasn’t happy with on the previous body. And since I can’t have all the lenses I want, I’ve bought and sold A LOT of lenses.

I wasn’t ever happy, really, with the 85 and 50 L’s, but there weren’t any alternatives at the time. The 85 IS I bought as soon as it was available and have had it since, it’s the best compromise I think. But, when my other lens is the 35 L II, it’s hard not to compare them, and the 35 is so much sharper and so much less CA


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## eyeheartny (Oct 24, 2018)

Viggo said:


> There’s always a lens or two I want and/or need, and when I bought a new body, I wanted to try some lenses on that body I wasn’t happy with on the previous body. And since I can’t have all the lenses I want, I’ve bought and sold A LOT of lenses.
> 
> I wasn’t ever happy, really, with the 85 and 50 L’s, but there weren’t any alternatives at the time. The 85 IS I bought as soon as it was available and have had it since, it’s the best compromise I think. But, when my other lens is the 35 L II, it’s hard not to compare them, and the 35 is so much sharper and so much less CA



All makes sense. At these price points you have to be really happy with stuff to make the purchase feel right, you know? I got the control ring adapter with my EOS R but I may end up returning it. I think I'll be okay with my RF lenses for the time being. I'll hold out either for an 85mm or a potential 70-135 or 70-105 f2.0 portrait zoom. Not like I depend on this for income and a fast 50 and 28-70 are going to be juuuuuuuuust fine. 

There's even a part of me thinking of returning my body-only kit and getting the one with the kit lens just to have something else. Is that a terrible idea?


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## Viggo (Oct 24, 2018)

eyeheartny said:


> All makes sense. At these price points you have to be really happy with stuff to make the purchase feel right, you know? I got the control ring adapter with my EOS R but I may end up returning it. I think I'll be okay with my RF lenses for the time being. I'll hold out either for an 85mm or a potential 70-135 or 70-105 f2.0 portrait zoom. Not like I depend on this for income and a fast 50 and 28-70 are going to be juuuuuuuuust fine.
> 
> There's even a part of me thinking of returning my body-only kit and getting the one with the kit lens just to have something else. Is that a terrible idea?


I love my fast primes and don’t like anything slower than f2.0, so I wouldn’t spend money on a f4 zoom, BUT this is very subjective and personal. I know a couple of people who has built a very solid business just using the 24-105 and couldn’t live with a prime.

Me and zooms? Nope, well, it had to be the 28-70 in that case...


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## Act444 (Oct 25, 2018)

Have you thought about the 85 1.8? If you want to take the smallest hit on resale - a used 85 1.8 would seem like the way to go - if you MUST have a 85mm lens that is. Might be able to pick one up for < $300 actually. 

As for the Ls...I had the 85 1.2 and ended up trading it in for the 85 1.4 IS. The latter is better basically in every way except aperture...


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## eyeheartny (Oct 25, 2018)

Act444 said:


> Have you thought about the 85 1.8? If you want to take the smallest hit on resale - a used 85 1.8 would seem like the way to go - if you MUST have a 85mm lens that is. Might be able to pick one up for < $300 actually..



What makes you bring up the "must have" aspect? Do you think there are other short-tele lengths that are more versatile and that have really outstanding lens options?

I think I'm going to rent the 85 1.2 and 85 1.4 in a month or so and see how I like them both. I'll have my 50 1.2 by then. If I love one, I'll get it, but I may very well decide that with the 28-70 on its way to me in early December, I can wait for the RF 85mm or an RF short-tele/portrait zoom sometime next year or early 2020.

Also, the used 85 1.8s go for only about $20 less than brand new ones. 



Act444 said:


> As for the Ls...I had the 85 1.2 and ended up trading it in for the 85 1.4 IS. The latter is better basically in every way except aperture.



So what's your sense as to why some folks still claim the 1.2 is better in those intangible ways-- rendering, or focus falloff, or other things? Is it pure placebo/hype?


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## Act444 (Oct 25, 2018)

eyeheartny said:


> What makes you bring up the "must have" aspect? Do you think there are other short-tele lengths that are more versatile and that have really outstanding lens options?



Honestly it is a matter of taste, whichever you prefer. I have the 100 f2, which is the "sister lens" of the 85 1.8. I originally got it for maximum reach ability in a compact lens but also, perspective-wise, there are subtle differences between 85 and 100. Probably most noticeable if you shoot headshots of people...100 has a slightly more compressive (flattening) FOV. Remember too that lenses like the 24-105 and 70-200 cover 85mm...flexibility in exchange for (typically) resolution and rendering.




> Also, the used 85 1.8s go for only about $20 less than brand new ones.



Wow, I've found WAY better deals than that in the past. Even my local store sold used ones for about a $50 discount. If you're willing to do EBay, you may be able to get up to $100 off vs. new.





> So what's your sense as to why some folks still claim the 1.2 is better in those intangible ways-- rendering, or focus falloff, or other things? Is it pure placebo/hype?



Again, taste. Some swear by the 1.2 look which honestly is unique and can make photos stand out from the crowd. Personally, while I loved the look at 1.2, I generally found the AF unreliable, particularly with outer points...which limited its usefulness to me. The 1.4 IS version was a no-brainer for me, especially since the IS would make it workable on the 5DSR handheld. And it's got the resolution to go with it, too (unlike the 1.2 version)!


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## awair (Nov 5, 2018)

I would second the advice for the Canon 85/1.4L - the IS makes it much more usable than the 1.2L (version II), which I recently sold for a big loss...

In real world shooting, I couldn't see a significant difference in quality between the two. The 85 lives on my 5D4 full time, and as for pairing with the R, I'm sure that as one of Canon's recent additions it will be well suited.


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## eyeheartny (Nov 5, 2018)

awair said:


> I would second the advice for the Canon 85/1.4L - the IS makes it much more usable than the 1.2L (version II), which I recently sold for a big loss...
> 
> In real world shooting, I couldn't see a significant difference in quality between the two. The 85 lives on my 5D4 full time, and as for pairing with the R, I'm sure that as one of Canon's recent additions it will be well suited.



Thanks! My 1.4 IS arrives today.  I grabbed it during the eBay coupon about 10 days ago for $1365 shipped, so I figure if I a) don't love it b) don't return it during the 30-day window, I can sell it for what I paid or a bit less relatively easily.


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## BJonesy22 (Nov 29, 2018)

I have the RF50 also and absolutely love it. It makes int so hard to buy a normal EF lens to mount on it. Wish they would release a 105 RF 1.4
That with the 50 would be perfect


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## eyeheartny (Nov 29, 2018)

BJonesy22 said:


> I have the RF50 also and absolutely love it. It makes int so hard to buy a normal EF lens to mount on it. Wish they would release a 105 RF 1.4
> That with the 50 would be perfect



I can't wait for the next round of RF primes to be announced. The 50 is such an amazing lens, I absolutely love shooting with it. I returned the EF 85mm I bought and will wait patiently for an 85 or 105mm RF lens. 

Did you order the 28-70? I have that one coming in a week or so. Very curious to see how I like it. If I don't love it (size, weight, etc) I may return it and just shoot with the RF 50mm until something comes along I like better.


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## Rockskipper (Nov 29, 2018)

Don't forget to check Canon for refurbished (non R, too early for those).


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## Viggo (Nov 29, 2018)

BJonesy22 said:


> I have the RF50 also and absolutely love it. It makes int so hard to buy a normal EF lens to mount on it. Wish they would release a 105 RF 1.4
> That with the 50 would be perfect


That is the EXACT combo I’m waiting for, swap out my 85 L IS for a 100 f1.4 I really miss my Zeiss 100 f2.0 what an epic lens, too bad it’s MF...


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## Larsskv (Nov 29, 2018)

eyeheartny said:


> I can't wait for the next round of RF primes to be announced. The 50 is such an amazing lens, I absolutely love shooting with it. I returned the EF 85mm I bought and will wait patiently for an 85 or 105mm RF lens.
> 
> Did you order the 28-70? I have that one coming in a week or so. Very curious to see how I like it. If I don't love it (size, weight, etc) I may return it and just shoot with the RF 50mm until something comes along I like better.



The RF 50 L is by far the best lens I have ever used. Got it a couple of weeks ago. It is so good I would not hesitate to replace my 35LII, 50L and 85LII for it, if I needed to. My 50L is already sold. It has the sharpness and bokeh you can dream of, and it has a background separation comparable to only the 85LII - maybe better. It is absolutely fantastic.


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## eyeheartny (Nov 29, 2018)

Larsskv said:


> The RF 50 L is by far the best lens I have ever used. Got it a couple of weeks ago. It is so good I would not hesitate to replace my 35LII, 50L and 85LII for it, if I needed to. My 50L is already sold. It has the sharpness and bokeh you can dream of, and it has a background separation comparable to only the 85LII - maybe better. It is absolutely fantastic.



Agreed with all of your comments. Are you going to try the RF 28-70?


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## YuengLinger (Nov 29, 2018)

Viggo said:


> I wasn’t really prepared to pay the premium for the RF50, but I had to try it, and now I HAVE TO get it, it’s the best lens I have ever used along with the 200 f2.0, it’s razor, razor sharp wide open, no CA, awesome AF. Despite what I’ve read the vignetting isn’t bad at all and it’s a feather compared to what I expected for weight.
> 
> The 85 wasn’t all that sharp on my 1dx2 and the EOS R with higher res shows it’s weaknesses even more, the purple fringing and sharpness wide open is disappointing... AF, vignetting, distortion, IS, handling etc is very very good. AF is better on the R and I can get all of the sharpness out, except it isn’t the sharpest lens to begin with...


Still, it is a very good portrait lens on my 5DIV, and I definitely benefit from the IS. When I buy a pro oriented RF body in the future, I might very well still be satisfied with the ef 85mm f/1.4L IS--and spend money on the 50mm 1.2.

As far as pinning down resale values right now with RF being phased in, things are less predictable--especially since maybe even Canon doesn't know for certain what their transition timeline looks like. But I am required to say here: Used EF lens sales will be an important part of the Canon ecosystem for some time to come. 

I guess I just made a similar "move" with the Tamron 45mm 1.8 VC, which is due at my door any moment now. I've been wanting for so long to replace my worn out ef 50mm f/1.4, but I have little hope of a new 1.2 L version ever coming for EF. So I'm waiting for a better RF body to come along, and then the rf 50mm f/1.2. But for $400 for a good quality 45mm 1.8 with IS right now, I'm happy to bide my time. I'm guessing I could, in a year or so, still get $225 or so for it used. But only guessing.


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## Larsskv (Nov 29, 2018)

eyeheartny said:


> Agreed with all of your comments. Are you going to try the RF 28-70?



I don’t think so. I prefer primes, and f2 isn’t sexy enough to make up for it being too large, heavy and expensive. If I was a professional, I might see it differently.


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## Larsskv (Nov 29, 2018)

YuengLinger said:


> Still, it is a very good portrait lens on my 5DIV, and I definitely benefit from the IS. When I buy a pro oriented RF body in the future, I might very well still be satisfied with the ef 85mm f/1.4L IS--and spend money on the 50mm 1.2.
> 
> As far as pinning down resale values right now with RF being phased in, things are less predictable--especially since maybe even Canon doesn't know for certain what their transition timeline looks like. But I am required to say here: Used EF lens sales will be an important part of the Canon ecosystem for some time to come.
> 
> I guess I just made a similar "move" with the Tamron 45mm 1.8 VC, which is due at my door any moment now. I've been wanting for so long to replace my worn out ef 50mm f/1.4, but I have little hope of a new 1.2 L version ever coming for EF. So I'm waiting for a better RF body to come along, and then the rf 50mm f/1.2. But for $400 for a good quality 45mm 1.8 with IS right now, I'm happy to bide my time. I'm guessing I could, in a year or so, still get $225 or so for it used. But only guessing.



I think the Tamron 45 f1.8 is great. I sold it because I couldn’t get it to focus correctly with the outer focusing points on my 1DXII. On the EOS R it should be a great performer.


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## Random Orbits (Nov 29, 2018)

Viggo said:


> That is the EXACT combo I’m waiting for, swap out my 85 L IS for a 100 f1.4 I really miss my Zeiss 100 f2.0 what an epic lens, too bad it’s MF...



I wish thath the EOS R was wider and the grip moved farther away from the lens mount. There isn't much finger space with the RF 50 mounted.


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## eyeheartny (Nov 29, 2018)

Larsskv said:


> I don’t think so. I prefer primes, and f2 isn’t sexy enough to make up for it being too large, heavy and expensive. If I was a professional, I might see it differently.



That makes sense. I preordered because I wanted to get my hands on it, but I will be taking advantage of B&H's return policy if I don't absolutely love it. I'm an amateur and $3k is too much to spend if I'm not crazy about the lens. The way I feel about the RF 50 is gonna be hard to beat with a zoom but I'll for sure give it a try.


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## Larsskv (Nov 29, 2018)

eyeheartny said:


> That makes sense. I preordered because I wanted to get my hands on it, but I will be taking advantage of B&H's return policy if I don't absolutely love it. I'm an amateur and $3k is too much to spend if I'm not crazy about the lens. The way I feel about the RF 50 is gonna be hard to beat with a zoom but I'll for sure give it a try.


Let us know about your experience with the 28-70!


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## deleteme (Dec 10, 2018)

A used 85 1.8 is already very affordable and thus re-selling at the end of ownership is hardly likely to result in a large loss. ATM there is an excellent 85 1.8 FS on FM for $275. I can hardly see much further decline in the price unless you really thrash it.
I had one for years and loved it. The flaws are overstated IMO.


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