# 85 1.2 L2 not sharp at 1.2



## hammy (Oct 23, 2012)

Does anyone have problem getting sharp image at 1.2? i even tried manual focus and AFMA. i only get sharp image at 2.0 and up. should i return for different copy?. i bought it recently just to use at 1.2 since i heard so many review on how sharp it is at 1.2 to 2.0. Any thought? 

thanks


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## RLPhoto (Oct 23, 2012)

hammy said:


> Does anyone have problem getting sharp image at 1.2? i even tried manual focus and AFMA. i only get sharp image at 2.0 and up. should i return for different copy?. i bought it recently just to use at 1.2 since i heard so many review on how sharp it is at 1.2 to 2.0. Any thought?
> 
> thanks



The 85L II is tack sharp wide open in the center.

http://ramonlperez.tumblr.com/post/33253428138/fast-prime-shoot-out-pt-1-85mm-1-2l-ii-mini-review


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## wickidwombat (Oct 23, 2012)

have you micro adjusted it? it could just be off a touch I think an 85 f1.2L on a 1Dx is a match made in heaven


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## hammy (Oct 23, 2012)

yes, i've micro adjust with the 1Dx as well. i tried manual.. if you can get sharp image manual , then the AF needs adjustment. i was able to get it sharp at 2.0.


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## Menace (Oct 23, 2012)

Sorry to hear you are not getting sharp images at f1.2. To me the whole point of investing in a f1.2 lens is so that it can be used wide open! Otherwise 85 1.8 would be sufficient.

As you have already tried AFMA, I'd suggest replacing it another copy. Did you buy online or from a shop? 

Cheers


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## TommyLee (Oct 23, 2012)

85L mk II...........

I find it pretty sharp' at f1.2....getting very sharp .....quickly on the way to f2...

I use it at ....below f4...maybe f2 .........mostly f1.2...for effect....
------
it has to be MA'd just right in the distance you use it...AND you may as well take a few shots....
for each sample...because it is hard to repeat the shot-and focus point...

as Menace says...dial it in ...really try to get it on-the-money ...
then use it there...
if you dont see the sharpness... send it back....

like an x-15 with a micro-crack in the air-frame....
it wont ever get there...with some small limitation built-in


I really love it...
it sleeps for weeks...then it awakens....

14L II, 35L, 85L II, 135L .... yummy


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## drjlo (Oct 24, 2012)

hammy said:


> Does anyone have problem getting sharp image at 1.2? i even tried manual focus and AFMA. i only get sharp image at 2.0 and up. should i return for different copy?. i bought it recently just to use at 1.2 since i heard so many review on how sharp it is at 1.2 to 2.0. Any thought?
> 
> thanks



Before you return it, do some testing on tripod in good light to see if the lens is the problem. It would be even better if remote shutter release is used.


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## BL (Oct 24, 2012)

drjlo said:


> Before you return it, do some testing on tripod in good light to see if the lens is the problem. It would be even better if remote shutter release is used.



this. when i first got my 85 II, i shot a casual event with it shooting wide open the entire night.

when i got home, i previewed the images on a screen and found all of it to be hopelessly out of focus.

propped it onto a tripod and ran it through a battery of tests with MLU on center point - turns out i sucked shooting @ 1.2 

i installed a focussing screen that helps make things snappier at larger apertures and makes manually focussing possible with such extreme apertures as well. manual focus is still tricky, but now possible.


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## neuroanatomist (Oct 24, 2012)

hammy said:


> i even tried manual focus and AFMA.



MF via the viewfinder or via live view 10x? Did you try Live AF? How did you do the AFMA?


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## Quackator (Oct 24, 2012)

Also the 1.2/85mm L in both versions suffers badly from chromatic aberrations wide open.
They disappear almost completely at f=2.0 and above.

Use DPP to remove CA and use it for lens optimization.


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## Bosman (Oct 24, 2012)

Return it if thats true. A $2000 lens that doesn't work in the range you bought it for is a waste, given your adjustments weren't it. Sorry. My copy just got last friday is spot on from what i can tell but i will test it more soon.


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## nightbreath (Oct 24, 2012)

Sorry for the off-topic. I just wanted to ask a question.

Everyone says that there are good or bad copies of lenses. Isn't misfocusing on specific distances fixable by Canon?


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## gjones5252 (Oct 24, 2012)

OP i would recommend reading this-
http://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2010/10/how-to-shoot-with-wide-aperture-lenses
May be of some help. Shooting at such a small depth of field can require a little more thought.


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## Neutral (Oct 24, 2012)

I think all is ok with your lens, you could check it using live view and then normal af from tripod shooting flat subject which is parallel to focal plane.
Please note that at f1.2 you have very shallow DoF , e.g for 2 m distance it is only (+-)2cm. So if you use f1.2 handheld in one shot AF mode then you would have very high probability that shot will be oof due to time lap between the timepoint you got the focus and timepoint you relesed the shutter. In this timelap your camera could move out of focus as you body is not tripod and you could not keep it so steady. This is something that a lot of people just do not realize.
To get 100% focus nailed shots handheld at f1.2 you need to use AI Servo to compensate for body/camera position shifts so that subject is tracked and focus is maintained.
Also use single point AF so you are sure that lens focused on what you want. If you use 1Dx then use spot AF within single point AF to focus exactly on what is required especially on objects which are diagonal to focusing plane. Even single point af could cover some areas that are out of shallow DoF for 1.2
All that works perfectly well for 1Ds M3 and 1Dx.
Hope this could be useful for you and others


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## Nitroman (Oct 24, 2012)

Initially i had similar problems with my 85mm f1.2 II and my 1Ds3.

After trips to Canon UK for testing etc, turns out i need to use AFMAjustments for perfect focus at f1.2 and close range under 2m). DOF at this distance is so incredibly shallow.

You need to shoot a brick wall using Live View at 10X and manual focus. Then try autofocus with mirror lock up. See the difference.

My Camera and lens are now set up correctly and the results in centre at f1.2 are awesome. 

I focus on right eye. As you can see the shallow dof throws everything else out of focus at 1 metre f1.2.


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## hammy (Nov 12, 2012)

i got a new copy and what a difference it is at 1.2 . im going to test it out. 

thanks for the replies.


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Nov 12, 2012)

hammy said:


> i got a new copy and what a difference it is at 1.2  . im going to test it out.
> 
> thanks for the replies.


Lenses do get damaged in shipping, or just have quality issues. If you cannot get sharp images using liveview live AF, then get it fixed or get a replacement as you did.
I'm glad you recognized the issue and did something about it.


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## Bosman (Nov 13, 2012)

nightbreath said:


> Sorry for the off-topic. I just wanted to ask a question.
> 
> Everyone says that there are good or bad copies of lenses. Isn't misfocusing on specific distances fixable by Canon?


I have done this and i have sent in my camera bodies and lenses calibrating them all. Its expensive as H just to ship because of insurance and weight. One thing i will say is camera sensors are also part of the problem many times. Some camera sensors aren't perfectly aligned on the body so it affects lenses that are mounted. Some lenses don't cause trouble on a body that doesn't have a properly aligned sensor with it but i'd say the big glass isn't as forgiving.


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