Canon EF 85mm f1.8 USM review

I am an amateur photograher and was looking for a lens to capture sports pictures of my kids that are in a gym with low light and fast action. If that's what you're looking for then look no further, this is the lens for you. I was struggleing with my current lens that only went to an f4 - 5.6. After much reading and asking questions I was told it wasn't necessarily my camera but the speed of my lens. This was the only lens that was somewhat within my price range. This lens takes great pictures, you will not be dissappointed. Any bad pictures are because I'm still learning what settings to set the camera at and to stop moving causing some pictures to blur. I know the lens is good because when I set everything right the pictures look outstanding. It took some getting use to because I always used a zoom lens. So some basketball pictures I was actually too close to the action. With more experience I'll know exactly where I want to set up to be within the 85mm range. I use this camera for basketball and volleyball.

Sure the 85mm f/1.2L is a legendary lens, but it is what? 3, 4 X the price of this f/1.8. No this isn't an L, but you won't know it from its image quality. I have now shot literally 1,000s of images across a winter of volleyball and boys and girls high school basketball. The gym lighting in this league is so bad that my f/2.8Ls can't stop action. This lens (along with the 50mm f/1.4 and the incredible 135mm f/2.0L) made my living. If you have the money and ONLY do portrait work, then get the f/1.2. For any kind of action or if you just don't have the cash you will not be disappointed with Canon's 85mm f/1.8 even if it doesn't have a red ring.

All I can say, is HOLY-COW! This lens is outstanding! I use it for portraits, shoot basketball games, and pretty much anything decently close to me. I have a few other lenses if I need to bring in a shot further, or I need a more wide angle. By and far, though, this lens stays on my camera more than most of my other lenses combined.

The quality of thisproduct is SUPERB! The only drawback is since I don't have a full PRO DSRL, but a Canon Rebel 2, it makes it hard to take portraits since it's a bit TOO CLOSE to the subject!

Although I haven't used this a huge amount since buying it, I am already really impressed. The DoF is incredible and the bokeh which results from the 85mm/f1.8 combo is smooth and deep. The lens itself is really well built and balances well on my 30D (with battery grip attached). 85mm gives a pretty narrow viewing area, even compared to the 50mm a lot of us use, so be advised you won't be snapping many pictures with this in confined spaces. But get a bit of room going where you can step back and create some depth and this thing is pure gold. I have uploaded 3 picture to the gallery.