The Canon 85mm f/1.8 is my favourite 85mm lens.
The first prime lens that most new photographers will buy is a “nifty fifty” 50mm f/1.8. They’re an affordable option (~$150-$200) with a useful focal length and good low-light performance. Despite those positives, today I almost always find myself grabbing my 85mm f/1.8 instead. Here’s why.
Versatility
Distracting background? Just bokeh-blast it away at f/1.8
I hate carrying excess gear, so I’m always carefully reviewing what NEEDS to be in my camera bag. The 85mm allows me to shoot portraits, sports, street photography and travel photography, all with a single lens. The f/1.8 version of the lens also has the most impressive build quality and AF performance you’ll find in any prime lens under $500.
Sports photography
It is not what it was primarily designed for, but the Canon 85mm f/1.8 is my go-to lens for shooting indoor sports such as basketball or volleyball. 85mm is a really useful focal length for capturing mid-court action, and the f/1.8 aperture facilitates the high shutter speeds (1/1000s) needed for basketball. The large aperture also really helps to “bokeh-blast” any distracting background elements. However, the most useful feature of this lens is the AF performance. It is very quick, and has no trouble tracking moving athletes.
Tip: don’t go for f/1.4 or f/1.2 version of the Canon 85mm lens if you want to use it for sports photography. They are amazing lenses, but their AF simply isn’t fast enough to keep up with moving subjects.
85mm….THE portrait focal length
Portraits
85mm is the classic portrait focal length. It introduces minimal distortion to the facial features, and allows good compression to separate the subject and the background.
Travel photography
The low-light performance of this lens really lends itself to travel photography, where the ability to shoot at night opens up a whole new creative avenue. The lens is also light compare to something like a 24-70mm f/2.8. At 85mm you will be limited by the type of shots that you can take, so keep that in mind. A popular option is to travel with an 85mm and a 35mm (or 24mm) for wider shots.
Reasonably compact, though a little big heavy for its size.
Street photography
85mm is actually an awesome lens for street photography, particularly if you’re a bit of an introvert (like me) and you’re not comfortable with getting right up in peoples faces on the street. You can also get some really creative compositions by taking advantage of the shallow depth-of-field afforded by the f/1.8 aperture.
What’s your favourite use for an 85mm lens? Do you have another prime lens that is your “go-to multi-purpose lens”?