85mm vs. 100mm Macro - DPChallenge Forums

Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G

04/12/2007 03:52:30 PM · #1

I am interested in comparing the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro and the Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM used as a portrait lenses. I have a 1.6 crop camera and know that the 85mm creates beautiful, sharp images with lovely bokeh. But I would love to own the 100mm so that it could double for macro photography.

Please show me your portraits created with the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro. I am particularly interested in seeing the naturally created bokeh at wider apertures.

Please don�t include (possibly misleading) images that are a result of your blurring the bg in post production.

ready, set, go!

pineapple

Canon EOS-5D

Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM

04/12/2007 04:09:12 PM · #2

The bokeh on the 100mm is exceptionally good. It's a sharp and fast lens...

Message edited by author 2007-04-12 16:10:03.

vikas

Apple iPhone 13

04/12/2007 04:12:44 PM · #3

Results of lenses here!

85mm 1.8

100mm f/2.8 Macro USM

Message edited by author 2007-04-12 16:14:56.

TJinGuy

Nikon Coolpix 2100

Canon EF-S 15-85mm IS USM

04/12/2007 04:14:44 PM · #4

Originally posted by vikas:

Results of lenses here!

85mm 1.8

100mm f/2.8 Macro USM

Fixed links.

jdannels

Nikon D300s

Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM for Nikon

04/12/2007 04:15:00 PM · #5

Originally posted by pineapple:

The bokeh on the 100mm is exceptionally good. It's a sharp and fast lens...

How did you get to that page? I mean how did you get it to list 25 pages of photos with the exact same lens, I have been looking on a way to search more than the first 36.

vikas

Apple iPhone 13

Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G

04/12/2007 04:15:13 PM · #6

Originally posted by TJinGuy:

Originally posted by vikas:
Results of lenses here!

85mm 1.8

100mm f/2.8 Macro USM

Fixed links.

thank you :)

Canon EF 70-200mm f/4.0L USM

04/12/2007 04:19:01 PM · #7

Everyone...

I do know how to search for photos taken by these lenses (jd - go to equipment-lenses and do a search. Clicking the BROWSE link will show more photos).

The problem is... you never know what images have been significantly altered. Some of the editors on this site are amazing. So it is best for the image creators to submit their own examples of lens capability.

Message edited by author 2007-04-12 16:51:08.

smartypants

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

04/12/2007 04:59:44 PM · #8

I've never used the 85mm, but I love the 100mm for macros.

Here is a portrait with some nice bokeh taken with the 100:

I don't think I did any sharpening so it's still a little soft, and I didn't do anything to enhance the bokeh.

And here is a macro taken with the 100:

04/12/2007 06:51:42 PM · #9

Andrea,

That portrait is a perfect example of what I was hoping to see. And earlier today I looked at (and much appreciated) the flower macro.

pineapple

Canon EOS-5D

Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM

04/12/2007 07:30:34 PM · #10

Both with the 100mm

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

04/12/2007 08:11:52 PM · #11

Thank you pineapple and smartypants!

Any more portraits with good fg/bg separation? Is the 85mm going win without further representation?

Thanks in advance

Message edited by author 2007-04-12 21:16:35.

sigrun_th

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

04/12/2007 09:36:41 PM · #12

Originally posted by santaspores:

Any more portraits with good fg/bg separation? Is the 85mm going win without further representation?

the point is that this 100mm lens is an excellent macro lens and the 85mm excellent portrait lens

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

04/12/2007 10:52:42 PM · #13

the point is that this 100mm lens is an excellent macro lens and the 85mm excellent portrait lens

Yes. And that was my initial assumption. But I thought I might be shown otherwise. Dr Venter (Gibun) and Sigrun (Sigth, um, you) for example, have taken some nice portraits using this lens.

But I suppose that the 85mm is just a much better choice if one's primary purpose is portraiture...

Thank you for your response.

Message edited by author 2007-04-12 22:55:32.

sigrun_th

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

04/15/2007 08:56:52 PM · #14

Originally posted by santaspores:

Check out the seven newest portraits on my Flickr site, they are all taken with 85mm f/1.2:

//www.flickr.com/photos/sigth/

eschelar

Canon EOS-7D

Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM

04/22/2007 09:13:08 PM · #15

Depends a bit on your subjects too. If you are shooting people who are used to having pictures taken of them, the longer lenses aren't much of a big deal. The 100mm is long enough that you are almost taking candids...

I have shot the 50mm prime, the 85mm f/1.8 and have the 80-200 which I have on occasion tried to use for portraits... I can take a pretty nice shot with the 80-200 wide open, but I have to be pretty far back on my 1.6 crop 30D.

I found that the 85mm was also too far out to have good connection with my subjects, particularly kids.

Just picked up a 17-50 f/2.8 and am loving what it can do. My 50mm f/1.8 just found a nice cozy place in a box that it can rest for a long time until it finds a local buyer... I'll eventually replace it with a f/1.4 which I can only hope performs as well as the 85mm f/1.8 in real world use.

For portrait perspective, you can narrow the background down a lot better with a longer lens, so it's easier to shoot in natural surroundings with less distraction in the BG.

The 100mm will allow you to get in a lot closer and take eyelash shots, lip shots etc, but my guess is that you won't use this much.

So if you shoot mostly macro with some portraits thrown in with subjects that obey simple commands (stand here, look in $$$ direction), it's probably not a bad choice at all. It's also fair to say that you won't find a much better macro lens period.

If you shoot mostly portrait with some macro thrown in, you might want to consider the 85mm with some extension tubes, or possibly the 50mm f/1.4 if you want that line of perspective.

rex

Canon PowerShot SD780

04/22/2007 09:44:35 PM · #16

Guess I will have to represent the 85mm

There are more in the gallery of Kassie. Keep in mind these images are almost straight from camera. Only thing I did was convert from RAW.

Message edited by author 2007-04-22 21:44:44.

darnok

Nikon D850

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 16-35 f/4 ED VR

04/23/2007 05:22:30 AM · #17

Which lens will give you a shallow depth of field (assuming you have the same framing), a 85mm at f/1.8 or a 100mm at f2.8? My guess would be the 85mm, but it does depend on which factor is more dominant, focal length or aperture.