85mm f/1.8 Archives - DIY Photography

Two focal lengths every prime lover should own

July 3, 2019 by Daniel Lee 2 Comments

In the world of photography, you’ll find people generally prefer primes or zooms. The main benefit to zoom lenses is that you can cover multiple focal lengths in one decent sized package. In saying this, there are some prime lenses that can work well for multiple purposes.

Two of these are the 35mm and 85mm primes. Now just to be clear, like any article this doesn’t apply to all people. With the genres I shoot, these two lenses can cover so many uses and really prove their worth. Regardless of which mount you own, there are great options from both first and third party manufacturers.

I actually feel these lenses have the same benefits and I will discuss why you should own these two lenses.

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The ultimate 85mm lens shootout: comparing seven lenses from $99 to $4,500

September 17, 2018 by Dunja Djudjic 1 Comment

The 85mm lens is the to-go lens of many portrait photographers. In this video, Matt Granger compares seven 85mm lenses from different manufacturers and with a huge difference in price. They are all between f/1.2 and f/1.8, and the prices go between $99 and $4,500.

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85mm lenses aren’t just for portraits as this foggy landscape challenge shows

July 6, 2018 by John Aldred Leave a Comment

When we think of shooting landscapes, typically it’s with pretty wide lenses. Most landscape photographers I know rarely shoot with anything that isn’t at least as wide as a 24mm on a full frame body. But does that mean you have to only shoot landscapes with a wide angle lens? In this video, Toma Bonciu challenges himself to shoot landscapes with an 85mm lens, typically used more for portraits, and the results are pretty spectacular.

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The Canon 85mm f/1.2 vs f/1.4 vs f/1.8 showdown shows there’s no clear winner

July 2, 2018 by John Aldred 1 Comment

One of the most popular portrait focal lengths out there is 85mm. Most of us have one in our bag, or at least a zoom capable of 85mm. We’ve seen comparisons of 85mm lenses before, although they’re typically from different manufacturers.

But how do Canon’s 85mm f/1.2, 85mm f/1.4 and 85mm f/1.8 lenses stack up against each other? What are each of their strengths and weaknesses? Is there really an advantage to buying a $1,849 lens over a $349 one? That’s what photographer David Flores wanted to find out, so he made a video.

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Four 85mm lenses resolution compared: Sigma, Tamron, Canon and Zeiss

January 17, 2018 by Dunja Djudjic 7 Comments

85mm is a commonly used lens, very much loved by portrait photographers. If you’re thinking of buying one, photographer Dustin Abbott is giving quite a detailed comparison in his two new videos. He compares four top 85mm lenses: Canon 85mm f/1.4L IS, Sigma 85mm f/1.4 ART, Tamron 85mm f/1.8 VC and Zeiss Otus 1.4. So if you still haven’t made the decision which one is right for you, this video might answer some questions.

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Lensbaby launches Velvet 85mm f/1.8, a lens designed for soft portraits

June 27, 2017 by Dunja Djudjic 8 Comments

Lensbaby has announced Velvet 85mm f/1.8, a lens inspired by classic portrait lenses from the mid-20th century. With smooth and soft glow, it’s especially aimed at portrait photography. But, it’s good noting there’s the ability to reduce the softness by stopping the lens down. With 1:2 magnification and 9.5″ working distance, this lens can also be used for close-up shots.

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This is how one photographer uses gelled flashes and modest equipment to produce awesome portraits

April 27, 2016 by John Aldred 11 Comments

Originally from Ghana, photographer DextDee Livingstone had to travel all the way to China to discover his passion for shooting portraits, but we’re sure glad that he did.

Now back in Ghana, DIYP got in touch with DextDee to find out more about him, and to get some insight into how one particularly striking portrait of Doris was made.

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