The 85 In An Every Changing Landscape (And Don't Trust The Screen!)
Not sure why in M43 I often struggle with the 85-90mm focal length equivalent (42-45mm), but I do. It was a favourite in Canon full frame and a lens I could not see myself without, enough so that I managed to hoard three Oly 45’s.
It may be that on the occasions I am looking for maximum blurring the 75 is the best option, or it may be the format compression or shape.
I tend to prefer the 60-75 range or longer in M43, but in full frame, the 85 is back!
Gorgeous. Raw into C1, minimal processing.
On par with the IRIX at this level.
This is good, considering I have large gap between 50 and 150 in my cinema lenses, so this has to do double duty as my longest full frame stills lens and my cinema filler.
I have to remember to, that this is my shallowest depth of field or “Big Bokeh” lens, being slightly longer than the 75 Oly at the same speed. The IRIX can monster it, but only because it can focus closer.
f1.8 on the left, 2.8 on the right. I am reminded yet again that extremely shallow depth of field looks cool, but it is not very practical.
Sharp wide open, but not crazy harsh.
The S5 rear screen is not super. All of these looked soft on close inspection, so I have to trust they would be fine. I seriously thought this lens was faulty when I first looked, but every out of focus looking image proved to be in focus.
Nice blurring, but different to the look the cinema lenses have been providing.
It did struggle with close focussing and that is mediocre at best, but that is what the IRIX is for!
Now about that.
Windy again here so the IRIX tests were…….tested.
This is the same plant as above ten minutes later at minimum focus distance. I think the Bokeh king in this situation.
I know I bought this for video, but my “belt and braces” approach, having it as an occasional macro seems to have worked out.
Every serious macro I have bought has been about $1-2000au or equivalent at the time, this one no exception (I think my first 100 FD f4 was $400au thirty plus years ago). The big difference is, I have never enjoyed using a long macro as much, nor had the whole cinema thing up my sleeve as well.
Rustle in the scrub?
Yep and I got it several shots in a row. At longer distances the lens throw compresses, making tracking this guy quite easy.
Straight into the sun!
Some more Bokeh fun.
Spider? Turns out no, but to my eye it is was 3mm spec.
And finally a failed attempt at the berry sprig from above (really windy).
All of these images except the top and bottom ones were taken from the same sitting spot.
A team that has the answers I feel and fits surprisingly well with my M43 kit, offering clearly more blurring when needed (rarely), better close focus (again rare) and superior low light performance, which can also be helpful.
The pair cost about $2000au, but I could not be happier and neither was on any kind of shopping list a month ago!