Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/07/12
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]At 8:41 AM -0400 7/12/06, Don Dory wrote:
>Thanks for the link. It was worth a browse. If you are shooting Canon
>digital the choice would be the 85 1.2 as it is less expensive, offers
>incredible options at 1.2 and 3200 ISO while being very good indeed
>optically. For those of us using film, the real choice would be the 85
>Sonnar or the 75 Summicron. Final decision would be based on size, feel,
>and whether you need a little more reach.
>
>Amazing that in less than a decade the phenomenal performance of the 90 APO
>would be challenged. Good times indeed for photographers.
>
>Don
>don.dory@gmail.com
Interesting comparison. I've use the earlier 85/1.2 and I have the
90AA so was able to compare them. The coatings in the new 85 must
have been improved hugely for the Canon to come anywhere close to the
level of performance of the 90. Especially the results re flare were
unequivocally in the 90AA's favour; the 85/1.2 didn't come close.
I didn't compare the lenses near their close focus limit. At greater
distances the 85 at f/2, while good, didn't fare well against the 90
which was outstanding. The upshot was that I got the 85/1.8 Canon,
which did as well or better at comparable apertures as the 1.2, and
is more manageable. The one stop of extra performance didn't make
sense for the money and weight, and for highest (film) quality I
still had the 90AA. I haven't tried the 75/2 or Sonnar, but I do have
the 50ASP which has basically a similar design to the 75. The 50 does
maintain its outstanding quality in the close focus range, so I could
well imagine that the 75 is better than the 90.
Maybe I'm imagining it, but Erwin seems to be a not fully objective
booster for Canon now. I've used Canon products for a while, and it's
been my SLR system of choice for the last 10 years or so. I've also
used some Canon equipment going back to the 60's. So all in all, I
definitely have a personal commitment to Canon products. I've just
not seen the outstanding relative performance that Erwin has written
about. In my experience some Canon products have been excellent and
competitive with anything anyone else has put out, but there are also
quite a few sub-par Canon products even in Canon's 'L' line.
--
* Henning J. Wulff
/|\ Wulff Photography & Design
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