Decisions decisions, Canon 85mm f1.2 vs Sigma 85mm f1.4

gloobag · 31-03-2011 2:35pm #1

So, it's bonus time in work this paycheck and for once I've been pleasantly surprised by my spoils.

I've been obsessing about the Canon 85mm f1.2 for a couple of years now, almost took the plunge a few times, but the huge price tag always puts me off in the end. Now I'm in a postion to buy it without it impacting me too badly financially. It would essentially wipe out the entire bonus part of my paycheck, and little bit more. I'm very very tempted, but...

I've started reading up on the Sigma 85mm f1.4, and it's got a lot of good reviews, and the price is pretty reasonable (less than half that of the Canon). But, it's a Sigma. I don't quite trust third party lenses to be honest. I've had a couple of bad experiences with them, although never with a Sigma, I have read the many horror stories about other Sigma lenses online (poor AF performance, and awful quality control issues).

The optimist in me is saying, "take the chance on the Sigma and save mucho moneys".

The douchbag gear freak in me is saying, "spend that money you pussy, just think of all the chicks that will fall at your feet when they see you walking around with that ridiculously expensive lens hanging off your shoulder".

Any advice/opinions?

Borderfox · 31-03-2011 2:42pm

Do it!!!!

pete4130 · 31-03-2011 2:56pm

I've had bad experiences with Sigma.

Ask yourself these Q's.

1) How happy will you be with the 85mm 1.2?

2) How p1ssed off will you be if the Sigma 85mm 1.s is a bad copy and regret not spending on the Canon and then knowing that if you got a good copy, its not as good as the Canon and its not 1.2?

I think the Q answers itself there really.

PCPhoto · 31-03-2011 3:02pm

do you want the lens ...or do you need the lens ?

can you make the lens pay for itself ?

The Canon 85mm f1.2 mk2 lens is slow to focus but its pin sharp..... there is always the older version of the 85mm f1.2 Canon (mark I version) which you could find online cheaper than the mkII and still is a beauty.

gloobag · 31-03-2011 3:12pm

PCPhoto wrote: »

do you want the lens ...or do you need the lens ?

can you make the lens pay for itself ?

The Canon 85mm f1.2 mk2 lens is slow to focus but its pin sharp..... there is always the older version of the 85mm f1.2 Canon (mark I version) which you could find online cheaper than the mkII and still is a beauty.

It's definitely more of a want than a need right now. I am getting offers of photog work, but not enough to actually pay for the lens just from photography. Although, this is something I'd like to change in the near future. So in a way I guess I'm kinda looking at it as in investment in my possible future career.

Or maybe that's just me making excuses, trying to justify the massive expense.

JayEnnis · 31-03-2011 3:21pm

You have to think of the resale value as well, a Canon lens will be worth a lot more than a Sigma down the line

Borderfox · 31-03-2011 3:54pm

The 85L really is as good as all the hype, stopped down its unbelievably sharp and wide open nothing touches it. As an investment the Canon should be pretty good but mine is going in the box with me

gloobag · 31-03-2011 4:22pm

Borderfox wrote: »

The 85L really is as good as all the hype, stopped down its unbelievably sharp and wide open nothing touches it. As an investment the Canon should be pretty good but mine is going in the box with me

Just when I was starting to lean towards the sensible option, you post this. Back to square one

PCPhoto · 31-03-2011 4:38pm

if its a choice between Canon or Sigma .... I'm gonna vote Canon.

but .... its a fair amount of cash to part with unless you are earning or plan to earn money from the lens.

Borderfox · 31-03-2011 4:55pm

if you shoot anything in low light its a must have lens, and by low light I mean no light

gloobag · 31-03-2011 6:54pm

PCPhoto wrote: »

if its a choice between Canon or Sigma .... I'm gonna vote Canon.

but .... its a fair amount of cash to part with unless you are earning or plan to earn money from the lens.

I agree 100%. I do plan to earn money from my photography in the future, in fact my goal is to earn my entire income from photography at some stage, as crazy a dream as that is in these times.

If I was to justify even further, I may not have this kind of cash to spare again for quite a while, and from what I've been reading, the price of lenses is gonna rise significantly in the coming months due to manufacturing/shipping delays in Japan as a result of all their bad luck recently. So, this may be the best time for me to make this rather hefty investment.

But I just can't stop thinking about the numbers. I have the cash to spare, I will survive without it, but at the end of the day, I'd be handing over the best part €2k for some glass wrapped in a piece of metal.

I'm crazy right?

johnmcdnl · 31-03-2011 7:40pm

it's gonna be 1k for the sigma... and look at it this way - it's gonna be a lens for life...

if you go canon your not going to have regrets (financially doesn't count

)
with the sigma if you miss out on a great shot or something it's always gonna irk you that you went cheap on the glass... an extra grand for the extra stop if nothing else and the brand assurance that you'll get with it...

if all goes heads up as well and you need cash - that canon glass will hold it's value for a long time I'd say so you always have that option if you really need to go there...

I dunno - that's just my random 2 cents to the argument

Decisions decisions, Canon 85mm f1.2 vs Sigma 85mm f1.4

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