Canon 85mm f/1.8 vs Canon 135mm f/2

[gsbuah]

Hi, I have Canon 1100D and Canon 50mm 1.8 lens.

I want to buy another lens and i need to take full body shots with it and to have a lot of bokeh (or depth of field)

and i want it to be sharp.

now because i have a crop camera the 85 will be 136mm..

but my question is if to upgrade the 50 to 135 or to go straight to the 135?

there are a lot of difference between the 50 and the 85??

Thanks 🙂

[ebiggs1]

"...  i need to take full body shots ..."

You don't want either!    These lense have become know as portrait lenses.    Although you can take "full  body shots" with either, you will need to be back farther from the "body"!

I would pick a EF 35mm f2 IS USM or possibly the EF-S 17-55 f/2.8 IS USM.

Still sticking with your first choice, I would get the EF 135mm f/2L USM.  It is a much better lens and performer than the 85mm f1.8..  I sold my 85mm after a short trial with it and bought the Sigma 85mm f1.4.  Now that is a Lens with a capitol "L".  The best 85mm made, bar none.  

[gsbuah]

yes i know they're portrait lenses, and full body - it doesnt have to be with legs just like from the stomach and up like i dont want it to be just the shoulders..

[jrhoffman75]

http://www.tamron-usa.com/lenses/learning_center/tools/focal-length-comparison.php

[ebiggs1]

"full body shot"

"... it doesnt have to be with legs just like from the stomach and up ..."

Hmmmmm.......?  

"Hi, I have Canon 1100D and Canon 50mm 1.8 lens."

If you don't like the frame provided by your 50mm, the 85mm is going to be worse not better.  You will have to step back farther to get the same shot.  And even farther back if you go with the 135mm.  Not trying to say whether this is god or bad but you must be aware of this fact.

[PhotosbyMJ]

I have both an 1100D and a 60D, along with the 'Nifty 50" 1.8, a 28mm f2.8 and the 85mm f1.8 USM. Both of the cameras are crop sensor and I find the 28mm to be good for full body (with some surrounding space for cropping in post), the 50 for 3/4 length/H&S portraiture and the 85 for head and shoulders/head shots. I've recently purchased a Sigma 50-150mm f2.8 OS which I'm quickly finding is far superior for senior and family portraiture simply becuase of the OS and no need for the tripod. My next purchase is the Sigma 17-50mm f2.8 OS to round out the focal range. Unless I need the 1.8 for low light I'll be using the zooms most of the time.

[ebiggs1]

" I've recently purchased a Sigma 50-150mm f2.8 OS ..."

This is a geat lens.   To bad Sigma has discontinued it.  They still make the highly rated 70-20mm f2.8 which is nearly an exact dupe exact for focal lenght..

[gsbuah]

I don't mind going back from the model or person I'm shooting.
but when i go back with the 50mm there is no more depth of field like i want it to be. i want a lens that if i go back and try to capture not only the face, i'll have depth of field and bokeh.. i believe that with the 135mm i will be able to, but will i be able to do that with the 85mm?

[jrhoffman75]

See this article

http://www.dofmaster.com/dof_imagesize.html

[RobertTheFat]

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@gsbuah wrote:
I don't mind going back from the model or person I'm shooting.
but when i go back with the 50mm there is no more depth of field like i want it to be. i want a lens that if i go back and try to capture not only the face, i'll have depth of field and bokeh.. i believe that with the 135mm i will be able to, but will i be able to do that with the 85mm?

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I'm a bit confused. Depth of field and bokeh are sort of opposites, aren't they? I.e., bokeh, as the term is generally understood, is a phenomenon that manifests itself in conjunction with diminished depth of field. Am I missing something here?