If you want that beautiful mottled effect on your photographs (the experts call it Bokeh ;0)...On the right setting this will present you with that dreamy effect perfectly. Also perfect for portraits.

Rather than testing Canon's f/1.8 lens we might have looked at the f/1.2L version instead – were it not for the £2,640 price tag. This is a mind-bogglingly hefty sum that puts the lens well out of reach for most photographers.

Quality and price

f/22 performance

Canon's EF 85mm f1.8 USM is a classic portrait lens for both full-frame and cropped bodies. The longer focal length allows you to stand a little further away than the 50mm models, and also accentuates the blurred background effect.

Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM Lens now I must say this lens was much heavier than I thought it was going to be when I picked it up for the first time. Which I don't mind at all because it feels very solid compared to the kit lens (that many people have) with their camera currently.

There isn't really much to talking regarding the build quality of the lens - the outer lens barrel is made of high quality plastics combined with a metal mount. The broad, rubberized focus ring operates pretty smooth. The physical length of the lens remains constant regardless of the focus setting.

Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM is one of two 85mm lenses currently being manufactured by Canon (the other one being EF 85mm f/1.2L USM). Combination of (relatively) large maximum aperture and affordable price (about US$350 as of June 2007) make this lens an interesting choice for portrait photography among...

This medium telephoto lens from Canon sports a fast f/1.8 maximum aperture and ultrasonic silent focusing that is performed internally for around £315.

Digital camera resolution and 50% MTF was measured using this methology .

If you own a Canon 35-mm reflex camera nowadays your selection of classic portrait 85 mm lenses is really large. The list can be started by the expensive but splendid EF 85 mm f/1.2L USM II – a lens you would look for in vain in other systems.

well-made casing; very good image quality in the frame centre; good or decent image quality on the edge of APS-C sensor and full frame; lateral chromatic aberration corrected splendidly; low distortion; slight astigmatism; sensibly low vignetting on APS-C; fast and efficient autofocus; good...

noticeable longitudinal chromatic aberration; modest accessory kit; lack of repeatability of particular specimens

THIS LENS was purchased to fill the gap between my 50mm macro and 100mm macro lenses and in a few months has replaced the 100mm as my go-to short telephoto of choice. It's image quality, moderate focal length and significantly smaller size compared to the 100 are the main factors in this shift.