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I've never owned the 100mm f/2, but I do own the 85mm f/1.8--and it's a very good lens (at a very good price, too). Honestly, there's not much real world difference between f/1.8 and f/2 (although some might argue). The biggest differentiation between these two lenses is the focal length. As Bryan says:
"The 100mm focal length combined with the wide aperture makes this a very good portrait lens.
Selecting the length of a portrait lens is a combination of functionality and personal preference.
100mm falls in the middle of my 85mm-135mm preference for a portrait lens.
Head and tight head/shoulder shots are what I find most comfortable with this lens
when mounted on a 1.3x or 1.6x FOVCF body.
That said, I would choose the
Canon EF 85 f1.8 Lens
if I were to have one similar-priced portrait lens on a 1.6x crop DSLR.
The Canon EF 100mm f/2.0 USM Lens feels a bit tight indoors on these cameras."
That said, you always seem to need more reach with sporting events, so the 100mm focal length may be a better fit. And since you've already rented it and had a very favorable experience with it, why even take the chance on the 85mm f/1.8?
I'm not sure you're going to find many people who have played with both these lenses (again, I could be proved wrong here)--typically speaking, people just own one or the other. The 85mm f/1.8 was the first lens I bought for my (then new to me) DSLR. I sold it because I needed the flexibility of a zoom. After acquiring the 17-55mm f/2.8 IS, 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS, & 50mm f/1.4, I decided to buy the 85mm f/1.8 again. It's a niche lens for me--but when I need it, it performs admirably.
Quote:
Originally Posted by randmc
Randy
I have the 100 f2. I love this lens. I have used it on my XTi and 5D. I like it for head and shoulders portraits. I use it to catch the action at poles and barrels(horses) when my daughter is ridding.
I tried it on my 5D for indoor basketball. I got some great shots but found it a bit long. I would think on a crop body the 85 may be better. I am not sure what you mean by event shooting but I shoot weddings and find the 100 not usable at the receptions. I need the flexibility of a zoom.
Hope this helps
Mark
Quote:
Originally Posted by randmc
Personally, I'd go for the 85mm f/1.8 because I find that focal length a little more useful. The 100 is a little farther from 50mm, so the perspective is a little flatter for certain portrait shots (but also enables more extreme closeups). But if you're shooting something besides portraits, like sports, the small amount of extra reach can really come in handy.
Quote:
Originally Posted by randmc
Yes. A cropped photo is better than no photo at all.
Quote:
Originally Posted by randmc
Not really. It could make the difference between 1/500 and 1/400, but that's usually not a big deal.
I went through the same process and believe it