Can the Canon EF 85mm f/1.2 L II Lens be used for Sports Action Photography?

[peety3]

I'd say the 85/1.2 is OK for sports if you're perpendicular to the action. As such, the rate of approach is going to be rather small, and therefore something the lens can keep up with.

[eldarhau]

I'd say the 85/1.2 is OK for sports if you're perpendicular to the action. As such, the rate of approach is going to be rather small, and therefore something the lens can keep up with.

I disagree. I have had this lens for quite some time and, due to all the talk of it not working for sports, I took it for granted and did not use it for anything that moved at all. But after Bryan´s article, I decided to use it more frequently and, as newworld666 says, because of the very shallow DOF, it requires practice. He seems to have gone a step or two further though, by micro adjusting also in the field. I have not done that so far.

It is true that the lens is slow from minimum focus distance out to about 3-4 meters (10-13 feet). But from there on it is no problem. Remember that the total rotation from minimum to far end is about 250 degrees, of which about 200 degrees covers minimum to 4 meters (I´m sure someone has the exact figures).

I have lost many shots with this lens and more than with any other lens. But that is because I shoot it wide open and therefore have to live with its very shallow DOF. But again, that shallow DOF is why I use the lens in the first place. With the 1DX and 5DIII, I have not had any problems with AF hunting or inability to track moving objects (I have not had race cars driving straight at me though, which is why I am able to write these words )

The only thing that irritates me with this lens is that it requires power for manual focus and I seem to have mental disorder which prevents me from learning/remembering to activate power before turning. IS would be nice, but who needs IS for action photography with an 85mm lens ...

/Eldar