Canon 85mm 1.8 EF USM (USED)

The Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 is a great lens for taking portraits and it's combination of capabilities, image quality and affordability make it one of Canon's most popular lenses.

85mm on a full frame camera is considered by most photographers to be start of the portrait range of focal lengths as anything shorter tends to not produse the most flattering perspective in a tightly cropped portrait composition. In addition to being a good focal length the maximum aperture of f/1.8 allows for substantially more background blur than most zooms helping the in focus subject stand out. Thanks to the modest amount of magnification and fixed (non-zoom) focal length the lens doesn't make any optical compromises and doesn't require especially expensive exotic types of glass to produces increadibly sharp images with excellent contrast and color reproduction. This classic optical design also produces very nice bokeh meaning the out of focus parts of the image render in a visually appealing way that doesn't distract or detract from them image. Capturing just the right moment is paramount. The f/1.8 aperture makes a bright image through the viewfinder so it's easy to see exactly what's going on and allows shooting under lower lighting conditions. Canon's USM (Ultra Sonic Motor) drive system focuses fast and quietly. Construction is solid and including a metal lens mount. In practiced hands the lens is capable of producing professional quality portraits.