The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Canon 85mm f1.8 USM and the Canon EF 70-200 f2.8L IS USM for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is a crucial factor to consider when comparing two lenses. Canon EF 70-200 f2.8L IS USM is the longer of the two lenses at 197mm. The Canon 85mm f1.8 USM with a length of 72mm, is 125mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Canon EF 70-200 f2.8L IS USM also has a larger diameter of 86mm compared to the Canon 85mm f1.8 USM's 75mm diameter.
The weight of a lens is equally significant as its external dimensions, particularly if you intend to handhold your camera and lens combination for extended periods. Canon 85mm f1.8 USM weighs 425g, which means it is 1145g (72%) lighter than the Canon EF 70-200 f2.8L IS USM which has a weight of 1570g.
Filter Threads
The Canon 85mm f1.8 USM has a filter size of 58mm whereas the Canon EF 70-200 f2.8L IS USM has a 77mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 58mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Canon 85mm f1.8 USM:
And these are the 77mm filters that we recommend for the Canon EF 70-200 f2.8L IS USM:
Lens Mounts
Both the Canon 85mm f1.8 USM and the Canon EF 70-200 f2.8L IS USM has the same Canon EF lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Canon EF lenses are Blackmagic URSA 12K LF, Z CAM E2-F6 II 6K and Z CAM E2-S6 II 6K.
Focal Range
Canon 85mm f1.8 USM is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 85mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
136mm.
On the other hand, the Canon EF 70-200 f2.8L IS USM has a focal range of 70-200mm and 2.9X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 112 - 320mm.
