Am I crazy?

[private]

Is the 85mm 1.8 sharper and does it have better bokeh than the 24-70 2.8 L?

Is that normal, do I need to send in my L lens for repair?

[Doug Pardee]

A fixed focal length lens will almost always be better than a variable-focal-length lens at the same focal length. A longer lens will almost always be better than a shorter lens.

Comparing the fixed-focal 85mm to the variable-focal 24-70L is simply not a fair fight.

A variable-focal-length lens is awfully convenient, but it inevitably sacrifices both maximum aperture and image quality when compared with fixed-focal-length lenses. And that's at the same focal length. The 85mm has a longer focal length than anything your 24-70L can reach.

Which isn't to say that your 24-70L might not have a problem. That lens is notorious for being particularly difficult to calibrate for accurate AF across the entire focal length range. If you're having AF accuracy problems at some focal lengths, send it to Canon for calibration.

[OsmosisStudios]

The 85s all give exceptional quality, especially for the dollar. The better bokeh is due to a better aperture system, longer focal length and "cleaner" optical design of a prime.