Jan 21 2006. Here are two beloved Canon primes. One of them many think should be an "L" and the other is an "L". This test was done under VERY controlled conditions using a tripod, shutter release, MLU, selecting the best centerpoint AF out of many for each aperture, etc. In all honesty the 135's build doesn't seem all too different from the 85's, although the L's focus ring is smoother and dampened nicer. They actually seem very close in most respects, including general optical performance, ring USM/FTM, maximum aperture, pleasing bokeh, and of course, their well-known lightning AF speeds. I'm convinced if Canon put a "red ring" around the 85 folks would gawk even more over the same exact lens. It's no wonder the 85 f1.8 (and its twin 100 f2) are so popular given that they're basically "L" lenses in disguise without the "L" price tag. They're easier to hand-hold as well. Latest B&H pricing shows the 85 to be $350 (39% of the 135), the 100 is $390 (43% of the 135), while the 135 is $900.