The Canon EF 135mm f/2L USM is one of the most respected telephoto primes ever made and one of the few legacy lenses where the secondary market price has declined meaningfully as photographers have migrated to mirrorless systems and RF glass. Used copies trade in the $600–$750 range — less than they commanded five years ago, and substantially less than the optical quality warrants. The Sigma MC-11 adapter, which communicates the EF protocol to Sony E-mount bodies with high fidelity, adds approximately $199.

The 135mm focal length occupies a curious position in the portrait photographer’s arsenal. Long enough to fully compress a face from a comfortable working distance, fast enough at f/1.8 to produce background separation that rivals shorter, wider-aperture alternatives — it is the choice of photographers who have thought carefully about what they actually want rather than what specifications suggest they should want. Sony’s FE 135mm f/1.8 GM is the best lens in this category.

I love fast 135mm lenses—but the Canon RF 135mm f/1.8 L IS USM sits at around $2,300, and I’m not interested in selling a kidney for a lens. I’m also pretty averse to burdening myself with heavy, expensive gear while traveling. So the workaround, at least for how I shoot, is simple: a Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM picked up used for about $300, mounted on a crop body. It becomes a kind of “poor man’s 135mm”—a fraction of the cost, easier on the back and shoulder, and, as this image shows, more than capable.