Canon officially announces the RF 85mm f/1.2L USM

My needs for the R aren't hindered by the rolling shutter. I don't have much if any call for fast whip pans where that would come into play. I actually did lots of slow to moderate panning last night shooting some dance classes and it didn't bat an eyelash. The rest were all stationary shots on a tripod. The crop is more of the factor everyone has to contend with, but with, but I shot everything with a 16-35 f4 L IS and a 50mm prime. Even some with the 85 prime. (All EF mounted with adapter) No complaints. This is also why I'd like to see more non-L primes get announced soon. I'd prefer to use a 20-24mm prime with a native mount, but for now, I'm good.

when there's a will there's a way.. i'm just saying i find it a ballsy move from canon to promote their $2700 non-stabilized prime as a video asset considering the current limitations and crop factor ratio conversion. it's one thing to make your existing EF lens collection work on EOS R system, it's another to invest that type of cash for that type of result. anyways i agree with you that i'd like to see more affordable RF primes, not because i can't afford L series but rather because investing in them doesn't make sense to me in the current situation.
 
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PureClassA

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when there's a will there's a way.. i'm just saying i find it a ballsy move from canon to promote their $2700 non-stabilized prime as a video asset considering the current limitations and crop factor ratio conversion. it's one thing to make your existing EF lens collection work on EOS R system, it's another to invest that type of cash for that type of result. anyways i agree with you that i'd like to see more affordable RF primes, not because i can't afford L series but rather because investing in them doesn't make sense to me in the current situation.

It makes no sense to me personally either because I already have plenty EF L primes and zooms. I just got the 85L 1.4 IS and the 35L 1.4 mk2 in the last couple years.
 
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Del Paso

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If you think it's a reasonable price go for it and buy it man :D
Not for me that price
As you may seen, 90% of the people says this lens is overpriced. That means something
Provided the lens is REALLY excellent, I'm ready to invest , but only after the introduction of a Pro R body!
 
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ethanz

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The price is very high no doubt.

But I have to admit, I think the the RF50 is worth it. And I didn’t like the 85 IS. So, I think it’s dumb we have to pay such a high price to get perfection, but I think it will be...

Do it for your daughter. You want to get those beautiful images of her.
 
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GadgetDave

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I'm kind of wondering if this was the initial strategy or if they were planning on making a big splash in the mirrorless world next year, and had developed the lenses already, to a certain extent. Then, a change of heart and an almost rushed introduction of 2 bodies in the mid and low price range just to get their hat in the ring.

That is to say that their initial plan was to come in at the high end, and maybe one mid-range body also around late 2019 or early 2020. But, given the competition building and the popularity of mirrorless, they brought 2 bodies to market quickly, using many available parts from the DSLR line and maybe also the M series when applicable. That would explain why the RP in particular came out with no corresponding low-priced kit lens.
I'd buy this explaination - with the idea that all this new high-end glass is to be sure that the lenses can stand up to the rumored 60+MP sensor edge-to-edge - the current rumors seem to be at least 63+ MP, and remember that's 50% MORE pixels than any current nikon or sony sensor, and double of everything in Canon's stable except the 5DS...
 
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Ozarker

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when there's a will there's a way.. i'm just saying i find it a ballsy move from canon to promote their $2700 non-stabilized prime as a video asset considering the current limitations and crop factor ratio conversion. it's one thing to make your existing EF lens collection work on EOS R system, it's another to invest that type of cash for that type of result. anyways i agree with you that i'd like to see more affordable RF primes, not because i can't afford L series but rather because investing in them doesn't make sense to me in the current situation.
I don't know of a FF sensored ILC or MILC that does 4K video without a crop. Sony's A7R III crops to Super 35 size (1.5 crop factor). There might be a camera from somebody that doesn't crop the 4k on a FF sensor, but I don't have any idea who that would be. Lack of IS wouldn't put me off at all. Gonna look into selling a kidney somewhere. ;)
 
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sorry for this first comment but the price of that lens is actually ridiculous...
I think we can expect a street price around 2200 or something?
This is a HIGH END (photo) lense, maybe the best in its class on the world. I do not think that this is ridiculous.
What I do miss is a Canon Sensor that can actualy life up to the sharpness that these lenses offer. But the rumours say its coming :)

In the video world, the prices are WAY higher. ZEISS Master Primes cost up to 40.000$! For a single Prime lense! Which is "only" resolving for 4k or 6k video cameras, not 50mp + photo sensors. I know the comparison is off, but I do not think that 2500$ for a high end lense is so much. Its obviously not a hobbiest tool :)

Also: Lenses are not so quickly outdated, compared to bodies. If you take good care about a lense it can easily last 20 years. If it supports the resolutions that we see in the future, its a quite long-lasting investment. if you do fashion or wedding shootings in the higher price area one can earn that amount of money in 1-2 days. So its rather a business investment and not a ridiculous waste of money.
 
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Maybe for crhistmas when the price should be about 2300 that time
If you’re expecting a 700€ drop by December, you’re probably also expecting a jolly old fat man in a sleigh pulled by eight caribou to land on your roof, slide down your chimney, and put it into your hands.

Good luck with that. :p
 
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I don't know of a FF sensored ILC or MILC that does 4K video without a crop. Sony's A7R III crops to Super 35 size (1.5 crop factor). There might be a camera from somebody that doesn't crop the 4k on a FF sensor, but I don't have any idea who that would be. Lack of IS wouldn't put me off at all. Gonna look into selling a kidney somewhere. ;)

You are seriously mistaken: Nikon Z6/Z7, Sony A7III/A7RIII/A9 & PanasonicS1/S1R can all do FF 4K without a crop.

Canon are the only ones left that still can't do full sensor 4K read out in 2019.

That is because they are using a 4-year-old (5DIV) sensor, when everyone else is using latest gen Sony/TowerJazz sensors.
 
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RayValdez360

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when there's a will there's a way.. i'm just saying i find it a ballsy move from canon to promote their $2700 non-stabilized prime as a video asset considering the current limitations and crop factor ratio conversion. it's one thing to make your existing EF lens collection work on EOS R system, it's another to invest that type of cash for that type of result. anyways i agree with you that i'd like to see more affordable RF primes, not because i can't afford L series but rather because investing in them doesn't make sense to me in the current situation.
if ti works it works. obviously this lens is for stills but will give a great look on video. anyway who is using telephotos handheld like that anyway. even with is or ibis they are shakey. i would just use it for slo-mo close ups if i ever use a telephoto handheld.
 
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Ozarker

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You are seriously mistaken: Nikon Z6/Z7, Sony A7III/A7RIII/A9 & PanasonicS1/S1R can all do FF 4K without a crop.

Canon are the only ones left that still can't do full sensor 4K read out in 2019.

That is because they are using a 4-year-old (5DIV) sensor, when everyone else is using latest gen Sony/TowerJazz sensors.
Ahhhh... correct on the Sony. Except that in Super 35 crop mode the image is cleaner than in full sensor mode according to Mirrorless Comparisons .com

"The A7r III gives you the option to choose between full frame mode (the entire sensor is used) and Super35/APS-C mode. The latter crops the sensor by approximately 1.5x which alters the field of view of your lens but gives you better quality (full pixel readout) and the difference is especially visible at high ISOs. "Sony claims that the performance at mid and high sensitivities has been improved in full frame mode on the mark III model but don’t expect the same clean image as when shot in Super35."

I don't shoot video. However, what good is full sensor 4K if it isn't as good as Super 35? Even Sony admits Super 35 is better on their camera. Don't most broadcast cams use Super 35? Think I read that somewhere.

According to someone at dpreview:

"You don’t lose resolution with the A7R3 when shooting 4K crop.
in fact, you gain resolution because the data readout from the full frame sensor is immense and the camera has to drop resolution by pixel binning to keep up. Crop mode has no such limitation and retains full resolution 4K video."


Again, even if the A7R III uses the full sensor, Super 35 is better quality according to Sony. I wouldn't personally know either way. Then again, if the camera is "dropping resolution" through pixel binning, is it even really 4k anymore? Strictly speaking, I think not. I'd imagine Nikon, etc. do the same thing.

I can hear the howls already if Canon were to provide full sensor 4k, but their own crop factor mode provided better quality. Why almost nobody who comes here pushing Sony (not saying you are) never mentions what Sony itself says about it is strange to me.

So to me, it probably is not a matter of Canon not being able to provide it, but rather, Canon not being willing to do it if the resolution is better in crop. I personally find that more ethical than the others.
 
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