Canon explains the defocus smoothing in the new Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM DS lens

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Maximilian

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... I personally prefer the non-DS bokeh...
It is quite funny that my wife - non photog - prefers the non-DS bokeh, too.
Showed the comparison to a photog friend of mine (Nikon) and he was in love with the DS bokeh.

I am so-so. I'm used to the "classical" bokeh and I suppose that's why I like it, too.
But I also see the DS bokeh as really good, esp. if in-fokus sharpness stays close to the non-DS lens.

But as the prices of both are far from what I'd be willing to pay for such a lens, I can stay relaxed ;)
 
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LSXPhotog

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This is definitely a "rent before you buy" kind of lens. Losing all the light gathering advantage of an f/1.2 lens for a smoother background might be worth it...if the rendering is truly unique. We all buy lenses for the aesthetic they provide, so I will be renting this to see how it works. Might add something special for the RF mount, but I don't believe this could actually be a practical replacement for my needs of an 85mm prime. But maybe a standalone portrait lens with controlled light?
 
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Maximilian

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...Losing all the light gathering advantage of an f/1.2 lens for a smoother background might be worth it...
...But maybe a standalone portrait lens with controlled light?
I've read about the lower transmission here in the forum. But I didn't see the source for this.
Is this lower transmission compared to the non-DS or how does that perform?

If so, then your last statement seems to be fully correct.
 
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SecureGSM

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I've read about the lower transmission here in the forum. But I didn't see the source for this.
Is this lower transmission compared to the non-DS or how does that perform?

If so, then your last statement seems to be fully correct.
Yeah, the 1.5 stops difference and a deeper DoF statement is on Canon website. So valid.
 
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Maximilian

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Yeah, the 1.5 stops difference and a deeper DoF statement is on Canon website. So valid.
WOW! o_O

Thanks for clearing that up.

So that and the price gap would lead me directly to the non-DS version - if I was in the market for a 85/1.2.
But I'd be more in a market for a non-L, non-DS 85/1.8.

And as long as Canon does not start to build more consumer/amateur focused RF lenses I'll stay happy with all my EFs ;)
 
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YuengLinger

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The way I understood it is that apodization filters need to be really close of the aperture, so a front or back filter won't do much.
Like I said, it could be worthwhile if it were about 80% appealing as the real thing. Especially for those who already own the normal 1.2.

Personally normal looks just spectacular.
 
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RunAndGun

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In a way, sounds similar to what is going on in the motion/“Cine” world right now, with a lot of lens manufacturers releasing “soft” versions of their lenses, where they’re essentially messing with(even removing) the lens coatings, but they’re going for the whole image, not just the bokeh. Sigma’s ‘Classic’ Cine Primes just announced in the last several months are the same f-stop as their existing high-speed Cine Primes(most* are f/1.4 / T1.5) but because of the coating manipulation/differences, they are slower in actual light transmission, going from T1.5 to T2.5.

*14mm & 135 are slower at f/1.8 / T2 in standard high-speed version and go to f/1.8 / T3.2 in the soft versions.

20, 24, 28, 35, 40, 50, 85, 105 are all f/1.4 / T1.5 in standard versions
 
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