RF85 f1.4L IS USM?

Feb 28, 2013
1,612
272
70
As a portrait photographer one of the best lenses Canon has produced is the EF85 f1.4L IS USM. It focuses so much better than the old 1.2L lens and still gives very good bokeh.

My three "go to lenses" in this field are the EF24-70mm f2.8L USM II and the EF70-200mm f2.8L IS USM II along with the 85mm. Canon has answered the two zooms but not this particular 85mm (the f1.2L version is way too expensive for me).
 
As a portrait photographer one of the best lenses Canon has produced is the EF85 f1.4L IS USM. It focuses so much better than the old 1.2L lens and still gives very good bokeh.

My three "go to lenses" in this field are the EF24-70mm f2.8L USM II and the EF70-200mm f2.8L IS USM II along with the 85mm. Canon has answered the two zooms but not this particular 85mm (the f1.2L version is way too expensive for me).

Why not just adapt the 85 if it's working so well?
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Upvote 0

YuengLinger

Print the ones you love.
CR Pro
Dec 20, 2012
3,751
2,269
USA
I believe one of my EF mistakes was trading in the 1.2 v2 for the 1.4, a lens which was competent but disappointing compared to the 1.2. Part of the problem was AF with even moderately paced moving subjects. And, in mine, the IS seemed under performing. Never especially sharp either, wider than f2.8.

I might have had a marginal copy, but thought Canon would call it in spec.

But before I traded the 1.4 in for the RF 1.2, I thought it balanced nicely with the adapter on the R.

If the R 1.2 were, say, $400 cheaper, would it be more tempting? No doubt, the prices are painful now.
 
Upvote 0
Dec 13, 2010
4,932
1,608
I believe one of my EF mistakes was trading in the 1.2 v2 for the 1.4, a lens which was competent but disappointing compared to the 1.2. Part of the problem was AF with even moderately paced moving subjects. And, in mine, the IS seemed under performing. Never especially sharp either, wider than f2.8.

I might have had a marginal copy, but thought Canon would call it in spec.

But before I traded the 1.4 in for the RF 1.2, I thought it balanced nicely with the adapter on the R.

If the R 1.2 were, say, $400 cheaper, would it be more tempting? No doubt, the prices are painful now.
I had pretty much the exact same experience. I bought the f1.4 because IS, AF and weather sealing. The weather sealing wasn’t much point when the lens hood was so shallow it was impossible to use in the rain anyway. IS was very, very nice, but AF, although faster than the 1.2, not very good at all. Today I would use the f1.2 II and something else that needed fast AF.
 
  • Sad
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Upvote 0
D

Deleted member 381342

Guest
I don't expect to see a 1.4 R for a long time. Canon have been pushing lenses they could not do before so I am expecting a full 1.2 line and then a full 1.8 line before the 1.4's get a look in. There are already two 85 primes and a fast zoom that cover this line up, with an expected f/2 zoom that also covers 85mm.

I think the EF 85 1.4 IS was a stopgap lens because they could not make a new 85 1.2 on EF that was better than the one they had.

This is of course just my opinion, Canon may surprise us with its lens lineup. Personally I am waiting for the big whites and the tilt shifts, I will likely be waiting as long as you are for the 85 1.4, but at least you have 3 native options.
 
Upvote 0

Rivermist

Mirrorless or bust.
Apr 27, 2019
118
166
Houston
I agree with the OP, the 1.4 is a much better all-around lens, faster AF than the 85LII that I had owned previously, and the IS at the focal length is indispensable IMHO if you are working in "interesting" (i.e. low) light levels, my main use was live music events. Yes it works on an R camera, but it is front-heavy and bulky and a native design would normally result in a shorter overall length as is the case for e.g. the 24-105L. Also agree with the comment that Canon need to think of us non-professional or otherwise budget-sensitive people, if every L lens is going to be well above $2,000 it is pricing us out of the market, lenses with excellent but not superlative characteristics priced in the $800-$1600 range would make a lot of sense. So far only the RF 24-105L fits that concept.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Upvote 0