Review: Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM

Maximilian · Jul 30, 2019

thanks to Brian for the good review.

Surely a stellar lens, in either version - standard and DS (yet to be released).

But for me too big and too expensive. Give me a little brother, say RF 85/1.8 or 2.0.

YuengLinger · Jul 30, 2019

Dream lens.
Thank you, Bryan.
Looking forward to seeing great portrait examples with this!

6degrees · Jul 30, 2019

Wish somebody can compare Canon RF 85mm F1.2 vs Zeiss Otus 1.4/85 wide open.

Phil · Jul 30, 2019

Thanks for the fantastic review Brian. I definitely find your reviews to be the industry standard to go by., I also love how you come from the perspective that people especially family are the most important subjects you can photograph.
I have found the 85 to be the best lens I have ever used and because of this I’m trying to use it in a lot more different situations than I normally would which is fun, heavy but fun.

mb66energy · Jul 30, 2019

Maximilian said:
thanks to Brian for the good review.

Surely a stellar lens, in either version - standard and DS (yet to be released).

But for me too big and too expensive. Give me a little brother, say RF 85/1.8 or 2.0.

Same here: It's no langer a camera with lens but a lens with camera.

If Canon provides a compact RF 85/1.8 with 1:2 macro @ 600 Euro/Dollar with great IQ ... this might be the last reason to buy an R camera.

Viggo · Jul 30, 2019

I’ve already posted this daays ago, hrmpf... JK

I’m blown away by this lens. Best I’ve ever owned, and that includes the 35 L, RF50 and 200 f2 L.

I wasn’t expecting it to top the RF 50. Somehow it did...

Maximilian · Jul 30, 2019

6degrees said:
Wish somebody can compare Canon RF 85mm F1.2 vs Zeiss Otus 1.4/85 wide open.

Of course a comparison on the EOS R would be best (with adapter). In the meantime look here:

Canon RF 85mm F1.2 L USM Lens Image Quality

View the image quality delivered by the Canon RF 85mm F1.2 L USM Lens using ISO 12233 Resolution Chart lab test results. Compare the image quality of this lens with other lenses.

www.the-digital-picture.com

and here

Canon RF 85mm F1.2 L USM Lens Image Quality

View the image quality delivered by the Canon RF 85mm F1.2 L USM Lens using ISO 12233 Resolution Chart lab test results. Compare the image quality of this lens with other lenses.

www.the-digital-picture.com

Otus on 1 Ds MkIII and 5Ds R. Bodies and sensors are not compareble to the one in the EOS R but you can get some impression.
If you look at the corner sharpness the Otus performes not so good on the 1 Ds MkIII but better on the 5Ds R.
Taking the higher MP count of the 5Ds R the Otus seems to be somewhat better here.

But of course lenses are more than just corner or center sharpnes...

Viggo · Jul 30, 2019

Is there no more “anything shot with X lens or X body” threads anymore? Is it just gear talk now?

CanonFanBoy · Jul 30, 2019

6degrees said:
Wish somebody can compare Canon RF 85mm F1.2 vs Zeiss Otus 1.4/85 wide open.

Maybe somebody will. Some don't mind manual focus. For that kind of money I would expect AF.

padam · Jul 31, 2019

CanonFanBoy said:
Maybe somebody will. Some don't mind manual focus. For that kind of money I would expect AF.

They are well-suited for cinema applications with minimal focus breathing, and cost only a fraction of 'proper' cinema lenses (or cameras). AF and focus-by-wire MF is working better and better, but it is not the same.
That being said, RED is soon coming out with an RF-mount cinema camera as well.

RayValdez360 · Aug 2, 2019

padam said:
They are well-suited for cinema applications with minimal focus breathing, and cost only a fraction of 'proper' cinema lenses (or cameras). AF and focus-by-wire MF is working better and better, but it is not the same.
That being said, RED is soon coming out with an RF-mount cinema camera as well.

Rumored to be RF..... It would be crazy for Red to have an RF cinema camera before canon though.

navastronia · Aug 5, 2019

As someone who is drooling over one day owning the future "RX" and this RF 85 1.2, I've lately been fawning over the few photos in this Flickr group devoted to the lens.

Canon RF 85mm F1.2 L USM

Photos taken with the Canon RF 85mm F1.2 L USM lens. RF 35mm f/1.8 Macro RF 50mm f/1.2L RF 85mm f/1.2L RF 85mm f/1.2L DS RF 85mm f/2 Macro RF 600mm f/11 RF 800mm f/11 RF 15-35mm f/2.8L RF 24-70mm f/2.8L RF 24-105mm f/4L RF 24-105mm f/4-7.1 RF 24-240mm f/4-6.3 RF 28-70mm f/2L RF 70-200mm f/2.8L...

www.flickr.com

Viggo · Aug 5, 2019

navastronia said:
As someone who is drooling over one day owning the future "RX" and this RF 85 1.2, I've lately been fawning over the few photos in this Flickr group devoted to the lens.

Canon RF 85mm F1.2 L USM

Photos taken with the Canon RF 85mm F1.2 L USM lens. RF 35mm f/1.8 Macro RF 50mm f/1.2L RF 85mm f/1.2L RF 85mm f/1.2L DS RF 85mm f/2 Macro RF 600mm f/11 RF 800mm f/11 RF 15-35mm f/2.8L RF 24-70mm f/2.8L RF 24-105mm f/4L RF 24-105mm f/4-7.1 RF 24-240mm f/4-6.3 RF 28-70mm f/2L RF 70-200mm f/2.8L...

www.flickr.com

I really love mine so I get where you’re coming from. As usual with Canon it is quite expensive yet SO worth it from the very first shot.

Here’s one I took yesterday:

navastronia · Aug 5, 2019

Viggo said:
I really love mine so I get where you’re coming from. As usual with Canon it is quite expensive yet SO worth it from the very first shot.

Here’s one I took yesterday:

That 3D pop is unbelievable! Also like the emotion you captured - she looks at ease in front of the lens. Thanks for sharing

Viggo · Aug 5, 2019

navastronia said:
That 3D pop is unbelievable! Also like the emotion you captured - she looks at ease in front of the lens. Thanks for sharing

My Siros and 75cm octa in the sun with this lens is something special. They feel like an extension of me and does what I want. Weird I know...

She wasn’t too happy having her picture taken a while back, but she figured out that it can be fun, and very quickly done when she takes my instructions.

However I still get the old ; “come on! When grandpa takes my picture he only takes ONE, you take too long” lol.

navastronia · Aug 5, 2019

Viggo said:
My Siros and 75cm octa in the sun with this lens is something special. They feel like an extension of me and does what I want. Weird I know...

She wasn’t too happy having her picture taken a while back, but she figured out that it can be fun, and very quickly done when she takes my instructions.

However I still get the old ; “come on! When grandpa takes my picture he only takes ONE, you take too long” lol.

I imagine that when I have kids someday, they're going to grow up either loving or hating the camera