The Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM: The developers answer 10 questions

6degrees · Jun 3, 2019

How noisy is the autofocus?

Price is too high.

Ozarker · Jun 3, 2019

Another great lens! So now I need to come up with $15K-$20K.

navastronia · Jun 3, 2019

6degrees said:
How noisy is the autofocus?

Price is too high.

Why would the autofocus be noisy? None of the other L grade lenses with ring-type USM are noisy.

Also, great, now I’m drooling.

jonebize · Jun 3, 2019

Honestly it looks rad.

padam · Jun 3, 2019

Great lens, although it will be ruthlessly sharp for portraits.
But, at least, it will probably find focus with confidence.

danfaz · Jun 3, 2019

I have no doubt this lens will be awesome, if the RF 50 is any indication.

RayValdez360 · Jun 3, 2019

they need a better body asap. I cant see going into the new decade with an outdated camera with good lens.

PGSanta · Jun 4, 2019

navastronia said:
Why would the autofocus be noisy? None of the other L grade lenses with ring-type USM are noisy.

Also, great, now I’m drooling.

You've never touched an RF lens, have you.

All of them are noisy. The 50 1.2, and the 28-70 are basically unusable for video unless you plan to use an external mic away from the camera... they are that loud.

Ozarker · Jun 4, 2019

PGSanta said:
You've never touched an RF lens, have you.

All of them are noisy. The 50 1.2, and the 28-70 are basically unusable for video unless you plan to use an external mic away from the camera... they are that loud.

The reason lapel mics and booms are used. Also why STM lenses are so nice when noise from the lens is a concern. After all, these are not cinema lenses . I've not met a USM lens yet that was suitable for noise free AF during video on a DSLR or MILC. I've no idea what the noise from a Sony or Nikon lens is like. I would imagine they are about the same.

PGSanta · Jun 4, 2019

CanonFanBoy said:
The reason lapel mics and booms are used. Also why STM lenses are so nice when noise from the lens is a concern. After all, these are not cinema lenses . I've not met a USM lens yet that was suitable for noise free AF during video on a DSLR or MILC. I've no idea what the noise from a Sony or Nikon lens is like. I would imagine they are about the same.

Sony's run muuuuuuch quieter (the decent to good lenses). I've got no experience with Nikons.

The only RF I don't have much experience with is the 24-105, I hear that one is significantly quieter than the rest, but it seems to me that Canon doesn't really give a shit about making quiet lenses for the RF yet.

I'm a stills guy, luckily. If I were a video guy... I wouldn't touch any RF stuff yet.

Ozarker · Jun 4, 2019

PGSanta said:
Sony's run muuuuuuch quieter (the decent to good lenses). I've got no experience with Nikons.

The only RF I don't have much experience with is the 24-105, I hear that one is significantly quieter than the rest, but it seems to me that Canon doesn't really give a shit about making quiet lenses for the RF yet.

I'm a stills guy, luckily. If I were a video guy... I wouldn't touch any RF stuff yet.

How did I know this was gonna be about Sony? (Rhetorical question.) But seriously, were I a video guy spending that much money on lenses, I think I'd also be using wireless external mics or something else that gets the mic away from the body, making the lens noise not an issue. It's likely that is why Canon doesn't seem to care. They know their market. Heck, I'm a stills guy too, but I have external mics in the event I do any video. I would never consider the camera mic or a mic mounted on camera for my audio. Off camera microphones are very inexpensive. If a shotgun mic must be used (on camera), then something like this: https://www.rode.com/microphones/videomicpro

I could be wrong, but it seems that many of the complaints I read are much ado about nothing, many times by people who are unaffected by what they are complaining about... so they don't really understand that what they perceive as a problem isn't really a problem. The right tools for the job make all the difference.

6degrees · Jun 4, 2019

PGSanta said:
Sony's run muuuuuuch quieter (the decent to good lenses). I've got no experience with Nikons.

The only RF I don't have much experience with is the 24-105, I hear that one is significantly quieter than the rest, but it seems to me that Canon doesn't really give a shit about making quiet lenses for the RF yet.

I'm a stills guy, luckily. If I were a video guy... I wouldn't touch any RF stuff yet.

I assume you have not tried Sony 85 F1.4 GM.

SecureGSM · Jun 4, 2019

padam said:
Great lens, although it will be ruthlessly sharp for portraits.
But, at least, it will probably find focus with confidence.

Remains to be seen. Let me explain.
A lens may be razor sharp at an infinity. And that’s how sites like LensRentals tend to evaluate lenses.
However, portraiture work is done at a much closer distance to your subject. A few meters for a head and shoulders with a 85mm lens.
Now here is something to be aware off.
e.g. Sigma 105/1.4 Art was confirmed to be a very sharp lens at an infinity by LensRentals.
Well, yup.. it sure is at around 2100 points
But, the same lens evaluated at MFD (1meter) to subject truly sucks in sharpness department with nearly scratching 1600 points mark. A massive difference.
Same is true for Sigma 85/1.4 Art and 135/1.8 Art.

The takeaway from this exercise is: the lens in question is unlikely to be a ruthlessly Sharp for portraits. Unless shot at a around 4 meters and longer distance to subject.

PGSanta · Jun 4, 2019

6degrees said:
I assume you have not tried Sony 85 F1.4 GM.

I owned one for a while. Still way quieter than my RF lenses.

I’m not trying to make this a Sony vs. Canon thing, I pretty much left Sony for the RF system, but you’re delusional if you think the offerings currently available offer the same sort of video abilities that Sony is offering.

The high end lenses are HORRIBLE for hybrid shooters right now; kick ass for stills though.

deletemyaccount · Jun 4, 2019

The new glass looks amazing but way too expensive for now. Love to get into this system but RF glass is a one way street. EF glass allows me to go both ways.

Viggo · Jun 4, 2019

Get over yourself, any “video guy” who’s serious doesn’t use any onboard mic anyway. That’s just reaching and trying to twist anything into “Sony is better”.

syder · Jun 4, 2019

Viggo said:
Get over yourself, any “video guy” who’s serious doesn’t use any onboard mic anyway. That’s just reaching and trying to twist anything into “Sony is better”.

Agreed.

I guess the 6 C200s we have aren't really video cameras cos they don't even have onboard mics.

PGSanta · Jun 4, 2019

Viggo said:
Get over yourself, any “video guy” who’s serious doesn’t use any onboard mic anyway. That’s just reaching and trying to twist anything into “Sony is better”.

I am a Canon shooter. I happen to formerly be in the other camp. Heavy video users are going to use dedicated gear, but there's a whole lot of hybrid shooters who are using hybrid set ups to create a ton of very professional stuff. FOR NOW, the stuff Canon has released for the RF IS NOT GOOD for these uses, and YES, SONY (THAT EVIL NAME) offers WAYYYYYYYY more for those people RIGHT NOW.

I don't think Sony is a "better" company, AGAIN I SWITCHED TO AN EOS R, but arguing that Canon is offering hybrid shooters equivalency right now is stupid.

Ozarker · Jun 4, 2019

PGSanta said:
I am a Canon shooter. I happen to formerly be in the other camp. Heavy video users are going to use dedicated gear, but there's a whole lot of hybrid shooters who are using hybrid set ups to create a ton of very professional stuff. FOR NOW, the stuff Canon has released for the RF IS NOT GOOD for these uses, and YES, SONY (THAT EVIL NAME) offers WAYYYYYYYY more for those people RIGHT NOW.

I don't think Sony is a "better" company, AGAIN I SWITCHED TO AN EOS R, but arguing that Canon is offering hybrid shooters equivalency right now is stupid.

Who argued that? Funny. You say Sony is better, yet switched to Canon (I know, not for video). Now you're complaining about something that isn't even an issue for you as a stills guy.

I wish I could get some of that high grade legal California weed here in Texas.

I did video when I had a 70D. Very amateur. But even I knew the best way to get clean audio was through external mics. Had over 1.5 million page views (In 1 year on Google Plus of all places LogicalPrepper) before I shut down my account and quit doing videos. The mics are dirt cheap. Especially for guys rocking an R and a 28-70.

RF 85mm F1.2

Love, joy, and peace to all of good will.

EOS RP + 5D Classic

EOS M50

EOS R

RFIVE

Soon to be the greatest.

EOS 90D

Love, joy, and peace to all of good will.

EOS 90D

Love, joy, and peace to all of good will.

RF 85mm F1.2

2 x 5D IV

EOS 90D

1D Mark IV

EOS R5

EOS RP

EOS 90D

Love, joy, and peace to all of good will.

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