Canon Unveils RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS and 85mm f/1.2L DS IS Lenses

Canon has announced two new RF lenses: the RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS and the RF 85mm f/1.2L DS IS. Canon says these two lenses complete the “trinity” of RF lenses for the EOS R full-frame mirrorless camera system.

Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

The new Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM is designed to be a workhorse lens for photographers working in fields such as sport, wildlife, wedding, and event photography.

Compared to the popular EF version of this lens, the upcoming RF version is much more portable — it’s 27% shorter (5.69in/145mm vs 7.8in/199mm) and 28% lighter (37.87oz/1066g vs. 52.6oz/1480g).

“[A] large portion of the lens element arrangement closer to the camera body,” Canon says. “This arrangement is designed to provide photographers with a more balanced feel and experience even at telephoto end of the zoom range.”

The lens is also the first Canon lens to feature two Nano USM motors that take still photography autofocus to another level of speed and that help video shooting to have quiet and smooth autofocus.

Another Canon first in the lens is a floating focus control that individual drives the two lens groups using the Nano USM motors.

“The floating focus lens element shortens focusing distance and help reduce breathing, providing users with fast, consistent and reliable performance,” Canon says.

Other features and specs of the lens include a customizable control ring (for adjusting exposure compensation, shutter speed, aperture, and ISO), 17 elements in 13 groups, a 5-stop image stabilization (IS) system (with three IS modes), a 12-pin communication system, a weather-resistant built, fluorine coating, and a Subwavelength Structure Coating (SWC) for reducing flare and ghosting.

Here are some official sample photos captured with the lens:

Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM DS

The new RF 85mm f/1.2L USM DS features a new Canon lens coating called Defocus Smoothing. It’s a vapor-deposited coating on the front and rear surfaces of an element in the lens that helps to improve the look of bokeh in photos.

[Update: Here’s a closer look at how Defocus Smoothing works.]

Shot with the new DS lens (left) and with the existing non-DS lens (right).

“The coating allows off-axis flux to pass through the periphery of the lens that gradually decreases the transmittance of light, which results in images with beautifully blurred backgrounds,” Canon says.

Other features and specs of the lens include a minimum focusing distance of 2.79 feet (0.85m), a customizable control ring, a 12-pin communication system, L-series weather-resistance, a fluorine coating, and Air Sphere Coating (ASC) that minimizes flare and ghosting.

Here are some official sample photos captured with the lens:

A Hands-On Look

Here’s a 3.5-minute video by Adorama in which photographer Lindsay Adler goes hands-on with the two new lenses:

Pricing and Availability

The new Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM and Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM DS will be available in late November and December 2019 (respectively) with price tags of $2,700 and $3,000 (respectively).

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