Canon RF 85mm f/1.2 L USM
Announced May 8, 2019
PixelMeter The PixelMeter is our 1–100 aggregate of reviewer scores from trusted publications and creators. Weighted by source tier — not a raw average, and not PetaPixel’s own review.
Reviewer Consensus
Strong
The Canon RF 85mm f/1.2 L USM is an optically masterful portrait lens that delivers exceptional sharpness and beautiful bokeh even at its widest aperture. That said, its substantial size, heavy weight, and premium price tag make it a specialized tool that may be difficult to justify for casual use.
Weighted from 23 reviewer scores
Pros
- Robust build quality with effective weather sealing
- Fast, accurate, and reliable autofocus performance
- Minimal distortion and excellent control of chromatic aberration
- Exceptional sharpness and resolution across the frame even at f/1.2
- Beautiful, smooth bokeh and background blur
Cons
- Very large, heavy, and cumbersome to handle
- Prohibitively expensive
- Lack of built-in image stabilization
- Noticeable focus breathing and vignetting
- Susceptibility to flare and contrast loss in direct light
- Launch price $2,699 (USD)
- Focal length & aperture 85mm f/1.2
- Mount & coverage Canon RF Full-Frame
- Stabilization None
- Close focus 85 cm (0.12x)
- Filter thread 82mm
- Autofocus motor Ring-type ultrasonic
- Weight & size 1195g (2 lb 10.2 oz) · 103.2 x 117.3 mm (4.06 x 4.62 in)
What the Reviewers Say
All 23 expert reviews, weighted into the PixelMeter score.
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- DPReview 92/100
We frankly can’t think of any issues, aside from price and weight, to not recommend this lens. We expect it to serve many professionals and enthusiasts alike for years – or decades – to come.
- OpticalLimits 9.2/10
If bokeh just means a shallow depth-of-field combined with a maximum of foreground/background blur in your book – read no further because then this is about the most perfect lens in this respect that you can get.
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Meet your new favorite portrait lens.
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It’s too big, too heavy, and too expensive…but also too exceptional to ignore despite all those things.
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[I]f money isn't an issue for you and you're going by the lens's merit alone, then of course it absolutely has to come highly recommended.
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If you want the absolute best 85mm that money can buy and you use the Canon EOS R, this is the lens for you. Simply put, this is the most optically perfect 85mm lens I’ve ever used.
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I think there's been a lot of really great lenses that have been announced this year, and the Canon RF 85mm f/1.2 L USM lens is one of my favorite so far. The images are spectacular out of this. I can't get enough of this lens, and it's a joy to use.
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I love this lens and the images I was able to produce while using it, but I don’t think the Defocus Smoothing made the images any better or worse.
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The highest quality standards and ease of use add up to a very attractive proposition.
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As with the 50mm, the new 85mm f/1.2 is an incredible lens with an incredible price-tag, putting it out-of-reach of most photographers.
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The Canon RF 85mm f/1.2 is massively expensive and specialised, but it does everything you’d hope and more.
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The Canon RF 85mm F1.2 L USM lens snaps shots with a razor-thin depth of focus and is ideal for use in extremely dim light, but we think it's worth getting the premium DS variation instead.
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It might have a humungous size to match its lofty price tag, but its clear that the Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM has been designed to the highest standards of operation and performance.
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I’ll simply cut to the chase: the Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L is an exceptional lens. It’s extremely sharp right from f/1.2 across the frame, has gorgeous bokeh, outstanding color and contrast, no distortion and very good control of chromatic aberration.
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The Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM is a stunning lens capable of producing excellent image quality throughout its aperture range, with f/1.2 being particularly impressive but it is expensive.
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[I]f you’re a Canon shooter that’s thinking about moving to mirrorless, this lens should be a huge motivator to switch over. If you’ve already got an R or RP, the RF 85mm F1.2 is essential for any portrait, low-light, or close-range sports photographer.
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This is the world's most advanced 85/1.2 from the company that invented the 85/1.2 back in 1976.
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The Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM is one of the best 85mm lenses on the market. Its distinctive image character and perfect image quality rocket it above just about everything else.
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Performance is really exceptional as you can expect. Super sharp wide open corner to corner.
- Darren Miles 7/10
The final word: if you shoot portraits for a living and you're a Canon loyalist, optical performance simply doesn't get much better than the Canon RF 85mm f/1.2 L USM.
- Photo Feaver 37/50
If you can afford it, you're definitely not going to be disappointed with the images that you get. And with an overall score of 37 out of 50, this is a recommended lens to have in your camera bag.
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It really has a nice fine art look. Everything you take on this looks like it belongs on a wall. It just has a really beautiful super artistic look, so I highly recommend it if you can afford it. It's absolutely worth it.
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If you can afford a lens for almost 3K because you make a lot with portrait photography, it will be a great lens for your work. I personally like the RF 50 millimeter lens more since it has the same performance with less weight and more space in your camera bag.
