(I actually want to give it 4.5 stars)
As most of you arriving at this page and considering this lens are the more professional/advanced amateur photographers whom already own plenty of L glass, this review will be written from a more stringent perspective on its capability to own up to its expensive price tag and compare with other L's. (i.e. no "It's so much better than my kit lens! Wow, buy it! The end")
First up, it's uses. This lens is more obvious than others. Yep it's primarily a portrait lens. Anything that sits at 70mm focal length or higher and maintans wide apertures qualifies as such. L lenses tend to function well in two or sometimes more roles; this lens proves to function decently in one other role. Note that this lens's main advantage is it aperture. If the lens is stopped down, other L lenses start taking over with better image quality. With this in mind, let's look at a breakdown of all the other possible uses for this lens:
As a general telephoto: Trying to stop it down and use the lens as an 85mm telephoto for "everyday" use really doesn't work: the 70-200mm (any of them) produces better sharpness at comparable apertures, equal chromatic abberation, faster AF, and adds more versatility for less price (with the exception that the 85mm has better saturation). One could argue that situations with low light might prove a worthy use for this lens, such as weddings & receptions. In this case there is a tie. The 85mm aperture advantage means usable shutter times in very low light, but you will notice a problem trying to autofocus with this lens (as its AF is known for being not exactly the best/fastest in the industry). The 70-200 f/2.8L IS has a three stop stabilizer, granting an "effective" 70-200mm f/1.4 (only "effective" as your shutter times are still slower than what a true f/1.4 lens would a achieve). So for low light with less action, you're better off going with the 70-200 f/2.8L IS. With more action (hopefully lateral action not coming towards or away from the lens, stressing its AF) the 85mm will have an advantage.
Usage as a macro: not really. There are much better lenses for this (i.e. the 180mm f/3.5L) The minimum focus distance is too long to garner anything better than a mild macro lens. The only advantage the 85mm has in this regard is it's extreme DOF at minimum focus. The 180mm f/3.5L only produces an equivalen DOF when it focuses in to 1:4 macro or closer, meaining that the 85mm can achieve its beautiful DOF while encompassing a more "zoomed out" view of a subject, which the 180mm can't do. However, the 85mm's image degradation wide open sets it back far enough so that, surprisingly, the 135mm f/2L takes over as your "semi-macro with extreme DOF" lens, which performs much better wide open with an approximately equivalent DOF at minimum focus (and with less weight).
Landscape: yep this works, and this the area other than portraiture that the 85mm f/1.2 functions well in, but only if your objective is to produce ultra-thin DOF images. Otherwise other L lenses fulfill this role with much better satisfaction. Exposures of flowers and foliage work well, along with anything that features an interesting main subject and a background suitably beatiful for being blurred into a wash of color. Once again however, the 135mm competes as a contender in the DOF catagory. All things considered, the 135mm produces better image quality while the 85mm produces a somewhat stronger DOF with a more surreal/dreamy feel to its images.
Portraiture: the main enchilada. No other lens performs portraiture as well as the 85mm f/1.2 under $4000. Female subjects will especially appreciate the dreamy DOF this lens can produce. If you do portraits or wedding work, this lens MUST be in your bag. Mark it up as a necessary business expense and start saving now. If you actually happen to have the $4000 previously mentioned, you may wish to consider the 200mm f/1.8L or the 300mm F/2.8L. They yield an equivalent DOF at their longer focal lengths and deliver superior image quality, but require much more working room and more ambient light.
Lens comparisons:
The 85mm f/1.8 is one of the biggest competitors to this lens in terms of buying decisions. Forget the 100's of pages worth of forum entries regarding this debate, it boils down to this: you know you need an 85mm portrait lens. Are you a professional or demand the best in image quality? If yes, get this lens. Period. Enjoy the enhanced DOF, build quality, surrealistic/dreamy exposures, transfered dynamic range, and the peace of mind that comes form knowing you bought the best and your images aren't hindered by your equipment. If no, buy the 85mm f/1.8. Enjoy the additional spending money, lighter weight, faster AF, and additional telephoto usage. That's all there is to it.
The 85mm f/1.2 Mark I is also a competitor on the used market. Having used both the MkI and MkII variants, I find the ~$300 difference worth it, mainly due to the AF. The MkII's AF enhancement is nothing short of significant, both the speed and accuracy of the AF have been brought up a notch. This isn't so much a big deal in the studio as it is in the realm of weddings. As a bonus, the saturation seems somewhat higher as well.
The 50mm f/1.2. This one took me a little while to decide on. $200 less. Much faster on the AF and less cumbersome. The saturation is about equivalent. The sharpness is less. CA is worse. In the end, the 85mm's more-dreamlike image output and 35mm advantage places it above the 50mm f/1.2 in terms of portraiture.
The 135mm f/2. I hate to say this, but in all reality the 135mm isn't so much of a competitor as mush as it is a COMPLIMENT to the 85mm. The difference in focal length, AF, IQ, working ranges, and DOF mean that, although they may overlap and compete with each other from time to time in minor usages (the landscape and macro usages mentioned above), the primary uses of the 85mm and 135mm are seperate. It doesn't seem like it on paper, but once you use both lenses for a little while in the field they fill different roles almost immediately. If you're a professional in portraiture or weddings, it's not a question of which one, it's a question of which one first. (My general recommended order for wedding photog's: 70-200mm F/2.8L IS, 16-35mm F/2.8L, 85mm F/1.2L, and finally 135mm F/2L.)
The breakdown for this lens:
Usage: Taking portraits of females and children in studio or on-location. Some low-light event photography.
Pros:
-Superior DOF with a 'dreamy' feel other lenses can't produce
-Good saturation (standard compared to other L's: better than the 70-200)
Cons:
-Weight & price
-AF (still slow compared to other L's, but significantly better than the MkI)
Other:
-AF is electronic override, requires power to lens in order to function
-Entire main element grouping shifts forward by up to 3/4" when focusing to minimum distance
-Rear element is flush to base, requires care when lens swapping
-CA when wide open is green shift (odd as most CA shift is usually red)
Summary:
The 85mm f/1.2L MkII is a cumbersome lens, requiring attention and patience, and is surpassed by many lenses in most usages of photography. However, it's results are simply unmatched within the primary usage of portraiture. It stands alone as an absolute requirement for professionals.
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This Item  Canon 85mm F1.2 L II USM EF AF Lens | Recommendations  |  |  |  |  | |
| Price | $1,999.00 | $199.00 | $1,859.95 | $1,869.95 | -48% $1,038.99 New Price: $1,999.00 | $3,099.00 |
| Delivery | Get it as soon as Tuesday, Apr 29 | Get it as soon as Thursday, May 1 | — | Get it as soon as Tuesday, Apr 29 | Get it as soon as Tuesday, Apr 29 | Get it as soon as Tuesday, Apr 29 |
| Customer Ratings | ||||||
| Sold By | iPro Photo | Amazon.com | Web Offers | Web Offers | Minty Gadgets (we track serial numbers) | iPro Photo |
| lens type | Telephoto | Standard | Telephoto | Telephoto | Telephoto | Macro |
| compatible mountings | Canon EF | Canon RF | Canon EF | Canon EF | Canon EF | Canon RF |
| lens design | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime |
| focus type | Ring-type ultrasonic | Auto/Manual | Auto/Manual | Auto/Manual | Ring-type ultrasonic | Auto Focus |
| minimum focal length | 85 millimeters | 50 millimeters | 85 millimeters | 85 millimeters | 85 millimeters | 85 millimeters |
| max focal length | 85 millimeters | 50 millimeters | 85 millimeters | 85 millimeters | 85 millimeters | 85 millimeters |
| fixed focal length | 85 millimeters | 50 millimeters | 85 millimeters | 85 millimeters | 85 millimeters | 85 millimeters |
| real angle of view | 28 degrees | 46 degrees | 0 arc minute | — | — | 28.3 degrees |
| model name | ef | CNRF50F18STM | 1056B005AA | — | EF 85mm f1.2L II | RF85mm F1.2 L USM |
| max aperture | — | 50 millimeters | — | 1.2 f stop | 1.2 f stop | 85 millimeters |
| diaphragm blades | 8 | 5 | — | — | 3 | 9 |
From the manufacturer
Canon EF 85mm f1.2L II USM Lens for Canon DSLR Cameras
A professional short-telephoto lens, precision-made for low-light shooting and those situations where extremely shallow depth of field is required. Perfect for creative portraiture.
Benefits:
- Extreme f/1.2 maximum aperture
- Fast, quiet autofocus
- Super Spectra coatings
- Circular aperture for smooth background bokeh
- Integration with E-TTL II flash system
- Soft case and lens hood
Product information
| Product Dimensions | 3.31 x 3.62 x 3.62 inches |
|---|---|
| Item Weight | 2.26 pounds |
| ASIN | B000EW9Y4M |
| Item model number | 1056B002 |
| Customer Reviews |
4.4 out of 5 stars |
| Best Sellers Rank | #1,790 in SLR Camera Lenses |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Date First Available | October 2, 2003 |
| Manufacturer | Canon Cameras US |
| Country of Origin | Japan |
Warranty & Support
Product Warranty: For warranty information about this product, please click here [PDF ]
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Awesome but FRINGE is intense
Pros: Bokeh and sharpness (as with any L prime) Cons: Don understand why the fringe is comparable to the 50mm 1.8, its L glass. Focus is slow (has like 10lbs of glass inside) THE FRINGE IS HORRIBLE! Nasty purples and blues all around my subjects, I feel like people will judge me asking why I am shooting weddings with consumer grade glass. I have to desaturate the purples in my photos taken on bright days (the same thing I used to do in my armature days when shooting with non L glass) 50mm 1.2 is a better choice if there is any debate. Focus is faster & no nasty fringe I would still buy it again, despite the fringe because I need a good 85mm in my bag, but for 2k I don't understand why canon can't get rid of fringe. One other thing is I use it for video as well and the electronic focus is quick and the lag is hardly noticeable, but your alignment to a focus spot can be off if you have prefocused. Also I use a follow focus and the range of motion on the follow focus is limited due to the gear. With fast focus movements you will run into the kink in the system. The have to set lens to auto focus move the gear back then set it back to manual, this cold cause you to miss your shot because it takes about 5 seconds to do. And you don't realize it will happen till you are actively focusing. So if you focus fast your focus ring and glass inside your lens wont move at a 1:1 ratio, when it is on manual focus. (I hope I did a good job at explaining that) Also the lens is not weather sealed (why?!?!) and careful when putting it on your camera the glass on the back of the lens is flush with the metal housing and can be chipped or scratched. and one other odd note the bokeh balls are not round they are circles with on flat spots. Though I think they get round in the middle of the photo only. UPDATE: Image link to the fringe issue: http://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-media/permalink/mo228CVJ716VUS0/B000EW9Y4M/ref=cm_ciu_images_pl_link UPDATE: If its harsh sun outside I avoid the 85mm 1.2 at all costs. I found a good replacement lens if you are shooting in the sun. The 100mm L f2.8 lens is sharp fast focus and no fringe at all and its cheap. Its also one canons sharpest lenses they make. I didn't purchase one for a long time because its a macro, but it can focus to infinity and you can limit its focus range to non macro, so it doesn't search for focus through its huge range. I would highly recommend this lens.
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on August 13, 2007Style: Lens onlyProduct Packaging: Standard PackagingVerified Purchase
- Reviewed in the United States on December 20, 2007Style: Lens onlyProduct Packaging: Standard PackagingVerified Purchase
Top reviews from other countries
- B. WangReviewed in Canada on December 29, 2016
great lens!
Style: Lens onlyProduct Packaging: Standard PackagingVerified Purchase - MLJiaoReviewed in Singapore on September 7, 2020
Lens box issue
Style: Lens onlyProduct Packaging: Standard PackagingVerified Purchase
Hello,MLJiaoLens box issue
Reviewed in Singapore on September 7, 2020
lens is perfect and totally brand new , but I suggest Amazon to improve the packaging , please protect the lens box , thank you
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- PJKReviewed in the United Arab Emirates on September 3, 2020
This is AMAZing piece of glass technology - a must have for any portrait photographer
Style: Lens onlyProduct Packaging: Standard PackagingVerified Purchase -
FalconReviewed in Spain on April 3, 2019
Especial
Style: Lens onlyProduct Packaging: Standard PackagingVerified Purchase -
medReviewed in Canada on October 24, 2019
Best for portrait
Style: Lens onlyProduct Packaging: Standard PackagingVerified Purchase
