Reviews |Canon RF 85mm F1.2L USM: price, specs, release date revealed

Canon RF 85mm F1.2L USM: price, specs, release date revealed

Canon RF 85mm F1.2L USM
News

85mm has long been held as the ideal for portraiture. With the arrival of the hotly anticipated Canon RF 85mm F1.2L USM for RF mount this lens truly marks the arrival of the R camera system.

Buy the Canon RF 85mm f/1.2 from B&H (US)

Buy the Canon RF 75mm f/1.2 from WEX (UK)

An 85mm is a common choice for professional and now the new f/1.2L series lens looks set to offer the high-resolution optics demanded by the latest cameras and technology.

The large aperture enables ultrafast AF speeds which are essential when taking candid portraiture and wedding photography if you’re to capture the moment.

This announcement follows Canon’s development map released in February and is the first of six new RF mount lenses to be announced this year.

Enhanced optics increase resolution for every detail

The new R system is just in its infancy and as such, the lens range at present is somewhat limited. However, with Canon’s long history the selection of lenses is rapidly growing.

To keep up with the demands of the new cameras, sensors and processors the new lenses have had to be redesigned to enable the capture of higher resolution images than ever before.

As a mount for the next generation of cameras RF has been designed with both stills and videography in mind.

At 85mm the new lens is a short telephoto making it an ideal choice for portraiture. That focal lens offers the balance of distance from the subject with a flattering perspective which is fine-tuned to capture faces.

The RF 85mm is only the second lens released by Canon to feature the companies latest BR optical technology.

BR Optical corrects axial chromatic aberration that cannot be corrected using glass alone. The result is improved resolution and sharpness across the frame.

Inside the lens features aspherical and UD lens elements which help further reduce aberrations and improve quality.

Increased speed and high-quality

L-Series has always been the mark for optical quality and the latest RF 85MM F1.2L USM has been touted by Canon to be one of the fastest aperture autofocus lenses for the new full-frame mirrorless range of cameras.

Partnering the lens with the Dual Pixel CMOS AF, the fast f/1.2 aperture is able to render stunning shallow depth of field to create bokeh and background separation.

The nine-aperture blade system has been designed to enhance the subject against a blurred background, making it the perfect choice for portraiture photography.

This ultra-wide f/1.2 aperture transmits 50% more light than an f/1.4 lens – down to -6EV (EOS R) and -5EV (EOS RP).

The new 85mm adopts the same ring type USM motor as the RF 50mm f/1.2 with it’s fast and smooth adjustment in focus that enables you to track subjects around the frame.

Inside the lens is a new microprocessor designed to handle the data and boosting performance in speed and quality.

Designed with improved handling and durability

Being able to customise your camera’s controls is now a major design consideration and here Canon has incorporated a control ring into the latest RF lenses.

This ring can be customised to suit your needs and can be selected through the camera body to operate either the TV, AV, ISO or exposure settings

As you’d expect from a pro-level lens there’s the ability to switch to manual focus with the flip of a switch. Once done the ring becomes a manual focus ring.

To ensure that the lens stays safe when using outdoors weatherproofing seals have been used to protect the internal workings from adverse weather.

For more information of the RF 85mm F1.2L USM please visit https://www.canon.co.uk/lenses/rf-lenses/

Canon RF 85mm F1.2L USM Key Features

  • Extreme high performance 85mm prime lens
  • 85mm focal length to provide flattering perspective ideal for portraits
  • Very Large f/1.2 aperture with 9-aperture blade for superior low light performance and smooth background blur
  • BR optics (Blue Spectrum Refractive optics) reduce chromatic aberration ensuring the highest image quality
  • Aspherical and UD elements ensure the highest resolution across of the image
  • USM motor for smooth, near-silent operation
  • Control Ring – giving direct control over Tv/Av/ISO settings
  • ASC (Air Sphere Coating) prevents flare and ghosting from deteriorating image quality
  • Pricing & availability of the Canon RF 85mm F1.2L USM
  • Available from Canon’s web store and Canon retailers from June 2019
    • RF 85mm F1.2L USM £2,799.99/ €3,219.99
    • Lens Hood ET-89 £69.99/ €79.99