First Look At The RF 85mm F1.2 L USM

Earlier today Canon introduced a new fast portrait L series lens for its RF full frame mirrorless mount. The newly announced RF 85mm F1.2 L USM brings with it some new technology and a completely new optical design.

The new RF 85mm F1.2 L USM is the first Canon lens to include the Blue Spectrum Refractive (BR) Optics technology developed by Canon. The BR element is placed between the concave and convex lenses and is meant to eliminate chromatic aberration. That is done together with some of the other lens elements (this lens has 13 in 9 groups including a single aspherical element as well as one Ultra-low Dispersion (UD) element).

The new low light heavyweight – the Canon RF 85mm F1.2 L USM

Another innovative feature in this lens is in the coating – the RF 85mm F1.2 L USM employs Air Sphere Coating (or ASC), designed to minimize lens flare and ghosting.

Like other RF lenses, this lens also has a customizable control ring (a useful feature that gives you another level of user-defined physical control), a MF/AF switch and a focus limiter and it is designed to work with Canon’s eye AF technology especially in low light (how well it does that we will have to see when reviews start appearing).

Here are some of the specs for the new lens:

Focal length and aperture – 85mm, f/1.2 (FF coverage).
Optical structure – 13 elements with 9 groups.
Air Sphere Coating.
Ring-Type Ultrasonic Motor AF System.
Customizable Control Ring.
Min focus distance – 85 cm.
Max Magnification: 1:8.3.
Filter thread: 82mm.
Size: 4.1 x 4.6″ / 104.14 x 116.84 mm.
Weight: 2.6 lb / 1196.3 g.

The new RF lens is significantly more expensive than the existing Canon EF 85mm f/1.2 lens (sold for $1850 at the moment) while the RF is selling for $2700 (keep in mind that it is also larger and heavier but Canon might argue that it has better optical design – we will just have to wait and see).

Update: first look at the lens by Oliver from B&H

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Iddo Genuth

Iddo Genuth is the founder and chief editor of LensVid.com. He has been a technology reporter working for international publications since the late 1990's and covering photography since 2009. Iddo is also a co-founder of a production company specializing in commercial food and product visual content.