Product Description

The L-series is Canon's flagship professional lens range, designed and built to meet the needs of the most demanding professional photographers. The superb optics of the EF 85mm f/1.2 II USM and other L-series lenses represent the pinnacle of optical performance, enabling focal length/speed/quality combinations not readily attainable using traditional optical technologies. In addition to optimised lens shaping to reduce reflections and the use of anti-reflective material inside the lens barrel, the EF 85mm f/1.2 II USM employs Canon's patented Super Spectra lens element coatings. These suppress flare and ghosting - more prone to occur with digital cameras due to reflection off the image sensor. By increasing light absorption, coatings reduce reflections off lens element surfaces to deliver crisp, undistorted images with natural color balance.

Product Details

• Brand: Canon
• Model: 1056B002
• Released on: 2006-03-31
• Dimensions: 3.00" h x 5.00" w x 5.00" l, 1.50 pounds

Features

• f1.2 maximum aperture
• Ring-type UltraSonic motor (USM)
• EF mount; medium telephoto lens
• High-speed AF and circular aperture create shallow depth-of-field
• 111mm focal length for APS-H sensors, 136mm for APS-C sensors

From the Manufacturer
Retaining the impressive optical performance and large aperture of the original EF 85mm f1.2L USM, this new medium telephoto lens uses a ring-type USM, high-speed CPU, and optimized algorithms to achieve an autofocus speed approximately 1.8x faster than the original. The high-speed AF and circular aperture create a shallow depth-of-field that brings attention to the subject and blurs the background, which is ideal for portraits and weddings. The floating optical system, which includes an aspherical lens element, suppresses aberrations and ensures excellent imaging performance.

Customer Reviews

The sharpest canon lens on the market to date
I am a huge fan of this lens - both on my full frame body (canon 1dsmkiii) and on my crop chip backup camera (40D).

Besides the fact that this lens is super expensive... it is probably the best canon lens made today.

It is by far - the sharpest lens - I have ever used on the canon line... and probably one of the top 5 sharpest lenses I have ever used in any camera system.

Not just sharp - two stops up from wide open... but sharp - wide open.

I was shooting a party at a bowling alley. Disco bowling. So it was mostly dark - and there were disco lights and fog and all sorts of distractions. This lens performed flawlessly and autofocused fast and correct almost all the time.

When using this lens in a regular light situation - it could be useful to put a neutral density filter on it... and shoot it wide open for the most beautiful bokeh that the canon line has to offer.

Upsides: sharp, great colors, amazing bokeh
downsides: heavy, expensive, and not a zoom.

This is a single purpose lens but ....
it does it really really really well.

The lens is expensive, you can buy 5 85 f/1.8 for 1 85 f/1.2.

The lens is heavy and fat.

You could use it as an indoor sport lens since it a f/1.2, but the 70-200 f/2.8 IS is more useful, since it focuses quicker and the range is more useful.

You can use it as a walking around lens, but 24-70 f/2.8 is a better choice.

Macro, the 100 f/2.8 macro is more suitable and only 1/5 of the price.

Is it worth the money?

It depends.

It's a difficult lens to work with.

As others have noted, the DOF is incredibly thing.

Most don't really need f/1.2.

No you buy this lens for only one purpose.

Bar none it is the best portrait lens out there.

The bokeh and sharpness is stunning.

Ditto, great lens
I have 70-200 2.8, 24-70 2.8, 16-35 2.8 and this lens. This being my only prime is great. Can't say enough about what this lens will do. DOF needs to be watched you can get a focused tip of the nose and out of focus eyes even with someone with a small nose :-)