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. While far from practical for everyday use, this is a seriously impressive addition to the RF line.

Excellent sharpness; even at f/1.2; Superb chromatic aberration control; Very pleasing out-of-focus areas; Surprisingly swift AF considering its size

Very large and heavy; even on the EOS R; Expensive (but not unexpectedly so); Some vignetting at widest apertures

The quality of the lenses arriving on the market has arguably never been better. There are some amazing optics and the only downside seems to be that the prices can be equally amazing. The more adventurous the specification of course, the higher that price will be.

Outstanding sharpness; Virtually no distortion; Very low CA; Beautiful bokeh; Highest quality manufacture; Very resistant to flare; Fast and very accurate AF; Weather-resistant

No Image Stabilisation; High price; Not stable on a flat surface (larger than the camera body)

The Canon RF 85mm F1.2L lens approaches optical perfection. It's tack sharp wide open, and central sharpness peaks by F2. Canon's 'BR optics' element ensures little to no color fringing in out-of-focus areas and also increases sharpness.

Portrait; lifestyle and wedding photographers.

Videographers wishing to use autofocus with internal or nearby microphones.

When purchasing a prime lens (vs. a zoom lens), the focal length significantly determines what that lens is best used for and regarding the Canon RF 85mm F1.2 L USM Lens, Kazuto Ogawa, president and COO of Canon USA states "We envision this product as being the quintessential workhorse lens for...

The Canon RF 85mm f/1.2 is massively expensive and specialised, but it does everything you’d hope and more. Its image quality wide open is quite superb, and the autofocus performance can deliver sharp ‘eye’ shots time and time again, even with the razor-thin depth of field at f/1.2.

• Stunning quality wide open; • Fast autofocus response; • Great hit rate of sharp ‘eye’ shots; • Build quality and operation

• No image stabilisation; • Pretty big and heavy on an EOS R body; • That price will sting!

Although Canon’s RF Mount system is still in its infancy, the introduction of the RF 85mm f1.2 L USM adds a much-needed powerhouse lens to its growing RF lens portfolio. The Canon RF 85mm f1.2 L USM produces truly beautiful bokeh, excellent sharpness, plenty of micro-contrast, and overall...

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. While far from practical for everyday use, this is a seriously impressive addition to the RF line.

Excellent sharpness, even at f/1.2; Superb chromatic aberration control; Very pleasing out-of-focus areas; Surprisingly swift AF considering its size;

Very large and heavy, even on the EOS R; Expensive (but not unexpectedly so); Some vignetting at widest apertures

The Canon RF 85mm F1.2L lens approaches optical perfection. It's tack sharp wide open, and central sharpness peaks by F2. Canon's 'BR optics' element ensures little to no color fringing in out-of-focus areas and also increases sharpness. Autofocus isn't silent nor is it speedy, but for portrait and wedding photographers, you couldn't ask for a better 85mm optic.

Portrait, lifestyle and wedding photographers.;

Videographers wishing to use autofocus with internal or nearby microphones;

Canon sells two editions of its RF 85mm F1.2 L USM lens. We reviewed the premium RF 85mm F1.2 L USM DS ($2,999) last year, and are following up with a look at the standard edition, priced at $2,699. It omits the Defocus Smoothing filter, an optical element that changes the way background blur shows in images and reduces light transmission. Photographers who work in challenging light may prefer the RF 85mm F1.2 L USM, and it's nearly as fantastic a performer as its twin. We give preference to the rendering of the DS version, our Editors' Choice winner.F1.2 Optics The RF 85mm F1.2 L USM is fairly squat, coming in at 4.6 by 4.1 inches (HD). It's hefty too, at 2.6 pounds, with a big front glass element that takes 82mm front filters. That's the cost of a lens that gathers as much light as this one does. If you want a lighter prime for portraits, the RF 85mm F2 Macro weighs just 17.6 ounces and can be had for around $600. The low-cost 85mm F2 isn't an L series lens, though, so it's not...

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.

Extra-bright f/1.2 optics; Excellent resolution; Dust, splash, and fluorine protection; Reliable autofocus; Customizable control ring

Background blur not as pleasing as DS edition; Hefty; Visible focus breathing

Although the RF 50mm f/1.2L USM lens represents a substantial investment in weight and cost, it also delivers at the highest levels of performance.