| Customer Reviews Collected from usa.canon.com |
Canon - EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM Medium Telephoto Lens - Black
Average Customer Rating:
4.8
Rating breakdown 36 reviews
5 Stars
31
4 Stars
4
3 Stars
1
2 Stars
0
1 Star
0
97%of customers recommend this product.
(
33 out of
34)
Customer Reviews for Canon - EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM Medium Telephoto Lens - Black
Customer Rating
5
Super lens
on April 26, 2015
Posted by: adamh
from Northwest Indiana
I have wanted an 85mm 1.2 since my first days of serious photography, back in the 70s and the old SSC (Super Spectra Coat) lenses. All my years of waiting ended about 6 months ago, and I couldn't be happier with this lens. As other reviewers have mentioned, this lens is meant to be shot wide open, and it does a great job. You can keep the ASA really low and still maintain reasonable shutter speeds (but be sure to enlarge the image in the camera if you're working on the edge to be sure there's no camera shake.) It gathers light better than the human eye; on several occasions I have taken some shots in poor lighting, observed that the lens seemed to provide its own fill, and asked others if they saw the same thing I saw. They did. I have had success in lightening dark areas (if needed) by overexposing by about a stop - I don't do much photoshop or raw file manipulating. It provides great warmth (perhaps its greatest asset) which is generally lost even with well balanced flash. I took some portraits of my wife for publication and the editor inquired about what equipment was used because of the beautiful bokeh. I loved my 85 1.8 but they are two very different lenses. Yes, it's heavy and costly, and as noted it mounts a little funny, but I'm sorry I waited so long to enjoy this.
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
5
Amazing Lens
on July 25, 2013
Posted by: Sifu
from Oregon
I read the reviews on this lens and the 1.8 and thought a long hard about making the extra expenditure. Many people wrote about the 1.8 that they could not see any reason to buy the 1.2, to them I say then you should not. This lens was meant to shoot at 1.2 and when you do it is a marvel to behold. I also read that the focus was slow and not accurate. Yes it is a bit slow but plenty fast for portraits, I also use it when photographing musicians during concerts. It also is almost a requirement for weddings. As for the inaccurate focus that really is not true but you really must know and pay attention to what you are doing when shooting at 1.2 and close to your subject because the depth of field is so very narrow, but that is why you buy a lens like this. Learn to use it right and it will reward you with amazing photographs. People just look better with this lens. As for the complaints about it being heavy I don't find it bad at all, the weight feels good and I am reminded of the words of Joyous in the 13th warrior when Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan complains that the sword they gave him is too heavy...grow stronger. Okay I am just joking here a bit. Sure it is a bit heavy but that is a lot of glass. The price, well you get what you pay for it seems a lot when you fork over the cash but after you shoot with this lens you forget all about the money. This is a specialty lens and when used within that specialty it truly shines.
Pros: Superior build quality, Super-sharp images, silky smooth bokeh, perfect portrait lens
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
5
Best portrait lens
on August 16, 2009
Posted by: snapping turtle
from New Jersey
Lens performance simply does not get any better. Just read the name, and you should already know that this lens means business. Amazing image quality that beats any zoom and places itself among the top of fixed focal length lenses. It is the ultimate portrait lens for both indoor and outdoor. Especially useful in weddings when taking formal portraits of the bride/groom getting ready in her/his room. Take advantage of its large aperture performance while you can so you can enjoy the excitement of noise free images! It is the king for those who want the maximum f/stop creativity.
Physically this lens could have been built better. The lens should not have to be mounted on the camera to activate manual focus. This is not severe in most situations, but the fact that this lens also extends externally, makes me want to return the lens to infinity when I am finished for the sake of reducing the lens size. I am also quite surprised that a lens at this level does not get weather sealing! Though not very important, its a member of the L class, why not have it! AF speed is decent, but not fast enough for sports and quick stage photography. But this lens was never really meant for such action anyway.
I don't recommend large aperture lenses like these for beginners or for those who are not careful with focusing. With such a shallow depth of field, you really only get one thing sharp. The rest would be soft. Even the slightest wrong movement can render a soft image. I have been told by Canon reps and agree with them that "Focusing is an acquired skill". This lens would really test that skill.
Pros: Super-sharp images, Superior build quality
Cons: Slow auto-focus
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
4
Outstanding lens with caveats as others noted
on May 18, 2010
Posted by: GMak
from Bellevue WA
I have used this for about a month and concur with the consensus of the previous reviews.
This images from this lens are incredible - IF you get it in focus. In bright light, this lens renders unbelievable images! The best of any lens I have. In low light, however, or focusing on small distant objects, it is very difficult for the lens to focus and very difficult or you to tell if the image is in focus, so a lot of your shots will be out of focus. Focusing manually doesn't help much since you have the same difficulty the auto-focus does. Also note the comment from someone that the power has to be on in order to focus this lens, and since there really isn't a full-stop infinity as in 35 millimeter lenses, you can't pre-focus for infinity in most cases.
I've used this for several sports events and some portraiture at a graduation and the lens performs as others have said, with the pros and cons as noted.
1) When in focus, the shallow depth of field makes a wonderful image with background distractions beautifully blurred out. With smaller f-stops, even up to f4 - 5.6 or so, the background is still nicely blurred and not distracting. The f1.2 helps keep shutter speed manageable and ISO low. Just gotta watch the focus!
2) The focusing mechanism IS slow. No question. Probably the biggest con of this lens. You don't notice it at first when photographing non-moving objects and frankly, it's not much of an issue there. It seems only "sluggish" but not bad. BUT, when photographing a moving image (something faster than a turtle,) that's when you notice it. The lens can actually freeze and you won't even be able to able to take the picture at all. (E.g.: a track meet with runners going by, as they pass you, the lens will freeze because of the speed of the change in focal distance from the start of the track to right in front of you can be too fast, such as in a 100m race with runners going by, for example.) To be honest, I hesitate to call this a "sports" lens at this point. It just doesn't adjust its focus fast enough for sports action.
3) The comment about the rear glass being SO close to the end of the barrel was true - and it is unnerving when trying to change lenses quickly. in the field. You REALLY have to pay attention. The lens itself is an odd, bulky shape and the red line-up dot is not in the place you would expect. The fear is grinding the glass when mounting. Can be scary. Don't rush it.
4) For typical portraits and group shots, you'll have to shoot at f4 or better to make sure everyone is in focus. The image should be fabulous on a bright day. In low light, good luck. Better to boost the ISO and take at a smaller f-stop.
5) This lens weighs a ton. If you have other "L" series lenses, consider investing in a camera bag with wheels or one that has a slot for a large bottle of ibuprofen.
Make no mistake, I am glad I got this lens, and I want to extend my thanks for previous reviewers talking about the pros/cons. I was about to understand what I was getting into and wasn't negatively surprised.
As with everything else, the more you use it, the better you'll understand how to use it to its advantages and minimize (or avoid) its weaknesses. Then, your "good" shots will start to improve. But don't buy this and run off to a once-in-a-lifetime event and expect you'll get those wonderful pro shots. You will be in for a very unhappy experience - until you get more experience with it. It's unlike most other lenses in this regard.
Pros: Superior build quality, Super-sharp images
Cons: Slow auto-focus, dangerously high glass in rear easily scratched, an unusual build makes mounting tricky
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
5
The Portrait Lens
on February 21, 2013
Posted by: sy
from colorado
This is a Canon’s flagship and THE portrait lens. Most of things that were said about this lens are true and I won’t repeat what were said over and over, but I wrote MY OPINION on those issues.
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SLOW FOCUS SPEED: People say it’s slow but I say it’s precise. I agree the auto focus is slow but it’s almost the speed of 135L (which is known to be blazing fast) in low light. When I got used to it, I didn’t pay too much attention. For portraits I rather have precise focus than blazing fast focus. Surely I had some hit-and-misses once in a while, but the rate is very low. When it misses focus, it’s forgivable, and never had out-of-wack focuses like I experienced with 35L or 50L.
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SHARP FROM F1.2: Yes, it’s sharp from f1.2, and sharper than 50L but not a huge margin.
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HEAVY CHROMATIC ABERRATION: Not as ugly as 35L on extreme high contrast. Bokeh fringing (ghosting image at f1.2) is much better controlled than 50L.
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GREAT BOKEH: Yes, indeed.
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GREAT IMAGE QUALITY: Yes, indeed. There’s that WOW factor in the images that comes out of this lens.
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GREAT COLOR: I was surprised by how this lens renders skin tones. It’s not too saturated like 24L or 35L. And it’s different from how 50L renders the color. It’s not too contrasty. It’s just right and clean. This, too, confirms that a proof of Canon’s intention of 85LII as a portrait lens.
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NO WEATHER SEALING: When considering this as a portrait lens especially for weddings, you don’t really have to worry too much about shooting in a dusty windy rainy snow blizzard. Just don’t use it when some crazy couple try to get married under some crazy extreme conditions. I rather keep the cost down without it.
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FOCUS-BY-WIRE SYSTEM: Only thing I don’t like about this system is that I always have to remember to move the extended barrel back in to its place before turning off the camera. Even the camera is on, a focus ring doesn’t function at AF position unless you press the shutter button half way to override the focus. (Actually I have to read a manual to figure that out.)
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SOFT OF THE CORNER: I wouldn't be concerned unless using it for landscapes.
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EXPOSED REAR ELEMENT: Just be careful when you install the lens.
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HEAVY: It is heavier than 24-70 2.8L surprisingly, but still not a brick like 70-200 2.8LII.
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NEED IS: I must admit that almost all the photos that I shot under 1/80 shutter speed had motion blurr. But I never had a problem with 85f1.8. So maybe it’s my wimp arms are not strong enough to hold this lens. I can see that it will be a lot more price increase with IS if Canon makes it, and it’s already expensive itself.
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I used to think EF 85mm f1.8 is a cheaper version of this lens, but I learned that 85LII is a whole different breed. You can tell that by the “Focus-by-Wire” system itself. While f1.8 version is all around player with fast focus, 85LII seems to be designed a specific purpose, which is a portrait. And in fact it makes me want to shoot nothing but portraits and mainly at f1.2, probably up to f2 at most. There is pros and cons for many people with this expensive lens but it’s absolutely okay because I think this is not a lens anybody can buy and use for whatever situations. But for me, I’m surely glad that I finally got it. It is a beautiful lens.
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SLOW FOCUS SPEED: People say it’s slow but I say it’s precise. I agree the auto focus is slow but it’s almost the speed of 135L (which is known to be blazing fast) in low light. When I got used to it, I didn’t pay too much attention. For portraits I rather have precise focus than blazing fast focus. Surely I had some hit-and-misses once in a while, but the rate is very low. When it misses focus, it’s forgivable, and never had out-of-wack focuses like I experienced with 35L or 50L.
-
SHARP FROM F1.2: Yes, it’s sharp from f1.2, and sharper than 50L but not a huge margin.
-
HEAVY CHROMATIC ABERRATION: Not as ugly as 35L on extreme high contrast. Bokeh fringing (ghosting image at f1.2) is much better controlled than 50L.
-
GREAT BOKEH: Yes, indeed.
-
GREAT IMAGE QUALITY: Yes, indeed. There’s that WOW factor in the images that comes out of this lens.
-
GREAT COLOR: I was surprised by how this lens renders skin tones. It’s not too saturated like 24L or 35L. And it’s different from how 50L renders the color. It’s not too contrasty. It’s just right and clean. This, too, confirms that a proof of Canon’s intention of 85LII as a portrait lens.
-
NO WEATHER SEALING: When considering this as a portrait lens especially for weddings, you don’t really have to worry too much about shooting in a dusty windy rainy snow blizzard. Just don’t use it when some crazy couple try to get married under some crazy extreme conditions. I rather keep the cost down without it.
-
FOCUS-BY-WIRE SYSTEM: Only thing I don’t like about this system is that I always have to remember to move the extended barrel back in to its place before turning off the camera. Even the camera is on, a focus ring doesn’t function at AF position unless you press the shutter button half way to override the focus. (Actually I have to read a manual to figure that out.)
-
SOFT OF THE CORNER: I wouldn't be concerned unless using it for landscapes.
-
EXPOSED REAR ELEMENT: Just be careful when you install the lens.
-
HEAVY: It is heavier than 24-70 2.8L surprisingly, but still not a brick like 70-200 2.8LII.
-
NEED IS: I must admit that almost all the photos that I shot under 1/80 shutter speed had motion blurr. But I never had a problem with 85f1.8. So maybe it’s my wimp arms are not strong enough to hold this lens. I can see that it will be a lot more price increase with IS if Canon makes it, and it’s already expensive itself.
-
I used to think EF 85mm f1.8 is a cheaper version of this lens, but I learned that 85LII is a whole different breed. You can tell that by the “Focus-by-Wire” system itself. While f1.8 version is all around player with fast focus, 85LII seems to be designed a specific purpose, which is a portrait. And in fact it makes me want to shoot nothing but portraits and mainly at f1.2, probably up to f2 at most. There is pros and cons for many people with this expensive lens but it’s absolutely okay because I think this is not a lens anybody can buy and use for whatever situations. But for me, I’m surely glad that I finally got it. It is a beautiful lens.
Pros: Superior build quality, Super-sharp images, bokeh, super image quality
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
5
A real difference maker!
on November 15, 2014
Posted by: Rick R
from Virginia Beach
I assume anyone looking at this lens is an experienced photographer, has read various reviews and is very near a buy decision. My advice is buy it!
Since I've owned this lens complements on my work have tripled. Shooting wide open produces images that are frankly unmatched by any other lens. The negatives you will read about such as weight and slow to focus are in my experience overstated. The lens is heavy but still more than a pound lighter than the 70-200mm f/2.8 IS. Focus is a little slow if you are going from macro to Infinity but I rarely do that and I have never had a problem shooting a moving model. I guess the most important question is always would you buy it again if you had it to so all over again? My answer is in a heart beat. In fact, I own 5 L lenses and if I could only keep one this would be the one I would keep.
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
5
Best Glass Around!
on July 22, 2009
Posted by: John
from Houston, TX
Canon has built another truly amazing lens in the 85mm f/1.2L. I bought this one primarily for portraits, but also out of video curiosity with my 5D Mark II.
Wow, great choice! The background blur at 1.2 is really amazing, and I haven't found focusing to be much of an issue (even while chasing around a couple of toddlers). Trick is to set the camera's autofocus mode to "one shot", put your desired focusing sensor on the subjects eye (or wahtever you want to be sharp), and fire away. The result is breathtaking!
Pros: Super-sharp images, Superior build quality, Fast auto-focus
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
5
Spectacular images - worth every dollar
on February 13, 2009
Posted by: MS Florida
from Oviedo, FL
I've been shooting with L zoom lenses for several years -- primarily wedding work -- and always considered the long end of the 24-70 or the short end of the 70-200 as suitable for portaits (using a full-frame 5D sensor), but nothing prepared me for the superior clarity and gorgeous bokeh of this lens. The lens is heavy, and is slow to focus, as most reviewers note, but this is a small trade-off for the superior performance. The razor-sharp DoF can work against you if you're tempted to shoot 1.2 all the time, but it definitely adds extreme drama when you've focused correctly. This is the best lens you can have for portrait or low-light photography.
Pros: Super-sharp images, Superior build quality, beautiful background blur
Cons: Slow auto-focus
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com