see also:

• Canon EF lenses
• Canon EF telephoto lenses
• wide aperture 85mm field of view portrait lenses
• Canon FD 85mm f/1.2 lenses
• Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM lens

• a unique, heavy, short telephoto rectilinear prime lens with incredibly shallow depth of field (DOF) but this comes at a considerable cost in terms of price, weight, size and slow AF
• two versions:
  • version I introduced in 1989
  • version II:
    • introduced in 2006
    • 1.8x faster AF due to new CPU and improved AF algorithms (but still slow)
    • improved MF mechanism
    • improved lens coatings for less flare
• it is one of the reasons to use a full frame camera rather than Micro Four Thirds system if you want this unique look
• on Micro Four Thirds system:
  • it gives 35mm eq. of 170mm f/1.2 but with 170mm f/2.4 depth of field (DOF)
  • when used with 0.72x focal reducer gives 35mm eq. of 122mm f/0.86 lens with depth of field (DOF) of a 122mm f/1.7 lens
• which 85mmm lens to buy?
  • the 85mm f/1.2L II gives shallowest depth of field (DOF) and least flare but troublesome vignetting and long. CA
  • the Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM lens is much cheaper, gives sharp photos wide open with nice bokeh and is much faster AF but has troublesome lateral CA wide open
  • perhaps the best compromise is the older Sigma 85mm f/1.4 full frame lens or the new Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art full frame lens

• 85mm f/1.2 lens
• 8 elements in 7 groups incl. 1x ASPH and 1x UD
• USM AF with full time MF
• blades
• front focusing
• close focus 0.95m giving 0.11x magnification
• 72mm filter thread
• 91.5mm x 84mm
• 1025g

• 85mm f/1.2 lens
• 8 elements in 7 groups incl. 1x ASPH and 1x UD
• USM AF with manual override being an indirect wired electronic system
• 8 blades round to f/2.0, octagonal from f/4 onwards
• IR index
• front focusing but do not rotate
• close focus 0.95m giving 0.11x magnification
• 72mm filter thread
• 91.5mm x 84mm
• 1025g
• $A2499

• http://www.kenrockwell.com/canon/lenses/85mm-f12.htm
  • changes magnification as it focuses
  • bokeh is pleasant
  • optical focus screens only show image as at f/2.5 unless you buy a high precision manual focus screen
  • minor barrel distortion
  • more susceptible to flare from light outside the image than other lenses - use the lens hood!
  • “complete lack of coma or other aberrations wide-open for star images”
• Photozone.de
  • 1% distortion
  • 1.8EV vignetting
  • excellent centre sharpness wide open, and reasonable corners but sharpest across the field at f/4-f/5.6
  • lat. CA minimal wide open but worst at f/4
  • smooth bokeh
  • considerable long. CA
• LensTip
  • more coma in corners wide open than the Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM lens but no astigmatism
• http://www.wlcastleman.com/equip/reviews/85mm/
• http://mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/eos/EF-lenses/EF85mmf12LUSM/index.htm
• https://www.dxomark.com/Lenses/Canon/EF85mm-f-1.2L-II-USM-mounted-on-Canon-EOS-5DS-R__1009
  • T1.5, 0.3% distortion, 2EV vignetting, 10 micron CA
  • soft edges wide open, improve by f/5.6
  • not as sharp as the Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art full frame lens