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Canon EF 85mm F1.2 L II USM Lens Overview
The Canon EF 85mm F/1.2 L II USM is currently the widest aperture lens in Canon’s lineup. This lens is great for both beginners and pros, and it can capture clear images even in dark conditions.
Compared to its predecessor, this lens focuses significantly faster. The USM (ultrasonic motor) technology enables near-silent, quick autofocusing, delivering roughly 1.6x faster focusing speed than the original version.
Let’s take a closer look at the key features and specs of the Canon EF 85mm F/1.2 L II USM lens.
Pros of Canon EF 85mm F1.2 L II USM
- Excellently sharp images with high contrast, wide open, in corners, and full-frame
- Tough, well-built lens construction
- Suitable for amateurs and professionals alike
Cons of Canon EF 85mm F1.2 L II USM
- Comparatively slower autofocus
- Bulky manual focusing
- Can’t focus on objects closer than 3.2 ft (0.95 m)
- Slightly more flare than the Canon 85mm F/1.8 lens
Specifications of Canon EF 85mm F/1.2 L II USM
Here’s a quick rundown of the main specs for the Canon EF 85mm F/1.2 L II USM lens:
Optics
This lens has a complex configuration with 8 elements arranged in 7 groups. The lens glass is a high-quality modified double-Gauss design.
One of the elements is an expensive ground and polished non-spherical element. This precise piece prevents the aberrations you’d typically see with conventional spherical high-speed optics.
Focal Length
The focal length is 85 mm. On a 1.3x camera, it provides an angle of view similar to a 107 mm lens on a 35mm film camera. On a 1.6x camera, it gives an angle of view similar to a 136 mm lens used with a 35mm film camera.
Diaphragm
The diaphragm has 8 blades and stops down to F/16. It stays round up to F/2.0 and becomes octagonal from F/4 and above.
Filter Size
The Canon EF 85 mm F/1.2 L II USM lens has a filter size of 72 mm.
Close Focus
This lens offers a close minimum focus range of 3.2 ft (0.95 meters) from the image plane (back of the camera), marked clearly on the lens barrel.
Maximum Reproduction Ratio
The Canon EF 85mm F/1.2 L II USM has a max reproduction ratio of 1:9.1.
Infrared Focus Index
This lens comes with an infrared focus index of 800 nm IR.
Size
The Canon EF 85mm F/1.2 L II USM is pretty large, roughly the size of a grapefruit. It measures about 3.6″ in diameter and 3.3″ extended from the flange (91.44mm x 83.97mm) at infinity. Fully extended, the lens reaches about 3.8″ (96.9 mm) at close focus stop.
Weight
The lens is heavier than its predecessors and can feel front-heavy on smaller cameras. Its naked weight comes in at around 34.2 oz. (970 grams).
Hood
The lens can be fitted with an ES-7911 snap-on flocked plastic hood, which is included in the kit. It rotates during manual focusing and stores on the lens reversed.
Case
An LP 1219 pouch is included in the lens kit.
Performance of Canon EF 85mm F/1.2 L II USM Lens
Now that you know the specs, let’s look at how the Canon EF 85mm F/1.2 L II USM actually performs:
Looks
The Canon EF 85mm F/1.2 L II USM lens is bulky and comparatively heavy, so it might feel a bit odd on smaller camera bodies.
On a similar note, our Canon ef 50mm f1.2 l usm article has more practical tips.
It weighs about 36% more than the 70-200mm F/4L lens but is significantly shorter, which makes the camera front-heavy when this lens is mounted.
That said, the build quality and precision are outstanding. Image output is top-tier.
Focusing
The focus on this lens is slower and a bit clunky compared to less expensive options like the 85 mm F/1.8. The front group moves but doesn’t rotate, and the rear lens elements stay fixed.
The lens hood clips onto the manual focus ring and can be rotated without any trouble during manual focusing.
We walk through Canon ef 24-70mm f2.8 l ii usm step by step in a separate post.
Autofocus is slower than what you’d get from an 85mm F/1.8 lens. That’s because the AF system on this lens needs to be extra precise at F/1.2 to deliver sharp images.
The depth of field at F/1.2 is razor-thin, roughly 5 cm at 100 feet (30 meters). So the lens has to position itself within distances measured in wavelengths of light, which naturally takes longer than less precise, slower F/stop lenses.
Applications of Canon EF 85mm F/1.2 L II USM Lens
The Canon EF 85mm F/1.2 L II USM lens is best suited for indoor action or sports photography. It isolates the subject with a beautifully blurred background, and it does this noticeably better than most lenses in its price range.
This lens is also an excellent choice for portrait photography and candid shots.
Final Thoughts
Those are the key specs and features of the Canon EF 85mm L II USM lens. The precise (if slower) autofocus lets you capture stunningly clear images at close range, which makes it a great fit for indoor sports and portrait work.
