CANON 85L 1.2 LENS REVIEW - PAGE 1 - PAGE 2

Now that you saw how sharp this lens can be wide open, I hope that put any worries to rest. Bottom line: This lens is sharp as anyone could need it to be. For a lens like this, your camera body will be the weak link, not the lens.

Some of the drawbacks of the lens, as posted by many photographers on photo forums, is its AF focus speed. The original MKI version was known to be slow as a dog when it came to Auto Focus speed. Many people said “YOU CAN NOT USE AN 85L FOR ACTION”. Well, I agree that the lens is slow, and the new MKII version has gotten speedier (but it is still slow) but I have successfully taken some action shots with the old slower version of the lens, shooting WIDE OPEN at 1.2!

The following sequence was shot with a Canon 5DMKI with the 85L at 1.2. The 5D and 85MKI actually kept focus, no problem!

Also, the image at the top of this page was shot at 1.2. While not the best way to shoot action, it is possible.

So what about the difference between the MKI and MKII versions of the lens? Well, the only difference I noticed in real world shooting was a SLIGHT improvement in focus speed in the new version. Canon also has new improved coatings on the MKII. Other than that, the image quality is identical.

One drawback to me with this lens is its size. Just like most FAST DSLR lenses, the 85L 1.2 is a monster and is very heavy. Attached to a 5DMKII you have one heavy kit, but when you review your images you may just forget about all of that weight.

For comparison, I took a shot of the 85L 1.2 MKII side by side with my Leica 50 1.4 Summilux ASPH.

As you can see, the Canon 85 is bigger and fatter and only longer due to its hood. It’s a stout lens and gives you something to hold on to. My little Leica is small, but with it’s copper barrel it is a pretty heavy lens itself.

As you can probably tell, I really love this lens. The ONLY negative to ME is its size and heft. I am a fan of the smaller M8, but there is no arguing about the quality of the 85L. It is has some of the most beautiful light gathering abilities I have ever seen when paired with a nice full frame body like the 5D or MKII.

For portraits, it is a winner, plain and simple. Shoot at ANY aperture and you will be rewarded with PRO results. I even took it out with me on hot summer day in Phoenix, AZ. It was 110 degrees, full sun and I was working on my homeless project. I took some portraits and while it did its job, I found the size of that setup to be a bit large for what I was doing. I did prefer my M8 and Lux for that type of shooting.

If I were still a wedding and portrait/studio shooter I would still own this lens. Still own? Did I not say I would NEVER sell this lens? Well, i did end up selling when I switched systems, but it has been a sale I have regretted since the say I shipped it off. I wish I still had this lens, and in a perfect world I would own both a killer Leica and Canon setup. But, in my REAL world, that is not possible.

For those who are researching or thinking of this lens, it is a no brainer. It really does not get any better and even Nikons 85 1.4 does not come close to the magic of this Canon masterpiece.

BOTH SHOTS ABOVE, 5D MKI, 85L MKII WIDE OPEN AT 1.2

One MAJOR strength of the 85L MKII that I have not yet touched upon is its low light ability. BOTTOM LINE FACT: In my 12 years of using all kinds of high end lenses and cameras, I have yet to find a lens that can suck in the light like the 85L. The Zeiss ZF 85 1.4 came close, but nope, not even in the same ballpark.

You can take a 5DII, crank the ISO to 6400 and slap the 85L to the body. Set it to 1.2 and take a walk. At night. This is what I tried just to see how it would do and I was amazed. The street sign below, in real life looked DARK. There was some light from the street light down the street a bit but man, the 85L sucked in every bit of that light and actually enhanced the image. You can shoot this lens in the dark and get usable shots. Best lens and camera combo I have used in low light has been the 5DMKII and 85LMKII.

In conclusion, I HIGHLY recommend this lens if you are a fan of fast glass. If you crave shooting in the dark, shallow depth of field, awesome BOKEH, and magical rendering then this is a world class lens. The AF is a bit slow when compared to many other USM lenses, BUT keep in mind that this lens has some MASSIVE glass elements inside so its heavy, thus, slow AF.

The Canon 85L MKII is a portrait shooters dream and it is a lens that can improve your photography. Unlike a camera body, lenses can dramatically change the look of your images. It is a but pricey, especially with the 2009 economy, but if you have the funds and want the Ultimate 85, this is the one to get.

B&H or Amazon is my preferred online vendor for all of my camera gear. Click here to go directly to the B&H Photo Canon 85K MKII page.

Buying from a link here will help me continue adding new gear reviews to the site. Remember, I do not make money from this site, but it takes money and many hours each day to keep it going! Any help I can get would be appreciated!