Hey everyone! Today, we're diving deep into the world of photography with a close look at a truly special lens: the Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM DS. This lens isn't just any 85mm; it's got the "DS" designation, which stands for "Defocus Smoothing." Basically, it's designed to create some of the smoothest, creamiest bokeh you've ever seen. In this comprehensive review, we'll explore everything from its build quality and autofocus performance to its image quality and, of course, that dreamy bokeh. We will also test it in real-world scenarios to see how it performs when the pressure is on. So, grab your cameras, and let's get started!

This lens is aimed at professional photographers and serious enthusiasts who demand the absolute best in image quality and are willing to pay a premium for it. The Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM DS is designed for use with Canon's full-frame mirrorless cameras, offering a fast aperture, exceptional sharpness, and that signature DS bokeh. The 85mm focal length is a classic for portrait photography, providing a flattering perspective and a beautiful background separation. The f/1.2 aperture allows for incredible low-light performance and the ability to isolate subjects from their backgrounds with ease. The Defocus Smoothing (DS) coating further enhances the background blur, creating a dreamy and artistic look that's highly sought after by portrait photographers. We will check its performance with several tests and real-world shooting.

Build Quality and Design

First off, let's talk about the build. The Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM DS is built like a tank. It's a hefty lens, reflecting its high-quality construction. The lens features a robust, weather-sealed design, meaning it can withstand the rigors of professional use in various weather conditions. You don't have to worry about a little rain or dust with this lens; it's designed to keep working. The exterior of the lens is made of high-quality materials, with a sleek, professional look. The focus ring is wide and easy to grip, providing precise manual focusing when needed. This is a very important feature for a fast prime lens, where the depth of field is very shallow. The lens also features a customizable control ring, which can be assigned to adjust various settings like aperture, ISO, or exposure compensation. The overall design exudes a feeling of quality and durability, which is exactly what you'd expect from a Canon L-series lens. The weight might take some getting used to, but it also provides a sense of stability and balance when mounted on a camera body.

We really like the build of this lens, as it gives you confidence when shooting and makes you feel like you've invested in a quality product.

Autofocus Performance

Autofocus performance is crucial, especially when shooting portraits or any other fast-paced scenarios. The Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM DS utilizes Canon's advanced autofocus technology, providing fast, accurate, and reliable focusing. The USM (Ultrasonic Motor) ensures quiet and smooth autofocus operation, which is ideal for both photography and videography. The lens locks onto subjects quickly, even in low-light conditions, thanks to its bright f/1.2 aperture. Canon's eye-detection autofocus is particularly impressive with this lens. It accurately tracks the subject's eyes, ensuring that they are always tack-sharp, which is essential for portrait photography. The autofocus system is also very responsive, keeping up with moving subjects. Of course, the depth of field is very shallow at f/1.2, so precise focus is critical to ensure sharp images. The autofocus system of the RF 85mm f/1.2L USM DS performs admirably in this regard. While the lens may occasionally hunt in very low light or when focusing on complex scenes, overall, the autofocus performance is top-notch and a real strength of this lens. In our tests, it has consistently delivered sharp and well-focused results.

In our tests, the focus was accurate even at the maximum aperture, making it a reliable tool for professional photographers.

Image Quality and Sharpness

Now, let's get to the most important part: image quality. The Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM DS excels in this area. It delivers exceptional sharpness, even wide open at f/1.2. The images are crisp, with great detail and clarity. The lens minimizes chromatic aberration and other distortions, resulting in clean and accurate images. The colors are vibrant and true to life, providing natural-looking skin tones and accurate color rendition. The contrast is excellent, giving images a great sense of depth and dimension. The lens's ability to render fine details is superb, making it a great choice for portraiture and other applications where image quality is paramount. It's safe to say that the image quality is outstanding. The DS coating, which smooths the background blur, can slightly affect the overall sharpness, but the impact is minimal. The effect on image quality is mostly on the background, not on the subject.

Bokeh and Defocus Smoothing (DS)

This is where the Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM DS really shines. The "DS" in its name refers to the Defocus Smoothing coating applied to the lens elements. This coating is designed to soften and smooth the background blur (bokeh), creating a dreamy and artistic look. The bokeh produced by this lens is truly exceptional. The out-of-focus areas are rendered with an incredibly smooth and creamy quality. The edges of the bokeh circles are soft and gentle, with no harsh lines or distracting artifacts. The DS coating softens the transition between the in-focus subject and the out-of-focus background, making the subject stand out. The effect is particularly noticeable at wider apertures. The result is a background that melts away, isolating the subject and creating a beautiful visual effect. If you are looking to create portraits with a unique and artistic look, the Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM DS is a fantastic choice. The smoothness of the bokeh is one of the most remarkable features of this lens, and it's a key factor in its appeal to many photographers.

Real-World Test

To give you a better idea of how the Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM DS performs in real-world scenarios, we took it out for a spin. We shot a variety of subjects, including portraits, environmental portraits, and even some street photography. In portrait photography, the lens truly shines. The combination of the 85mm focal length and the f/1.2 aperture creates beautiful separation between the subject and the background. The bokeh is incredibly smooth and creamy, making the portraits pop. The images have a three-dimensional quality, with the subject standing out against the softened background. The autofocus system is very reliable, even when shooting at the widest aperture. The results were consistently sharp and well-focused, with excellent detail and color rendition. In environmental portraits, the lens performs equally well, allowing us to capture the subject in their environment while still maintaining that beautiful background blur. The lens is also a great choice for street photography, where the fast aperture allows you to shoot in low-light situations while still maintaining a shallow depth of field. Overall, the Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM DS performed flawlessly in our real-world tests, delivering exceptional image quality and a beautiful, dreamy bokeh. The autofocus was fast and accurate, and the lens was a joy to use. The test confirmed that this lens is a powerful tool for any photographer who wants to create stunning images.

Pros and Cons

Let's wrap things up with a quick rundown of the pros and cons of the Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM DS. That way, you can easily weigh them and make your decision.

Pros:

• Exceptional Image Quality: Sharpness, clarity, and color rendition are outstanding.
• Dreamy Bokeh: The DS coating creates incredibly smooth and creamy background blur.
• Fast Aperture: f/1.2 allows for great low-light performance and shallow depth of field.
• Build Quality: Weather-sealed and robust construction.
• Autofocus Performance: Fast, accurate, and reliable autofocus system.

Cons:

• Price: It is a premium lens with a high price tag.
• Weight: It is a heavy lens, which can be tiring during extended shooting sessions.
• DS Coating: The DS coating slightly impacts overall sharpness compared to the non-DS version, but this is a trade-off for the smoother bokeh.

Conclusion

So, is the Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM DS worth it? If you're a professional photographer or a serious enthusiast who demands the best in image quality and is willing to invest in a premium lens, then absolutely, YES! The lens delivers exceptional image quality, a dreamy bokeh, and reliable performance. The high price and weight may be a drawback for some, but the benefits outweigh these minor inconveniences. The Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM DS is a fantastic lens, a truly special lens that will take your photography to the next level. If you are looking for an 85mm lens with superb performance, smooth bokeh, and a high-quality build, the RF 85mm f/1.2L USM DS should be at the top of your list. I hope this detailed review helped you decide if this lens is for you. Happy shooting!