Hey everyone! Today, we're diving deep into the world of portrait photography, and specifically, we're taking a close look at the Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM DS lens. Now, if you're into photography, especially portraits, you've probably heard the buzz around this lens. It's legendary, dreamy, and touted as one of the best portrait lenses ever made. But, does it live up to the hype? That's what we're here to find out. I've spent a good amount of time with this lens, and I'm ready to share my thoughts, experiences, and a detailed Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM DS test to help you decide if it's the right piece of glass for your kit.

Unboxing and First Impressions: What's in the Box?

Alright, first things first, let's talk about the initial experience. Unboxing a high-end lens like the Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM DS is always a treat. You're greeted with a premium feel from the get-go. The lens comes in a sturdy box, ensuring it arrives safely. Inside, you'll find the lens itself, of course, along with a lens hood, a lens cap, and a soft case for storage and transport. The build quality is immediately apparent. This lens feels solid, well-built, and designed to last. The all-metal construction gives it a substantial weight, which speaks to its durability and quality. Canon clearly hasn't skimped on materials here, which is what you'd expect from their L-series lenses.

Now, let's talk about the design. The lens is quite large, which is no surprise given its f/1.2 aperture and the DS (Defocus Smoothing) coating. It has a sleek, professional look with a prominent focus ring that's easy to grip and use. The focus ring feels smooth and precise, allowing for fine adjustments. You'll also notice the distance scale, which is helpful for manual focusing. The overall design is clearly focused on functionality and performance, without sacrificing aesthetics. It’s a beautiful piece of equipment, and it's a joy to handle.

Beyond the physical aspects, the initial impression is one of anticipation. This lens is known for its incredible bokeh, the beautifully blurred backgrounds it can produce, and its sharpness. You're immediately excited to see what kind of images you can create with it. The anticipation builds, and you can't wait to get out there and start shooting. This first impression sets the stage for what is to come, and the Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM DS definitely makes a strong statement right from the start.

Key Features and Technology: What Makes this Lens Special?

Alright, let's get into the nitty-gritty of what makes the Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM DS tick. This lens is packed with features and technology that contribute to its stellar performance. One of the most significant aspects is its f/1.2 maximum aperture. This allows for incredible low-light performance and the ability to create that signature shallow depth of field, separating your subject from the background with a dreamy, blurred effect. This is a game-changer for portraiture, allowing you to isolate your subject and create stunning images.

Next up, we have the Defocus Smoothing (DS) coating. This is what sets this lens apart from the standard RF 85mm f/1.2L USM. The DS coating smooths out the bokeh even further, creating an incredibly soft and creamy background blur. This is especially noticeable in areas of high contrast, such as specular highlights, where the DS coating reduces the harshness and creates a more pleasing aesthetic. This feature is what gives the lens its unique character and makes it a favorite among portrait photographers.

Another key feature is the USM (Ultrasonic Motor) for autofocus. This technology provides fast, accurate, and quiet autofocus performance. You can quickly and confidently lock focus on your subject, even in challenging situations. The USM is a significant upgrade, providing a responsive and reliable autofocus experience.

The lens also features a nine-blade circular aperture, which contributes to the smooth, rounded bokeh. This design ensures that out-of-focus highlights appear as soft circles, adding to the overall aesthetic appeal. The optical design incorporates aspherical and UD (Ultra-low Dispersion) lens elements. These elements help to correct aberrations and improve image sharpness and clarity across the frame. The result is images with exceptional detail and contrast.

Finally, the build quality is top-notch, featuring weather sealing to protect the lens from dust and moisture. This is essential for shooting in various conditions, allowing you to capture stunning images regardless of the environment. The lens also includes a lens hood, which helps to reduce flare and improve contrast.

In essence, the Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM DS is a powerhouse of technology and features designed to deliver exceptional image quality and a unique aesthetic. It combines a wide aperture, special coatings, and advanced autofocus to provide photographers with a tool that helps them achieve creative and stunning results. These features are what make this lens such a sought-after piece of equipment for portrait photographers.

Image Quality: Sharpness, Bokeh, and Overall Performance

Alright, let's get down to the most crucial part: the image quality. After all, that’s what really matters. The Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM DS doesn’t disappoint in this area. From the moment you start shooting, you'll be blown away by the results. The sharpness is incredible, even wide open at f/1.2. Details are crisp, and the images have a beautiful clarity that really makes your subjects pop.

But the real star of the show is the bokeh. The DS coating works its magic, creating a background blur that is simply stunning. It's incredibly smooth, creamy, and dreamy. The out-of-focus highlights are rendered as soft, beautiful circles, adding to the artistic appeal of the images. The effect is truly unique to this lens, and it's what sets it apart from other lenses in its class.

When it comes to color rendition and contrast, the lens performs exceptionally well. Colors are vibrant and accurate, and the contrast is excellent, giving the images a beautiful dynamic range. There's no noticeable chromatic aberration or distortion, which is a testament to the quality of the lens design. The images have a professional look, with a natural feel and a pleasing aesthetic.

The lens also performs well in challenging lighting conditions. The combination of the wide aperture and the DS coating allows you to create beautiful images, even in low light. You can capture stunning portraits with minimal noise, and the background blur helps to isolate your subject and create a visually appealing result.

In terms of autofocus performance, the USM motor is fast and accurate, allowing you to quickly and reliably focus on your subjects. The lens is very responsive and can keep up with fast-moving subjects with ease. The autofocus is a critical aspect, and this lens doesn't disappoint.

In summary, the image quality of the Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM DS is outstanding. It delivers exceptional sharpness, a stunning bokeh effect, and excellent color rendition and contrast. This lens allows you to create images that truly stand out, with a unique aesthetic that is highly sought after by portrait photographers. This lens is a fantastic choice for those looking to create stunning portraits with exceptional visual quality.

Focusing Speed and Accuracy: How Does it Perform?

Let’s get into the specifics of focusing. How fast and accurately does the Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM DS nail focus? Well, the autofocus speed on this lens is impressive, especially considering the wide aperture. The USM motor is fast, accurate, and relatively quiet, making it suitable for various shooting scenarios. It locks onto the subject quickly, and the focus is generally very reliable, even in challenging lighting conditions. This is a massive plus when you're working with a shallow depth of field, as even slight focus errors can ruin an image.

The accuracy of the autofocus is another critical aspect. The lens rarely misses focus. Canon's autofocus system in its mirrorless cameras works exceptionally well with this lens. I found that it's able to accurately track moving subjects and consistently deliver sharp results. This is something that's particularly important for portrait photography, where you often want to capture subjects in motion, or spontaneous moments.

Compared to some other lenses with similar focal lengths and apertures, the Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM DS holds its own very well. It keeps pace and often surpasses the focusing speeds of many other lenses. It is a workhorse, not just for portraits, but also for events and weddings, where speed and accuracy are crucial to capture the perfect moment.

Another significant advantage is the smoothness of the focus transitions. As the focus shifts from one point to another, the transition is very fluid and seamless. This is essential for creating videos, where the focus pull is critical. It offers a professional-grade focusing experience, and it's one of the main reasons it’s a favorite among professionals.

If you prefer manual focusing, the focus ring is smooth and precise, allowing for fine-tuned adjustments. This level of control is appreciated, particularly when you want to achieve a specific look. The focus ring has a good amount of resistance, which prevents accidental adjustments. You can easily switch between autofocus and manual focus, giving you the flexibility to adapt to different shooting situations.

In essence, the focusing speed and accuracy of the Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM DS are top-notch. It's fast, accurate, and reliable, allowing you to capture sharp, beautiful images in various shooting conditions. This is what makes this lens an invaluable tool for any portrait photographer who wants to deliver consistent, high-quality results. The focusing performance certainly lives up to the expectations.

Real-World Performance and Handling: Shooting with the Lens

Alright, let’s talk about the practical side of things. How does the Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM DS perform when you're out there, in the real world, actually shooting? Handling this lens is a pleasure. It feels solid in your hand, and the weight, while noticeable, contributes to the overall feeling of quality. The size can take a little getting used to, especially if you're used to smaller lenses, but it's manageable. The smooth focus ring and responsive controls make it intuitive to use, even for extended periods.

One of the most immediate benefits is the low-light performance. The f/1.2 aperture allows you to shoot in very dim conditions without needing to crank up the ISO too high. This results in cleaner images with less noise, making it perfect for indoor portraits, evening shoots, and other low-light scenarios. You can capture beautiful, well-exposed images where other lenses might struggle.

The bokeh is the real star here. As you shoot, you'll see how the DS coating transforms the background into a creamy, dreamy blur. The separation between your subject and the background is exceptional, drawing the viewer's eye to the key element. This effect is noticeable and adds a unique aesthetic to your images, which is what draws many photographers to this lens.

The autofocus is another highlight in real-world use. It’s fast and accurate, which means you spend less time worrying about focus and more time focusing on your subject and composition. Whether you're shooting a posed portrait or capturing candid moments, the lens consistently delivers sharp results. This reliability is vital for professional work.

I’ve found that the Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM DS is particularly amazing for creating stunning environmental portraits. You can use the wide aperture to isolate your subject against a blurred background, while capturing their surroundings to give a sense of place. This versatility is what makes it a go-to lens for a range of photographic styles.

Weather sealing is another important aspect, which comes in handy when you're shooting outdoors. This feature gives you the confidence to shoot in various weather conditions, knowing that the lens is protected from dust and moisture. This is especially helpful if you’re shooting outdoors in unpredictable environments.

So, what's the overall real-world experience like? It’s simply outstanding. The lens feels great in your hand, delivers exceptional image quality, and performs reliably in a variety of situations. It gives you the tools you need to create truly stunning images, making it an invaluable tool for both professionals and enthusiasts. The Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM DS test results have proven that this lens is a joy to work with.

Pros and Cons: Weighing the Good and the Bad

Alright, let's take a balanced look at the Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM DS, weighing its strengths and weaknesses to provide a comprehensive evaluation. Starting with the pros: The image quality is outstanding. The sharpness is great, the bokeh is incredible, and the colors are vibrant. The low-light performance is superb, thanks to the wide f/1.2 aperture. The autofocus is fast, accurate, and reliable, and the build quality is top-notch, offering a premium feel. The DS coating produces a unique, creamy bokeh, and it provides exceptional subject separation. The lens also boasts weather sealing, making it durable in various conditions. Overall, it's a joy to handle and shoot with.

Now, let’s consider the cons: The price is a significant factor. It’s a premium lens, and it's priced accordingly. The size and weight can be a concern for some photographers. It's a large and heavy lens, which can be tiring to use for long periods. The DS coating does reduce sharpness slightly compared to the standard RF 85mm f/1.2L USM, which some photographers might prefer. Furthermore, the DS coating also slightly reduces the light transmission, resulting in a slightly dimmer viewfinder experience. Finally, the minimum focusing distance is not the closest of other lenses, which may be limiting for certain types of shots.

Who Is This Lens For? Ideal Users and Scenarios

So, who is the Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM DS really for? Let's break it down. This lens is ideally suited for portrait photographers who value image quality, bokeh, and low-light performance above all else. If you specialize in portraits, fashion, or wedding photography, and you want to create images with a unique, dreamy aesthetic, this lens is a fantastic choice. The shallow depth of field, the creamy bokeh, and the exceptional sharpness will allow you to produce stunning results that set your work apart.

It’s also an excellent choice for enthusiasts and semi-professional photographers who are serious about their craft and want to invest in high-quality equipment. If you're willing to invest in a premium lens and you appreciate the benefits it brings, then this lens could be a great addition to your kit. Its quality will definitely elevate your work.

Furthermore, it is also a great option for those who frequently shoot in low-light conditions. Its f/1.2 aperture is a game-changer when it comes to shooting in dimly lit environments. This allows you to capture images that would be impossible with slower lenses, such as indoor events, concerts, or evening portraits.

However, it's important to consider some alternative options. If you're on a budget, you might want to look at other 85mm lenses, such as the standard Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM (without the DS coating), or third-party options. But, if you're looking for the absolute best in terms of image quality and that unique, dreamy bokeh, the Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM DS is a worthwhile investment. It's a specialized lens with a specific purpose, and for those who value its strengths, it's an unparalleled tool.

Alternatives: Comparing to Other Lenses

So, how does the Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM DS stack up against its competitors and similar lenses? Let’s consider some alternatives. First, the Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM (without the DS coating). This is a great choice if you want the outstanding sharpness and image quality of the f/1.2 lens but don't need the DS coating. It offers similar autofocus, build quality, and overall performance, but with a standard bokeh rendering. It's a slightly more affordable option.

Another alternative is the Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art. This lens offers excellent sharpness, image quality, and performance at a more affordable price point. It’s also known for its reliable autofocus and excellent build quality. However, it won't have the unique, creamy bokeh of the DS version.

The Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM is an option if you shoot on Sony. This is a top-performing lens that delivers exceptional image quality, sharpness, and a beautiful bokeh. It’s a high-quality lens that rivals the Canon in terms of performance.

Then there's the Canon RF 85mm f/2 Macro IS STM. It's a more affordable option that offers excellent sharpness, image stabilization, and macro capabilities. It’s a versatile lens that’s a good choice for various shooting situations.

The choice between these lenses depends on your priorities and budget. If you want the absolute best image quality and that unique DS bokeh, and money is less of a concern, then the Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM DS is the top choice. If budget is a key factor, the Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art is a great option. For Sony shooters, the FE 85mm f/1.4 GM is hard to beat. If you want versatility and affordability, consider the RF 85mm f/2 Macro IS STM. Weigh your needs and preferences to make the right decision.

Conclusion: Is the Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM DS Worth It?

Alright, let’s wrap things up. After an extensive Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM DS test and countless hours of shooting, the answer to the question of whether this lens is worth it is… it depends. If you're a serious portrait photographer who wants the best possible image quality, a unique bokeh effect, and the ability to shoot in low light with exceptional results, then absolutely, it's worth the investment. The image quality, sharpness, autofocus, and build quality are all top-notch, and the DS coating creates a dreamy, aesthetic look that's hard to match.

However, it's also important to consider the price, size, and weight. It's a premium lens, and it comes with a premium price tag. The size and weight may not be ideal for everyone, particularly those who prefer a more compact setup. So, before you make a decision, make sure the strengths of this lens align with your needs and your shooting style.

Ultimately, the Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM DS is an exceptional lens that delivers outstanding image quality and a unique aesthetic. It's a dream lens for portrait photographers who want to create stunning images with a beautiful bokeh effect. If you're willing to invest in it, you won't be disappointed. But make sure to consider your priorities and budget before making the leap. Happy shooting, guys!