Canon has announced the launch of the new RF85mm f/1.2L USM portrait prime lens. Prime lenses with an 85mm focal length are sought after by professionals and advanced amateurs for their optimal distance to provide perspective, depth and the ability to capture beautiful bokeh effect. Now, the new RF85mm f/1.2L USM redefines what an 85mm lens can achieve on Canon’s new EOS R system.
As an L series RF lens developed for professional photographers using the EOS R system, the RF85mm f/1.2L USM utilises the wide diameter and short back focus distance of the RF mount to achieve an 85mm lens with a bright aperture of f/1.2, ultra-high resolution and autofocus function.
“The new RF85mm f/1.2L USM is an exciting addition to Canon’s expanding range of RF lenses. It embodies the latest Canon proprietary technology distilled into an improved version of the 85mm f/1.2 lens, which has been the go-to choice of professional portrait and wedding photographers for the past forty years,” said Edwin Teoh, Head of Marketing, Singapore Operations, Canon Singapore.
“The RF system has taken us into a new era and Canon is committed to continuously innovating and striving to deliver the optical excellence that is synonymous with the brand.”
All About Light
From a soft diffused glow to a spectacularly lit skylight, the mastery of light makes a vital difference to photography. With its large aperture of f/1.2, the RF85mm f/1.2L USM allows more light to enable photographers to control light exposure and its 9-blade circular aperture also delivers amazingly beautiful and soft bokeh effect. The f/1.2 aperture enables the capturing of sharp and crisp images in low light environments with higher shutter speed.
The 85mm focal length has been the ideal choice for portrait photographers, allowing them to create natural-looking portraits and producing beautiful bokeh in conjunction with large-aperture lenses.
The lens achieves a minimum focusing distance of 0.85m and 0.12x maximum magnification, expanding the shooting capability from close-ups of people to shooting small objects.
This lens is newly developed with 13 elements in 9 groups, including Blue Spectrum Refractive (BR) optical element in one location, one UD and one ground aspherical lens element to achieve superior image quality from centre to periphery even at the maximum aperture of f/1.2.
The RF85mm f/1.2L USM also features Canon’s Air Sphere Coating (ASC) to reduce lens flare and ghosting caused by reflections and improve image clarity and contrast when shooting into the backlight.
A New Sensory Experience with RF Mount & Control Ring
The RF85mm f/1.2L USM also features a new control ring found in the new RF lens series. Users can assign settings including aperture value, shutter speed, ISO sensitivity and exposure compensation. The control ring provides accurate tactile feedback in the form of soft click-stops to the user as they make adjustments.
When the control ring is operated alongside the main dial and quick control dial on the EOS R camera, the user will have three dials to set the aperture, shutter speed and ISO sensitivity respectively, it reduces the difficulty of operations that formerly required several steps.
It is recommended that users try assigning exposure compensation to the control ring during portrait shooting. For example, when shooting portraits outdoors and the lighting conditions change unexpectedly, users may use their left hand to operate the control ring and adjust exposure compensation while simultaneously focusing on using the shutter button with their right hand. The dust and drip resistance ensures high durability even when shooting outdoors.
Availability & Pricing
The RF85mm f/1.2L USM is available at all authorised Canon dealers from June 2019. Pricing will be advised at a later date.
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