Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM

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A bit on the expensive end, heavy... but worth it.

I saved 4 months to afford this lens and it is an absolute beast providing excellent images and most wonderful bokeh I have ever seen. I love the depth of field possible with the f/1.2 f-stop and like I said, the bokeh is amazing. It is very heavy and if you have a 5D with battery grip and this lens you would be holding 5+ pounds.

Price but you get what you pay for!

Probably could use a lower price point, then again, if you have use for 1.2, then I guess we should pay for it

I guess by now you've heard that from a technical standpoint the lens is fantastic. I also find the AF fast enough for its intended purpose......and that's portraits. Another aspect overlooked, is that this lens is FUN to use. I keep it on my Canon 5D every chance I get. If there people around, and I need some help with the lighting, you bet I'd have my 85mm 1.2L II with me. Great lens.

I also have the older version of this lens, and the focus ring is much tighter, and thus much easier to be accurate in MF situations. So I guess you could say that I would like the newer version's MF ring to be a bit tighter too.

Correction to KPV-1Ds' remarks: the original EF 85mm f/1.2 L also had an ultrasonic motor, the remarks below are misleading.

Huge lens with a huge price tag. Sloppy manual focus control.

Very inconsistant autofocus. Price I paid $1899.00 is a rediculous price.

I bought mine for a great price at Cord Camera in Columbus Ohio. At $1899, I still feel the lens is overpriced. My biggest issue with the lens was inconsistant autofucus on the 5D. 2 or 3 out of 5 images were not critically in focus. I compared it to my 85 1.8 at the same 1.8 aperture and the 85mm 1.8 was dead on sharp 5 of 5 times compared to 2 of 5 times with the 85L. I thought it was me until 3 other experience photographers had the same results. Two of them had the first version of the 85 1.2. I ended up repurchasing the 85 1.8 and returning this beast. In short, for me it was not worth the money considering it's problems. I will just use the 85 1.8 instead.

Very minor...Focus by wire.

I sold me old Mark 1 version of this lens in anticipation of this revised edition. I brought the old one to PMA 2006 to do an A vs. B comparison of focusing speed. I autofocused on a close target (about 3 feet away) with a half press of the shutter button. I lifted my finger, raised the camera and aimed at a distant target across the convention center. I would estimate the second, distant, target was 200 feet away. I half pressed the shutter button to achieve autofocus. I did this procedure several times with each lens, the Mark 1 and the Mark 2. The Mark 2 took 2 seconds and the Mark 1 took 3 seconds to achieve focus. So, it is measurably faster to focus and consistent with Canon's specs.
The optics are claimed to be the same and in all of the photos I have taken thus far, the quality is the same and there aren't any perceivable differences between the old and new optics.
The other two benefits of the Mark 2 are ETTL II distance data conveyance to the camera and flash and the use of a special coating on the rear element to reduce ghosting from the reflectivity of the digital sensor's glass filter.
All in all, I am happy to own this lens for the speed alone. But bear in mind, that does not mean it is a fast focusing lens. It is not! I generally haven't used this lens with a camera mounted flash as it is primarily used in a studio environment with strobes in manual mode. I also haven't ever experienced ghosting with the old version, but it is great that Canon thought to update the coating for digital use.

If you have never held an EF 85mm f/1.2, or a EF 50mm f/1.0 (also in my arsenal) for that matter, you have been missing a real treat! These lenses are so exquisitely made they simply drip with quality.

Most of Canon's newest lenses utilize USM's (Ultrasonic Motors) to drive the focusing mechanism. The EF 85mm f/1.2 Mark II now does as well. It does, however, use a focus by wire. It works well, but there isn't that tactile, instantaneous, feel of a normal mechanical focus lens. It is just a tiny nitpick, and not worthy of much weight in a decision to purcahse or not.

Regarding bokeh, nothing comes close. Shot wide open, the bokeh and particularly the bokeh in the area of background highlights, is simply beautiful.

Feel free to shoot by candlelight, this lens is very fast in that sense of the word!

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