Canon 85mm f1.2 vs f1.4 ef Mount

Right now the 1.2 can be had for $1349 and the 1.4 for $1219 with Black Friday sales. I’m thinking of picking up the f1.2. I know a strong argument can be made for the 1.4 with image stabilization. After looking at images taken of people portraits on Flickr the images taken with the 1.2 seem better to my eyes. There is something special about this lens. The only bokeh comparison shots I’ve seen were not of people. Before I buy I was hoping someone who has had both or has seen comparisons of photos of people can weigh in on which one they like better. Tom

It really depends on your preference. I have never owned the 1.4, but considered switching from my 1.2 a while back so looked at it closely. Both are excellent. The 1.2 has that great feel to the images and the 1.4 is sharper, has stabilization, and much faster focus. If I still shot professionally I would definitely go with the 1.4, but now I just need one great image for a day and the 1.2 gives me that. If you are happy with the way the 1.2 renders and can accept missing some shots, go that way, otherwise get the 1.4.

I don't do many portraits, but I have both (MkII for the F/1.2), and both bought used.

The F/1.2L is "different" to other EF lenses in that its focus is "by wire", and doesn't work unless powered by a camera. Despite my getting quite a lot of use from my long owned EF 85 F/1.8, I've used my wider aperture lenses much less. The extra size and weight (and my increasing age) have had a bigger effect than I expected. The more recent EF 85 F/1.4 IS works well, and I really ought to get round to selling the F/1.2.

However, I have had some very sharp results from the F/1.2 but only after using flash and Live View focusing - and then my camera chose to focus on spectacle frames rather then the eyes... ...and that matters at F/1.2! I've found the 85 F/1.4 much more "normal" in ordinary usage.

I have the EF 85mm f/1.4 IS and so far it has been great, awesome optics, plus it's not common to see a large aperture lens with IS.

While I have the EOS R and RP, I have no plans in moving up to the RF 85mm f/1.2. For me I would lose more than I would gain if I do it.

cybergeek said:

Right now the 1.2 can be had for $1349 and the 1.4 for $1219 with Black Friday sales.

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$1349 is really good. Where?

85 with f1.2 is simply special, it throws the background out like nothing else. Okay, maybe a 105mm f1.4 or 135mm f1.8 does almost as much. Not as much.

Given the uniqueness of it I think you can even suck up the slightly slow AF.

The 1.4 IS has a bit of a problem with longitudinal chromatic aberration which could have you post processing more.

I'd choose the 1.2 if I made my money with staged shoots, the 1.4 IS if I were a dedicated natural light shooter.

If it were me, in the UK at least, if buying a f/1.2 they are going now very cheap used from dealers vs new prices - selling for much less than used f/1.4s... worth thinking about?

Thank you all for the input you provided. After much debate I ordered the 1.4 version. Part of what influenced that decision was I see myself upgrading to the next Canon pro mirrorless body with eye detection. I believe the newer lens when coupled with that body will do a better job and yield more keepers for the shots I tend to take. I am a natural light shooter outdoors doing events. Often the subjects are in motion. I've been using my 135mm F2.0 or my 70-200 2.8 MK II. I wanted an 85 mm to complement them.

Here are a few shots that are typical of what I shoot.

I sold my 85mm f1.2 a few weeks ago and bought a f1.4. I really never used the lens at f1.2 because it was too soft and there was purple fringing all over the place. Even worse, the focus motor was too slow for sports. The lens would just sit around for months until I could find something that it would work in.

I've used the f1.4 for three basketball games so far and its focus motor is certainly as fast the the 85mm f1.8, plus I can shoot wide open if I want good portrait of an individual player (although the 135mm f2 is still much better for that). If there is any significant purple or green fringing, I haven't noticed it yet.



If you still want a 85mm f1.2, the used market appears to be flooded with them right now.

wrong lens for wrong activity ;-) i'd never use a 85mm f1.2 for sporting event! and if you stop down the aperture then that defeats the purpose of having a 85mm f1.2. i'd get a 70-200 f2.8 II for indoor and a 100-400 II for outdoor sporting events!!!

1Dx4me said:

wrong lens for wrong activity ;-) i'd never use a 85mm f1.2 for sporting event!

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Thank you for agreeing with what I said.

BlueRay2 said:

and if you stop down the aperture then that defeats the purpose of having a 85mm f1.2.

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Again, thank you for agreeing with what I said.

BlueRay2 said:

i'd get a 70-200 f2.8 II for indoor and a 100-400 II for outdoor sporting events!!!

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So you're telling me what i should buy for shooting basketball?

Scott Larson said:

1Dx4me said:

wrong lens for wrong activity ;-) i'd never use a 85mm f1.2 for sporting event!

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Thank you for agreeing with what I said.

Scott Larson said:

and if you stop down the aperture then that defeats the purpose of having a 85mm f1.2.

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Again, thank you for agreeing with what I said.

Scott Larson said:

i'd get a 70-200 f2.8 II for indoor and a 100-400 II for outdoor sporting events!!!

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So you're telling me what i should buy for shooting basketball?

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i said I WOULD, read the sentence again, dear ;-)

1Dx4me said:

BlueRay2 said:

So you're telling me what i should buy for shooting basketball?

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i said I WOULD, read the sentence again, dear ;-)

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Yes, you would if you were me.

Scott Larson said:

1Dx4me said:

Scott Larson said:

So you're telling me what i should buy for shooting basketball?

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i said I WOULD, read the sentence again, dear ;-)

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Yes, you would if you were me.

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i never mentioned you, i can only speak for myself, so please don't make things up!!! i think you have comprehension issue that needs immediate clinical attention!

Again. I always say this. But we need more words for describing lenses. "sharpness" doesnt cut it. Theres many more ways to evaluate the level of details in a photograph taken with a given lens than just one persons opinion.. usually their opinion is confirmation bias based on the algorithm of an MTF chart. MTF charts are bad an incomplete science in my opinion.

We need to understand the algorithm in which a computer evaluates pass or fail. Also not to mention. Lenses perform differently with different color subjects and lighting levels.

The 85 1.2 L II is the best 85 in all of existence aside from the Zeiss Planar 85 1.4 maybe. Though I still prefer the look of the 85 1.2L II

It's been a while since i compared these two lenses, though when i did, I was extensive in my comparisons and samples.

The 84 1.4 whatever detail it does show, is much lower contrast and muddy looking compared to the af 1.2 imo. especially in the center the 85 1.2 kills it at any aperture.

The 84 1.4 might be better for hand held landscapes stopped down because of IS and it has more resolution beyond the rule of thirds at the sides of the frame.

There is more transmission of color and tonal variation with the 85 1.2L II. The 85 1.2L version 1 is largely the same as this however it has some slightly inferior coating and autofocus.

I use my 85 1.2 L II for sports. On the 1DXII it sends more juice to the AF motor compared to my 5DIV. This 85 along with most of the super telephotos is one of the only canon lenses that actually physically drives the motor faster when attached to the 1DXII or other 1 series bodies. Even on my EOS 1V's ( film bodies) This lens gets a boost in AF speed. And as long as your not trying to jump from the minimum focus distance all the way to far out close to infinity, than the lens AF accuracy makes up for its lack of psychical snappiness. It's extremely accurate autofocusing

Scott Larson said:

I sold my 85mm f1.2 a few weeks ago and bought a f1.4. I really never used the lens at f1.2 because it was too soft and there was purple fringing all over the place. Even worse, the focus motor was too slow for sports. The lens would just sit around for months until I could find something that it would work in.

I've used the f1.4 for three basketball games so far and its focus motor is certainly as fast the the 85mm f1.8, plus I can shoot wide open if I want good portrait of an individual player (although the 135mm f2 is still much better for that). If there is any significant purple or green fringing, I haven't noticed it yet.



If you still want a 85mm f1.2, the used market appears to be flooded with them right now.

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Interesting that you've not noticed the fringing on the 1.4 as everything i've seen shows the 1.4 to have the most CA of any L lens in canons lineup by far haha. Not that that can't be very easily corrected though. So for me that would be a non issue.

1Dx4me said:

wrong lens for wrong activity ;-) i'd never use a 85mm f1.2 for sporting event! and if you stop down the aperture then that defeats the purpose of having a 85mm f1.2. i'd get a 70-200 f2.8 II for indoor and a 100-400 II for outdoor sporting events!!!

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You should be more worried about the focus speed and field curvature of the 1.2
A lot of field curvature can turn what could be a good action shot of a person into something almost useless. I've had lenses like that before.
I don't shoot action at below f1.8 myself, just because an inaccuracy can fluff the shot. Depends if you like a full set of shots, or to get a few lucky really good ones.

threw the lens said:

1Dx4me said:

wrong lens for wrong activity ;-) i'd never use a 85mm f1.2 for sporting event! and if you stop down the aperture then that defeats the purpose of having a 85mm f1.2. i'd get a 70-200 f2.8 II for indoor and a 100-400 II for outdoor sporting events!!!

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You should be more worried about the focus speed and field curvature of the 1.2
A lot of field curvature can turn what could be a good action shot of a person into something almost useless. I've had lenses like that before.
I don't shoot action at below f1.8 myself, just because an inaccuracy can fluff the shot. Depends if you like a full set of shots, or to get a few lucky really good ones.

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agreed, 85 f1.2 has amazing narrow depth of field which is great for some outstanding portrait and dreamy bokeh.

hermit383 said:

I use my 85 1.2 L II for sports...

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Would love to see some samples at f/1.4 or f/1.2.

Scott Larson said:

If there is any significant purple or green fringing, I haven't noticed it yet.

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You've been very lucky! I'm very happy with mine but there can be noticable fringing, and this is a feature of the optical design so I wouldn't expect much if any copy to copy variation.