New Canon 85mm f/1.2 L Mk II Lens - some questions, please help

Hi All,

I just purchased this lens and it arrived today. As usual I'm just doing some very basic checks on it to make sure all is OK, as this is a big investment for me.

I would be grateful if anyone who owns this lens could reassure me on the following:

1. With the lens off the camera, the focus ring rotates extremely easily (really easily!). The index scale also doesn't move as you rotate the ring. I've done a bit of research and it seems this is normal because the lens is 'focus by wire'. Does your copy behave the same?

2. When I opened the box, the lens pouch was in the top cardboard compartment along with the instruction / guarantee leaflets but was not wrapped in plastic packaging. I'm pretty sure every other Canon L lens I've bought has had wrapping around the pouch but I can't remember. Do you think this is normal or might it suggest the lens is ex-display?

3. The lens code indicates it was manufactured in October 2017, a full year ago. I just bought it from one of the leading web retailers in the UK. Does that length of time between manufacture and sale seem a bit odd?

Many thanks for any help

Rowan

1. Yes.

2. Don't remember.

3. If the lens works, then why care how long it sat around?

Add: one year is not long at all in fact for this specialist lens could easily be longer.

you’ve just bought an amazing lens so go out and take some great shots!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpPKoraQv9o

Hi thanks for the replies,

I just checked the box from my other recently purchased lens - the TSE 24mm Mk II, and the lens pouch was still wrapped in its plastic packaging.

I'm rather suspicious now that this lens has been used and returned by someone else.

I guess I will check with the retailer and Canon tomorrow.

Thanks again.

Rowan

John Hoffman - thanks so much for the link to the unboxing video. This confirms that the pouch should have been wrapped and nested in a polystyrene tray - both of which are missing.

Definitely something fishy going on here. I'll be returning it tomorrow!

Thanks again.

Rowan

What made you pick the 85 1.2 over the 85 1.4? Thanks

If it was  from a retail shop, they might have only got it out to show it to a customer, but sending it through the post without the internal polystyrene packing isn't a good idea. Was it well packed besides that?

Ps. There is currently £220 Canon cashback on the 85 F1.2 if bought from their listed dealers. Google Canon cashback 2018.

Just to add to that:

Put the lens on the camera with the lens switched to MF for it to focus when turning the ring.

With the lens switched to AF, the ring will only focus the lens after the camera has been locked onto a subject in One-Shot AF.

Not to hijack your question intended for someone else haha.

But I personally prefer the 1.2 for the overall image. Bokeh hands down is better with the 1.2. Also, to my personal rendering preferences, the 85 1.2 is sharper and has better image fidelity to me even wide open.

Thanks again for your help everyone - decided to keep the existing lens in the end because CPS assured me that this packaging arrangement is not uncommon. Nothing wrong with the lens itself so that's the main thing.

Cheers,

Rowan

Personal preferences is one thing, and they are, by definition, personal.

But if you just look at optical performance, then the EF 85 mm f/1.4L IS USM beats its brother, the EF 85 mm f/1.2L II USM, without a doubt. Add the stabilizer and the significantly faster focus operation to that, and the f/1.2 is trailing far behind. It's obviously better at one thing, though, and that's opening up to f/1.2.

Quantifying the bokeh is very difficult, so I'll refrain from that.