Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

Canon launches an iconic lens for a new generation - the RF ...

08/05/2019

Canon launches an iconic lens for a new generation - the RF 85mm F1.2L USM - offering Canon's highest resolution yet*

United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, 8th May 2019 - Canon Europe, world leader in lens manufacturing, today builds on its ongoing commitment to photographers, with the launch of the latest generation of Canon's iconic 85mm f/1.2L lens, the RF 85mm F1.2L USM. Offering the highest resolution of a Canon lens launched to date, it features a super-fast aperture and outstanding AF speeds, making it ideal for capturing candid portraiture and wedding photography. Following Canon's lens development announcement in February, the RF 85mm F1.2L USM is the first of six RF mount lenses being introduced by Canon in 2019. This lens, endorsed by award-winning Canon Europe Ambassador F licia Sisco, will take users of the legendary EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM to the next level of performance. All six RF lenses will offer incredible quality and versatility for those looking to get the perfect shot.

Canon Europe Ambassador - award-winning wedding photographer F licia Sisco

RF 85mm F1.2L USM

Image by F licia Sisco using Canon's EOS R and the new RF 85mm F1.2L USM

Impressive resolution for every detail

Designed for the EOS R System, the RF mount redefines the possibilities of photography and videography, providing the tools for users to enhance their skills and shoot creatively without limitations. Developed in line with technological advancements and end user feedback, the RF 85mm F1.2L USM uses the RF mount's advanced possibilities to enhance image quality and communication between the lens and the full-frame mirrorless camera body.

The 85mm short telephoto lens provides the ideal focal length for portraits and a flattering perspective for faces. The RF 85mm F1.2L USM is only the second lens in Canon's line-up, after the EF 35mm f/1.4L II USM, to use Canon's unique BR optic technology, which effectively corrects axial chromatic aberration that is not completely correctable with a combination of traditional glass lenses - improving resolution and sharpness. Ensuring incredibly high image quality for every shot, the aspherical and UD lens elements reduce lens aberrations enabling stunning optical performance.

High-speed, high-quality

The RF 85MM F1.2L USM is one of Canon's fastest aperture autofocus lenses for its full-frame mirrorless range of cameras. When coupled with the short telephoto length and Dual Pixel CMOS AF, the fast f/1.2 aperture creates stunning shallow depth of field, bokeh and background separation. The lens aperture makes the subject leap from the image, whilst the nine-aperture blade system enhances the subject against the smoothly blurred background, ideal for portraiture photography. The ultra-wide aperture transmits 50 per cent more light than a f/1.4 lens for shooting in challenging, lighting conditions - down to -6EV (EOS R) and -5EV (EOS RP) - capturing the atmosphere in every moment.

Using the same ring type USM motor as the RF 50mm F1.2L USM, the RF 85mm F1.2L USM ensures sharp focus is found swiftly and accurately, allowing objects to be tracked as they move around the frame. Coupled with a new microprocessor, which uses a new high-performance CPU and firmware, the lens utilises the EOS R system increasing data transfer, resulting in faster operation and AF, allowing the photographer to capture split-second moments.

Exceptional handling and durability

Incorporated in Canon's RF lenses is a control ring - where settings are programmable to TV, AV, ISO and exposure setting - adds a layer of customisation, making it ideal for wedding photographers who need ranging settings for both perfect candid moments and beautifully modelled shots. The lens is also equipped with a full-time manual focus ring, which allows manual focusing by turning the focusing ring, without the need to switch to MF mode. Ideal for shooting outdoors, or on location, the RF 85mm F1.2L USM features the iconic L-series weatherproofing, sealing the lens to protect against adverse weather conditions when shooting outdoors or on location.

Award-winning wedding photographer and Canon Ambassador, F licia Sisco commented, As a wedding - and portrait - photographer, I need to be able to trust my tools so that I can focus on the subject and tell their story. I have been using Canon's iconic 85mm 1.2 lens for over 20 years because of its speed and wide-aperture which guarantees beautiful images, even in low light.

The new RF 85mm F1.2L USM is better than I could have imagined. This lens produces a depth of field and bokeh that is impossible to achieve with other lenses and I already know it will become a staple in my kitbag. It separates the subject from the background and delivers a sharp focus on the subject's eyes which is simply breath-taking, capturing every special moment.

Read more about our Canon Ambassadors' experience with the RF 85mm F1.2L USM on location:

https://www.canon.co.uk/pro/

For standalone product information on the RF 85mm F1.2L USM, please visit:

https://www.canon.co.uk/lenses/rf-lenses/

RF 85mm F1.2L USM Key Features:

Extreme high performance 85mm prime lens

85mm focal length to provide flattering perspective ideal for portraits

Very Large f/1.2 aperture with 9-aperture blade for superior low light performance and smooth background blur

BR optics (Blue Spectrum Refractive optics) reduce chromatic aberration ensuring the highest image quality

Aspherical and UD elements ensure the highest resolution across of the image

USM motor for smooth, near-silent operation

Control Ring - giving direct control over Tv/Av/ISO settings

ASC (Air Sphere Coating) prevents flare and ghosting from deteriorating image quality

Pricing & availability:

The following products will be available from Canon's online store and official
LINK: https://www.canon.co.uk/press-centre/press-releases/2019/05/iconic-len...
See more stories from canon

Most recent headlines

05/01/2027

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be demoed at CES 2026

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...

04/08/2026

Dalet Announces Commercial Availability of Dalia, Bringing Media-Aware Agentic AI to Enterprise Productions

Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...

04/07/2026

Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in Dolby Cinemas Across Japan, Presented in Dolby Atmos and Dolby ...

April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...

05/06/2026

LSUs Sarah Ramundt on Celebrating the One-Year Anniversary of The Brand

The university-wide initiative has pushed their creative content to a new level Although collegiate athletics at a single institution can contain numerous spo...

05/06/2026

SVG GameDay, Ep. 18: New York Islanders Brooklyn Boyars - A Career Filled With Championships

In-venue and creative video staffers at the professional and collegiate level ha...

05/06/2026

Synamedia Enters New Chapter Following Lumine Group Acquisition Agreement

Synamedia has announced that Lumine Group has agreed to acquire its Video Network business. The company is positioning the transition as the start of a new phas...

05/06/2026

Ateme, BCE, and Scaleway Announce Sovereign Cloud Media Supply Chain Partnership

Ateme, Broadcasting Center Europe (BCE), and Scaleway have announced a strategic partnership to deliver a cloud-based media supply chain covering ingest through...

05/06/2026

Audinate Adds Three Models to Dante AVIO Install Adapter Line

Audinate has announced three new additions to its Dante AVIO Install adapter series: a 4-Channel Analog Input, a 4-Channel Analog Output, and a 2-Ch In/2-Ch Out...

05/06/2026

Sportradar Extends Data and AV Betting Rights Agreement for Wimbledon Beyond 2026

Sportradar Group AG has announced a multi-year extension of its exclusive global...

05/06/2026

M6 Group to Broadcast FIFA World Cup 2026 in 4K UHD via Fransat Satellite Platform

The M6 Group will broadcast FIFA World Cup 2026 matches live and in Ultra High D...

05/06/2026

The Athletic Adds PGA TOUR Highlights to Golf Coverage

The Athletic has announced that PGA TOUR highlights will be integrated into its golf coverage beginning with the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday. PGA T...

05/06/2026

Op-Ed: Beyond the Stadium: Why Real-Time Visual Intelligence Will Define World Cup 2026 Security

When the FIFA World Cup arrives in North America in 2026, it will bring more tha...

05/06/2026

FIFA+ Launches Exclusively on DAZN

FIFA and DAZN have announced the launch of FIFA exclusively on DAZN, consolidating FIFA's content portfolio within DAZN's sports platform. The move fol...

05/06/2026

Telemundo Announces Group Stage Broadcast Schedule and Talent Assignments for FIFA World Cup 2026

Telemundo's exclusive Spanish-language coverage of the FIFA World Cup 2026 G...

05/06/2026

Peacock to Stream Telemundos FIFA World Cup 2026 Coverage in Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos

Dolby Laboratories and NBCUniversal have announced that Peacock will stream Tele...

05/06/2026

Formula 1 Extends Las Vegas Grand Prix Through 2037

Formula 1 has announced a 10-year extension to keep the Las Vegas Grand Prix on the F1 calendar through 2037. Las Vegas Grand Prix, Inc., Clark County, and the ...

05/06/2026

Inside SailGP New York: How Riedel Provides Tech Backbone for Challenging Production Effort

The broadcast-engineering team overcomes wind, speed, and salt water - and dista...

05/06/2026

Virtual Eye Powers Broadcast Graphics Across Golf Productions in Busy Three-Event Week

Deploying both onsite and remote crews, the company is providing calibrated-came...

05/06/2026

ESPN Pivots From REMI to Full On-Site Production for UFL Playoff Game on Daytonas Blank Canvas

With Inter&Co Stadium unavailable, ESPN's UFL team rebuilt its broadcast pla...

05/06/2026

Free Registration for SVG Regional Sports Production Summit Ends Today!

One of the most exciting and informative events on the SVG annual event calendar is the Regional Sports Production Summit, an annual gathering of industry profe...

05/06/2026

FOX Returns to Saratoga Race Course for 158th Running of Belmont Stakes

For the race's third year at the historic racetrack, the broadcaster has added cameras and will incorporate multiple drones The 158th edition of the Belmon...

05/06/2026

Ratings Roundup: NBCs Spurs-Thunder Game 7 Best Since 2016, ESPNs Stanley Cup Final Opener Hits Seven-Year High

Ratings Roundup is a rundown of recent rating news and is derived from press rel...

05/06/2026

Sonuscore release LUX Orchestral Strings Essentials

Built from the same recordings as flagship library Sonuscore's LUX Orchestral Strings has been met with widespread praise since its launch in late 2025,...

05/06/2026

RME unveil the ADI-2 Pro EX

High-end converter, interface & headphone amp upgraded Said to represent the next evolution of RME's all-in-one reference converter concept, the all-new...

05/06/2026

Soundgas Sounds: Latest prize draw announced

Win a Soundgas Type 636P & Type G preamps Soundgas, one of the UK's leading vintage and boutique audio equipment specialists have just announced the lau...

05/06/2026

New leadership of Technology Systems Division at Rohde & Schwarz

New leadership of Technology Systems Division at Rohde & Schwarz On July 1, 2026, Hansj rg Herrbold and Andreas H gele will take over as Executive Vice Presid...

05/06/2026

Hitachi and Intel announce strategic collaboration to accelerate AI transformation across key industries

Hitachi and Intel announced a strategic collaboration to explore opportunities t...

05/06/2026

Nielsen, Mediaocean Announce New Integration to Power The Next Phase of Data-Driven Linear, Advanced Audience Measurement

MRI-Simmons and S&P Global Mobility are expanding advanced audience capabilities...

05/06/2026

Latest Nielsen data reveals insurance advertising climbs as Australians weigh cost, cover and loyalty

New Nielsen data shows insurance ad spend grew 11%, while consumers remain highl...

05/06/2026

Nielsen Adds New Audience Data Partnerships

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

05/06/2026

ASG Promotes Joe Marchitto to Western Regional CTO

ASG Promotes Joe Marchitto to Western Regional CTO Brie Clayton June 5, 2026 0 Comments Appointment to Support Engineering Alignment and Client Experi...

05/06/2026

Stargate Studios Colombia Uses DaVinci Resolve Studio for Vertical Microdramas

Stargate Studios Colombia Uses DaVinci Resolve Studio for Vertical Microdramas Brie Clayton June 5, 2026 0 Comments End to end post in one platform al...

05/06/2026

People Need to Come First When We Use AI

People Need to Come First When We Use AI Andy Marken June 5, 2026 0 Comments It's just surviving. Life's very existence requires destruction....

05/06/2026

Fahad Haider Joins NESN as VP, Operations and Engineering

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

05/06/2026

GatesAir Opens New Brazil Office to Back DTV+ Rollout

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

05/06/2026

Supreme Court Upholds FCC's Authority to Levy Fines

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

05/06/2026

Montclair State University Will Run NJ PBS

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

05/06/2026

Merkhet's Sam Matheny Urges Congress to Expedite BPS Deployment

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

05/06/2026

Sinclair Launches NextGen TV Campaign in Columbus, Ohio

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

05/06/2026

NAB Releases New Keep the Game On' Spot

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

05/06/2026

NCTC, ACAC Going to Disney World for Independent Show

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

05/06/2026

Nielsen Announces New Integrations for Improved Measurement

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

05/06/2026

Frequency Launches In-Scene Advertising to Accelerate Str...

Frequency, the engine powering many of the world's leading streaming television channels, today announced the launch of In-Scene Advertising, a new monetiza...

05/06/2026

Berklee Study Reveals Video Has Become Essential to Music Careers

Berklee Study Reveals Video Has Become Essential to Music Careers Survey findings show social platforms have become the primary source of music for video cont...

05/06/2026

VEON's Kyivstar to Expand Digital Mobility Ecosystem with Acquisition of E-wings by Uklon

05 Jun 2026 VEON's Kyivstar to Expand Digital Mobility Ecosystem with Acqui...

05/06/2026

RT Radio 1 Folk Awards 2026 Date Announcement

RT Radio 1 Folk Awards to take place on Tuesday 10th November 2026, Vicar Street, Dublin Moya Brennan, D nal Lunny, Mary Black and Christy Moore among previou...

04/06/2026

Sony's New PTZ Cameras Deliver 4K 60p; New STARVIS Sensor Meets Low-Light Demands

Sony Electronics is introducing the SRG-AS10, a 4K 60p-compatible PTZ auto-frami...

04/06/2026

SVG Students To Watch: Alex Albert, Texas A&M University

This recent grad from Spring, TX, led creative-video output for the Aggies' men's basketball team last season and has been producing video and creating ...

04/06/2026

USGA Brings AI Recaps, 3D Range Tracking, and Predictive Shot Tracing to U.S. Womens Open

For the first time at a women's golf major, every player in the field will r...

04/06/2026

Panasonic PT-RQ45 Projectors Power Lille Video Mapping Festival Opera House Installation

Three Panasonic PT-RQ45 40,000-lumen 3-Chip DLP projectors made their first live...