Canon is keeping up its hybrid mirrorless camera gear push with the launch of its fifth f/1.4 prime lens designed for photo and video, the RF 85mm F1.4L VCM.
I’ve already had some hands-on time with the portrait lens, pairing it with the superb EOS R5 Mark II, and I came away with pin-sharp portraits with buttery smooth bokeh.
The 85mm F1.4L VCM follows Canon’s 20mm, 24mm, 35mm and 50mm f/1.4 optics, all of which are identical in length and diameter, although they differ slightly in weight – the 85mm is the heaviest in the series, tipping the scales at 22.4oz / 636g.
That said, the 85mm F1.4L VCM a whole lot lighter, and cheaper, than Canon’s pro RF 85mm F1.2L prime (which is almost twice the price), and for most portrait photographers it’s the obvious pick, especially for those that shoot both photo and video.
The RF 85mm F1.4L VCM is far from cheap, mind – it costs £1,679.99 (US and Australia pricing TBC), with sales due to start on September 30.
Here’s how I got on during my brief hands-on session with Canon’s new lens ahead of its launch…
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The portrait prime that hybrid creators will love
Unlike most other Canon RF lenses, the company’s line of VCM optics, which now comprises five primes and two zooms, are designed for photo and video use.
Each lens features a click-less aperture ring for smooth adjustments while filming, Canon’s Voice Coil Motor, which drives the practically silent and rapid autofocus (hence the name VCM), and suppressed focus breathing.
With unified dimensions (you can see all five lenses side by side, above) and negligible weight differences, the idea is that video creators using a gimbal can easily swap between any of the five primes without needing to recalibrate.
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The new 85mm lens is the most telephoto of the lot, with a go-to focal length for portrait photography – during my brief time with the lens, it excelled for portraiture.
I grabbed a few outdoor portraits, seeking out dappled background light in order to pour over bokeh quality (those out-of-focus light orbs), taking like-for-like shots at f/1.4 and with the aperture closed down a little.
Check out the three portraits, above: in the first you can see that the bokeh is a little cats-eye shaped in the corner, but in the last its rounded throughout. In all the portraits I took, bokeh is buttery smooth.
There’s more contrast in the (second) portrait shot at f/2.8 over the f/1.4 version. However, I love the high-key dreamy feel at f/1.4. Also, detail in the subject’s eyes in pin-sharp in every photo.
That’s the beauty of Canon’s mirrorless camera gear, especially the EOS R5 Mark II which we awarded Camera of the year 2024 – autofocus performance is so reliable that you can relax into portrait shoots. Subject detection works a treat for animals too – check out the series of photos of a goose, below, taken at f/1.4, f/2, f/2.8 and f/4.
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Specs-wise, the lens has an 11-blade aperture, which for the majority of the frame makes for rounded and smooth bokeh. Minimum focus distance is 29.5 inches / 75cm, which renders a modest 0.12x maximum magnification – this is no macro lens.
This isn’t the first 85mm lens for Canon’s RF mount – there’s the aforementioned f/1.2 monster, and also a f/2 macro. But for portrait photographers, especially armed with a camera like the EOS R5 Mark II, or one of Canon’s cinema cameras like the new EOS C50 (see below), it’s a superb option. It’s not cheap, but it’s optically excellent.
Despite it being the fifth lens in the series of f/1.4 VCM primes, I can see the 85mm finding its way into the top two in terms of popularity, given the focal length, and those who buy it won’t be disappointed – it’s a fabulous lens.
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What do you think of Canon’s new RF 85mm F1.4L VCM, and the company’s growing emphasis on hybrid camera gear? Let me know in the comments below.
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