Canon announced the release of its new large aperture prime lens; RF85mm f/1.2L USM DS, the latest release in the L-series portraits lens. Inheriting the excellent optical design of the RF85mm f/1.2L USM, the RF85mm f/1.2L USM DS has a Defocus Smoothing (DS) coating, which is ideal for users who seek a smooth, beautiful bokeh expression with gradient soft outlines.
Unique DS Coating for Smooth Bokeh
With Canon’s proprietary vapour-deposited coating technology, the DS coating has the effect of gradually decreasing the transmittance of light from the centre to the periphery of the lens. This produces a smooth gradient bokeh that provides that beautiful expression as soft blurring can be achieved all around the outline of the bokeh. To optimise the effect, DS coating is used on the front and rear surface of the lens, allowing users to achieve high optical performance when shooting. The optical performance of the RF85mm f/1.2L USM DS, together with the previously released RF85mm f/1.2L USM lens, even surpasses that of the renowned EF85mm f/1.2L USM lens.
With the large aperture of f/1.2, the soft and smooth gradient bokeh effect of the DS coating is maximised. The unique DS feature of the RF85mm f/1.2L USM DS adds a special touch to images in various settings, ranging from weddings and portraits, fashion or lifestyle scenarios.
A Large Aperture Lens with Superior Resolution
When it comes to large aperture lenses, the 85mm focal length has been the ideal choice for portrait photographers, allowing them to create natural-looking portraits with beautiful bokeh in the background. The RF85mm f/1.2L USM DS has an optical design of 13 elements in 9 groups, including Blue Spectrum Refractive Optics (BR) optical element, 1 UD and 1 ground aspherical lens element. The BR and UD lenses help to greatly suppress chromatic aberration, resulting in excellent rendering performance.
The lens also features Canon’s proprietary Air Sphere Coating (ASC) to reduce lens flare and ghosting caused by reflections, as well as enhance image clarity and contrast when shooting back-lit subjects.
Thanks to its bright aperture of f/1.2 and 9-blade circular aperture, the RF85mm f/1.2L USM DS delivers beautiful and soft background blur. The large aperture also allows users to capture sharp and crisp images in low light environments with a higher shutter speed.
The lens achieves a minimum focusing distance of 0.85m and 0.12x maximum magnification, expanding the shooting area from close-ups of people to shooting small objects.
A Brand New Shooting Experience
The RF85mm f/1.2L USM DS also features a new “control ring” found in new RF lens series, allowing users to assign settings that include aperture value, shutter speed, ISO sensitivity and exposure compensation. The tactile control ring gives the user precise control allowing accurate adjustment without looking away from the subject.
When the control ring is operated alongside the main dial and quick control dial on the EOS R camera, user will have three dials to set the aperture, shutter speed and ISO sensitivity respectively, simplifying the complex operations that initially required several steps to achieve.
For flexible adaption to changes in the environment, users can assign exposure compensation to the control ring during portrait shooting. In the case when there is a sudden change in lighting conditions, the user can use one hand to operate the control ring and adjust exposure compensation while simultaneously using the shutter button with the other hand.
Being an L-lens for professionals, the RF85mm f/1.2L USM DS’s weatherproof construction also makes it dust and water-resistant, making it the perfect choice of lens for photographers who enjoy outdoor photography.
