Canon 85mm Showdown: f/1.2L vs f/1.8 - Ultimate Lens Comparison! 📸 | Gear Review 🎥

Summary

In this video, we compare two Canon 85mm lenses: the L version f1.2 and the non-L f1.8. The f1.2 offers superior low-light performance and image quality but at a higher price and slower autofocus. The f1.8 is lighter, cheaper, and faster focusing, making it ideal for event photography. Both lenses are suitable for portraits, but the choice depends on your photography style and budget.

Takeaways

• 📸 The Canon 85mm f/1.8 is an older lens released in 1992, known for its fast autofocus and good bokeh.
• 🔭 The Canon 85mm f/1.2 L, referred to as 'The Keg', is a more recent lens released in 2006 with a massive aperture allowing twice as much light as the f/1.8.
• 🏭 The 85mm f/1.2 L lens has superior construction with a metal body and weather sealing, compared to the plastic body of the f/1.8.
• 💰 The L lens is significantly more expensive, with a new price around $2200 at launch, versus the f/1.8 which was about $700 new and now can be found for as low as $250.
• 📈 The L lens is part of Canon's top-tier product line, offering better construction, wider apertures, and faster autofocus.
• 🔒 The f/1.2 lens is extremely sharp wide open with creamy bokeh, while the f/1.8 has its own character and is also sharp but not as creamy.
• 📹 For video, both lenses perform well, but the f/1.2 offers superior separation and creamy bokeh due to its larger aperture.
• ⚖️ The f/1.2 L lens is notably heavier, weighing just over 2 lbs, which could be a consideration for long events or use on stabilizers.
• 🔄 The autofocus on the f/1.2 L lens is slower compared to the f/1.8, which might be a disadvantage for event or action photography.
• 🤔 The choice between the two lenses should be based on the type of photography one does, with the f/1.8 being more versatile for various scenarios and the f/1.2 being ideal for portrait photography in low light.

Q & A

What are the two Canon lenses discussed in the script?

The two Canon lenses discussed are the Canon 85mm f/1.8 and the Canon 85mm f/1.2 L version.

When was the Canon 85mm f/1.8 lens released?

The Canon 85mm f/1.8 lens was released in 1992.

What is the nickname for the Canon 85mm f/1.2 L lens and why?

The Canon 85mm f/1.2 L lens is nicknamed 'The Keg' due to its massive size and weight.

What is the difference in construction between the L lens and the non-L lens?

The L lens has a metal body and weather sealing, while the non-L lens has a plastic body and lacks weather sealing.

How much does the Canon 85mm f/1.2 L lens weigh?

The Canon 85mm f/1.2 L lens weighs just over 2 lbs (approximately 2.4 lbs or 907 grams).

What is the significance of the 'L' designation in Canon lenses?

The 'L' designation in Canon lenses signifies that they are part of the top-tier product line, featuring better construction, wider apertures, and faster autofocus.

How does the autofocus performance of the Canon 85mm f/1.2 L lens compare to the 85mm f/1.8?

The autofocus on the Canon 85mm f/1.2 L lens is slower compared to the 85mm f/1.8, which is a significant drawback for event photography.

What is the price range for the Canon 85mm f/1.2 L lens when new, and what is the current used price range?

The Canon 85mm f/1.2 L lens was priced at $2,200 when new in 2006, and the current used price range is between $800 and $1,200.

What is the advantage of the 85mm f/1.2 lens over the 85mm f/1.8 in terms of image quality?

The 85mm f/1.2 lens allows in twice as much light, providing better image quality, better chromatic aberration, and ghosting reduction.

How does the Canon 85mm f/1.2 L lens perform in video?

The Canon 85mm f/1.2 L lens performs excellently in video, offering smooth autofocus and great separation due to its wide aperture.

What is the main consideration when choosing between the Canon 85mm f/1.2 L and the 85mm f/1.8 lenses?

The main consideration is the type of photography or videography one does, as well as the importance of weight and autofocus speed in their work.

Outlines

00:00

📸 Canon 85mm Lenses Overview

The script introduces a comparison between two Canon 85mm lenses: the L version f/1.2 and the non-L version f/1.8. The Canon 85mm f/1.8, released in 1992, is praised for its fast autofocus and ability to produce good bokeh. The Canon 85mm L f/1.2, known as 'The Keg' due to its size, was released in 2006 with improved optics for better chromatic aberration and ghosting reduction. The L lens is positioned as a top-tier product with better construction, wider apertures, and faster autofocus, reflected in its higher price.

05:02

🔍 Physical Characteristics and Lens Lineup

The physical differences between the L and non-L lenses are highlighted, with the L version being larger and heavier due to its 1.2 aperture and metal construction. The non-L version has a plastic body but still features a metal mount. The L lens is more expensive, with prices ranging from $800 to $1,200 used, compared to the non-L version's $250 new price. The script questions whether an L lens is necessary, suggesting that the non-L version might suffice for many photographers.

10:03

🌐 Technical Details and Autofocus Comparison

Both lenses have an eight-blade aperture for circular bokeh. The L lens's 1.2 aperture allows for more light and separation, resulting in creamier bokeh. Despite not being an L lens, the non-L version has its own color characteristics and is sharp wide open. The autofocus of the L lens is criticized for being slow, which is a significant drawback for event photography, while the non-L version has a fast USM motor. The choice between the two lenses depends on the type of photography one does.

15:03

🎥 Video Usage and Final Thoughts

For video, both lenses perform well with fast enough autofocus, especially the L lens with its smooth focus ring. The L lens's 1.2 aperture provides excellent separation. The non-L lens, being lighter, might be more suitable for use on stabilizers. The script concludes that the lenses complement each other, with the L lens being ideal for portrait photographers who need the wide aperture and do not mind the weight or slow autofocus. The non-L lens is recommended for those who need a lighter, faster autofocus option, suitable for various photography types.

Keywords

💡Canon lenses

Canon lenses refer to the photographic lenses manufactured by Canon Inc., a leading company in imaging and optical products. In the video, the presenter discusses two specific Canon lenses, the Canon 85mm f1.2 L and the Canon 85mm f1.8 non-L, comparing their features, performance, and suitability for different types of photography.

💡85mm

85mm refers to the focal length of the lenses discussed in the video. This is a popular focal length for portrait photography due to its ability to compress perspective and isolate subjects from the background. The video compares two 85mm lenses, highlighting how their different apertures affect image quality and performance.

💡Aperture

Aperture in photography is the opening in a lens through which light travels to enter the camera. It is measured in f-stops and affects the amount of light that reaches the camera sensor, as well as depth of field. The video discusses the difference between f1.2 and f1.8 apertures, with the f1.2 lens allowing more light and producing a shallower depth of field.

💡Bokeh

Bokeh is a term used to describe the aesthetic quality of the out-of-focus areas in an image. A lens with a wide aperture, like the f1.2 discussed in the video, can produce a smoother, more pleasing bokeh effect, which is desirable in portrait photography for isolating the subject from the background.

💡L lens

An 'L' lens in Canon's lineup signifies a professional-grade lens with superior optics, build quality, and performance. The video contrasts the Canon 85mm f1.2 L lens with the non-L version, discussing how the L lens offers better image quality, faster autofocus, and weather sealing, but at a higher price point.

💡Chromatic Aberration

Chromatic aberration is a lens aberration where light of different wavelengths (colors) are not focused at the same point, causing fringes of color along contrast edges in an image. The video mentions that the L lens has better coatings to reduce chromatic aberration, thus improving image quality.

💡Autofocus

Autofocus is the system in cameras that automatically focuses the lens to achieve a sharp image. The video script compares the autofocus speed of the two lenses, with the non-L version being praised for its fast autofocus, which is crucial for event photography where quick focus changes are necessary.

💡Weather Sealing

Weather sealing in a lens refers to its ability to protect against dust and moisture, making it more durable for outdoor use. The video highlights that the L lens has weather sealing, which is an advantage for photographers working in challenging environments.

💡Image Quality

Image quality encompasses various aspects of a photograph, including sharpness, color accuracy, and contrast. The video discusses how both lenses have good image quality, but the L lens has a slight edge due to its superior construction and optics, which allow for better light transmission and image rendering.

💡Crop Factor

Crop factor is the ratio of the dimensions of the image sensor to the dimensions of a frame of film or full-frame sensor. The video mentions that on a cropped sensor camera, an 85mm lens effectively becomes a 136mm lens due to the 1.6x crop factor, which changes the field of view and is something to consider when choosing a lens for a specific type of photography.

💡Video

The video part of the script discusses the suitability of the lenses for video work. The L lens's smooth focus ring and robust construction make it ideal for video, while the non-L lens, despite being lighter, still offers good image quality and fast autofocus, which is important for video applications.

Highlights

Comparison of two Canon 85mm lenses: the Canon 85mm f1.2 L and the Canon 85mm f1.8.

The Canon 85mm f1.8 is a fast lens released in 1992 with good autofocus and bokeh.

The Canon 85mm f1.2 L, known as 'The Keg', allows in twice as much light due to its larger aperture.

The 85mm f1.2 L has better coating for chromatic aberration and ghosting reduction, and overall better image quality.

L lenses represent Canon's top-tier product line with better construction, wider apertures, and faster autofocus.

Price difference between the L lens ($2200 new in 2006) and the non-L ($700 new in 1992).

Physical differences: the L version is larger and heavier with a metal mount, while the non-L has a plastic body and lighter weight.

The L lens, weighing over 2 lbs, might be too heavy for long events, unlike the non-L at under 1 lb.

Both lenses have an eight-blade aperture for circular bokeh and good subject separation.

The L lens has creamier bokeh and is sharp wide open, while the non-L has its own color characteristics and personality.

Autofocus is a significant drawback of the L lens, being extremely slow compared to the non-L.

The non-L lens's fast autofocus makes it more suitable for event photography and videography.

The L lens's slow autofocus and heavy weight make it less ideal for event photography.

Both lenses are good for portraits, but the non-L is more versatile for different types of photography.

The L lens's 1.2 aperture provides incredible separation and creamy bokeh, ideal for video.

The non-L lens is lighter and more manageable for video work, despite the L lens's superior image quality.

The decision between the two lenses should be based on the type of photography and personal needs.

The non-L lens might be sufficient for most photographers, while the L lens is recommended for portrait and video work in controlled environments.

Transcripts

what's up guys welcome to Vertical bar

media today we're going to be talking

about two lenses today both Canon lenses

both 85s the first is the L version

version 2

f1.2 the first is the Canon 9l f1.8

we're going to talk about their physical

size to one another how they perform in

photo and video as well as compare and

contrast them so be sure to like And

subscribe and we'll get right in so

let's get started talking about these

lenses the first lens is the

859 L f1.8 it came out in

1992 it's very fast this is my personal

one and I've gotten a lot of good photos

with it it shoots the autofocus is very

fast even 1.8 is still great gotten you

know great bokeh with it the next one is

the 85 L among the forms this is known

as The Keg

nons surprisingly because of its massive

element of

f1.2 which lets in twice as much light

as this guy the 1.8 as you can just see

by the physical difference of

them this one came out in 2006 it had a

better coating on its Optics which

allowed for better chromatic aberration

and ghosting reduction and overall it

just has a better image quality next

we're going to talk about where these

lenses fall within the Canon lineup

one's an L one's a nonl what is an L

lens an L lens is the top tier product

line that Canon releases for the lenses

they have the better

construction wider apertures typically

and a faster autofocus and the price is

definitely reflected in that this lens

brand new is $2200 when it was first

released in

2006 now you can get it between $800

$1,200 I got a really really good deal

on this one otherwise I I would have

never purchased this lens this lens is a

nonl and its price is definitely

reflected in its construction this one

has a plastic body unlike this one

that's metal this one has no weather

ceiling unlike this one which does have

weather ceiling its aperture isn't as

wide unlike this one which is 1.2 versus

1.8 1.2

1.8 this is twice as much light as this

one

is and brand new when these lenses first

came out this was about $2,200 in 2006

this was about $700

in and uh in 1992 nowadays this is $250

and you can get this between $800 and

$1,200 that's very difficult for a hobby

is to digest so what I'd like to explain

today is do you really need an L lens

for this 85 I was really really

surprised by it as well we'll get into

that next so let's talk about the

physical characteristics of these lens

as I said earlier this one is the L

version of the 85 it's much bigger due

to massive 1.2 aperture it has a metal

mount in the back which is

great the nonl has a plastic body

construction it luckily still has a

metal Mount it's a smaller design

because the apure is smaller at 1.8 and

it still does a really really good job

as far as weight goes this one

effectually known on the forms as The

Keg earned its name coming in at just

over 2 lbs 2 and a/4 PBS to be exact and

the nonl is just under a pound at

93 and I've done long jobs before and I

couldn't even imagine carrying this

around on my body on my camera body

carrying around or even in my back I

could I would I know I would feel a

weight and it's definitely something to

consider thinking about a lens like this

if you do a events like I do you might

not want it because this is more of a

portrait lens as far as the autofocus

goes and the weight consideration as far

as Dimensions go this is 3 in 3.3 in in

diameter 3 in tall the nonl is 3 in tall

and 2.8 in diameter so they're just

about the same height and it's

unmistakenly that this is an L versus

this and it's signature Red Ring tells

you it's an L so everybody knows you'll

have a l you're shooting with the L lens

as far as how it looks on a camera uh

physically um they're both 85 on a full

frame but on a crop with that uh 1.6

factor it's going to be equal to 136

which is very very tight on a crop when

I had a crop in my 85 I I didn't use it

a whole lot other than for portraits but

once I got a 70 to 200 I didn't I didn't

really use it a whole lot until I got my

fullframe camera so those are a lot of

things to consider just the physicalness

of of these two lenses how much weight

they take up in your bag in your hands

or and how much space they take up in

your hands or in your bag next up we'll

talk about the technical details of

these lenses what uh details about this

are relevant to you as a photographer or

videographer

both lenses have an eight blade aperture

which make for very very circular bokeh

a good separation due to the low f- stop

you're going to have more separation and

more blurriness and more boka roundness

Bess from your from this lens just due

to the 1.2 aperture this one still is

very very solid lens like I've said in

the past it's in my opinion they're

almost just neck and neck like the the

trade-offs really determin which lens

you're going to get the the image

quality on them is both but once you use

this lens it's unmistakably an L versus

over this lens but even though this

one's not an L it still has its own

color characteristics that give it its

own character that even if it might not

be as sharp as the L wide open it still

produces very uh professional images

this one is going to have creamier bokeh

smoother and it is sharp wide open a lot

of lenses aren't Sharp you've heard

you're not supposed to shoot wide open a

stop or two above but with this lens you

don't even need to do that 1.2 wide open

very very sharp in the center and even

close to the edges it it's still very

sharp it's almost to the edge it where

it starts to lose its detail this one

not as much still very very sharp in the

center um but like I said it has its own

personality despite not being an

L where these lenses are very very

different from one another which is kind

of disappointing for me as a

photographer is this autofocus is

extremely extremely slow me as an event

photographer the first photo I took with

this camera and where I had to focus I

knew that it wasn't going to be a lens

for me it is so incredibly slow as an

event photographer I know if I shot with

this lens Not only would it wear me out

due to the two times weight that it is

from the other lens I know I would lose

shots and and honestly it's kind of

disappointing cuz I've had other L's and

their autofocus is extremely fast I've

heard that it's because there's more

steps in between the focus to be more

detailed with the 1.2 but still honestly

it is a little disappointing to pay um

some people pay $2,000 for the lens I

don't think they're I would think a

drawback would be in another area but

not compromise the actual performance of

the lens so with these with this L

versus other L's you really really need

to think about what you're using the

lens for this 8 both 85s both of these

85s are great for portraits but you want

a lens that you don't have to just use

for one type of Photography like I said

I've done portraits but primarily do

events I I pick this lens because the

autofocus is superior to the L lens

despite being a third or fourth of the

cost and I've used this lens and it's

incredibly fast in terms of how fast it

autofocuses and that's really really

something you need to consider and it's

a big drawback honestly but if you just

do portraits you're staying in one spot

you can switch between 85 or 135 or

something like that this lens might be

good for you your subject is staying in

stay in front of you the distance is

pretty consistent so I think this would

be okay if you strictly were a portrait

photographer but if you do anything else

M moving you're probably going to you're

probably going to want this

unfortunately I I hate to say it against

the L all right next up we'll talk about

the physical characteristics relevant to

photography using these lenses and

things to consider both lenses have a

eight blade aperture which gives it the

very circular boka that everybody

desires this one the L 1.2 is going to

have way more separation can let in

twice as much light versus the 1.8

aperture but both Bas are very very

solid both lenses take very very good

photos the L lens is going to have

creier bokeh it's going to have circular

bokeh and this lens is very very sharp

in the center wide open most lenses they

say not to shoot wide open like a stop

or or whatever above but this lens you

don't need to worry about that there's

no point of having the 1.2 if you can't

shoot at 1.2 and it doesn't come out

sharp it is sharp all the way through up

and up to the edges just barely outside

up to the frame does it start to get um

loose detail but even then it's it's

still there this lens is very very sharp

in the

center it doesn't hold its sharpness in

the center as well as the L does of

course but it has its own way of taking

in the Optics and it has its own color

profile different from the L lens which

honestly gives it its own character it's

like it's not trying to it's not trying

to be with the L lenses it's it it

really is its own

thing but where these lenses differ

where it's honestly the most

disappointing as a photographer is the

autofocus I cannot stress that the

autofocus is extremely slow on the L

lens despite its robustness and every

other area I read about the autofocus

being an issue in the reviews and I was

kind of concerned about it but from the

very very first photo I took with this

lens I could tell how slow it was and

being an event photographer I know if I

use the L lens not only only would it

weigh me down in my hands and in my bag

I know I would miss the shot more often

than with this lens the nonl has the USM

motor it's extremely fast especially on

my 1dx Mark I body um it it snacks it it

it goes right to the photo it's it

focuses when I push the button this one

it it it takes some time to get there

and I think that's due to the 1.2

aperture that there's more spots in

between the

focus to pick up for the more detail for

the 1.2 and it just it takes longer to

get there unfortunately which is kind of

a disappointment if you're buying this

lens new at

$2,000 but it really really makes you

need to consider what lens you're going

to be using this for are you a portrait

photographer if so that would be great

you're staying in one spot your subject

is staying in one spot the distance

between the two is pretty consistent you

you'll probably probably be all right

but if you do event if you do events

like me you're going to want the faster

autofocus unfortunately to say Canon

also makes a 50 1.2 so you don't have to

get this lens to have the 1.2 aperture

with something and if you're on a higher

megapixel camera you can crop that

in at at um at 50 and still get the 85

uh focal length cropping or framing that

that you would want to get anyway so you

really need to consider what kind of

photography for you what are you going

to be using this lens for this lens is

$250 as we said earlier and this lens is

like used is about $8 to $900 so what

what are the trade-offs that you're

going to get with where you spend your

money next up we'll be talking about

where do these lenses fall in terms of

using them for video for

video they're both very very good the

autofocus is fast enough as it needs to

be for for video especially with the the

L lens it has very very very very smooth

Focus ring on it I can barely touch my

finger on it and it turns the

autofocus and it has the L

light it has the L Construction which

makes it durable for any kind of filming

environment and also the 1.2 gives you

incredible Separation on your video I

really really can't stress that enough

it's it's so cool having a one .2 it

it's so

creamy and for video it it really just

produces an incredible image for the for

the nonl it's the image is still up

there but in comparison to the 85 it's

still you can still tell the difference

that it's not a l but overall it's still

very very sharp for video you might want

to consider the weight sizes on this as

I said earlier this comes in a little

over 2 lbs this comes in at at at one

pound so this is twice as heavy so how

does that feel on a stabilizer how does

that feel in your camera bag um cing it

around onset offset to different sites

um and and locations for filming and

honestly this lens is extremely

heavy so let's kind of recap what we

learned today and dissect what we talked

about the Canon 85l is a true

representation of an L lens overall it's

just great quality great image quality

it represents everything that's that's

great with Canon great bokeh great color

sharpness all the way through the

aperture range overall it's just it's

just a great lens if you're a pro you're

definitely going to be happy um getting

this with your money it's it's going to

be money well spent for sure delivering

high quality images to your

clients the Canon L lens unfortunately

is the embodiment of a non- l lens it

it's plastic it's lighter but we're

their differences are I really really

think those are their strengths like if

you want a 85 that's not heavy that's

this one if you want a 85 that has fast

autofocus that's this one so I think

they really really complement each other

so where their strengths are the

opposite is great for video this

autofocus is might be kind of slow for

other types of Photography but it's

perfect for video this autofocus is

great for photo and video this one's

heavy this one would be lighter in a

stabilizer so I really really think they

complement each other I wish that there

was another 85 kind of lower than this

but above this but Canada doesn't have a

lineup like that unfortunately it's

either what they give you or the best

that they give you unfortunately so you

really have to decide and like I said

earlier you have to think about what

kind of Photography you're doing what

kind of lens you got to think about what

kind of Photography you're doing and how

that lens fits into your

lineup luckily most lenses don't have

huge drawbacks that make you want to go

toward the budget friend toward the

budget friendly one over the high-end

one I very rarely think that happens but

in this case it's it's honestly pretty

close um I got a really really good deal

on this lens and I was

hoping I was I was hoping I wouldn't

like this one so much that I would keep

it and you know I would basically be

buying a lens I was wasn't trying to buy

but I think I am going to sell it and

I'm okay with that because this lens

I've had for almost 10 years and I've

never thought I need a 85 L maybe a 50 L

honestly because I still have the older

1.4 Canon one but there's other L lenses

to get that I think could better suit

your kit if you're kind of a more

well-rounded

photographer and those are other lges to

consider I don't think this one is it I

think this one is you're totally okay

getting the non-l version but if you're

a portrait photographer you are going to

want this one this is this is the lens

to have if you can fit it on your

stabilizer any you do video this is the

lens to have if you just shoot in dark

environments and nothing else matters

but letting in as much light as possible

this is the lens to have so it really

just depends across the board of where

your camera is going to be at and what

your subject is how much light you have

how fast are they even moving so those

are all things to consider all right

guys that's going to wrap it up we hope

you enjoyed the footage today and we

hope you learned something and if you

knew everything we said in this video

today we hope you just enjoyed looking

at some beautiful camera gear everyone

at vertical bar media we appreciate your

support and we'll see you next time