Canon RF 85mm F/2 Macro IS STM

Specifications01

MountCANON RF

Focal length85mm

Max aperturef/2

TypeCinema · Macro · Portrait · Telephoto · Prime

Release year2020

Weight500 g

Filter size67 mm

Physical length90.4 mm

Min focus distance0.85 m

Max magnification0.5

Aperture blades9

Optical elements12

Groups11

Min aperturef/22

AutofocusYes

StabilizationYes

Aperture controlNone The aperture is controlled from the camera

Lens hoodbarrel-shaped (bayonet mount, optional)

TeleconvertersNot compatible

EraDigital era

Additional Info02

ModelMacro IS STM

FormatFF

SeriesRF

Category["Canon","Canon RF"]

Keywords["Canon","macro","Prime","Tele"]

Lens TypeMacro lens

Iris Blades9

Review AuthorKlaus

Other FeaturesControl ring, focus distance switch, 5 f-stop image stabilizer

Review VerdictJust like basically all fast, medium-tele prime lenses, the Canon RF 85mm f/2 STM IS macro is capable of delivering outstanding image quality. It's already very sharp at f/2 - even on a high megapixel body - and it's about as sharp as it gets at f/4. Lateral CAs are negligible. There's a slight degree of pincushion distortion but image auto-correction can eliminate the traces without significant side effects. A vignetting of 2 f-stops at f/2 is in line with other lenses in this class so an activated auto-correction is a good idea here. The quality of the bokeh is a bit of a mixed back. Out-of-focus highlights are nicely rendered in the image center but suffer from the usual cat-eye effect in the corners. While the foreground rendering is very smooth, the more critical background blur can be a bit busy. There's also a visible amount of LoCAs (bokeh fringing) at large-aperture settings which just can't be easily corrected. The build quality is generally good but it doesn't truly impress. An extending and quite wobbly inner lens tube feels like belonging to a past era really. Conversely, the truly ancient Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 and EF 100mm f/2.8 USM macro offer internal focusing. There is also no weather-sealing and the AF, while quite fast, isn't noiseless. So there are some aspects where you can feel that Canon had to cut corners. The quality of used materials is quite Ok but you don't get the impression that the lens body has been cut from rock either. A highlight is certainly the image stabilization system with a claimed efficiency of 5 f-stops (8 f-stops when combined with the camera IS). While we won't sign this figure with blood, the results are impressive nonetheless. However, despite a few downsides, the Canon RF 85mm f/2 STM IS macro remains a very desirable and versatile lens with a fairly attractive price point. As such - highly recommended! If you'd like to support our work, please consider shopping for this or other lenses via one of the following partners: * Amazon US * Amazon Europe * B&H US * Adorama US * KEH US (used gear)

Review Published2021-04-07T04:04:00+00:00

Optical Construction12 elements in 11 groups including 1xUD element

Field Notes02

Canon RF 85mm F/2 Macro is a prime macro lens for close-up photography and portraits, with in-lens image stabilization. It uses a maximum aperture of f/2 for subject separation in lower light.

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Catalog note · source: cinelenswiki