Lens dilemma: What will I be sacrificing if I buy the Canon RF 85mm F/2 IS STM for $599 instead of the RF F1/2 L USM DS lens for almost $3000?

dparker708

What will I be sacrificing if I buy the Canon RF 85mm F/2 IS STM for $599 instead of the RF F1/2 L USM DS lens for almost $3000?

wdross Loc: Castle Rock, Colorado

dparker708 wrote:

What will I be sacrificing if I buy the Canon RF 85mm F/2 IS STM for $599 instead of the RF F1/2 L USM DS lens for almost $3000?

You will gain a stop+ of light and a narrower DOF. It is probably a sharper lens with less aberrations. Is it worth the $2400 extra? For some, yes. For most of us, no. Still, if you want a very good lens and don't mind spending the money.....

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Everything?

Are you considering the RF lenses for the native RF mount? Are you considering the 85mm focal length for professional portrait / event photography? Have you considered the EF 85 f/1.4L IS instead? Or, the RF 70-200 f/2.8L IS? The w/ or w/o IS depends on your EOS model, which is?

bleirer

dparker708 wrote:

What will I be sacrificing if I buy the Canon RF 85mm F/2 IS STM for $599 instead of the RF F1/2 L USM DS lens for almost $3000?

The DS looks interesting, with Defocused Smoothing, described as a kind of radial ND filter built into the coating, making the area away from the center darker . Sounds cool for portraits.

https://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-RF-85mm-F1.2-L-USM-DS-Lens.aspx

dparker708

I do have the RF mount. The real question is how much will I sacrifice with any of the cheaper RF lenses?

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

dparker708 wrote:

I do have the RF mount. The real question is how much will I sacrifice with any of the cheaper RF lenses?

What is the purpose of either candidate lens? What is the "it" (or group of attributes) you fear you're sacrificing? Do you own any f/1.2 lenses today? Any f/2 lenses today? Any f/2.8 lenses today?

Canon now has 4 full-frame EOS mirrorless bodies, two with IBIS, two without. The availability of IBIS is one consideration, hence an earlier question about bodies, not lens mounts.

User ID

dparker708 wrote:

What will I be sacrificing if I buy the Canon RF 85mm F/2 IS STM for $599 instead of the RF F1/2 L USM DS lens for almost $3000?

Bragging rites (no typo).

User ID

wdross wrote:

You will gain a stop+ of light and a narrower DOF. It is probably a sharper lens with less aberrations. Is it worth the $2400 extra? For some, yes. For most of us, no. Still, if you want a very good lens and don't mind spending the money.....

Very decisive :-)

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

User ID wrote:

Bragging rites (no typo).

If people admire your superior lens. That's worth something, isn't it?

rook2c4 Loc: Philadelphia, PA USA

CHG_CANON wrote:

If people admire your superior lens. That's worth something, isn't it?

What people? For a non-photographer, a lens is a lens. Both lenses look very similar. And those who know lenses and their value, they would need to get really close to the camera to determine exactly what lens they are looking at.

User ID

CHG_CANON wrote:

If people admire your superior lens. That's worth something, isn't it?

$2400, apparently.

What I think I understand, from Canon Global, is that the 1.2DS is about t:2.0 wide open, but that as you stop down the t:stops will closely approximate the f:stops. So that is something else that you get for your $2400. Definitely really something else. It’s just unclear exactly *what* else ... or why.

User ID

rook2c4 wrote:

What people? For a non-photographer, a lens is a lens. Both lenses look very similar. And those who know lenses and their value, they would need to get really close to the camera to determine exactly what lens they are looking at.

When I rock a superior lens, peeps take notice ... ALL kinda peeps.

One time when my phone battery died I hadda whip out the Superior Lens. All of a sudden regular peeps, and even their regular dogs, decided to be Directors of Photography and Art Directors. Superior Lenses have superior outreach.

Scruples Loc: Brooklyn, New York

CHG_CANON wrote:

Everything?

Are you considering the RF lenses for the native RF mount? Are you considering the 85mm focal length for professional portrait / event photography? Have you considered the EF 85 f/1.4L IS instead? Or, the RF 70-200 f/2.8L IS? The w/ or w/o IS depends on your EOS model, which is?

If you have a good lens, why spend money for a better lens? Define Better. I don’t see that being with a 2400 dollar investment.

By the way, when I was in High School, my teacher said Keep a lens on your camera. To make it better, keep both eyes open.

I think that is a lot cheaper!

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

dparker708 wrote:

What will I be sacrificing if I buy the Canon RF 85mm F/2 IS STM for $599 instead of the RF F1/2 L USM DS lens for almost $3000?

Savings of $2401.00.

Blurryeyed Loc: NC Mountains.

dparker708 wrote:

What will I be sacrificing if I buy the Canon RF 85mm F/2 IS STM for $599 instead of the RF F1/2 L USM DS lens for almost $3000?

I am sure that the 1.2 has better optics, why not read some reviews before you decide, you may not need the more expensive lens for the photography you do, or, you may want the peace of mind of knowing that you have the best of the best. BTW, there are 2 Canon RF 85mm f/1.2 lenses out there, the higher price does not necessarily translate into meaning the best.

Good luck with your purchase.