Canon RF 85mmf/1.2L vs. f/1.2L DSRegular vs. Defocus SmoothingIntro Specifications & Performance R3 R5 R5C R6 II R6 R R8 RP R7 R10 R50 R100 Bodies Compared RF Lenses EF Lenses Flash
I got my RF 85mm f/1.2L at B&H. I'd also get mine at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay. I got my RF 85mm f/1.2L DS at B&H. I'd also get mine at Adorama, at Amazon or at at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay. This all-content, junk-free website's biggest source of support is when you use those or any of these links to approved sources when you get anything, regardless of the country in which you live. Thanks for helping me help you! Ken.
August 2020 Better Pictures Canon Reviews Mirrorless RF Lenses EF Lenses Flash All Review Why Fixed Lenses Take Better Pictures Introduction topIntro Specifications & Performance
These two lenses use the same optics, mechanics, weather sealing and electronics. They are the same lens, with the notable exception that the DS "Defocus Smoothing" lens has two additional non-removable dark-edged graduated "apodization" neutral density filter coatings: RF 85mm f/1.2L DS internal optical construction. Note two filter coatings. bigger. While looking through the regular RF 85mm f/1.2L shows just a clear circle like most lenses, you can see the effects of the dark-edged filters in the RF 85mm f/1.2L DS. They smooth the transition between the clear center area and the black edge: Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM DS. bigger. This makes out-of-focus points of light appear not simply as hard-edged circles as they do with most lenses, but instead as soft blobs with no edge, just as you see when looking through the lens like this. Smooth bokeh comes from having no hard edges on defocused points of light, also called blur circles. The blur circles from the DS lens at f/1.2 aren't circles or discs; they're simply nondescript Gaussian blobs with no edges and therefore no ability to create distractions in the background from "false resolution" caused by hard edges. No matter how far out of focus something may be, if you have points of light in the subject they can create hard-edged circles in defocused backgrounds, making backgrounds unsmooth, busy or distracting. The differences between these lenses are most obvious at f/1.2. At smaller apertures, say by f/2 and smaller, the diaphragm covers the softly graduated edges of the apodization filters, and the effect goes away. If you're shooting at apertures from about f/2.8 and smaller, these lenses perform exactly the same. Even at f/2 they perform almost identically; the differences are only apparent wide-open at f/1.2 and f/1.4.
Specifications & Performance topIntro Specifications & Performance If you're shooting at apertures from about f/2.8 and smaller, these lenses perform exactly the same. Even at f/2 they perform almost identically; the differences are only apparent wide-open at f/1.2 and f/1.4.
Bokeh topIntro Specifications & Performance Bokeh is the feel, character or quality of out-of-focus areas, not how far out of focus they are. In these images, the regular f/1.2 lens puts things more out-of-focus at f/1.2 than the DS lens does at f/1.2, but the DS lens does it more smoothly with no false resolution or hard edges or busyness visible in the backgrounds. These differences are very visible when camera-companies and their spokespeople show samples with lots of point-light sources in the background, but we rarely shoot like that unless it's Christmas time. The differences are much less visible, but still there in the real world with regular backgrounds:
Outdoors at f/1.2If you're shooting at apertures from about f/2.8 and smaller, these lenses perform exactly the same. Even at f/2 they perform almost identically; the differences are only apparent wide-open at f/1.2 and f/1.4.
Indoors at f/1.2If you're shooting at apertures from about f/2.8 and smaller, these lenses perform exactly the same. Even at f/2 they perform almost identically; the differences are only apparent wide-open at f/1.2 and f/1.4.
Indoors at the same T stop (T2)Just for fun, since the DS lens only transmits as much light as an f/2 lens, lets compare the regular lens at f/2 (T2) to the DS lens at f/1.2 (T2). Notice how the ISOs and shutter speeds are equal to each other even though the regular lens is at f/2 and the DS lens is at f/1.2 (they perform the same at smaller apertures where the edge filters have no effect):
Recommendations topIntro Specifications & Performance I got my RF 85mm f/1.2L at B&H. I'd also get mine at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay. I got my RF 85mm f/1.2L DS at B&H. I'd also get mine at Adorama, at Amazon or at at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay. If you're shooting at apertures from about f/2.8 and smaller, these lenses perform exactly the same. Even at f/2 they perform almost identically; the differences are only apparent wide-open at f/1.2 and f/1.4. To anyone with a Ph.D. in optics, this is an easy choice: for normal use, especially if you want high sensitivity for low-light, night concerts, surveillance and astronomy, get the less expensive regular RF 85mm f/1.2L. If you value smooth out-of-focus areas over low-light shooting, then consider the Defocus Smoothing RF 85mm f/1.2L DS version. If you want to shoot at f/1.2 in daylight, the built-in edge-graduated neutral density filters inside the Defocus Smoothing RF 85mm f/1.2L DS version let you forget about needing a ND filter on the front of your lens. If you never shoot at wider than f/2.8, each of these lenses performs exactly the same, so get the less expensive regular RF 85mm f/1.2L. If you never shoot wider than f/2, you can add macro capability and save a boatload of size, weight and money by getting the much more practical RF 85mm f/2 IS STM Macro.I use a clear (UV) protective filter instead of a cap so I'm always ready to shoot instantly. I only use a cap when I throw this in a bag with other gear without padding — which is never. The UV filter never gets in the way, and never gets lost, either. The very best protective filter is the 82mm Hoya multicoated HD3 UV which uses hardened glass and repels dirt and fingerprints. For less money, the B+W 82mm 010 is an excellent filter, as is the multicoated version and the Hoya Alpha filter, but the Hoya HD3 is the toughest and the best. Any of these filters protects as well and gives ultrasharp images, but since filters last a lifetime, you may as well get the best since the Hoya HD3 is tougher and stays cleaner than the others since it repels oil and dirt. This 100% all-content website's biggest source of support is when you use those or any of these links to approved sources when you get anything, regardless of the country in which you live. Canon does not seal its boxes in any way, so especially with exotic lenses like this never buy at retail or any other source not on my personally approved list since you'll have no way of knowing if you're missing accessories, getting a defective, damaged, returned, non-USA, store demo or used lens. I use the stores I do because they ship from secure remote warehouses where no one gets to touch your new camera before you do. Buy only from the approved sources I use myself for the best prices, service, return policies and selection. Thanks for helping me help you! Ken, Mrs. Rockwell, Ryan and Katie.
More Information topIntro Specifications & Performance Why Fixed Lenses Take Better Pictures
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30 August 2020