Review: Canon EF 85mm F1.2L II USM Lens

We’re pleased to introduce you to the best darn telephoto prime lens we’ve had the pleasure of using IN OUR LIVES! Everyone, meet Canon’s EF 85mm F1.2L II USM, considered to be one, if not the best portrait lens ever constructed.

Faster than the EF 85mm F1.2L USM (which is considered a consumer level lens), with a newer CPU and an upgraded anti-reflective coating on the lens that helps reduce chromatic aberration, this lens is unlike any other on the market and was created by a former fashion photographer with 1.8 times faster auto focus than its predecessor. When it first hit the market it was the only lens that was designed specially for fashion photography, which made us all the more curious to give it a try.

But specs aside, we took this lens out for a test drive to Governors Ball Music Festival in New York & Toronto’s North By North East Music Festival with the Rebel T4i Canon body, and instantly fell in love with it. Words like crisp, sharp, and stunningly vivid came to mind when scrolling through the initial camera roll after a day of shooting both street style and live sets outside at the festival. Though most of our shooting on this lens was done during the day at the festivals, the super fast aperture made it perfect for taking photos at after parties and shows which always present diverse lighting situations.

The wide rubber focusing ring that comes with the lens really helped to amplify and focus the distance window, leaving the subject sharp while blurring out the background perfectly. We could go on and on about this stunning lens, but instead we thought we’d share some of our photos from the festivals below.

Governors Ball Music Festival 2013