Canon RF 85mm F1.4 L VCM

Reviews describe a very sharp 85: centre detail is outstanding from f/1.4, the edges are a little softer wide open and reach their best from about f/4, where the frame is excellent corner to corner. Chromatic aberration is minor and only shows on very high-contrast edges, distortion is negligible, and flare is well controlled, appearing mainly when shooting straight into a low sun. Autofocus is fast, near silent and reliable with eye detection, and focus breathing is minimal.

Bokeh is soft and attractive at f/1.4, though small highlights can show a faintly defined rim and some cat's-eye shapes. Raw files carry heavy vignetting wide open that the camera profile corrects; it fades by around f/4. Complaints are about handling rather than optics: there is no optical stabilisation, the iris ring has no click switch, and having an iris ring, a control ring and the body dial all able to set aperture strikes some as redundant. Testers see it as the better-balanced choice over the far heavier and pricier F1.2 L.

Owners are very positive. The recurring themes are sharpness even wide open, fast and snappy autofocus, good colour and smooth background blur for portraits. Many point to the size and weight, saying it is far easier to carry and handle than the RF 85mm F1.2 L while giving similar results.

Several owners consider it good value next to the F1.2 version, though a minority disagree on price. The lack of in-lens stabilisation is the drawback mentioned most often, which matters mainly on bodies without IBIS. Negative reports on sharpness and autofocus are isolated.