The Canon RF 85mm f/2 Macro IS STM (Amazon, B&H) is primarily a photography lens, though it will be used for video.
In this article let’s take a comprehensive look at the important features and specifications of the Canon RF 85mm f/2 Macro IS STM and see how good it will perform specifically for video, cinematography and filmmaking.
The aim of this article is to provide you with enough information and perspective so you can decide for yourself whether this lens is right for your film or video.
Important: This article is a comprehensive overview of the lens with available information; and an analysis based on our experience shooting for almost two decades. It is not a hands-on review. If and when we get hold of the lens we’ll be sure to publish a detailed review. If this is not your cup of tea you can stop reading.
Here’s Canon’s official video for a quick overview:
Click to what you want quickly:
- TLDR;
- EF vs RF:
- Features:
- Control:
- Basics:
- Alternatives to the RF 85mm f/2 IS STM
TLDR;
What you need to know for video work about the Canon RF 85mm f/2 Macro IS STM (Amazon, B&H):
- The Canon RF 85mm f/2 Macro IS STM is a useful portrait and close up lens. This lens should work great in low light and provide soft bokeh thanks to its 9 blade aperture.
- You get what you pay for, though. The lens is sharp in the center but falls off quickly at f/2. That’s slightly underwhelming. It should be fine at f/2.8 and f/4.
- The constant f/2 aperture is great for low light video work.
- Focus ring can be changed to fly-by-wire for follow focus work.
- Control ring can be de-clicked for a small fee at a Canon service center for aperture transitions.
- The lens has 5 stops of Image Stabilization, and you can pair it with the stabilization in a Canon R camera (R5, R6, etc.) that has IBIS.
- Great for dual pixel autofocus for video.
- It exhibits breathing.
Can be great for the following types of filmmaking:
- Wedding filmmaking
- Low budget music videos
- Gimbal use
- Fashion filmmaking
- Low budget commercials and corporate videos
EF vs RF: What’s the difference?
Difference between the RF and EF mount
Both are lens mounts specific to Canon. Let’s take a look at some important distinctions.
Flange focal distance
The RF is a new lens mount, with a smaller flange focal distance.
Here’s how the flange focal distance compares:
| Mount | Flange Focal Distance |
|---|---|
| RF | 20mm |
| EF | 44mm |
EF lenses were designed for DSLRs. Now with the mirror gone, that’s space and weight savings. However, that’s not the only advantage.
Canon (and every one else) maintains the smaller flange focal distance allows for larger apertures (for some focal lengths), better corner to corner sharpness and reduced light fall off.
Ergonomics
RF lenses are supposed to be lighter, making them easier to handle for photography, but slightly problematic for video. Weight gives better stability and smoother movement for most use cases. For gimbal, drone and steadicam use, the lower weight is an advantage because a lighter lens puts less strain on motors, and the human arms that have to hold it up.
The RF mount is equipped with 12 communicator pins compared to 8 pin connection of the EF mount. Canon claims this contributes towards quicker autofocus, better AF tracking and improved image stabilization.
Canon has redesigned the focus actuators for a hassle-free filming. They claim the new Nano USM and Dual Nano USM have been designed for video. Canon claims that the introduction of these actuators in RF lenses will result in a quieter and quicker autofocus.
The last major change is in the optics. Canon have redesigned the optics from the ground up to account for the smaller flange focal distance. This one simple change considerably changes the optical characteristics and challenges.
Naturally the prices of RF lenses match the high quality Canon have put into these series! The assurance is, the quality isn’t compromised, and with proper care Canon RF lenses should last for years. Let’s compare the EF version of the 85mm with its newer RF counterpart.
EF 85mm f/1.8 USM vs RF 85mm f/2L IS STM
| Lens | RF 85mm f/2 IS STM | EF 85mm f/1.8 USM |
| Filter Thread | 67 mm | 58mm |
| Size | 78 mm x 90.5 mm | 75.0 mm x 71.5 mm |
| Weight | 500g | 425g |
| Lens Control | Ring control | None |
| Image Stabilization | 5 Stops | None |
| Closest focusing distance | 0.35m | 0.85m |
| Max. Aperture | f/2 | f/1.8 |
| Min. Aperture | f/29 | f/22 |
| Aperture Blades | 9 blades | 8 blades |
| Angle of View (Diagonal) | 28º 30′ | 28°30′ |
The Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM (Amazon, B&H) is lighter and smaller than the Canon RF 85mm f/2 Macro IS STM (Amazon, B&H).
The EF 85mm f/1.8 has a wider aperture but lacks the in built image stabilization that RF 85mm f/2 IS STM provides. And it’s not a macro lens.
The RF 85mm f/2 has a close focusing distance of about 1.14 feet. That’s great for all kinds of macro filmmaking.
Canon claims the RF version has smoother and quieter autofocus.
RF lenses come with a special customizable control ring this can be customized to change exposure on the go. This is only available on cameras that natively have an RF mount.
The RF 85mm f/2 IS STM has an extra blade in the aperture for a better, softer bokeh than the EF 85mm f/1.8 USM – theoretically, at least.
Features
Coverage
The Canon RF 85mm f/2 Macro IS STM (Amazon, B&H) is a full frame lens. It is designed to completely cover a sensor the size of 36mm x 24mm.
If you are considering this lens for an APS-C sensor or other cinema camera, check out this article:
Focal Range
The focal length is 85mm. This is considered a telephoto lens on a full frame 35mm sensor.
Aperture
The maximum aperture is f/2 and the minimum aperture is f/29. It is great for low light and a smoother bokeh. The minimum aperture is interesting. You can stop down for some deep focus macro work, though diffraction will kick in long before.
The Canon RF 85mm f/2 Macro IS STM (Amazon, B&H) has 9 rounded diaphragm blades.
If you want more blades, you might want to take a look at the Canon Sumire primes. More about bokeh:
Resolution
From Canon’s official MTF charts:
The Canon RF 85mm f/2 Macro IS STM (Amazon, B&H) is sharp in the center. It’s an improvement over the EF 85mm f/1.8 USM. The fall is high at the edges, and I believe the performance will be great at f/2.8 and f/4.
With the variance in the Sagittal and Tangential lines, you can infer (somewhat) that the bokeh should be smooth and even at f/2. It should blur the background into oblivion if that’s what you want.
If you are curious and want to read the MTF chart for yourself. Here’s a guide on how to read them easily.
Close Focus
The closest focusing distance is 0.35 meters or 1.14 feet. The lens comes with a three-position distance limiter switch with two settings:
- Macro (0.35 – 0.5m)
- Mid (0.5m – infinity) and
- Full (0.35m – infinity)
The smaller the distance, the faster the autofocus will be. I think for normal work the “Mid” setting should be good enough.
Image Stabilization
Canon claims the RF 85mm f/2 Macro IS STM (Amazon, B&H) has up to 5 stops of Image stabilization (IS).
5 stops? 8 stops? What are these stops?
How do you calculate Image Stabilization? Check this out:
Pairing the 5-axis IBIS-equipped Canon EOS R5 or Canon EOS R6 with an IS-equipped lens can deliver 8-stops of combined IS. This can be toggled on and off if you choose so.
It’s obvious the best stabilization is realized when an RF lens with IS is combined with an R-body camera with IBIS. E.g., the 85mm f/2 will be more stabilized on a Canon EOS R5 over a Red Komodo (which also has an RF mount).
Control
Manual focus system
By default the Canon RF 85mm f/2 Macro IS STM (Amazon, B&H) is set to ‘fly by wire’.
Even though the Canon RF focus ring is technically a ‘focus by wire’ system, the RF lenses are the first line of lenses in the world which have enabled turning focus by wire off.
What is the meaning of focus by wire and fly by wire?
Focus by wire: Let’s say you turn the focus ring to change focus from point A to B. You’d expect the focus to shift accordingly. When you stop point B will be in focus. Now bring the focus point back to A and try again, but at a different speed. Slower or faster, doesn’t matter. Now, even if you precisely rotate to the exact same degree, the focus will not be on point B! The speed of rotation determines which point it is focused on. That’s just completely useless for follow focus work. If an actor or person moves at a different speed, evens lightly, you’ll never get the same focus. Avoid focus by wire lenses like the plague (for video work).
Fly by wire: The distance of focus shifted is directly proportional to the speed at which the ring is turned. This is how a manual focus ring is supposed to operate for video and cinematography.
How to change to fly by wire on RF lenses
You can switch to ‘link to rotational degree’ where the focusing distance will be directly proportional to the rotational degree regardless of the rotational speed.
It is a quick two-step affair that requires you going into the Canon menu and switching the RF manual focus ring sensitivity to ‘linked to rotational degree’ instead of ‘varies with rotational speed’.
This feature will be exceptionally useful for anyone who wants absolute control over the focus ring.
This feature makes an RF lens a game changer for many videographers, filmmakers and cinematographers.
Autofocus system
Dual Pixel Autofocus is, without a doubt, one of the most revered video autofocus systems in the world. Canon claims the new AF actuators will help focusing to be smooth and phantom-quiet.
Canon claims that the RF 85mm f/2 IS STM has silent STM motors for natural focus transitions but we can only know what it translates to once we test this in the field.
The dual pixel AF system works better (in theory) than original EF lenses on native EF bodies. I don’t think anyone will be disappointed with its performance.
Control System
Canon RF lenses come with an extra customizable ring. See the photo below. The ring is a second ring, in addition to the focus ring.
This ring is only customizable with cameras that have a native RF mount, such as the Canon EOS R5/6 and Canon EOS C70.
To toggle the Control Ring on and customize it to control one of the exposure determinants, follow these steps:
- Go into Settings
- Go to the Customize dials option
- Select Control Ring and switch it to Enabled.
- Now you can customize it to control aperture, shutter speed, ISO and exposure compensation.
Some videographers will find it helpful in riding the aperture due to its favorable placement right on the lens close to the focus and zoom ring.
Although the turn of the ring appears to be smooth, there is a soft clicking sound. Some might find it inconvenient. If you want to remove the sound you can.
The clicking of the control ring on every RF lens is removable through a chargeable service fee of about $79.99 (depending on your country) at your nearest Canon service center.
Basics
Filter Thread
The Canon RF 85mm f/2 Macro IS STM (Amazon, B&H) has a filter thread diameter of 67mm. This is not a common filter size and for most people will mean an added expense. The larger a filter, the more expensive it gets. More about lens filters here.
Build Quality
The majority of the lens exterior is plastic, though the lens doesn’t feel cheap.
The optical design consists of 12 elements in 11 groups, including one UD element.
Size and Weight
The Canon RF 85mm f/2 Macro IS STM (Amazon, B&H) has a diameter of 103.2mm and a length of 117.3 mm.
Weather resistance
Canon claims that all RF lenses are weather sealed. But again this only holds true if the camera body you will be using is also weather sealed. No camera is truly and officially weather sealed, so the best you can hope for is reliable weather resistance.
What’s in the box
This is what you get in the box (other than the lens):
- Lens cap (E-67 II)
- Lens dust cap (D1)
- Lens hood (ET-77)
- Soft pouch (LP-1216)
The hood should be useful for videography. Some people like to put it on to protect the front element in case of a fall. The hood takes the impact and shatters, but saves the lens.
Alternatives to the Canon RF 85mm f/2 Macro IS STM Lens
There really is no alternative to the Canon RF 85mm f/2 Macro IS STM (Amazon, B&H) because of its macro function.
If you don’t want macro, these lenses will be interesting alternatives:
- Expensive: Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM DS (Amazon, B&H) – Wider aperture, will tear a hole in your wallet.
- Alternative: Samyang AF 85mm f/1.4 (Amazon, B&H) – has autofocus, but don’t expect DPAF quality. Opens up to f/1.4 so will give you a more blurry background. Not a macro lens. Close focusing distance is only 2.95 feet.
I hope you found this overview of the Canon RF 85mm f/2 Macro IS STM (Amazon, B&H) useful. If we have missed out on something, please let us know in the comments below.
