Canon RF 85mm F/2 Macro IS STM

This Canon prime pairs an 85mm focal length with an f/2 aperture for full-frame RF-mount cameras. It suits portraits and nearby detail work. You can photograph a person within a setting or move closer for a more prominent subject. Exact framing depends on distance. The lens also reaches half life-size magnification for flowers and small objects.

Anyone who alternates between portraits and still-life details can use both capabilities in one lens. The main trade-off is the fixed focal length: you adjust framing by moving yourself. Check that your usual locations give you enough space to step back for a wider composition. Canon introduced the lens in 2020.

At 1 lb 1.6 oz (500 g) and 3.56 in (90.5 mm) long, this is a small, light lens for a full-frame 85mm prime. A 67mm screw-in filter attaches directly to the front thread. The body is 3.07 in (78 mm) wide.

On full frame,85mm gives a short telephoto view. It suits head-and-shoulder portraits and candid people pictures. Perspective follows where you stand, so choose a position for the relationship between the face and background. The f/2 maximum aperture gives more options in dim interiors than a smaller opening.

The same opening helps you blur the background behind a portrait subject. Move the sitter a few steps from the backdrop to deepen the separation. At 85mm the effect is easy to see, though depth of field at f/2 can run shallow, so focus on the eyes stays important. Groups are harder; fitting several people at 85mm means stepping well back.

Closest focus is 1.1 ft (35 cm), measured from the sensor. Maximum magnification is 0.5x, or half life-size on the sensor. The Macro name describes its close-up role, but it does not reach 1:1 life-size reproduction. How much of the frame a flower or piece of jewellery fills depends on its size.

At close distances, small changes in camera position alter framing and focus. Check the important detail before taking the picture. Stop down when more of an object must stay sharp, then adjust shutter speed or ISO for the reduced light.

Image stabilization is built in. It steadies the camera at slower shutter speeds, which helps with handheld portraits in dim rooms and with close-ups where small movements show. At close range it also helps hold tight framing steady. Stabilization does not freeze a moving subject, so an active sitter still needs a fast shutter.

There is no weather sealing, so keep the lens out of rain and dust. For outdoor portrait sessions, that gap is the main practical watch-point. It also lacks a fluorine coating, which on some lenses eases cleaning after fingerprints and splashes. The features score is 26/100.

The optical design uses 12 elements in 11 groups, including one UD element. This low-dispersion glass helps reduce chromatic aberration, where different colours focus at different points and leave coloured fringes along high-contrast edges. Backlit hair is one example in portrait work.