Rent the Canon RF 85mm f/1.2 L USM DS in Canada — arguably the ultimate portrait lens, with Canon’s special Defocus Smoothing (DS) coating for the smoothest, dreamiest bokeh of any RF lens. The classic 85mm portrait length plus an f/1.2 aperture make backgrounds melt away around a razor-sharp subject. Key points:
85mm f/1.2 portrait prime — exquisite sharpness with extraordinary subject separation
Defocus Smoothing (DS) coating gives uniquely soft, feathered bokeh, especially wide open
Blue Spectrum Refractive, UD and aspherical elements; ring-type USM autofocus
If a renter’s whole goal is the most beautiful portrait bokeh possible, this is the lens I point to. The Defocus Smoothing coating gently feathers the edges of out-of-focus highlights, so backgrounds render with a creamy, almost painterly softness that the standard 85mm f/1.2 doesn’t quite match. On the right subject it’s breathtaking. There are real trade-offs I’m always honest about, though: the DS coating costs roughly 1.3 stops of light wide open, so it gathers less light than the non-DS version at f/1.2 (by about f/3.2 they’re the same); it has no built-in stabilisation, so I’d use an IBIS body; and it’s a hefty lens. But for a portrait or beauty specialist chasing that signature look, nothing else renders quite like it.
— Will, Founder
Key specifications
Lens mount
Canon RF
Format
Full-frame
Focal length
85mm (prime)
Maximum aperture
f/1.2
Minimum aperture
f/16
Special feature
Defocus Smoothing (DS) coating for ultra-smooth bokeh (~1.3 stops light loss wide open; near-identical to standard by f/3.2)
Aperture blades
9 (rounded)
Optical design
Blue Spectrum Refractive (BR) + 1 UD + 1 aspherical element
It’s a special coating that gradually softens the edges of out-of-focus areas, so background highlights fade smoothly rather than showing hard edges. The result is exceptionally creamy, gentle bokeh — the effect is strongest at f/1.2 and is what sets this DS version apart from the standard 85mm f/1.2.
The DS coating reduces light transmission by roughly 1.3 stops when shooting wide open, so at f/1.2 it gathers less light than the non-DS version — you may need a touch more ISO or a slower shutter. By around f/3.2 the two lenses perform almost identically. You’re trading a little light for that signature smooth bokeh.
Optically they’re very similar; the difference is the DS coating. The DS version gives smoother, more feathered bokeh at the cost of ~1.3 stops of light wide open. The standard version keeps full f/1.2 light transmission and is a little less expensive. Choose DS for the ultimate bokeh look; the standard for maximum low-light speed.
No — there’s no optical IS in the lens. For sharp handheld portraits, use it on an RF body with in-body image stabilisation (IBIS), which most current Canon mirrorless bodies have.
A standard 82mm front thread, so polarisers, NDs and other filters are easy to find. We can add filters to your order.
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