CANON EF 85mm f/1.4l IS USM £1369/$1499

Unique in this test group of prime lenses, this is the only lens on test to feature image stabilization

Some say you don’t need IS in ‘fast’ lenses with wide aperture ratings, as they enable quick shutter speeds. But that’s not always the case, especially when you’re shooting indoors under ambient lighting, or making the most of the blue hour at twilight. Indeed, considering the telephoto nature of 85mm lenses, the four-stop stabilizer featured in this Canon can be a godsend for avoiding camera-shake.

Built to take the knocks of a pro lifestyle, the tough construction includes a shock-absorbing front barrel, weather-seals and fluorine coatings on the front and rear elements. The optical path is also ace, based on 14 top-quality elements and featuring Canon’s high-tech Air Sphere Coating to minimize ghosting and flare.

It’s weighty at 950g, but is a little lighter than the two Canon f/1.2 lenses on test, and less than two-thirds the weight of the Sigma 105mm. AF is driven by a fast and quiet ring-type ultrasonic actuator, with the usual full-time override and a physical focus distance scale.

Performance

There’s plenty of sharpness and contrast on tap, even when shooting wide-open at f/1.4. The quality of bokeh is simply fabulous. Defocused areas have a wonderfully smooth and creamy appearance, while axial chromatic aberration is negligible. Bokeh remains particularly good when stopping down, helped by the very well-rounded nine-blade diaphragm. It’s a pricey lens but, in the UK at least, it’s only half the price of the new RF 85mm f/1.2l USM for mirrorless full-frame cameras, and more ‘affordable’.