I added the Canon RF 85mm f1.2 DS to my camera bag about three years ago in 2023.  The lens has already been out about three years when I purchased, having been released in December of 2019.  Optically speaking, it’s the best lens that Canon has every produced.  And I don’t think you can by a more optically perfect lens on Sony or Nikon either.  Why?  Because it’s not only optically perfect, it’s also not clinically sharp – making it arguable the best portrait lens every made.  The secret is the “DS” in the Canon RF 85mm f1.2 DS.

WHAT IS DEFOCUS SMOOTHING?

The DS stands for Defocus Smoothing, and it’s not marketing fluff. It’s a coating applied to lens elements that’s designed to smooth the transition in out-of-focus areas—especially highlights—so bokeh edges look less “outlined” and more creamy/gradual. In practice, the DS version renders backgrounds differently than the standard or non-DS RF 85mm f/1.2L. Specular highlights tend to look less harsh, and the blur feels more “velvet” than “glass.”

The important asterisk: the DS effect is most visible wide open and most noticeable in situations with busy, contrasty backgrounds and point light sources (string lights, sun-dappled trees, reflections). If you mostly shoot clean studio backdrops or uniform backgrounds, the DS “wow” factor becomes subtler. But if you do real-world portraits—streets, events, outdoor sessions—the difference can be striking.

The DS coating benefits don’t just impact background bokeh.  The big reason many pros use this lens is for how it renders people.  The DS coating subtly alters how contrast transitions around the plane of focus, which has a noticeable effect on facial rendering. Skin doesn’t lose detail—pores, texture, and fine lines are still there—but the transition from sharp focus to out-of-focus areas is gentler. This reduces the “edge bite” that ultra-sharp modern lenses can sometimes impose on facial contours and specular highlights. Cheekbones, jawlines, and the falloff from eyes to skin appear more natural and less abrupt, giving faces a slightly more luminous, refined look straight out of camera. It’s not diffusion and it doesn’t hide imperfections, but it does make skin look more flattering under real-world lighting, especially at f/1.2–f/1.6. In practice, files from the DS version often require less finesse in post to keep skin looking natural while retaining sharpness where it matters.

THE TRADEOFF

The benefits of the DS coating don’t come without cost. DS achieves its smoothing effect by reducing light transmission toward the edges of the aperture, which means it doesn’t behave exactly like the non-DS version in terms of brightness. Wide open, you lose roughly two-thirds to about a stop of light transmission due to the DS coating. In practical shooting, you may find you’re using slightly higher ISO or a slightly slower shutter speed than you’d expect for “f/1.2,” depending on the scene. It’s not a deal breaker, but it’s worth understanding that the DS coating isn’t “free.” In my opinion, it’s not a problem for how this lens is actually going to be used.  If you couldn’t get the shot at f/1.2 with the non-DS version, you likely wouldn’t get it with the DS lens either – and in exchange, you gain a rendering quality the standard version simply can’t match.

SIZE & WEIGHT

There’s no getting around the fact that this lens is a chunky monkey:

• Maximum diameter: ~103.2 mm (about 4.06 inches).

• Length: ~117.3 mm (about 4.62 inches). 

• Filter thread size: 82 mm.

• 1,195 g (about 2.63 lb).

By way of size comparison, here’s the lens next to the quite common RF 15-35 f2.8 (which is about the same size as the RF 24-70 f2.8):

LEFT: RF 85mm f1.2 DS. RIGHT: RF 15-35 f2.8

DO I RECOMMEND THE LENS?

Surprisingly very few Canon shooters that I run into own this lens.  Surprising that is until you see the price – currently at a retail price of $3,399.00.  Among Canon’s current lineup of still-photo prime lenses (excluding cinema optics and super-telephoto glass), the RF 85mm f/1.2L USM DS is one of the most expensive and elite offerings — commanding a premium that reflects its optical character and professional pedigree.  It’s also pretty darn heavy and the diameter is large enough that you may find it challenging to stuff into a standard camera bag lens slot.  It’s over a pound heavier than the more common Canon RF 24-70 f2.8…which isn’t exactly small or light itself.  So the price and the weight are real deterrents to Canon shooters purchasing this lens.

If you’re any kind of a professional people photographer (wedding, portrait, etc.) you really should have this lens.  In my case, I don’t often shoot people.  But when I do, I want the best results possible – a big reason why I purchased the lens:

Canon R5 Mark II and the RF 85mm f1.2 DS @f1.4

Canon R5 Mark II and the RF 85mm f1.2 DS @f1.4

But outside of people photography, the lens often surprises people because it’s very capable (and occasionally spectacular) in several other categories of photography.  For instance, I’ve taken some fantastic car photos with this lens:

Canon R5 and the RF 85mm f1.2 DS @f1.2

Canon R5 and the RF 85mm f1.2 DS @f1.2

Canon R5 and the RF 85mm f1.2 DS @f1.2

And I’ve taken more than a couple of photos of our Rottweilers:

Canon R5 and the RF 85mm f1.2 DS @f1.4

Canon R5 and the RF 85mm f1.2 DS @f2

The Canon RF 85mm f1.2 DS remains one of the least used lenses in my collection.  That’s OK – I still consider it one of the best, if not the best Canon RF lenses money can buy.

My video review of the RF 85mm f1.2 DS: