Canon EF 85mm f/1.4L IS USM Review

Image stabilization has long been a must-have feature on zoom lenses, but it's not a given on primes, especially not ones with an f/1.4 aperture.

The Canon EF 85mm f/1.4L IS USM ($1,599) bucks that trend.

Not only does it include stabilization, it offers strong image quality, an excellent build, and does it all in a design that's not obnoxiously huge.

We like it a lot, although there are compelling alternatives out there for less money, like the Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG HSM Art.

Or you may want to really push shallow depth of field to its limits with Canon's own EF 85mm f/1.2L USM.

Both are Editors' Choice winners, though neither offers image stabilization.

Design: Canon L Series

The EF 85mm f/1.4L IS USM is rather squat, measuring 4.2 by 3.5 inches (HD) without the included hood attached; the hood adds about two inches to the height.

It weighs 2.1 pounds, a bit less than the 2.5-pound Sigma 85mm F1.4 Art.

In addition to the hood, Canon includes front and rear caps and a soft carrying pouch.

You can add a filter if you like—the 77mm size is supported.

Finished in black, with a red stripe at the front, the 85mm features the sturdy polycarbonate construction we've come to expect from Canon's L series.

It's protected from dust and splashes, and the front element features a fluorine coat.

The fluorine material prevents water droplets and grease from adhering to the glass, so it's easier to clean the lens and to keep it clean.

The manual focus ring sits just behind the front element.

It's about two inches wide and turns smoothly.

It's easy to grip, as it is covered in a textured rubber exterior.

Aside from the focus ring there are two control switches—AF/MF to change the focus mode, and an On/Off switch for the image stabilization system.

The benefits of image stabilization are palpable when shooting in dim light or when recording handheld video.

The lens is rated for four stops of compensation, but that's a little ambitious.

I found that pushing the results were hit or miss at 1/5-second, about four stops slower than the 1/85-second handheld shutter speed that should net crisp results without stabilization.

Shortening the shutter speed to 1/10-second netted mostly crisp results, with some occasional blur from camera shake, but at 1/15-second my images were consistently clear.

Close focus isn't the forte of the EF 85mm f/1.4L—it's better suited for portraiture.

It can lock onto subjects as close as 2.8 feet (0.85-meter), so you'll have room to frame a headshot, but it isn't a macro by any means.

The maximum magnification is 1:8.3.

If you want a close-focusing lens with a similar field of view, you'll want to look at something like the Tamron SP 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 VC USD—as its 1:1 name implies, it can project subjects at full life-size onto an image sensor.

Image Quality: Full-Frame Portraits

I tested the EF 85mm with the 50MP full-frame Canon EOS 5DS R.

It delivers crisp, sharp results from edge to edge, even when shot at f/1.4.

At maximum aperture the average Imatest score is 3,533 lines, much better than the 2,750 we want to see at a minimum when using a high-resolution camera like the 5DS R.

The edges aren't quite as sharp as the center, but they approach 3,200 lines, a very good result.

See How We Test Digital Cameras

At f/2 the average climbs to 3,800 lines, though edge quality remains about the same.

At f/2.8 the lens jumps all the way up to excellent numbers, notching 4,665 lines on average.

Edges aren't as clear, but you'll still see fine detail in their 3,600-line results, a result that holds steady through about f/8.

The average hits 4,887 lines at f/4, the sharpest results we see from the lens, and remains strong at f/5.6 (4,788 lines) and f/8 (4,433 lines).

Diffraction cuts into resolution as you stop down further.

We see 3,736 lines at f/11, 3,259 lines at f/16, and a mere 2,527 lines at f/22.

That's no visible distortion of which to speak.

The lens does draw images with a natural vignette when shot at a wide aperture.

At f/1.4 the corners lag behind the center by -3.6EV in brightness.

It's not a drastic change, but rather a gradual one that starts as you move away from the center and intensifies the closer and closer you look toward the corners and edges of the frame.

The deficit is lessened at f/2, where it's -2EV, and by f/2.8 it's less than -1EV, which is within our tolerance.

For portraits you may prefer to leave the vignette uncorrected.

But if that's not your style you can take advantage of in-camera corrections when shooting JPGs (they're on by default).

It cuts the drop to -0.9EV at f/1.4 and f/2, and a barely registered -0.3EV at f/2.8.

Raw shooters can compensate for the vignette using processing tools; Adobe Lightroom Classic includes a profile for the EF 85mm that compensates for it with a single click.

Conclusions: Excellent Images With Stabilization

The Canon EF 85mm f/1.4L IS USM is an excellent lens and should be on the short list for any Canon SLR shooter who is looking to add a dedicated portrait lens.

Its focal length makes it a good choice for isolating subjects from the background, and image stabilization helps you get crisper images and smoother handheld video footage.

It's not the only 85mm out there for Canon shooters.

We give slight preference to the Sigma 85mm F1.4 Art for its image quality and lower cost, and Canon's own EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM as a pricier alternative, but one that stands alone in its class with an even brighter f/1.2 aperture.

If image stabilization is a priority, but your budget isn't big enough for an f/1.4 lens, don't forget about Tamron's affordable SP 85mm f/1.8 Di VC USD, which sells for around $750.

Thanks to Lensrentals for providing this lens for review.