Canon own-brand lenses have been facing ever-stiffer competition of late, especially from Sigma and Tamron. Portrait primes for full-frame portraiture are no exception, as there are two excellent, recently launched 85mm lenses from the independents.

Fast f/1.4 aperture rating; Image stabilization; Premium build and image quality

Expensive to buy; Quite hefty for an 85mm f/1.4 lens

With a superb combination of optics, performance, advanced features and a durable design, the EF 85mm f/1.4L IS USM is an outstanding L-series medium-telephoto lens. As Canon's first 85mm L-series lens with IS capability, it has an advanced optical formula with a large-diameter aspherical lens, plus...

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...

Very sharp; Optical stabilization; Dust and splash resistant; Fluorine lens coat; Relatively light and compact

Pricey; Dim corners at wide apertures

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 ...

The Canon EF 85mm f/1.4L IS USM is a sharp lens with a sturdy build, a bright design, and an angle of view that's ideal for portraiture.

Very sharp; Optical stabilization; Dust and splash resistant; Fluorine lens coat; Relatively light and compact

Pricey; Dim corners at wide apertures

Canon EF 85mm F1.4L IS USM is a Fixed aperture Auto Focus (AF) Telephoto Prime lens with Optical Image stabilization and 35mm FF max sensor coverage, and it is designed to be used with EF Mount cameras. What type of photography is the Canon EF 85mm F1.4L IS USM lens good for?

Optical Image Stabilization, Weather-sealed, Autofocus, Distance Scale, Hood supplied, Full-time Manual Focusing, Very Fast Aperture, Covers Full-Frame Sensor, 9 Diaphragm Blades for Smooth Bokeh, Pricey

Optical Image Stabilization, Weather-sealed, Autofocus, Distance Scale, Hood supplied, Full-time Manual Focusing, Very Fast Aperture, Covers Full-Frame Sensor, 9 Diaphragm Blades for Smooth Bokeh, Pricey

Those with some knowledge of Canon lenses will know that there are currently two 85mm prime lenses in its lineup. There’s the affordable EF 85mm f/1.8 USM (£325), and the bokehlicious EF 85mm f/1.2 L II USM, for which you’re required to pay a hefty premium (£1765).

The lens I received back-focussed by a long way...and I tried it out on three bodies, 5diii, 5dii and a 5div, all with the same result...Totally unusable! I have since bought another copy from elsewhere...and it's fantastic and have based my ratings on this lens.

I have seen most of the reviews on YouTube and I have heard the good, bad, and the ugly of this Canon 85MM 1.4 L lens, I was going to wait for sometime for a sale to come by from B&H photo, but the itch in my brain keeps telling me go for it, so then I did with the 4TB hard driver special.

I am not a professional, but could tell immediately the professional quality of this lens. It ads a new dimension in composition with its extremely shallow depth of field. Automatic focus is truly a snap. I've shot outdoor portraits of grandchildren and the outcomes are brilliant.

Images so sharp you could cut yout fingers on them.

Durable; Great Picture Quality