Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM vs Canon EF-S 18–135mm f/3.5–5.6 IS USM
Better figure, where one is clearly better
| CanonEF 85mm f/1.2L II USM | CanonEF-S 18–135mm f/3.5–5.6 IS USM | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Released | March 2006 | March 2016 |
| Optics | ||
| Lens type | Prime | Zoom |
| Focal length | 85 mm | 18–135 mm |
| Maximum aperture | f/1.2 | f/3.5–5.6 |
| Minimum aperture | f/16 | f/22–36 |
| Optical construction | Eight elements in seven groups with a floating optical construction | 16 elements in 12 groups |
| Special elements | Ground aspherical lens according to Canon Japan | One UD and one aspherical element |
| Coatings | Super Spectra coatings according to Canon UK | Super Spectra coatings |
| Aperture detail | – | Minimum f/22–36 with one-third-stop increments; f/22–38 with half-stop increments |
| Diaphragm | Eight blades with a circular electromagnetic diaphragm | Seven blades with a circular aperture |
| Angle of view | 28°30′ diagonal, 24° horizontal and 16° vertical | – |
| Mount and compatibility | ||
| Mounts | Canon EF | Canon EF-S |
| Image circle | Full frame | APS-C |
| Compatibility | Canon EF cameras with full-frame or APS-C sensors | Canon EF-S mount APS-C cameras |
| Teleconverter support | Canon EF1.4X II and EF2X II extenders cannot be used according to the manual | – |
| Adaptor support | Canon UK confirms EOS M compatibility with the EF-EOS M Mount Adapter | Canon UK supports EOS M cameras with an EF-EOS M mount adaptor |
| Focus and stabilisation | ||
| Autofocus | Yes | Yes |
| Minimum focus distance | 0.95 m | 0.39 m |
| Maximum magnification | 0.11× | 0.28× |
| Optical stabilisation | No | Yes |
| Autofocus detail | USM autofocus; Canon claims up to 1.8× the autofocus speed of the original EF 85mm f/1.2L USM using a faster CPU and revised algorithms | Nano USM; Canon claims up to 4.3× the STM predecessor's focus-lens driving speed when focusing from minimum distance to infinity at 135 mm through the viewfinder |
| Focus distance detail | Electronic manual focusing; full-time override after One-Shot AF while half-pressing the shutter, with camera and mode exceptions listed in the manual. The Digital Picture confirms camera power is required and the lens extends when focusing | Electronic manual focusing requires an awake camera; manual override in One-Shot AF requires a half-pressed shutter and enabled electronic manual focusing (The Digital Picture) |
| Magnification detail | Canon manual gives EF12 II tube magnification 0.15–0.25×, EF25 II 0.33–0.42× and 500D close-up lens 0.17–0.28× | Maximum 0.28× at 135 mm |
| Stabilisation detail | No optical stabilisation according to ePHOTOzine's exact-model specification | Four-stop optical Image Stabilizer with automatic panning detection |
| Video features | – | Optional PZ-E1 power zoom adaptor attaches beneath the lens (The Digital Picture) |
| Design | ||
| Dust and moisture resistant | No | No |
| Filter diameter | 72 mm | 67 mm |
| Maximum diameter | 91.5 mm | 77.4 mm |
| Length | 84 mm | 96 mm |
| Weight | 1,025 g | 515 g (better) |
| Controls | AF/MF switch, focusing ring, distance window, infrared index and depth-of-field scale | Focus and zoom rings; AF/MF, stabiliser and zoom-lock switches (The Digital Picture) |
| Zoom design | – | Extends towards longer focal lengths; zoom lock retains the retracted position (The Digital Picture) |
| Filter detail | Front screw-in filter; one filter at a time according to Canon's manual | – |
| Weather resistance | Canon Japan explicitly lists no dust or drip resistance | No full weather sealing or mount gasket (The Digital Picture) |
| Dimensions detail | 91.5 mm maximum diameter × 84 mm length; 1,025 g lens-only. Add 21.5 mm with E-72U and rear cap, or 24.2 mm with E-72 II and rear cap | 77.4 mm maximum diameter × 96 mm length according to Canon Camera Museum |
| Lens hood | Supplied ES-79 II clip-on hood; reversible for storage according to Canon's manual | Optional EW-73D; optional LP1116 pouch (The Digital Picture) |
| In the box | Lens, E-72U front cap, Lens Dust Cap E, ES-79 II hood, LP1219 pouch and user manual according to Canon UK | Lens, E-67 II front cap, Lens Dust Cap E and user manual |
| Release detail | March 2006 sale month confirmed by Canon Camera Museum and Japan support. Canon explicitly identifies this model as the successor to the September 1989 EF 85mm f/1.2L USM | Marketed in March 2016 according to Canon Camera Museum |
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