Photo: Håkan Dahlström from Malmö, Sweden (CC BY 2.0)
EF 85mm f/1.8 USM
- 85mm
- f/85.0
- Prime
- 425 g
- Min focus 0.85 m
Affiliate link: we may earn a commission on qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
Quick answer
The EF 85mm f/1.8 USM is a fast, compact short telephoto that has been a staple Canon portrait lens since 1992. Ring-type USM focusing and full-frame coverage.
Pros
- Quick, quiet USM autofocus
- f/1.8 aperture
- Light for its focal length
- Full-time manual focus
Cons
- Purple fringing at wide apertures
- No image stabilization
- Fairly long minimum focus distance (0.85 m)
Verdict
A strong portrait lens at a modest size and weight. The L-series 85mms are better corrected but much larger.
About this lens
The Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM is a fast short-telephoto prime lens covering 85mm at f/1.8 for Canon EF mount cameras, with ultrasonic-motor autofocus. A compact, relatively affordable short-telephoto prime that is a favourite for portraits.
Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM specifications
- Brand
- Canon
- Mount
- Canon EF
- Focal length
- 85mm
- Maximum aperture
- f/85.0
- Lens type
- Prime
- Format coverage
- full-frame
- Released
- 1992
- Optical construction
- 9 elements in 7 groups
- Aperture blades
- 8
- Autofocus motor
- USM
- Minimum focus distance
- 0.85 m
- Maximum magnification
- 0.13x
- Filter thread
- 58 mm
- Weight
- 425 g
- Length
- 71.5 mm
- Diameter
- 75 mm
Specification source: global.canon
What can you shoot with the Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM?
- Portraits
- Headshots
- Indoor sports and events
Its smaller maximum aperture favours daylight shooting and keeps the lens compact.
Full-frame equivalent and field of view
Calculated from the focal length and crop factor. Not measured.
| Sensor | Crop | Equivalent | Horizontal FOV | Diagonal FOV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full frame | 1.0x | 85mm | 23.9° | 28.6° |
| APS-C | 1.6x | 136mm | 15.1° | 18.1° |
Frequently asked questions
Is the Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM good for portraits?
Yes. 85mm is a classic portrait length and f/1.8 gives pleasing background blur.
Does the EF 85mm f/1.8 USM have image stabilization?
No. At 85mm, a shutter speed of about 1/125s or faster is a sensible starting point for handheld sharpness.
EF 85mm f/1.8 vs f/1.4L IS: which to buy?
The f/1.8 is much lighter and smaller. The f/1.4L IS adds stabilization, weather sealing and a faster aperture, at a large size and weight premium.
Alternatives for Canon EF from other brands
All Canon EF lensesSame mount, overlapping focal range, closest maximum aperture first.
Tamron
AF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 LD Macro 1:2
70-300mm · f/70.0 · Canon EF
Tamron
SP AF 70-200mm f/2.8 Di LD (IF) Macro (A001)
70-200mm · f/70.0 · Canon EF
Tamron
AF 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di LD Aspherical (IF)
28-300mm · f/28.0 · Canon EF
Tamron
SP AF 28-105mm f/2.8 LD Aspherical IF
28-105mm · f/28.0 · Canon EF
.jpg){kind=link}