Ive been shooting with my 5D Mark IV for what feels like forever and finally jumped over to the R6 last month. Honestly the autofocus is insane compared to what I am used to but now that I am using the adapter for my old EF glass I feel like something is missing. I have a wedding shoot coming up in Philly in about three weeks and the couple specifically wants those super buttery, dreamy portraits that look totally professional. I am currently rocking the 24-70 f2.8 but the bokeh just isnt cutting it for these close-ups. Im starting to get pretty anxious about it because I know I need that extra depth of field isolation. My budget is probably around 1500 to 2000 bucks tops.
Should I just bite the bullet and hunt down the RF 85mm f1.2 L? Or is the f2 version actually good enough for what I need? I am worried about the weight of the 1.2 during a full day wedding but maybe I should just deal with it for the look. Has anyone actually made this switch and felt like it was worth the hit to the wallet or am I overthinking the difference between the native glass and my old EF 85mm f1.8...
Honestly, stick to the RF mount glass if you want that buttery look. Adapting the EF 85mm f1.8 is fine, but it lacks the micro-contrast and edge sharpness the R6 sensor demands for high-end wedding work.
- Canon RF 85mm f1.2 L USM is the gold standard. The optics are unmatched for separation, but yeah, it is a brick. Carrying that for 8-10 hours at a wedding in Philly will definitely fatigue your wrists.
- Canon RF 85mm f2 Macro IS STM is a total sleeper. You get stabilization, which helps in dim reception venues, and the size is great. It is not as dreamy as the 1.2, but for the price, it hits way above its weight class. If you really need that dreamy, soft background look, the 1.2 is the only way to get that specific "pro" aesthetic. The f2 version is sharper than the old EF 85mm f1.8, but it won't give you that heavy fall-off. If you are worried about the weight, grab the f2 and spend the extra cash on a solid gimbal or a better strap system. Personally? I would rent the 1.2 for the Philly shoot first. See if the weight bothers you before committing two grand.
Like someone mentioned, weight is a huge factor for a full wedding day. I was super anxious about carrying heavy glass around too, so I ended up going a different route. I picked up the Canon RF 85mm f2 Macro IS STM and honestly, I am very satisfied with the results. It is lightweight enough that my wrist doesn't ache by the end of a long shoot, and it performs great for those dreamy portraits. I know the 1.2 is tempting, but for my workflow, saving the extra cash while getting sharp, reliable images was the right move. I paired it with a SanDisk Extreme Pro 128GB SDXC UHS-I to make sure my data was safe, and the combo works well for me. You might want to rent the heavy stuff once just to see if you can handle it before committing.
TL;DR: The f1.2 is a beast but for a full wedding day, your wrist will absolutely hate you by the reception. Saw this earlier and wanted to chime in before you drop two grand. I switched from the EF 85mm to the Canon RF 85mm F2 Macro IS STM specifically because of the weight issue. I shoot long days and honestly, carrying that massive L-series glass for 8+ hours just ruins my energy. The f2 version is super sharp, has image stabilization which is a life saver in dark Philly reception halls, and it is light enough to keep in the bag as a backup if you need to swap quickly. Be careful with the AF speed on the f2 though, it is not as snappy as the L-series in low light. If you really need that buttery look, you might want to consider renting the Canon RF 85mm F1.2 L USM for that specific wedding weekend before committing the cash. See if the extra weight is actually manageable for your style of shooting. My biggest tip is to make sure you keep your shutter speed up if you go for that super thin depth of field, because even a tiny bit of sway on the R6 sensor will show up at f1.2.
