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Canon 85mm F1.4 L VCM Image: Canon |
Canon has announced the RF 85mm F1.4 L VCM, a prime lens offering a classic portrait focal length and fast maximum aperture.
The lens sits between the more expensive 85mm F1.2 lenses and the sharp but slow-to-focus 85mm F2.0 IS STM Macro. The new lens slots into the company’s expanding range of F1.4 VCM primes, and is a very close match in terms of size and weight.
The design utilizes digital corrections but these can be disengaged, if you prefer, as they are not an essential part of the design of a moderate tele lens. The lens is built in the same 76.5 x 99.6mm body as the 20, 24, 35 and 50mm F1.4 L VCM models. It also uses the same 67mm filters.
Its 14 element / 10 group design uses one ultra-low dispersion (UD) element and one molded glass aspherical element. Two of its rear elements have Canon’s ‘Air Sphere’ coating, to reduce flare and ghosting. Collectively these bring the weight of the lens to 636g, making it the heaviest lens in the set. Like its siblings, it features a aperture ring, along with dust and moisture resistant design and fluorine coatings to protect the front element from dirt and water.
The lens has a close-focus distance of 0.75m (29″), giving 0.12x maximum magnification.
The unified size and option to de-click the aperture ring (at cost, by a Canon service center) are designed to make it well suited to video, as well as stills. The lens also has relatively little focus breathing, which can be essentially eliminated on bodies that support the breathing correction function.
Unlike the 24, 35 and 50mm lenses, the 85mm doesn’t have a floating focus element so, like the 20mm, uses only a voice coil autofocus motor, rather than also utilizing a Nano USM motor.
The Canon RF 85mm F1.4 L VCM will be available from October at a recommended price of $1649.
Press release:
Canon U.S.A. Announces New EOS C50 7K Full-Frame CMOS Sensor Cinema Camera and RF-Mount RF85mm F1.4 L VCM Hybrid Lens
Firmware updates for select Canon Cinema EOS cameras and new PowerShot ELPH 360 HS A camera also available
MELVILLE, NY, September 9, 2025 – Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, is excited to introduce the new EOS C50 cinema camera, the newest addition to Canon’s cinema EOS system. The EOS C50 is a compact, full-frame cinema camera featuring a brand new 7K full-frame CMOS sensor, 7K 60P internal RAW recording and 32 megapixel still photo capture, making it a true hybrid camera. Weighing approximately one and a half pounds, the EOS C50 is Canon’s smallest and lightest cinema camera ever, making it ideal for handheld and verité shooting.
The lightweight design and hyper-mobile form factor the EOS C50 camera meets growing demands from shooters who are increasingly looking for compact, ergonomic cinema cameras for a variety of settings and shooting styles. Excellent for large and small scale productions, documentary shooting in the field, social media video creation, sports, and more, the EOS C50 camera features a detachable top handle which adds two full-size XLR audio inputs, a start-stop button, and a zoom rocker for unbeatable agility. It also features an RF-mount, lending it native compatibility with a wide variety of Canon lenses, such as the new RF85mm F1.4 L VCM Hybrid Lens.
EOS C50 Camera Recording Options
At the heart of the EOS C50 camera is the 7K full-frame CMOS sensor, which is capable of a Dual Base ISO of 800 and 6400 in Canon Log 2, and 12-bit Cinema RAW Light recording at up to 7K 60P. This powerful sensor is coupled with a DIGIC DV7 processor. The EOS C50 is the first camera in the Cinema EOS lineup to feature the full frame 3:2 open gate recording. In addition to Cinema RAW Light and the standard XF-AVC, the EOS C50 camera also features XF- AVC S and XF-HEVC S recording codecs, proving an easy-to-manage naming system and folder structure, all while preserving metadata and recording in the familiar MP4 format.
Social media shooters will enjoy that the EOS C50 camera is capable of simultaneous crop recording when shooting in 4K DCI or UHD, allowing you to record at a chosen aspect ratio while also recording a cropped portion of the frame in 2K. When shooting in simultaneous crop mode, the three format options include: 9:17, 9:16, or 1:1.
For those looking for camera connectivity, the EOS C50 camera supports XC protocol which allows for remote control over IP via Wi-Fi® or a compatible third-party USB-C ethernet adapter. The EOS C50 camera is also compatible with the Multi Camera Control App and features native integration of frame.io camera to cloud.
New RF-Mount RF85mm F1.4 L VCM Hybrid Lens
The new RF-Mount RF85mm F1.4 L VCM Hybrid lens is the latest addition to Canon’s line of VCM lenses, designed for shooters who increasingly are seeking powerful options whether shooting stills or video content. The RF85mm F1.4 L VCM has a focal length of 85mm, making it perfect for portrait-style shooting. The lens provides beautiful background blurring, as well as a F1.4 Maximum aperture, and well-controlled focus breathing.
Firmware Updates for EOS C400, C80, C70, and R5C Cameras
A new firmware update for select Canon Cinema EOS cameras bring in a few of these bleeding-edge features, available later this year. New firmware updates will enable full frame 3:2 open gate recording (EOS C400), view assist in media mode, quality improvement of focus peaking, improved assign buttons, improved Joy-Stick operability (EOS C80 and EOS C400), and more.
New PowerShot ELPH 360 HS A
Originally released in 2016, the PowerShot ELPH 360 HS still remains a popular compact camera. Appealing to fans of pocketable point and shoot style cameras, the newly updated PowerShot ELPH 360 HS A camera’s memory card slot will be changed from SD to microSD to help meet emerging needs in the compact camera market. The PowerShot ELPH 360 HS A camera will be available in two colors, black and silver.
Pricing and Availability
The Canon EOS C50 camera is currently scheduled to ship towards the end of Q4 of 2025 for an estimated retail price of $3,899.00*. The firmware updates for EOS C400, C80, C70, and the R5C cameras are currently scheduled to be available in Q4 of 2025. The RF85mm F1.4 L VCM lens is currently scheduled to be available in September 2025 for an estimated retail price of $1,649.00*. The new PowerShot ELPH 360 HS A camera is currently scheduled to be available in October 2025 for an estimated retail price of $379.99*. For more information, please visit www.usa.canon.com.
* Specifications, availability and prices are subject to change without notice.
Canon RF 85mm F1.4 L VCM specifications
| Principal specifications | |
|---|---|
| Lens type | Prime lens |
| Max Format size | 35mm FF |
| Focal length | 85 mm |
| Image stabilization | No |
| Lens mount | Canon RF, Canon RF-S |
| Aperture | |
| Maximum aperture | F1.4 |
| Minimum aperture | F16 |
| Aperture ring | Yes |
| Number of diaphragm blades | 11 |
| Optics | |
| Elements | 14 |
| Groups | 10 |
| Special elements / coatings | 1 UD, 1 GMo Asph |
| Focus | |
| Minimum focus | 0.75 m (29.53″) |
| Maximum magnification | 0.12× |
| Autofocus | Yes |
| Motor type | Linear Motor |
| Full time manual | Yes |
| Focus method | Internal |
| Distance scale | No |
| DoF scale | No |
| Physical | |
| Weight | 636 g (1.40 lb) |
| Diameter | 77 mm (3.03″) |
| Length | 99 mm (3.9″) |
| Sealing | Yes |
| Filter thread | 67 mm |
| Hood supplied | Yes |
| Hood product code | ET-73C |
| Tripod collar | No |
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Canon EOS C50 is its smallest and lightest cinema camera ever