Fast Short-Telephoto Prime. The Canon 85mm f/1.4L IS is a great choice for portraiture. Its fast f/1.4 maximum aperture gives you stellar low-light performance and excellent depth-of-field control, and its rounded nine-blade diaphragm produces pleasing bokeh when you’re using selective-focus techniques.

Full-Frame Coverage. This short-telephoto prime is designed for Canon’s full line of EF-mount DSLRs, so it offers 35mm full-frame coverage. You can also use it on APS-C cameras, on which it’ll provide a 136mm equivalent focal length.

Image Stabilization. The built-in optical image stabilization provides up to four stops of correction, enabling you to shoot hand-held without having to worry about the effects of camera shake.

Ring-Type Autofocus System. The ring-type USM motor provides fast, silent autofocus performance with full-time manual-focus override. The internal-focusing design ensures that this lens’s physical size doesn’t change while focusing.

L-Series Quality. As an L-series lens, the 85mm f/1.4L IS features premium optical design and build quality. It features one glass-molded aspherical element to combat distortion and aberrations. Canon applies an Air Sphere Coating to all of the lens elements to reduce flare, minimize ghosting, and maintain optimal image quality, even in bright light. The weather-sealed barrel provides protection from moisture and dust, letting you use this lens in less-than-ideal conditions.