Voigtländer Nokton 40mm F1.2 (Sony E Mount) vs Canon RF 85mm F1.2L USM
Voigtländer Nokton 40mm F1.2 (Sony E Mount) vs Canon RF 85mm F1.2L USM
When comparing Canon RF 85mm F1.2L USM and Voigtländer Nokton 40mm F1.2 (Sony E Mount), which one is better?
1. Lens Mount Comparison
The lenses each feature different lens mounts — the Voigtländer Nokton 40mm F1.2 - (Sony E Mount) features a Sony E while the Canon RF 85mm F1.2L USM features a Canon RF — and because of this the preference varies. If you have a compatible camera, then of course that lens will be a better choice for you.
Winner: Tied — It depends on your gear
Regarding lens mount: Popular lens mounts are Canon RF and EF, Micro Four Thirds and Nikon Z. Different lens mounts lets you connect different lenses to camera bodies, but some might not be compatible. This can be helped by using an adapter, like a Canon EF to RF adapter.
2. Largest Aperture Comparison
Both lenses share the same aperture of 1.2 — this means that you may buy both Voigtländer Nokton 40mm F1.2 - (Sony E Mount) and Canon RF 85mm F1.2L USM in this regard; they''re the same.
Winner: Tied
Regarding largest aperture: A lower aperture number means that the widest aperture on the lens is larger. This means that more light will hit the sensor and also that the depth of field will be shallower, better separating your subject from the background.
3. Anamorphic Comparison
Neither Canon RF 85mm F1.2L USM or Voigtländer Nokton 40mm F1.2 - (Sony E Mount) are anamorphic lenses.
Winner: Tied — Neither have this feature
Regarding anamorphic: Anamorphic lenses are usually used on cinema cameras and squeezes the image when its recorded, which gives the final, stretched out, image oval bokeh and a different angle of view. The most common lenses, however, are not anamorphic but spherical, which gives a spherical bokeh and is a much cheaper lens design.
4. Lens Type Comparison
Both lenses are Prime lenses, which means that you can choose both Voigtländer Nokton 40mm F1.2 - (Sony E Mount) or Canon RF 85mm F1.2L USM if you're looking for that type of lens.
Winner: Tied
Regarding type: There are two types of lenses; zoom lenses and prime lenses. Prime lenses have a fixed focal length and cannot be zoomed, while zoom lenses have a focal length range and can be zoomed in to get closer to the subject. Prime lenses are usually lighter, cheaper and let in more light. Zoom lenses are more versatile but are more expensive since they require a more advanced lens design.
5. Autofocus Comparison
In regards to autofocus, the winner is Canon RF 85mm F1.2L USM since the other lens in this comparison, the Voigtländer Nokton 40mm F1.2 - (Sony E Mount) does not have autofocus at all — it is a manual focus lens.
Winner: Canon RF 85mm F1.2L USM
Regarding autofocus: Lenses with autofocus help you focus when shooting pictures or video. If a lens only has manual focus it means that you have to focus manually by adjusting the focus wheel on the lens. Most cinema lenses do not use autofocus and are manual focus only.
6. Macro Comparison
Neither Voigtländer Nokton 40mm F1.2 - (Sony E Mount) or Canon RF 85mm F1.2L USM are macro lenses.
Winner: Tied — Neither have this feature
Regarding macro: Macro lenses can focus much closer to your subjects and might be suitable when photographing flowers, insects, wildlife and nature.
7. Weather Seal Comparison
Canon RF 85mm F1.2L USM features a weather sealed design while Voigtländer Nokton 40mm F1.2 - (Sony E Mount) does not. This means that Canon RF 85mm F1.2L USM is a much better choice if you know that you'll use the lens in harsh environments, where moist, rain or dust is present.
Winner: Canon RF 85mm F1.2L USM
Regarding weather seal: A lens that is weather sealed will perform better over time if you're using the lens in harsh conditions where it's wet or dusty. It may not matter if you're merely using your lens in a studio or in your home.
8. Full Frame Comparison
Both Canon RF 85mm F1.2L USM and Voigtländer Nokton 40mm F1.2 - (Sony E Mount) cover a full frame sensor and can be used on full frame cameras as well as cameras with smaller sensors.
Winner: Tied — both have this feature
Regarding full frame coverage: All lenses do not cover full frame sensors, but not all cameras are full frame cameras either. If a lens covers a full frame sensor it can be used on all cameras with a matching lens mount, both full frame and crop sensors, except for medium format cameras.
Specifications
Full specifications table of Voigtländer Nokton 40mm F1.2 (Sony E Mount) and Canon RF 85mm F1.2L USM:
| Voigtländer Nokton 40mm F1.2 - (Sony E Mount) | Canon RF 85mm F1.2L USM | |
 |  | |
| Brand | Voigtländer | Canon |
| Lens Mount | Sony E | Canon RF |
| Focal Length | 40 mm | 85 mm |
| Largest Aperture | 1.2 | 1.2 |
| Anamorphic | No | No |
| Minimum Focus Distance | 110 cm | Missing |
| Type | Prime | Prime |
| Aperture Range | 1.2 - 22 | Missing |
| Filter Thread Diameter | 58 | Missing |
| Lens Groups | 8 | Missing |
| Lens Elements | 6 | Missing |
| Image Stabilization | No | Missing |
| Autofocus | Hayır | Evet |
| Macro | No | No |
| Weather Seal | No | Yes |
| Full Frame Coverage | Yes | Yes |
| Lens Hood Included | Missing | Yes |
| Stabilization Type | Missing | Canon Image Stabilizer (IS) |