Canon patent hints at lighter, cheaper RF 85mm f/1.2 lens

Canon may be laying the groundwork for a portrait prime that is easier to carry and easier to buy. A new patent points to a lighter, cheaper RF 85mm f/1.2 direction built around a glass-and-resin composite element, a development that could matter most to photographers who love Canon’s 85mm look but cannot justify the flagship price tag.

The patent centers on what Canon Rumors describes as a glass-and-resin “sandwich,” with a glass element bonded between thinner resin layers. That construction is meant to trim weight and reduce cost, while still helping control distortion with fewer elements. Canon’s approach is also aimed at durability: bonding the resin to glass helps guard against extreme temperatures and reduces the chance of deformation, so this is not being framed as a simple budget shortcut. It is an attempt to balance optics, manufacturing efficiency, and portability in one design.

What makes the filing especially interesting is that it includes three RF 85mm f/1.2 optical designs. That suggests Canon is exploring more than one route to the same goal before deciding how, or if, to turn the idea into a shipping lens. Canon Rumors says the patent could point to a future RF 85mm f/1.2 STM, and that would fill a real gap in Canon’s mirrorless lineup: a faster portrait prime with the signature f/1.2 rendering, but without the weight and cost of the current L-series version.

That current lens, the RF 85mm F1.2 L USM, is still very much a premium tool. Canon U.S.A. lists it at $3,099 and positions it for portraits, weddings, fashion, and low-light work. When Canon first announced it in 2019, the company said it would ship in June 2019 at an estimated retail price of $2,699. Canon also sells an RF 85mm F1.2 L USM DS version, which it says maintains very high optical performance while producing smoother edges at wide apertures for smoother bokeh.

Canon’s 85mm lineup has also continued to broaden. In September 2025, Canon added the RF 85mm F1.4 L VCM, aimed at hybrid shooters who want a portrait-style lens for stills and video. Canon’s own marketing says 85mm is often preferred for portraits because it offers flattering perspective and desirable bokeh, which is exactly why an affordable f/1.2 version would land with so much force. If this patent becomes a product, it would bring Canon’s most desirable portrait focal length closer to the photographers who have been priced out of the top shelf.