The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Canon RF 135mm F1.8 L IS USM and the Canon RF 85mm F2 Macro IS STM for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is a crucial factor to consider when comparing two lenses. Canon RF 135mm F1.8 L IS USM is the longer of the two lenses at 130mm. The Canon RF 85mm F2 Macro IS STM with a length of 91mm, is 39mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Canon RF 135mm F1.8 L IS USM also has a larger diameter of 89mm compared to the Canon RF 85mm F2 Macro IS STM's 78mm diameter.
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Below you can find a scaled side-by-side image of Canon RF 135mm F1.8 L IS USM and Canon RF 85mm F2 Macro IS STM to get a better idea of how their sizes compare in real life.
The weight of a lens is equally significant as its external dimensions, particularly if you intend to handhold your camera and lens combination for extended periods. Canon RF 85mm F2 Macro IS STM weighs 500g, 46% (435g) lighter than the Canon RF 135mm F1.8 L IS USM's weight of 935g.
Filter Threads
The Canon RF 135mm F1.8 L IS USM has a filter size of 82mm whereas the Canon RF 85mm F2 Macro IS STM has a 67mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 82mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Canon RF 135mm F1.8 L IS USM:
And these are the 67mm filters that we recommend for the Canon RF 85mm F2 Macro IS STM:
Lens Mounts
Both the Canon RF 135mm F1.8 L IS USM and the Canon RF 85mm F2 Macro IS STM has the same Canon RF lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Canon RF lenses are Canon R100, Canon R8 and Canon R50.
Focal Range
Canon RF 135mm F1.8 L IS USM is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 135mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
216mm.
On the other hand, the Canon RF 85mm F2 Macro IS STM is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 85mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 136mm.