A kilo of massive glass, a strange beast, crazy expensive, awkward and heavy in the camera bag. And be carefull when you put it on the camera, if not you risk scratch the back lens which almost flush with the bayonet mount, it is like Canon stretched the design to the limit of what is practical.

f/1.2, 1/45s ISO 1600. Canon EOS 5Dmk2

However once on the camera the 85mmF/1.2 feels really nice, it is nice to hold and the added weight gives some extra stability. Yes this is the king of night photo and portraits. Very sharp wide open but precise careful focusing is a must, for close ups the DOF is ridiculously short, focus on the eyes and the tip of the nose is blurry.

With Canon 5Dmk2 ISO3200, 1/80 sec and f/1.2 candle light photography was definitively possible but the AF system of 5Dmk2 made it a hit and miss game, the probabilities for focused images were (for me) typically 50% at best. Now with Canon EOS 5DMk3 things really have changed; the low light performances with the new AF system, the possibilities to go to 6400 ISO and beyond together with a lens like the 85mm F/1.2 are nothing short of spectacular and will change photography.

f/1.2 ISO 800 Canon EOS 5Dmk2

f/1.2 1/160, ISO 3200 Canon EOS 5Dmk2

f/2, ISO 100, Canon EOS 5Dmk2