Three Creators, One Lens: Exploring the Hybrid Power of the Canon RF 85mm f/1.4L VCM

What happens when three creators from completely different worlds – fashion, urban storytelling, and action sports – put the same lens to the test? The Canon RF 85mm f/1.4L VCM challenges expectations of what a prime lens can do. Designed for hybrid shooting, it bridges the gap between stills and motion, pairing L-series optics with Canon’s new VCM focus system for fast, silent precision.

To prove its versatility, Canon handed the lens to Macami, a Sydney-based fashion photographer and world-builder; Moses Aurelius, a filmmaker who finds poetry in city streets; and Michael Khedoori, a parkour-athlete-turned-filmmaker who captures extreme sports from the air. Each creator approached the RF 85mm f/1.4L VCM with a distinct vision, revealing just how adaptable a modern hybrid prime lens can be.

Hybrid Design: One Lens for Stills and Motion

The RF 85mm f/1.4L VCM sits at the crossroads of stills and motion. It’s built for creators who need one lens that performs equally well in both worlds – whether in a studio, on the street, or chasing motion at high speed.

The 85mm focal length has long been a favourite for portraiture thanks to its flattering compression and depth. But this new model redefines that tradition.

The RF 85mm f/1.4L VCM is a hybrid lens, meaning it’s engineered to excel both in photography and video. At its core, it combines:
• A fast f/1.4 aperture, which isolates subjects, creates a soft background blur (bokeh), and performs well in low light.
• Voice Coil Motor (VCM) autofocus, which is nearly silent and allows smooth, precise focus transitions.
• Compact, lightweight design, making it easy to handle for long shoots, handheld work, or mounted rigs.
• Stabilisation features, helping maintain crisp stills and smooth video in motion-heavy scenarios.

Across all three projects, these features gave the creators freedom to experiment and adapt to different environments without switching lenses or compromising on image quality. The result is sharp, cinematic imagery in almost any light, all in a surprisingly compact design. The lens handled controlled lighting, handheld video, and even drone-mounted action with equal confidence.

Image by Macami

Feature 1: Fast, Silent Autofocus – Precision in Motion

One of the standout capabilities of the RF 85mm f/1.4L VCM is its VCM focus system, designed for fluid transitions and reliable subject tracking – a feature that each creator leaned on in very different ways.

Autofocus is often the limiting factor when shooting video or moving subjects. The RF 85mm f/1.4L VCM’s VCM system allowed all three creators to work confidently in very different contexts.

• Macami, working in a studio filled with mirrors and reflective surfaces, relied on autofocus to maintain precision across both stills and video. Her shoot included carefully placed mirrors, sparkly dresses, and complex lighting that would confuse a slower lens. The VCM autofocus kept subjects sharp, allowing her to focus on directing the team and capturing imaginative compositions.
• Moses, filming in Sydney streets after dark, had to track moving subjects through shifting shadows, reflective surfaces, and complex urban textures. The autofocus system allowed him to maintain focus even as subjects moved in and out of shadow, compressing space and isolating figures against busy backgrounds.
• Michael, capturing high-speed motocross sequences with a drone-mounted camera, pushed the autofocus to its limits. The lens maintained sharp focus on his rider through rapid movement, dust, and changing light, allowing every frame to remain usable in post-production.

VCM autofocus allows creators to keep pace with fast action or subtle studio shifts, removing technical friction and letting them concentrate on storytelling.

Image by Moses Aurelius

Feature 2: Wide Aperture (f/1.4) – Light, Depth, and Emotion

An f/1.4 aperture has long been prized for its ability to separate subjects from their surroundings, offering both creative flexibility and practical benefits. Across these projects, it became clear the benefit goes far beyond background blur – it’s about control over light and storytelling tone.

• Studio Creativity: In a dimly lit fashion studio, Macami leveraged the aperture to capture cinematic video alongside high-resolution stills. The lens allowed her to shoot without constantly adjusting lights, preserve reflections in mirrors, and maintain sharpness even with slower shutter speeds.
• Street Storytelling: Moses used the aperture to transform ordinary urban objects into cinematic focal points. For instance, a payphone in a bustling street became visually striking when the background dissolved into soft shapes, highlighting the handset and buttons.
• Action and Isolation: Michael applied the wide aperture to emphasize his motocross rider against harsh, expansive landscapes. The shallow depth of field made the subject pop, while the environment became a soft backdrop that enhanced the drama of the motion.

Why f/1.4 matters
• Isolates subjects and compresses background for cinematic effect.
• Enables shooting in low-light conditions without heavy lighting setups.
• Creates atmospheric bokeh, adding depth and focus to both stills and video.
• Supports creative storytelling by emphasizing key elements while softening distractions.

Image by Michael Kheedori

Feature 3: Compact, Balanced Design – Mobility and Creative Flow

Weight and size often determine how a lens performs in real-world shooting conditions. The RF 85mm f/1.4L VCM’s lightweight, compact form and stabilisation system helped all three creators stay agile and responsive, even in long or complex shoots. Weighing in at approximately 895 grams, making it relatively light for a professional L-series lens. This compact, well-balanced design became a critical factor for each creator:

• Macami could shift seamlessly between stills and video in a studio packed with mirrors, reflective surfaces, and a full creative team. The lens’s weight and ergonomics meant long days of directing models, adjusting mirrors, and experimenting with lighting didn’t result in fatigue. It allowed her to stay immersed in the shoot, focusing on composition and creative storytelling.
• Moses benefitted from the compact design during urban handheld sequences. Navigating narrow alleys and crowded streets while capturing cinematic motion was far easier because the lens didn’t require a bulky rig. This agility let him react spontaneously to fleeting moments – reflections in windows, people passing, or the changing Sydney night light – without slowing down.
• Michael leveraged the lens’s weight and balance for drone and gimbal work in motocross shoots. A heavier lens might have thrown off the stabilisation and flight dynamics of his FPV drone or gimbal rig, but the RF 85mm f/1.4L VCM’s design allowed smooth, precise movement across fast-paced, unpredictable environments.

The lens’s compact size and ergonomic balance give creators mobility, reduce fatigue, and allow hybrid setups that can transition easily between handheld, gimbal, or drone work.

Image by Moses Aurelius

Feature 4: True Hybrid Performance – Seamless Transition Between Stills and Motion

The hybrid capability of the RF 85mm f/1.4L VCM is a standout feature that removes the need to constantly swap gear, creating a bridge between photography and filmmaking. Each creator explored that hybrid performance in their own way.

• Macami used it to simultaneously capture editorial-quality stills and cinematic fashion video. This dual capability meant she could experiment with complex lighting, reflective surfaces, and mirrors while maintaining a consistent visual style. Switching between formats didn’t require readjusting lighting or setups, keeping the creative momentum intact.
• Moses explored urban storytelling by shooting still images and handheld video during the same evening. With the RF 85mm f/1.4L VCM, he could maintain focus consistency, bokeh style, and exposure between formats, ensuring that his city story remained cohesive across frames.
• Michael tested the lens in extreme sports conditions, mounting it on a drone and gimbal while also capturing stills from the ground. The lens handled rapid subject movement while delivering sharp video and high-quality stills in parallel. This meant fewer retakes, more coverage, and a unified look across all media.

Why hybrid performance matters:
• Reduces downtime from switching lenses between stills and video.
• Ensures visual consistency across different formats.
• Enables more experimental storytelling without worrying about technical limitations.
• Supports diverse workflows, from studio fashion shoots to urban cinematic projects and high-speed sports filmmaking.

For creators looking to explore hybrid workflows, pairing this lens with a camera like the Canon R5 Mark II unlocks full potential.

Image by Michael Kheedori

Feature 5: Stabilisation and Low-Light Reliability – Confidence in Any Setting

Hybrid shoots often require working in challenging environments, and stabilisation plus low-light performance are critical:

• Macami’s studio sessions were intentionally dim to maintain mood and control reflections in mirrors. The lens’s optical design allowed her to keep subjects sharp without constantly adjusting lights, ensuring cinematic video and high-quality stills.
• Moses’s city shoots took place at night in low-light conditions. Handheld movement through streets, changing light, and reflective surfaces could have introduced blur or focus errors. Stabilisation combined with the wide aperture allowed him to maintain crisp imagery and smooth video while remaining agile in tight urban spaces.
• Michael’s motocross and FPV drone shoots presented extreme conditions: dust, high-speed motion, and varying sunlight. Despite these challenges, the RF 85mm f/1.4L VCM maintained focus, captured subject isolation, and delivered visually clean footage and stills that required minimal correction in post-production.

Reliable stabilisation and low-light performance let creators experiment with movement, composition, and atmosphere, ensuring high-quality output across all conditions.

Across three very different creative projects, the Canon RF 85mm f/1.4L VCM demonstrated that a prime lens can be more than a portrait tool. Its combination of fast, silent autofocus, wide f/1.4 aperture, compact and balanced design, hybrid functionality, and stabilisation empowers creators to push boundaries in both photography and videography.

• For studio and fashion creators like Macami, it simplifies complex setups, enabling cinematic video and crisp editorial stills without interrupting the flow of a shoot.
• For urban storytellers like Moses, it allows quick adaptation to light changes and moving subjects while preserving visual style across formats.
• For high-adrenaline sports filmmakers like Michael, it tracks fast subjects in unpredictable environments, capturing clean video and sharp stills with minimal hassle.

Ultimately, the RF 85mm f/1.4L VCM gives creators the confidence to focus on what matters most: storytelling and creativity. Its hybrid performance encourages experimentation, whether your world is portraits, street, or action, the RF 85mm f/1.4L VCM gives you the tools to move between them effortlessly – redefining what a prime lens can do.