Focus Ring - EF85 f/1.2L

[c jensen]

<p>Pulled my new lens out of the box tonight and discovered that the focus ring rotates very easily / effortlessly compared to my L zoom lenses. Doesn't appear to be loose or wobbly, just fast. Does this sound normal?</p>

[alan_bryant1]

<p>I believe that lens is fly-by-wire, ie the focus ring doesn't have a mechanical connection to the focus mechanism. Instead, the focus ring changes are read electrically, and the USM autofocus motor actually makes the change to the focus. I would expect that kind of mechanism would have a different feel to it.</p>

<p>Alas I don't have that lens, so I can't say from experience.</p>

[sheldonnalos]

<p>It's totally normal. Try it out in manual focus mode, it feels the same but the motor moves the lens in and out.</p>

<p>Both my 85L Mark I and 85L Mark II have worked like this.</p>

[tommyinca]

<p>The EF85/1.2 will let you manual focus only after it is mounted on a camera with power on. Out side of that, it is like a fly wheel mount to nothing.</p>

<p>BTW: Great lens. Its just a bit funky on focus.</p>

[stamos]

<p>Yes, it is absolutely normal. I use the Mark II and in the beginning I was also surprised. The focusing ring is not mechanically connected with the enormous barrel-carrier of the focusing optical elements.</p>

[c jensen]

<p>Thanks for the input - helped me figure it out. One thing's for sure; it's one big honkin' lens.</p>