I really like using this lens for portraits.

But - seem to forget how (relatively) good it is for exactly black & White portraits. It happens then, that my ego instead yearns for a native (Shorter portrait lens) like Fujinon GF 80mm ƒ1.7. Alternative a replacement lens like Sigma ART 85/1.4, or Canon EF 85/1.4L IS... or even the Canon EF 85/1.2 L II.

Then - a rediscover my old 85/1.2 L - realizing that it works damn good on a Fujifilm GFX camera.

One day of course, I could think of using the more modern Canon EF 85/1.2 L Mark II lens (via Fringer adapter) as it is relatively attractive priced on the used market... Plus at the same time, it also focus way better on Canon mirrorless cameras today ! It sucked however big times on DSLR's cameras. Daniel had one - and it was a very tricky lens in terms of AF reliability. Fluctuating from frame to frame... Just so damn inconsistent. Even worse it was with the EF 50/1.2 L lens.

Fucking up many photos.

As Canon went mirrorless with the EOS R series - the same two lenses became very reliable an consistent in autofocus performance ! Even if they are not perfect in terms of optical quality and can't match the newer Canon RF lens versions which are optically exceptional... The older versions are still good lenses - Especially in the right hands. Plus they are far more affordable today.

Stop the lens down a notch, or two...

say aperture ƒ2, an you already get crispy sharp finest details, including the thickness of a single hair. visible. However, the depth of sharpness remains still very shallow at ƒ2 (I am still talking about BW portrait photography).

One issue with the FD 85/1.2 L ; the aperture bokeh balls ain't round once you stop the aperture blades down. Also; the bokeh-balls show some weird, pretty pronounced onion-rings (because the lens exhibits a manually ground aspherical lens element in the back, causing the onion rings).

Yet... I can live with that (even correct it in post manually).