Used Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM for Sale — From £110 | UsedLens.co.uk

£110.00 Low price

£367.99 High price

77 Listings

6 Retailers

8 New this week

22 Reduced

Great for: portraiture wedding photography events and documentary street photography low-light photography

Canon's classic portrait prime, fast and affordable with ring USM autofocus.

The Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM was launched in 1992 and remains one of Canon's most respected portrait lenses more than thirty years later. The combination of an 85mm focal length, f/1.8 maximum aperture, and ring-type USM autofocus at a price well below the L-series 85mm primes established it as the standard portrait lens for Canon EF system photographers. The ring USM motor — the same architecture as L-series lenses rather than the micro-USM found in budget primes — enables fast, silent autofocus with full-time manual focus override while AF is engaged. The lens has remained in production largely unchanged since launch.

The optical design uses 9 elements in 7 groups. The 58mm filter thread is shared with the EF 50mm f/1.4 USM and several other Canon EF lenses, making filter carry-over practical within a Canon kit. At 425g the lens is comfortable for extended portrait use — considerably lighter than the EF 85mm f/1.2L. A minimum focus distance of 0.85m allows tight head-and-shoulders framing at the 85mm focal length. Eight rounded aperture blades produce smooth bokeh at wide apertures. Ring-type USM autofocus is fast and near-silent, with full-time manual focus override active while AF is engaged — a feature absent in micro-USM designs. Wide open at f/1.8 there is mild softness and some chromatic fringing; from f/2.2 the lens is sharp and contrasty across the frame. Build combines metal and plastic elements with a metal mount ring; there is no built-in image stabilisation.

As a portrait lens the 85mm f/1.8 USM delivers the background separation and moderate compression that makes 85mm the classic portrait focal length on full-frame. At f/1.8 subject-to-background isolation is significant; at f/2.8 the rendering is sharp across the focus plane with a smooth falloff. The ring USM handles moving portrait subjects reliably in continuous AF. On APS-C bodies the 136mm equivalent provides a longer, more telephoto perspective better suited to outdoor or studio work than informal portraiture. Via the EF-RF adapter on EOS R bodies, IBIS from compatible R-series cameras provides in-body stabilisation.

On the used market the 85mm f/1.8 USM is consistently excellent value and one of the most reliable used lenses in the Canon ecosystem. Condition checks should cover USM motor function, aperture blade operation, and front element for scratches. The focus ring rubber can show wear on early-production copies — cosmetically minor but worth noting. Compatible with all EOS DSLRs and via Canon's EF-RF adapter on RF bodies. The RF 85mm f/2 Macro IS STM is the native RF alternative with IS and macro capability at a similar price. For full-frame portrait work on the EF mount, the 85mm f/1.8 USM has no peer at its price.

Avg £195, down 7.4% over 1 month

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Used Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM price history

Tracking the used Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM price? Over the past month, the average has fallen 7.4%, from £211 to around £195. Depending on age and condition, expect to pay between £175 and £240 for a used lens.

Average market price (line) and typical price range (shaded). Source: UsedLens daily price index, 11 Jun – 20 Jul 2026.