The 85mm focal length is ideally suited for portraiture and more selective shooting and pairs with a modestly bright f/1.8 maximum aperture that offers depth of field control while also promoting a sleek form factor.

The optical design incorporates a pair of extra-low dispersion elements, which help to reduce color fringing and chromatic aberrations in order to achieve high clarity and accurate color rendering. This lens is also characterized by its linear AF motor, for fast focusing performance, and its dust-, moisture-, and freeze-resistant design to enable working in tough environmental conditions.