85mm

85mm refers to a length of 85 millimeters. In photography and cinematography, it most often denotes a fixed focal-length lens designed to produce a relatively narrow field of view, commonly used on 35mm full-frame cameras or on formats designed to approximate that field of view. An 85mm prime is considered a short telephoto lens and is widely used for portrait work because it offers flattering perspective and pleasing background compression when paired with a reasonably wide aperture.

On a full-frame camera, an 85mm lens provides a narrow angle of view and requires a modest working distance, factors that contribute to the characteristic portrait look. Lenses in this category typically offer large maximum apertures, such as f/1.4, f/1.8, or f/2, which enable shallow depth of field and strong subject separation. On cameras with smaller sensors, the apparent field of view is reduced by the crop factor, so the effective focal length is longer: about 127mm equivalent on most APS-C bodies (1.5x crop) and about 170mm equivalent on Micro Four Thirds (2x crop).

85mm lenses are widely produced by camera manufacturers and third-party makers, available as fast primes and, less commonly, as variant kits. They are favored in portrait sessions for sharpness and natural rendering, and are also used for events, street photography, and detail shots. Design goals often emphasize image quality, minimal distortion, and strong performance toward the frame edges at wide apertures.

Historically prominent in the film era as a standard portrait focal length, 85mm lenses transitioned to digital systems alongside interchangeable-lens cameras and remain a staple in many photographers’ kits. In cinema, similar short-telephoto lenses are used for close-ups with a controlled depth of field.