What’s wrong with my Canon EF 85mm 1.2 lens?

Question

It squeaks when I try to focus and sounds like metal against metal. And it won’t focus on Manual mode. The outside is in great condition but the ring for focus is loose and wobble's. It’s like it is stuck on a focus point far away and can’t focus anywhere else without making that noise😐

Answer 1

Unfortunately, it seems your lens is broken based on the description.

Repair or replacement is probably required to restore full operation.

Answer 2

Both the EF 85mm f/1.2L and the EF 85mm f/1.2L II use a 'focus-by-wire' system for manual focus. That is, there is not a direct mechanical connection between the focusing ring and the lens' focus elements. When you turn the focus ring the lens sends an electrical signal to the camera, which in turn sends a signal the the lens' focusing motor to move the lens' focus elements. The camera's metering/focus must be active at the time or nothing will happen when you turn the focusing ring on such a lens. Basically, if you can see information in the camera's viewfinder (exposure, aperture, ISO, etc.) then the camera's metering/focus is active.

As with all 'focus-by-wire' lenses, whether one is using autofocus or manual focus the lens' focus motor is what actually moves the lens' focusing elements.

It sounds like your lens' focusing motor may be malfunctioning. Based on you description of the focusing ring, it could be that a signal from the focusing ring is being constantly sent to the camera to focus the lens at infinity. It's time to send it to a repair facility that can sort it out and diagnose what's causing the problem and advise you of the viability and practicality of repairing it.

For the original EF 85mm f/1.2L introduced in 1989, replacement parts may not be available, as that lens was superseded by the EF 85mm f/1.2L II in 2006. The latter lens was discontinued in March, 2021. Canon typically provides repair support for discontinued lenses for at least seven years, though sometimes their reserve of spare parts runs out sooner than that.