Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM Lens
Thursday, August 27th, 2009 at
9:55 am
- Zoom lens EF 100mm 2.8 Macro USM
This product is a medium telephoto lens with a macro feature for 1x magnification
Fluctuations in spherical aberrations caused by focusing are suppressed, and high-quality images are obtained at all focusing distances
With eight aperture blades, good background blur is obtained even when the aperture is decreased by one or two stops
A focusing limiter which limits the magnification to 0
25x is built-in
Product Description Canon EF macro lens – 100 mm Lens System Macro lens Intended For 35mm SLR, digital SLR Mounting Type Canon EF Lens Aperture&… more >>
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(out of 13 reviews)
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Review by brainleek007 for Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM Lens
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I’ve had this a couple of days now and had a chance to have a good play and I’m suitably impressed.
The lens feels well built – a little lighter than I would have thought given the length but it doesn’t feel flimsy.
Auto focus is good and fast enough for me and there’s a switch on the side of the lens which limits the focusing so it avoids going down to its macro zone and thus saves time – a handy feature if you know you’re shooting from more than 48cm.
There’s a full time focus ring and a manual/auto focus switch. Focusing is internal meaning the lens doesn’t grow in length as you’re focusing which I really like.
Now down to the nitty gritty – image quality. I have to say it is excellent. I personally bought the lens after reading many reviews on the web and I have not been disappointed in the least. Background blur is also very beautiful. Images are incredibly sharp and also show excellent colour reproduction imo.
Another good feature of the lens is that whilst achieving 1:1 reroduction at it’s closest focusing distance it still gives you about 15cm from the end of the lens to the subject. I own the 60mm ef-s macro too and the working distance is down to 9cm on that lens which can get tight at times so this offers a bit more breathing room.
On a camera with the APS-C sized sensor such as the Canon 400D what you’re actually getting is a 160mm medium telephoto lens. It’ll likely be too much for most portrait work but as a lens for excellent macros and general telephoto work it offers a useful level of magnification.
Price is pretty reasonable in my opinion given the exceptional image quality.
If you are looking for this for a Canon with an APS-C sensor for mostly macro/portrait then do seriously consider the ef-s 60mm lens as it really is awesome, and cheaper, and I reviewed it on amazon too if you’re looking to weigh up the pros and cons. However, if you want a lens capable of super high quality macro shots with a 160mm focal length for a more telephoto bias with all the advantages that fixed focal length lenses bring then choose this!
All round awesome lens.
Review by amazion for Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM Lens
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I adore it. I resent having to remove it from my camera because it’s such fun to use. However, this is not a lens for everyday use – it’s for savouring and exploring new perspectives with. On an EOS 40D it’s effectively a 160mm lens so it’s really not a general purpose lens. It’s a lens for savouring. Set everything on your camera to manual. Take your time, and re-learn everything. I love it.
On a 40D I have the advantage of using LiveView with digital zoom to help me focus in low-light conditions. If you’re considering using it with a 350 or 400D make sure to try before you buy – you might find manual focus pretty challenging with the dim viewfinder that todays prosumer DSLRs have.
Nevertheless, I’ve no regrets: if you want to do macro photography this is the lens to start with. Oh, and get the best tripod you can afford; you’ll need it! Consider a manfrotto 055XPROB and a ring flash to complete your macro capabilities.
Review by Mr. Ian Harvey for Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM Lens
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I’ve had this for a few months and am using it with an EOS 350D.
Firstly, and most importantly, image quality is fantastic – it’s pixel-sharp, and seems incapable of distortion or chromatic aberration. I have really no complaints here, not even niggles.
The AF is accurate and fast. It can hunt around a bit if you’re not quite aiming straight, so the switch to increase minimum focussing distance (from 0.3m to 0.48m) is very useful for non-macro subjects. Alternatively, manually focussing first, then blipping the AF to fine-tune it, works quickly and reliably.
Lastly, I’m surprised at how much I use this lens, even after the initial excitement of taking poster-size shots of everyday household objects has worn off. It’s a very capable portrait lens, particularly outdoors or where you have room to stand a few metres away from your subject. Without a zoom you have to use it in a different way, but I find the lack of variables actually encourages creativity. You can always crop it later!
I had originally set out looking for a zoom telephoto lens, something like Canon’s EF 70-200 f/4.0 L lens. I’ve used one before – it’s a lovely lens – but really on the big side, and at f/4 you need a lot of light to take hand-held shots, especially at the long end of the zoom. Also, this particular lens has no macro capability.
If you can bear to do without a zoom you’ll get a lighter, cheaper, brighter lens with unimpeachable image quality, aside from the world of fun that is macro photography. Highly recommended.
Review by Benjamin for Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM Lens
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Before making the decision to splash out on the Canon lens for my Canon EOS 400D I spent several months comparing reviews and opinions on various lenses. It came down to a choice between the Canon 100mm, the Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro and the Tamron 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro Lens. Each had its plus points but the general consensus of opinion consistently favoured the canon.
I do not regret my choice. For close-up work the 100mm lens is a considerable improvement over the standard 18-55mm lens, and for macro it is excellent. Best results are achieved when using full manual settings, and I find the lens performs at its best roughly between f8 and f22.
Using the lens as a standard telephoto I am not yet convinced, certainly when using it hand held. It is quite a heavy piece of equipment and I find camera shake a problem, but used with a tripod the results are good. But I am not too worried about this as it was primarily for macro photography that I wanted the lens, and on this basis I do not regret my choice.
Review by Mr. David Perry for Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM Lens
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Having owned one of these babies for a year I can unequivocally say it’s the best purchase I’ve made for my photography, powerful, quiet and a quick lens to boot it’s pulled off some fantastic shots with minimal assistance from me! Particularly when pulling out detail in reflective surfaces like water droplets on flower leaves I’ve often been stunned by how crisp and sharp the images from this lens are.
If you enjoy macro photography and / or portraiture then I’d definitely just buy it and stop debating whether you need it – you do!