Canon 100mm Macro f/2.8 USM – Making High Quality Macro Photography Fun

Reviewed by Ben Lee, http://dslrlensesonline.com editor.

Buy the Canon 100mm Macro f/2.8 USM from Amazon and receive FREE shipping.

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The Canon 100mm Macro f/2.8 USM is one lens that you should not look past if you are at all interested in macro photography. It is an awesome macro lens producing high quality macro images and it will not break the bank.

With a 1:1 magnification factor, subjects will appear in your photos as big as they do in real life. There are other dedicated macro lenses out there (such as similarly named Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 L IS, the Sigma 150mm and Canon 180mm) but I truly believe that the EF 100mm f/2.8 USM is the best of the lot.

For its price, it is a more than competent achiever. Auto focus is lightning fast, accurate and dead quiet.  As expected in a dedicated macro lens, the barrel does not extend when focusing. A non extending lens coupled with 100mm worth of reach gives you the best chance of getting your shot without disturbing the subject.

This can sometimes be a real pain when you are trying to capture something like an insect only to have it fly away at the last second because of the movement of your lens. At least with a Canon 100mm Macro f/2.8 USM, you don’t have to be as close to the subject as you would otherwise have to be with say the Canon 50mm macro lens.

This lens is tack sharp wide open, and there are yet more improvements in image sharpness when it is stopped down somewhat. Of course, the lack of an image stabilization (IS) function will limit the lens being stopped down too frequently, but rest assured the results are still superb at f/2.8. Vignetting is something that is also apparent at f/2.8, but can be removed by simply stopping down.

I am happy to report that all of the vital signs of a good lens are here – good color and contrast, minimal flare and distortion. This lens can also be used in portraiture photography thanks to its ideal fixed focal length and maximum aperture.

The Good

perfect macro lens, this lens does not pretend to be anything else nor does it presume to be able to beat other non-macro lenses at their own games tack sharp through all apertures light weight and sound build quality great bokeh (background blur) – which I consider an essential feature of any macro lens excellent value for money

The Bad

there is nothing bad about this lens and I would be nitpicking if I said that the lack of image stabilization was a bad point. The truth is, you are never really going to miss it unless you are shooting at f/8 or smaller in very low light conditions. Even then, it would make sense to take more than one shot of your subject (which proper photographer practice would dictate you should be doing anyway), or just use flash. You can then evaluate, for example, 20 shots of your butterfly and pick the best 2 or 3. It is the same principle as going out and taking 700 shots of the Rockies in a day and expecting them all to be winners. The Canon 180mm macro lens does offer image stabilization but it is more cumbersome and more expensive and isn’t necessarily better because of the “L” designation.

I imagine that the Canon EF 100mm f 2.8 Macro USM is going to be popular with both macro and non-macro dedicated photographers alike.  Its capabilities are sure to bring a lot of people into the discipline thanks to its superior image quality and low cost.

The lens is that good that it is probably worth just going out and buying it to see if your excitement is justified, even if you only have the slightest interest in doing so.

Why do I say this? Macro photography is one of those things that doesn’t necessarily require you to be at Uluru before dawn.

Sometimes when it is a nice day outside I just like to head into my own backyard and take photos of flowers, insects and other things that take my fancy. Now, it’s a lot easier to do this with a Canon EF 100mm f 2.8 Macro USM than it is with a Canon 17-40 L, especially if you live in a house with a small backyard or have no backyard whatsoever.

Overall Rating:

There will be a small percentage of photographers who, for whatever reason, will not be satisfied with the lens.

For those looking for a macro lens with image stabilization and L series quality, the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L IS is worth a look.

If extra reach or lower cost is your go, then consider the Canon EF 180mm f3.5L Macro USM Lens and Sigma 150mm f/2.8 EX DG HSM APO HSM IF Macro Lens respectively.

Related posts:

1. Canon EF 28-135mm – The Perfect General Purpose Zoom Lens For Entry Level Photographers
2. Canon EF 24-70mm – An Even Better Lens Than Its Highly Acclaimed Predecessor
3. Canon 24-105mm Review – Why Does Everyone Loves This L Series Lens?
4. Canon 17-55mm f2.8 IS USM Lens – A Super Fast, High Quality Non L Series Lens
5. Canon EF-S 55-250mm IS Lens – Is It Right For You Or Worth The Money?

Filed under: Canon DSLR Lenses

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