Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM Lens for Canon SLR Cameras

Prospective buyers of a macro lens for a Canon EOS system have a great first choice in this 100mm Macro. The extra length over a 50mm macro gives much better working distance (space between lens and subject) in the field, and EOS-compatible lenses by other manufacturers match poorly with accessories and are nowhere near as sharp.

Compared with the earlier Micro Motor 100mm Macro that Canon made (which I also own), the USM lens focuses *very* fast. The USM lens also can accept Tripod Collar B (by use of a small plastic adapter)--I recommend you buy the collar with the lens, as adjusting to a vertical composition with a tripod means repositioning everything. The front element is not recessed in the USM model, which makes lens cleaning easier than with its predecessor. And build quality is improved--the earlier model was prone to its switches breaking (could fix it yourself with the ordered part, but really annoying) and eventually the Micro Motor gearing gave out (no trouble so far with the USM ring motor). The USM model will work with Canon's 2x teleconverter by interposing a 12mm extension tube, allowing 2x magnification with lots of working distance, though this is not nearly as nice a solution as the 180mm lens referenced below.

I will quibble with another reviewer--Canon does make sharper lenses, and sharpness compared with the earlier model is virtually the same. But this is still one of the sharpest lenses you can buy, and ergonomically a huge improvement over its predecessor.

Having said that, Canon now has an L-series 100mm macro that is a bit sharper and has better bokeh (out-of-focus highlights). A serious hobbyist might consider that lens, though it costs about 40% more on the street. I purchased the Canon EF 180mm f/3.5L Macro Lens less than a year ago, and am very impressed with its greater sharpness and working distance relative to this lens. If you work much with small critters, take a look at that lens before making a purchase.

If you are building up a set of lenses for outdoor/nature photography and you do occasional macrophotography, this might be the first or second lens to buy. If you work significantly at magnifications greater than 1:1, consider the Canon 65mm 1x-5x Macro zoom.

This is the lens I leave on my camera for general purpose use. At non-macro focus distances, it is a very fast lens in a convenient short-telephoto length. The images are sharp out to the corners. This is one of those great Canon lenses that probably deserves an L-series rating but is available without the red stripe and exorbitant cost.

Tested in an astrophotography context (point sources on black backgrounds excellent for revealing aberration and coma), I have found that this lens is reasonably sharp at f/4 and completely sharp by f/5.6. For daylight terrestrial photography, the tiny aberrations caused by the wide-open f/2.8 aperture are hardy noticeable and by f/4 the images are exquisitely sharp.

There is a lot of glass in this lens it is heavy. I highly recommend buying the tripod collar as it allows you to attach the camera and lens to a tripod or ballhead with much better balance.

Also, if you plan on using the macro functionality, keep in mind that the effective f-stop of the lens goes way up when you're focusing at very close range. At 15cm from the front surface, it performs as though it were an f/9. You'll either want a lot of light or a very steady subject and a good tripod (another reason to buy the hideously overpriced tripod collar).

Buy Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM Lens for Canon SLR Cameras Now

The 100 f/2.8 macro is very sharp, even for general shooting, so it works great for portraits, too. When I'm not using a zoom, this is my walkaround lens for people, relatively tight scenes and even indoor sports. Think of it as a great lens that also shoots macro than the other way around. Hard to beat that versatility at the price.

But it comes into its own at close distances. If you've never had a macro lens, you'll run around shooting everything in sight because everything looks new from a macro perspective.

Canon has several macro lenses. I prefer the 100 mm over shorter lenses because I don't have to get quite as close to that bee or wasp. The 180 mm gives you even more distance from your subject, more background blur and amazing sharpness. But it's much more expensive and in most cases you'll need a tripod, and I shoot a lot of improptu macros as I'm hiking.

For extreme closeups with larger-than-life images, there's the MP-E 65. It goes up to 5X, compared to the 100mm's 1X, but you lose autofocus with this lens. In fact, you set your magnification and then move the camera until the object is in focus! As you get beyond about 2X, the viewfinder gets fairly dark. If you're doing still life macro work, it's amazing. I'll probably get one someday for shooting my mineral colletion.

One thing to keep in mind with any macro is that because of the close distances, you're often in lower light conditions. Althought it's fairly pricey, I'm using the MT-24 EX, which lets you adjust the direction of the twin flashes. The MR-14EX ring light is a couple hundred dollars cheaper but will produce a slightly flatter image. And you can always use one of the standard flashes, though the closeness of your subject may cause some odd shadows.

Read Best Reviews of Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM Lens for Canon SLR Cameras Here

This is hands down the sharpest and most used lens that I own. The combination of macro capability, relatively fast 2.8 aperature, and prime sharpness keeps it on my camera more than anything else. I shoot a variety of subjects from macro nature work to indoor sports, and this lens never lets me down.

One of the major compliments I have for this lens is its versatility (I disagree with many of the reviews here.) I continually find 100mm to be an ideal focal length with my 1.6 APS-c sensor XT for shooting indoor swimming and diving competitions. This length allows for beautifully tight framing, slightly compressed depth of field, and shallow focus to get amazing portrait shots while eliminating distracting background. The speed of the lens allows me to catch swimmers in the air without using a disturbing flash. This is imperative because flash photography is prohibited at the start of a race. Apart from sports events, the lens allows for very intimate portraits without having to be in the subjects face. This performance along with macro capability truly make this a multi-purpose lens.

I usually hand hold for sports photography with good results (the accessory battery grip on my XT is invaluable for this), and usually use a tripod for nature and still-life situations. If I've had one too many cups of coffee I'll use a monopod during sports events. I do wish the lens came with the accessory tripod collar, because it is undeniably a fairly heavy piece of glass, but it is not so important that I have shelled out for one yet. I have no complaints with the AF, and I find that the switch to limit the AF range away from the extreme macro is very helpful. Once you use Canon's USM lenses, you will never buy anything else. The large and easy to use manual focus ring is a luxury. It allows for quick manual override and great control when switching to manual focus. In many situations that I don't want to carry my large bag with me, the 100mm and my 17-40mm L usually cover just about everything I need. (I know that my idea if traveling light is not taking the kitchen sink however.)

This is not an L lens for reasons of the lack of some weather resistance and L level coatings, but don't let that dissuade you. It easily outperforms both my L zooms in sharpness and I find it to be comparable in contrast and color. The level of performance and a price that is a fraction of many L lenses makes this an unbeatable value.

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I bought this lens a little over a year ago for macro shooting. I quickly found out, however, that to shoot Macro-only with this lens is a crime. It is a very versitile lens. Its fast f/2.8 aperture makes for good shooting in low light. I pretty much use this outdoors as the 100mm with the 1.6x crop factor of my Rebel XT eliminates most indoor oppurtunities.

I frequently use this lens for family portraits, the resultant photo is so crisp and clear and the bokeh really helps add snap to the primary subject.

As others have stated, this is a heavy lens. It doesn't have Image Stabilization (IS) so a tripod or monopod is a great accessory to get the best images. I use a beefy monopod for my best shots, although I have a lot of handheld gems...

If you are tight for cash, this isn't the "one lens" that does it all. If you are looking for a versitile lens that can do outstanding macros and portraits, THIS is that lens.