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

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This is by far one of the sharpest lenses on the market, even holding its own against the most expensive glass by Canon, Nikon and even Zeiss (which Nikon and Zeiss owners will foam at the mouth at hearing, but the results of shooting with this lens dont lie). Its also one of the most versatile, since its a true macro lens which does double- and even triple-duty as an incredible portrait lens and fast medium telephoto. The L version of this, which costs twice as much, really only brings optical image stabilization to the table, but its overall sharpness is, in practice, no better than this "regular" lens. Also, lens flare is so well controlled by this lens design that you can save your money on a lens hood. It has a second diaphragm in it that makes it nearly impossible to get flare without actually trying to, in which case you might be disappointed, since it really is hard to get flare even intentionally. This is an impressive feat of engineering on Canons part. Its also very fast to focus when the limiter switch is set to keep it out of the macro range. But, even when the limiter is turned off, it doesnt tend to hunt for focus except in low light or at extremely close distances. For low light, turn the focus limiter on, and you should have no problems. And, if youre shooting macro, its best to manually focus for that, anyway. And, again, I cant rave enough about how sharp this lens is. From edge to edge, details are tack sharp, and theres very little chromatic aberration. In fact, I dont think Ive ever used another lens that had such well-controlled color fringing, even wide open at f/2.8. Vignetting, though noticeable when the aperture is left wide-open, isnt as bad as other lenses, such as the 85mm f/1.8 (considerably more noticeable, but actually rather nice for portraits, which is what that lens is geared toward). On a full-frame sensor (or on 35mm film), it can give 1-to-1 reproduction, which means objects you shoot at its closest focusing distance will be the same size on the sensor that they are in real life. Imagine how much detail you could get in a print of a penny if its recorded image on film were the same size as the penny itself. Thats how macro lenses capture so much detail in small objects that our naked eye wouldnt be able to see. On APS-C sensor cameras, such as Rebels, the 60D, 70D, etc., it gives an effective reproduction of 2-to-1 (that is, 2x magnification), since APS-C sensors are only about half the size of full-frame. So, if you have a full-frame sensor and an APS-C sensor that both have the same resolution, you will have to crop the image from the APS-C sensor less than an image from a full-frame sensor to get the same overall apparent magnification. This will result in more detail in the APS-C sensors image. I got a Rebel to use specifically for macro work for this very reason, saving my 5D for portraiture and landscapes. Finally, this lens build is just plain solid. It feels sturdy, even with its plastic (though its high-quality plastic) barrel. It never ceases to feel great in your hand, no matter how many times you pick it up. I now find myself going back to my opening statement. This lens is incredible. Arguably one of the best all-around lenses ever created (and youd be hard-pressed to argue that its not). I never get bored with it, especially since macro photography opens up a whole new world. Youll be amazed at how exciting and interesting your back yard can be when you go on a safari in it with this lens. Throw in awesome portraits and great sports and other action shots, and its easy to justify its kind of hefty price. Im attaching a couple of portraits and macro shots I took with it.

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This is a fantastic lens that can deliver some great macro shots. The build quality is solid, and the optics are very nice. That said, lacking image stabilization, you will need lots of light (a flash can help considerably) and very steady hands (a tripod would help considerably) if you want good image quality at the most magnified ends that lens can achieve. If youre working with these additional tools, I have no doubt that this lens will do amazing things for you. I primarily do hand-held shooting, so Ive had to work harder (admittedly NOT smarter) in order to achieve good results. What is nice to note, is that youll probably get better with practice like I have. Beyond the macro photography, this lens also does really well for other types of shooting. I have done some indoor sports photography and was very please with it. Being able to open up the aperture to f2.8 means that it can do better in the poor lighting gyms often afford. Like other prime lenses, I simply moved myself when I needed to be closer or farther away. I know this isnt always possible, but for that situation its the reason why I ended up using it over the Canon 55-250mm f4-5.6--more light meant fast shutter speeds and a cleaner image. Others have noted that this 100mm lens can also be used for portraits, and I agree. Working with a crop sensor camera, Im also getting the added 1.6x focal length, which can assist in the compressed look that most people want when shooting portraits. I figured I would only use the lens for macro, but Ive ended up using it for much more than that. I give the lens 4/5 stars simply because it lacks Image Stabilization. Maybe it isnt fair to judge the lens for a feature that it doesnt have, but having used longer focal lengths with IS, it is certainly one I wish this one had given my stubborn refusal to use a tripod. Outside of the macro shots, I havent missed having the IS, so if you were going to plan on using the lens for much more than macro work, you may not feel you need IS.

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I had always wanted a macro lens but it wasnt on the top of my list. However, when Amazon had a superb deal on the price of this lens a few months ago, I snatched it up instantly. At first, being the novice I am, I wasnt too thrilled about the lens. As someone who WAS accustomed to pointing and shooting with my Rebel T3i, the lens was difficult to use, blurry and slow to focus and I had expected something more out of the most expensive lens in my amateur lens set-up. It took me some time to figure out how to work the lens but this only encouraged me to explore the camera and my photography in new ways. Some things I learned using this lens that will probably be beneficial to beginning photographers and those who are new to macro-photography: First of all, this lens works best with a good tripod if you are using it for its macro capabilities. Once I learned that, it makes the lens much more enjoyable to use. I find that handheld and with autofocus on it can do portrait and landscape pictures decently. Handheld macro shots ARE possible but I personally find that there are not as sharp as when I use I tripod. There is a noticeable difference in sharpness... this lens can be insanely sharp! Secondly, the autofocus does not work that great for macro mode. This is not a bad thing. I usually turn off the autofocus and focus manually using the screen rather than the viewfinder and then use the digital magnification capabilities on my T3i to really sharpen the parts of the photo I want to focus on. I dont have a remote so I set the 2-second timer on my camera and take pictures that way. Without autofocus on, you can determine what areas of the the photo to highlight creatively and take advantage of its sharpness. This process may be a little slow and tedious for some people. Thirdly, its not a microscope. I was initially disappointed that I could not stand inches away from an object and look at its molecular breakdown. Haha. Shows my initial naivete but magnification capabilities from a distance allows you to photograph insects and animals without invading their space. I also use this shot for tripod telephoto shots. It can take some pretty amazing and sharp night shots (with a good tripod!) so I love that it is a very multipurpose lens despite being a macro lens. I love the USM motor. It is a bit slower than I expected but I assign that to the fact that its a macro lens. It is super quiet and has introduced me to a level of quality beyond the kit and budget Canon lenses I have in my bag. For budget photographers, this can be a dangerous descent into lens acquisition syndrome. This lens definitely isnt for everyone. If youre a stubborn point and shooter with no desire/need for creative photography, this lens may not benefit you and will probably frustrate you. However, if you are willing to be patient and thoughtful, you can learn to make some amazing shots with this lens and expand your photographic creativity. If you dislike having to use a tripod and have money to splurge, there is the much more expensive L, image stabailization version of this lens. I also use this lens for my eBay listings and I feel that it really helps my items pop on the search results compared to competing listings. Highly recommended.

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I felt that this lens necessiate IS and without it, its mostly unusable due to the percentage of blurry shots you get. That is because at 100mm, you need a shutter speed of at least 1/100 for mostly blur-free shot. So i look at the IS L version of this lens but that was out of my budget. I then came across EF-S 60mm/f2.8 lens and realized it will require only a 1/60 shutter with no IS and could deliver steady shots so i purchased that lens and am much happier. The 60/2.8 actually gives you same optical quality as the 100/2.8 - it is superb both for macros and for portraits (espacially if you have an external flash). Consider getting the 60/2.8 if you have a crop-body camera over this lens. For full-frame users, if you are using a tripod then this lens definitely works over more expensive L version otherwise the f2.8L IS will be a better option over this. Though if you are serious in macro photography, the 180mm Macro is best and for portraits, you got lots of other options including the excellent 85/1.8. But if you want both a macro and a portrait lens for your FF, this is pretty good.

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I’ve had this lens and camera (Canon T6) for about 18 hours now. OMG! Forty five years old and I feel like a child that just got their first bike. This is amazing! How did I not find photography years ago?!? I’ve used this lens for closeup product shots and portraits at a distance. It’s beatiful no matter what I point it at. Now I think I’ll spend sometime reading how to take good photos that people will want to view. Orrrr.... just continue mashing that shutter button. That’s more fun right now. :)

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I got this lens because I was hoping to get a two for one for my wedding photography needs. I was hoping for a nice macro and a decent long portrait lens. Ive discovered this is more than I had hoped for and something altogether different. This is a beautiful portrait lens and a very decent macro. Pros: - long focal length (160mm equivalent on crop body) - wide aperture - beautiful bokeh - lovely build quality - fast, silent, very accurate focusing - amazing IQ - no distortion As Far As I Can Tell - little or no chromatic aberration - very sharp throughout - oh, and it also does lovely Macro Cons: - no IS Seriously, thats pretty much the only con I can really attribute. If you consider purchasing this lens consider that it has no IS which can limit its hand held use to brighter situations, longer exposures or high ISO. Also note that the Macro functions wide open will have an extremely shallow depth of field. I find that stopping down to around f/8 makes this lens much easier to use, and produces just beautiful, perfectly sharp pictures. BOTTOM LINE: If youre looking for a very fast, long lens with great image quality with the great addition of Macro, then this is the lens foe you. Ive used this lens for some great macro shots, even hand held. But my favorite use is portraits. I got to shoot some concerts from close to the stage with this lens (some wide open) and this lens performed above and beyond what I had hoped for. Focus was on the money for 98% of shots ( I dont want to risk saying all of them). Sharpness was stunning even wide open. Color rendition was bright and gorgeous. I love this lens, and I will stop talking about it now because I will probably shed tears of joy. Just want to say, this is definitely my new favorite lens, and I can easily see it being so for a very long time.

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What a great lens. You will not be disappointed. I shoot using a Canon 100D (SL1) camera, Canon 550EX flash and the wireless Metz Mecablitz 15 MS-1 Macro Ringlight which is controlled by the Canon 550EX flash. The camera is set in manual mode, shutter speed I keep at 1/200 and I use F16 at ISO 100 and so far the images Im getting are pretty good and sharp. All without a tripod since the shutter speed is higher than the focal length of the lens, effectively 160mm on an APS-C sensor. This lens deserves the Red Ring.

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This is my goto lens. It is also my favorite. As a photographer that shoots frequently the this lens has three main features I want in any lens. 1. Sharpness 2. Weight 3.Size. The sharpness is unbeatable 10/10, The weight is just right for use without a monopod, and the size is perfect, I dont like standing out if I go to a event and want some pics. I would suggest you get a hood for this. Another strong point of this lens is the bokeh which looks great in my portraits. The next lenses I like are $1500 and above so you cant beat this price for the quality. Attached is one of my portraits. Zabu | zabu@modelsensation.com

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First, this lens is awesome. Now, Pros: crispness closeness comfort quiet fast/smooth focusing that "macro look" that makes you say "Oooh, Ahhh" Cons: I had to boost in-camera settings quite a bit to get the contrast and color that I wanted. I gave those attributes 3/5 stars but that feels somewhat generous. I will admit however, that I am still getting to know this lens and it is a little tricky, especially if you have not done much macro photography. Dont expect to rely on the auto focus to catch those scurrying ants and bees, that requires instinct and practice. Also, I found the lens to be somewhat heavy and could stress my wrist after a long time with it. Ideally for those unique macro shots it could be a shorter/more compact shape but that is a minor complaint. Lots of lens flare/ glaring. Why I got it: There are a few other good Canon options out there for macro, but this lens is the one that will cross you over into wonderful portraits as well. Likewise, you can point it at a pair of jeans and be amazed by the fibers you will see, or point it at a red ant and look at the tiny hairs on its head. It was easy to use the lens handheld for bugs and flowers (even in overcast lighting). I do not regret this purchase at all. I really wanted the Canon 65mm Macro lens, but I feel that for the price, this lens will curb my need for macro for the time being. I still want a ring flash for the end of it, and I purchased a very cheap tulip lens cover for it. Im a photographer on a budget. I think you will find that you can really push this lens to capture the crispness and detail that you are looking for. Sum up: You wont regret this lens if you are looking to delve into the world of macro and enjoy some wonderful portrait work as well. Best if you have some sort of editing program (like photoshop) to boost up the colors and contrast.

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This is a very well built lens as you would expect from Canon. Although not a "L" brand line of lens but I would say it is pretty comparable to L-Type lenses. And of course you are not paying the premium price that you are expected to dish out for L-type lenes. Image quality is very sharp for me (although I must add that I am not a professional photographer). You would however need a very good tripod and likely a color for the lens itself as with the close distance the depth of field is very narrow. Aperture of 2.8 is a great feature as you will be struggling for light in some situations. USM motor makes it fast to focus especially in ample light situations (Although I have had instances in low light that the camera takes time to focus). Overall a very nice lens for the price, a more serious photographer always have an option of L series macro from canon. And of course if you need more closeup there is always an option of MP-E 65. Would give it a five star and have already recommended few of my friends using canon. Thanks

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