Venturing further into photography, one will start to explore the various genres like a curious child.
Macro photography fascinated me. The ability to see super close up details not exactly visible to human eye gave me additional reason why I wanted to learn Macro. So I got my 7th Canon lens. This time, I gotten the EF 100mm F2.8 Macro USM. I was pretty lost for a while on which macro lens to buy. There were simply too many choices from Canon and also offerings from 3rd party lenses to consider. I set out to ask fellow photographers and I received diversed reactions and feedbacks. From what I gathered, I need a good range thus the 100mm. I have also learnt that for any range below 90mm for macro, those are really for shooting stills (product shoot).

* picture:  EF 100mm F2.8 Macro USM.

So I was left with just a few choices, Canon’s EF 100mm F2.8 Macro USM, EF 100mm F2.8L IS Macro USM, Tamron 90mm Macro, Tokina & Sigma’s 105mm Macro. The 3rd party lenses has great reviews especially the Sigma & Tamron and the price is much cheaper than Canon’s. But I dropped the idea then solely because I have not really tried a 3rd party lens and so I lack the confidence & courage to buy them. Back to the Canon Camp, I am left with the 2 100mm macro to choose from. The L version offers Image Stabilizer (IS) but costs almost 50% more than the non-L equivalent. (L-Version RRP SGD$1569 & Non L-Version RRP SGD$999). Then intensive research start. I scours the net and read up every available article on these 2 lenses and soon a decision was made. You may probably laugh at why I arrived on my decision, but heck, I am going to share it anyway. I picked the EF 100mm F2.8 Macro USM over the L Version because of the price. I thought it is crazy to pay so much more for the IS and a red ring. And way before the L version was launched, most professionals was (and still using) only using the non L version as the only L version macro lens was the EF 180mm F3.5L Macro USM. So that finalised my decision.

 

 

The build quality of this lens are L-like. Solid metal body, sturdy and definitely not from Canon’s lower range lenses. The ultrasonic motor (USM) works fast and quietly – this is important when shooting insects. Weight wise, this lens is not exactly heavy and since it is medium size, lugging this lens around is also easy and effortless. The glass offer sharp magnification of the tiniest thing you can think of, and when wide open at F2.8, this lens is also a great portrait lens offering great bokeh due to its 8 apeture blades construction. Using it for product/ still shoots, F8 through F14 is extremely sharp with zero vignetting and all details are captured leaving nothing behind. For insects, floral & fauna, F16 onwards gives great macro shots of little things that never once matter to me. When used on my 350D-IR or 500D, the APS-C sensor literally gives me an added range to 160mm which is a great bonus when shooting insects from a distance without disturbing or scaring them away. When used on my 5D Mark II, this is one of the best portrait lens I ever had. Need I say more?

* picture:  EF 100mm F2.8 Macro USM.

Some User Facts/ Information:
(If you are looking for the specs, please google yourself, it’s all over the internet.)
– Filter 58mm
– Lens Hood ET-67 (Sold Separately).