Product ReviewsCanon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM Lens

Most Affordable Near-Perfect Lens for Macro & Portrait

My comment below is strictly dealing with jpeg based photography and not RAW shooting -- I am a dedicated Nikon DSLR user most of the time. For landscape and casual general photography, I have found that Nikon DSLRs, both FX and DX, give me very accurate focus and exposure most of the time, whereas wtih Canon, I have had more very frustrating moments and disappointing shots. ... and yet, when it comes to photography in relation to travel and portrait involving your emotion and memory, I have been finding out that pictures taken with Canon to be more satisfying. Why? Because Nikon cameras have been developed as press photography which captures everything both ugly and beautiful. Today's low budget Nikon lenses are so sharp that they do produce very sharp images which rival Canon's high end L lens captured images. Unfortunately, when shooting pictures of ladies, Nikon camera captured images make anyone over the age of 25 without heavy make-up look so either ugly or grandma like. Nikon camera captures and reproduces every flaws of human skin. However, not so with Canon. Canon's jpeg engine is tuned to soften human skin by default and without heavy post processing work always bring out the best of portrait pictures. Perhaps, this is why Canon is so popular and successful. I've always wanted Canon's 85mm f/1.8 portrait lens. I have used Canon 85mm f/1.8 in FD film lens days, and I really liked it. I was about to make a purchase of EF 85mm by Canon, but a friend of mine sent me images of portrait pictures that he took with EF 100mm f2.8 macro. This lens produces very beautiful bokeh wide open, while capturing images in very sharp condition, and yet when shooting with 5D and 5D MK II, it produces very beautiful skin tone which makes everyone look so desirable, while allowing you to shoot super sharp macro photography at the same time. For this reason, I must say that EF 100mm f/2.8 is an extremely useful lens. I keep this on my 5D all the time to shoot both portrait and macro. This is one lens that you can live with for the rest of your life without any complaint with the exception of the fact that it does not have IS function.Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: sakuracamera2014

Canon's best bang for bucks Macro Lens

Now, this isn't cheapest Canon macro lens. Still at eBay used prices, this is a no brainer for people looking for Macro Lens. 100mm is a great range for Macro. Something shorter and you have to be very close casting unwanted shadows at uncomfortablely close distances to get 1:1 macro. Something longer and you are too far and harder to compose or keep steady. Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro Lens (make sure you are get USM version which cost only little more than non-USM) has USM focus motor which is fast, quiet, and accurate. While many people tend to focus manually and on a tripod for macro, USM makes this lens more convenient as it has focus manual override, meaning you can af and still manually fine tune. Also, it makes it pleasurable to use for other uses like portraits which it is excellent at. With 100mm with fast f/2.8 aperture gives you very nice bokeh and subject separation. The images are very sharp even wide open at f/2.8, comparable to quality prime lenses stopped down to f/2.8.

There is one better lens than this lens which is Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 L USM IS Macro Lens. I have used that lens and ended up selling that lens to go back to this lens. Here are my reasons. Image quality wise, they are so comparable. There really isn't much to improve upon the image quality of USM non-L version. L is better but so marginally that image quality isn't a good reason for upgrade. Two biggest reason for upgrade is weather sealing/build quality and image stabilization. I didn't need either of those. I don't shoot macro shots in the rain or snow. USM version build quality is more than good enough. As for image stabilization, it's great for non-macro low light situations. I found it still difficult to hand hold even with image stabilization for critical macro shots under less than ideal light. You still want to use a tripod even with image stabilization for sharpest reliable results. (Perhaps I just have too unstable hands ...) I also found that I don't really need image stabilization under normal situations to get sharp images using 100mm f/2.8 handheld especially with modern cameras. Now there are other reasons, perhaps more important reasons for the L version than the two mentioned. It looks very nice. It's much more attractive looking lens than the USM version. Also, since it a "L" lens with the red ring, you can take pride in the fact that you are shooting with the very best that Canon is offering. Peace of mind with no other macro lens to upgrade to on an EF mount. (Until you "need" to get the RF version...)

Well, there you have it. Since none of the reasons really attractive me to the L, I got rid of it and got 135mm f2 L USM and 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro instead.

Thanks for reading and hope "my opinion" and experience help with your buying decisions~Read full review...

Verified purchase: No

Greatest value Macro

This is a high quality, razor sharp, 1 to 1 AF lens that works on full frame and APS-C Canon EOS cameras. Even with the lens hood on you can stay several inches from your subject. Most of the time i leave it on my camera and keep the other lenses in the camera case because of its superb macro ability. I takes great distance pictures as well. The only disadvantage is that it does not have IS so it makes you a better photographer and you learn how to hold your camera still. If i had the extra money i would probably have bought the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L IS USM Macro Lens, but i dont make my living with it so i cant justify spending $800.00+ when the pictures are the same as long as i hold my camera still. Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: chrishet

Great buy, glad I pulled the trigger, lots of bang for the buck

Outstanding lens for the money. Not an "L" series, but it's no slouch. I'm a pretty decent enthusiast photographer and I am very impressed with the level of quality that this lens produces. I'm not independently wealthy nor do I happen to have extra dough lying around to burn. So I need to do plenty of research in order to come up with the product that is going to give me the best bang for my buck. So when I was searching for a quality macro lens, all of my searching continued to draw me back to this model. And because it is an EF rather than an EF-S, it will run on any Canon SLR (always nice for future considerations). It does not come with IS technology and can be slow to focus, but I've been working with lesser technology for so long that none of this means anything to me. I still remember having to always manually focus my Mamiya/Sekor 500 TL and that wasn't all that long ago. Got my first digital camera about 8 years ago (Sony DSC F717). Up until then I was using the 500 TL ALL THE TIME! I'm only 35 years old, but I'm an old pro. I think this lens is fantastic and for the average $550 price tag, I think it's great. Although I managed to get a steal at $380 (hood included). Used but in perfect condition. What a buy! Would recommend this to anyone. ANYONE!Read full review...

A utilitarian lens that gives great photos

This lens does not have the fit and finish of L glass. It feels quite inexpensive to touch and the hood's fit doesn't have the same satisfying click of more expensive models. The filter size also does not match the majority of the L line. That said, the 100mm 2.8 macro produces superb images, has excellent auto-focus, and comes in at a very reasonable price. If you want to take fantastic macro photos - get this lens. If you want luxury, go with the L.Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: hidehara

Exellent lens with high quality construction and sharp picture and color.

I really find no complaints about this lens. This is my first true macro lens so it took a bit of getting used to but the picture quality and overall quality of the lens is great. The lens can hunt for focus more than a non macro version but that is normal with macro lens. If there is good contrast though I generally find the focusing quick and satisfactory. I have read many negative reviews because of the slower focusing in lower lighting situations but I feel those customers may be happier with a standard 100mm (not macro). The construction and weight of the lens feels good. Nothing cheap about it. I was fortunate in having the canon lens hood included with the purchase. Generic lens hoods are much cheaper than canon, and I have a couple myself, but the canon lens hoods have a textured non reflective surface on the inner part of the hood to eliminate stray light. Cheaper hoods don't have that feature. Even at full price this lens would be worth every penny.Read full review...

Excellent build, IQ and versatility.

My experience is pretty much in line with the following comments from one of the largest and most respected photographic equipment rental companies.
"One of the best general purpose macro lenses, Canon’s 100mm Macro is small enough to hand hold and fast enough to work well without a flash. It also functions well as a superbly sharp short telephoto lens. A number of people use it as an alternative ‘long’ portrait lens".Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: olegdubas

Great Lens

Excellent lens. If you can find one in top-notch condition and get a good price, you will hit a home run with this lens. I put it on my Canon EOS R using an adapter, and I could not be happier with the images. I am currently using the lens to digitize my old slides, and it’s working perfectly. Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: maindodd

Solid portraitmacro lens with better bokeh than the L

This is a solid internal focus 1:1 macro lens with a metal mount and plastic body. Min focusing distance is about 10". It's fairly quite with it's USM focus motor although it's rather slow focusing. Certainly not silent when compared with my newer STM lenses though. So if you used it for video you will likely hear it.

I got for macro, and it does a fine job there and the all internal focusing is nice.Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: hannah1752

Equal to an L series lens, just no IS

I did a lot of research before buying, and this lens is as good as its L series cousin at half the price. It only lacks image stabilization (so it you use a tripod, there's no advantage to the L lens).
Here is part of a review by ken Rockwell:

1.) Spectacular optics!
2.) Super sharp.
3.) No distortion.
4.) Super-fast focusing.
5.) Goes to 1:1 in one twist.
6.) I'll say it again: spectacular optics!

"I love this lens. It does everything well and has no weak points.

It's hard to convey this in writing. This is one of those lenses that works so well, efficiently and effortlessly you wonder why all lenses can't be this good."

Read the full review here: http://www.kenrockwell.com/canon/lenses/100mm-macro.htmRead full review...