LensTip.com

Lens review

Canon EF 100 mm f/2.8 Macro USM

23 October 2009
Arkadiusz Olech

11. Summary

Pros:
  • excellent image quality in the frame centre and at the frame edge at all apertures,
  • negligible chromatic aberration,
  • distortion at practically zero level,
  • very low coma,
  • moderate astigmatism,
  • silent and relatively quick autofocus,
  • good build quality.

Cons:

  • autofocus could have been more accurate.

I like testing such lenses very much. The test procedures and the results analysis go smoothly and efficiently. I don’t have to think what went wrong and why, describe all slip-ups in detail, find arguments why a lens is overpriced. Here everything went almost perfectly. For the sum of about 640 $ we get a well-made instrument with excellent optical and mechanical properties which is ideal for macro photography and portraits as well.


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It didn’t break any records like the Tamron 2.8/90 Macro but it fared much better by f/2.8 and f/4.0 and had a significantly lower chromatic aberration than that lens. The Tamron is cheaper but it has neither inner focusing nor an USM motor. The Sigma 2.8/105 Macro is a similar case. It is not equipped with an ultrasonic autofocus and it changes its dimensions on focusing, its image quality is very good and the chromatic aberration – low. It is also cheaper than the Canon. As you see, in the 90-105 mm macro class the choice is wide – each and every of these three lenses can make even a demanding user satisfied with the results. Which lens you decide to buy is only a matter of your personal tastes and your pocket.


Sample Shots:

Canon EF 100 mm f/2.8 Macro USM - Summary Canon EF 100 mm f/2.8 Macro USM - Summary Canon EF 100 mm f/2.8 Macro USM - Summary
Camera: Canon 20D
Parameters: 100 mm, f/2.8, exp. 1/125 sec., ISO 800
File: JPG, 3504x2336 pix, 2.9 MB
Camera: Canon 20D
Parameters: 100 mm, f/2.8, exp. 1/250 sec., ISO 200
File: JPG, 3504x2336 pix, 2.7 MB
Camera: Canon 20D
Parameters: 100 mm, f/4.0, exp. 1/200 sec., ISO 400
File: JPG, 3504x2336 pix, 3.2 MB
Canon EF 100 mm f/2.8 Macro USM - Summary Canon EF 100 mm f/2.8 Macro USM - Summary Canon EF 100 mm f/2.8 Macro USM - Summary
Camera: Canon 20D
Parameters: 100 mm, f/8.0, exp. 1/400 sec., ISO 200
File: JPG, 3504x2336 pix, 2.5 MB
Camera: Canon 20D
Parameters: 100 mm, f/7.1, exp. 1/160 sec., ISO 400
File: JPG, 3504x2336 pix, 2.7 MB
Camera: Canon 20D
Parameters: 100 mm, f/7.1, exp. 1/200 sec., ISO 800
File: JPG, 3504x2336 pix, 2.9 MB
Canon EF 100 mm f/2.8 Macro USM - Summary Canon EF 100 mm f/2.8 Macro USM - Summary Canon EF 100 mm f/2.8 Macro USM - Summary
Camera: Canon 20D
Parameters: 100 mm, f/8.0, exp. 1/200 sec., ISO 400
File: JPG, 3504x2336 pix, 3.6 MB
Camera: Canon 20D
Parameters: 100 mm, f/2.8, exp. 1/160 sec., ISO 100
File: JPG, 3504x2336 pix, 2.4 MB
Camera: Canon 20D
Parameters: 100 mm, f/5.6, exp. 1/40 sec., ISO 100
File: JPG, 3504x2336 pix, 2.4 MB



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