Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro Lens Review

[The Mighty2006]

I had posted this elsewhere but realised that this may be the best spot.


Hi all,

So I was in at the shops on the weekend looking at lenses asking about the Macro Lens - Canon. I tried the 50mm non macro lens and liked it but I am more interested in the lens above as it mentions in the review that it is also a good portrait lens.

I am interested in any comments on this lens and also photos. If you have any other suggestions they are welcome also.

Thanks in advance.

The Mighty 2006

[Saralonde]

Excellent lens, close to an L in quality. Takes nice sharp closeup portraits. Sorry, I wish I could show you some great images. It really is better then what I can do. I don't do it justice, but here are some shots:

Taken today, handheld 1/250, f/2.8
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w191/Saralonde_2007/IMG_0108.jpg

1/200, f/11
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w191/Saralonde_2007/IMG_7369.jpg

1/60, f/3.5
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w191/Saralonde_2007/IMG_6988.jpg

1/200, f/2.8
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w191/Saralonde_2007/IMG_6561.jpg
I know I have some portraits, too, but can't find them right now.

[The Mighty2006]

Thanks.

Excellent photos - love the water splash photo.

Have you had the lens for long?

[Saralonde]

Just a few months. It really belongs to my husband. I just "borrow" it sometimes :rolleyes: . I've seen some fabulous shots made with this lens. Unfortunately, they're not mine :o :) .

[smc1377]

I had posted in the other thread wondering how this lens would make a good portrait lens being that you'll basically have to be in the next room in order to take any kind of full body shot. Even if you're just taking a shot of the upper body, you'll still have to be 15-20 feet away from your subject. Both of those distance estimates assume that you have a 1.6x crop factor and won't be turning the camera sideways. If you will be turning the camera sideways, multiply those distances by 2, then divide by 3.

[Saralonde]

I'm home alone at the moment so I have no subject to shoot to show you a portrait with this lens. However, you don't really need to be that far away. You can stand 5-6 feet away and get a close-up of a subject (face only), 8-10 feet for head and shoulders. This is not a full body portrait lens. Great for when you want a closeup of a face without being in their face (think kids).
Here's a good review:
http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-EF-100mm-f-2.8-USM-Macro-Lens-Review.aspx
And here's some reviews by photographers that own the lens:
http://www.fredmiranda.com/reviews/showproduct.php?product=47&sort=7&cat=2&page=1

[The Mighty2006]

Hi saralonde,

When I arrived home yesterday I tried in my own way to replicate the water splash. I ended up with an interesting photo - will post it later.

I call it water fireworks. I dropped a cake decorating piece into a glass of water with the camera on continuous shooting and managed to capture thin threads of water almost in dotted form going at all angles and curves.

maybe you could give me some insight in how to capture similar shots to the splash above?

Cheers.

[Saralonde]

I tried doing waterdrop shots when the weather turned ugly and it was mostly trial and error. I ended up using a glass pie plate, filling it with water and using an eye dropper to drop water from various heights. It was a cloudy day and I did not have much natural light, so I set up two lights, one on each side. One was higher than the other. I shot on AV mode and set the aperture at 11 for greater DOF, although the milk and blue drops are different. I put the eye dropper in the water where I thought the drops would fall as a point of focus. I set the drive mode for continuous shooting. Then I dropped water into the dish while pressing the shutter button (they were only a foot apart) and took LOTS of shots. I did the same thing with water tinted with blue food coloring and a shallow dish of milk. All were taken with the 100mm 2.8 macro and ISO 100.

Milk 1/200, f/3.5:
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w191/Saralonde_2007/IMG_7243.jpg

Blue drops 1/200, f/2.8:
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w191/Saralonde_2007/IMG_7446.jpg

Hope this helps. If anyone has any other ideas about this, I hope they post.

[The Mighty2006]

To me that second shot looks spectacular.

Thanks for your input.. :)