Canon 100mm f/2.8 Macro Review
Canon’s 100mm is one of Canon’s oldest lenses being made in Fall 2009. Although it’s not the latest and greatest lens, it still holds up even after 10+ years, and I have been using it for the past five months. Initially, I only purchased it because of its affordable price point, and I was skeptical about its performance, especially since I wanted the L Series glass with IS. However, my worries were unfounded, and I’m impressed with this lens.
First off, the build quality isn’t the highest-end, and quite plasticky. It has a 67mm eye, eight blades, and it’s pretty bulky. If you’re using a mirrorless system, you’ll need an adapter, which makes it even longer than it needs to be. However, the performance isn’t affected by the adapter, and it’s fast and reliable. Although it’s not a very fast lens, it doesn’t matter since you’ll be using it mainly for macro shots, which require getting up close to your subjects. One thing to note is that it’s quite noisy, so it’s not the best option for b-roll if you want to capture audio.
Moving on to the focus ring, it’s not very smooth or pleasant to use when manually focusing, which I do a lot. It requires a two-finger movement, and it’s not the most precise. While it has the ultrasonic motor, it’s an earlier version from Canon’s lineup, and I feel like it could be improved. Regarding the macro mode, there are two options, and I prefer to keep it at 31 for that cool, up-close perspective. However, one downside to this is that you’ll start to notice dirt and imperfections on your subject, which can be annoying if you’re a product reviewer.
Although this lens is 10+ years old, I think it still performs well, and it’s on par with newer lenses on the market. However, it does show its age if you’re using it with a modern mirrorless system, and it sticks out like a sore thumb. The design isn’t cohesive, and the yellow ring doesn’t help. Plus, it makes your camera front-heavy. Nevertheless, I fell in love with the images I captured using this lens. It allowed me to get creative with angles and perspectives, and I used it mostly for product reviews and b-roll. It even stacks up well compared to my previous L Glass lenses.
If you’re on a budget, I recommend picking up this lens as it’s much cheaper than the newer L Series glass with IS. While I initially worried about the lack of image stabilization, I found it wasn’t necessary as I mainly held the lens steady or used a tripod. Even in 2022, this lens can still hold up with the best. Overall, I think a lot of people should consider this lens, especially in this economy.