The Canon Macro 2.8 100mm lens is a must for any macro photographers out there. The colors and sharpness are outstanding. I am a proud owner of this lens for over a year now and would like to share with you my view on it. What I like and dislike about the lens and how practical it actually is. I hope this blog will help you to decide if this lens should be in your camera bag. I also made a short, fun video about this lens which you can watch by clicking here.

Let’s get technical

I’m not technical at all, but it is important to know what you are buying. The full name of the lens is: Canon Macro Lens EF 100mm 1:2.8 L IS USM which already give us a lot of information about how the lens is build. Therefore, I’ll explain the basic but still important features this lens offers:

• EF stands for the fitting of the lens. The EF lenses are only for Canon. So when you want to buy a specific lens, always make sure it has the same fitting as your camera does.
• 100mm is the focal length of the lens. Since this lens comes with only one focal length, it will not be possible to zoom in or out. If you’d like to get closer or further away from your subject, you have to physically move. A big advantage is that your photos will look more sharp. 
• 2.8 stands for the aperture of the lens. The lower the number, the more open the lens can go. This means how much light can enter your camera. If you have a camera that has a low number (like 1.8 or 2.8) it means you can still take good picture in a low light situation.
• L is for Luxury. These lenses are made with the newest technology and materials, but are for that reason also more expensive.
• IS stands for Image Stability. This helps to reduce camera shake and creates an overall sharper image.
• USM stands for Ultra Sonic Motor. This is a small motor build in your lens that ensures a faster autofocus than models without the USM. It also is a lot quieter, which makes filming with this lens very accessible. 

Why I like this lens

This is the only macro lens I own and I absolutely love it. The material has a high quality feeling to it. The glass and casing is strong and could probably survive a drop or bump. I don’t advice you testing this though. It keeps out dust and water, which is always good nice not to have inside your camera. 

The les is pretty big with some expensive glass in it, but I don’t find it too massive or heavy. It’s easy to carry around and connect to your camera body. You could also buy an adapter to add between your camera and this lens. You can then also use this lens with other brands like Nikon or Sony.

The quality of the pictures is my absolute favorite part. The colors and sharpness are out of this world. My Canon body is definitely not the best, but this lens compensates everything. The pictures I’ve added into this blog are all made with this lens. I certainly wouldn’t be able to see the difference between these pictures and other made with better camera sensor.

It’s really easy to take beautiful macro photos without having to get too close towards your subject. With the option to have a low aperture, you can create a really nice depth of field. Only a small part of your photo will be sharp and the rest will be a beautiful smooth blur. I love it!

Should you buy the Canon 100mm lens?

I can’t decide for you if you should buy this lens, I can only share my experiences with it. Do your own research. and think about why you want a macro lens and how much you want to pay for it. Will you use if often and what would you like to photograph? It weighs 625 grams, which can be too heavy in some cases. There are a lot of different brands and specifications. If you don’t need the IS or USM, you can safe some money for sure by going with a cheaper version. If you’re interested in buying the lens, I can recommend you to check out this website with an overview of stores selling it, by clicking here.