Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM Pro Reviews

Canon's EF 100mm F2.8 L Macro IS USM lens is the first to incorporate a new Hybrid IS system, which corrects for both rotational and linear camera shake. The new technology builds on the company's widely-employed Image Stabilizer, and is said to be particularly effective for subjects shot at close distances, which, according to Canon, is traditionally where standard image stabilisation systems struggle. Its effectiveness is dependent on shooting distance, with a claimed two-stop improvement when the lens is used at its 1:1 magnification ratio, rising to four stops when used for more conventional photography. As with Canon's more standard stabilisation system, this is activated via a switch on the barrel, which sits above two further switches for autofocus/manual focus and limiting focus.

Canon's really raised the bar with this lens: exceptionally sharp, even wide open at f/2.8, with strong results for resistance to chromatic aberration and distortion. Corner shading can be a tad high at f/2.8 when used on a full-frame body, but for macro work, I imagine most people will be using this lens in the stopped-down range to get as much depth-of-field as possible. The addition of image stabilization is overdue, but will nonetheless be welcomed by photographers who don't want to be weighed down by tripods.

This new 100mm macro lens from Canon is a no-compromise optic worthy of the 'L-series' designation. Not only does it impress with the high resolution images it can produce, but the new Image Stabiliser really does make a notable difference when hand-holding at close distances.

The Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM L IS macro is a very fine lens and a welcome new option in the market. The resolution is generally very high although the border quality could be a little better at large aperture settings. Typical for macro lenses distortions are a non-issue. Vignetting is only a real problem at f/2.8.

The Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 L IS USM Macro Lens is an extremely fun lens to use. It combines excellent image quality with a useful focal length, a relatively small/light body, fast/quiet AF with 1:1 (1x) macro capabilities - and HIS (Hybrid Image Stabilization)...