Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM

Canon · EF

EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM

Released October 2009

A life-size EF macro prime with Hybrid IS correction for angular and shift shake, ring USM autofocus and dust and moisture resistance.

Mount
Canon EF
Focal length
100 mm
Max aperture
f/2.8
Stabilisation
Yes
Weight
625 g

What reviewers say

Both reviewers praise sharpness, smooth focusing, background blur and useful stabilisation, whose benefit decreases at macro distances. The Digital Picture finds the upgrade worthwhile and reports slight pincushion distortion; Digital Camera World measures slight barrel distortion and considers it expensive beside rivals. Both regard these optical faults as minor.

From the-digital-picture.com and digitalcameraworld.com

Optics

Lens type
Prime
Focal length
100 mm
Maximum aperture
f/2.8
Minimum aperture
f/32
Macro lens
Yes
Optical construction
Fifteen elements in twelve groups
Special elements
One UD element according to Canon Camera Museum
Diaphragm
Nine blades with a circular aperture
Angle of view
Canon UK specifies 24° diagonal, 19.8° horizontal and 13.5° vertical; the Japanese manual rounds horizontal and vertical to 20° and 14°

Mount and compatibility

Mounts
Canon EF
Image circle
Full frame
Compatibility
Canon EF cameras with full-frame or APS-C sensors
Teleconverter support
Canon's manual excludes Extender EF1.4X II and EF2X II
Adaptor support
Canon UK confirms EOS M compatibility using the EF-EOS M Mount Adapter

Focus and stabilisation

Autofocus
Yes
Minimum focus distance
0.3 m
Maximum magnification
1×
Optical stabilisation
Yes
Autofocus detail
Ring USM with full-time manual adjustment after One Shot AF while holding the shutter half-pressed according to Canon's manual
Focus distance detail
Internal focusing; limiter selects full 0.3 m to infinity, 0.3–0.5 m or 0.5 m to infinity
Magnification detail
Life-size 1× reproduction; 0.3 m focusing distance is measured from the image plane, while the manual gives approximately 14 cm working distance from the lens front
Stabilisation detail
Hybrid IS corrects angular and lateral shift shake; Canon claims four stops in general shooting, three at 0.5× and two at 1×. The manual notes that subject movement is not corrected

Design

Dust and moisture resistant
Yes
Filter diameter
67 mm
Maximum diameter
77.7 mm
Length
123 mm
Weight
625 g
Controls
AF/MF switch, three-position focus-range limiter, stabiliser on/off switch, focus ring and distance window
Weather resistance
Dust and moisture resistance with a rubber seal around the lens mount
Dimensions detail
77.7 mm maximum diameter × 123 mm length; dimensions and 625 g weight are lens-only according to Canon's manual
Tripod mount
Optional Ring-type Tripod Mount D (B), removable with the camera attached according to Canon's manual
Lens hood
Supplied ET-73 hood according to Canon UK
In the box
Lens, E-67U front cap, Lens Dust Cap E, LP1219 case, ET-73 hood and user manual according to Canon UK
Release detail
Canon Camera Museum records October 2009 marketing; no first-sale day is given

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Life-size 1× maximum magnification
  • Hybrid optical stabilisation
  • Dust and moisture resistance

Cons

  • Stabilisation falls to two stops at life-size magnification
  • Tripod mounting ring sold separately

Closest rivals

Model
MountFocal lengthMax apertureStabilisationWeightReleased
Canon EF100 mmf/2.8No600 gMar 2000
Canon EF85 mmf/1.2No1,025 gMar 2006
Canon EF100 mmf/2.8–650 gApr 1990

Sources

  1. canon.co.uk/lenses/ef-100mm-f-2-8l-macro-is-usm-lens/specification.html
  2. canon.co.uk/store/canon-ef-100mm-f-2-8l-macro-is-usm-lens/3554B005
  3. global.canon/en/c-museum/product/ef405.html
  4. pdisp01.c-wss.com/gdl/WWUFORedirectTarget.do
  5. the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-EF-100mm-f-2.8-L-IS-USM-Macro-Lens-Review…
  6. digitalcameraworld.com/reviews/canon-ef-100mm-f28l-macro-is-usm-review

Photo: Canon; official Photo Library archive member m-100-28-macro-is-usm.jpg

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