Sharpness is superb, focusing with USM is nearly instantaneous, build quality is excellent,

Lens hood should be included, especially for the price. My lens is a bit tight fitting into the camera mount, which was a little un-nerving at first.

If you're looking to get close to your subjects, and you want excellent quality and mechanics, there is no other lens to consider for Canon EOS. I've already been on two treks with the lens, it's wonderful to have access to a whole to world of photographic subjects.

Customer Service

Not needed, I'm hopeful that will remain true for the life of the lens.

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First Macro lens for me, wanted the best Canon could offer.

Very sharp

None

I LOVE this lens. Not only is it a fantastic macro lens, it's a great portrait lens to boot.
I've been using it for just about everything lately only because it's my best quality lens, and everything else I shoot with yields inferior looking prints.
I just ordered a 70-200 4L, and if it's better than this macro I'll be ecstatic.

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None

This is a extremely sharp lens and the USM only makes it better.

Nothing

I have had this lens for almost a year now and love it. I had the older lens and switched to the newer version ASAP. The newer motor is excellent and manual focussing is a must when doing macro in Auto Mode. No doubt the best canon macro lens for the money. The lifesize feature is also excellent. Don't think twice.

Customer Service

not needed

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Older 100 2.8 Canon

1. Sharp image
2. fast focusing (because includes
USM)
3. full time manual focus
4. the length of the lens keeps constant even at taking photo in the ratio 1:1

1. lens hood should be bought separately..

I love this lens very much. It has some useful features that the other marco lenses don't. I appreciate the fast focusing speed. With my EOS 3, the lens provides fast and accurate AF (with selected focusing point) even I take the photos in marco mode.
The mechanism of the lens is excellent too. It provides Full-time manual focus, which is very useful for taking marco photos. Also, the lens does not extend in length under any circumstance. Canon is the only one camera maunfacturer can produce this kind marco lens.

Customer Service

the lens is in good condition
no repair needed

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Sigma 105mm marco F2.8 EX

Great optics
USM/Full-time manual
Internal Focus

None, really. Weight?

I used to own the Sigma 105mm EX macro, which itself is an excellent optic and a great value compared to Canon's old 100/2.8 non-USM macro.

When this lens came out, though, I had to have it. It addresses all of the minor nits I had with the Sigma (most notably the awkward AF/MF switching) and is simply razor-sharp. One thing I didn't anticipate was that the ultra-fast focusing (USM in combination with internal focus) can make it possible to take some macro shots hand-held. Where, with the Sigma and other macro lenses, the slightest distance change can throw things off and require refocusing (I suspect this is the case with the non-USM Canon, as well), USM can often adjust quickly enough to compensate. Obviously a tripod is still the best way to go, but this lens at least makes it feasible to hand-hold macro shots in good light.

It's a bit heavier and bulkier than the Sigma, but still nothing compared to pro telephoto glass.

I can't speak to the 180/3.5L, but as far as I'm concerned, this is the ultimate macro lens, both in terms of optics and features. Like the Sigma, it's a bit too sharp for good portraits, but I've never considered that a legitimate complaint.

Customer Service

N/A

Similar Products Used:

Sigma 105/2.8 EX Macro
Canon EF 24/2.8
Canon EF 50/1.4
Canon EF 50/1.8 II
Canon EF 28-80/3.5-5.6 IV

Very very very Sharp lens! USM is superb. Inner focusing. Very well buit. Color and contrast are amazing. For using in macro or portrait photos with escellent quality, silence and precision.Image quality is superb at f/16, my most used setting.

None... or bether, the price of this lens here in Brazil. Darn, It's very expensive!
Thanks God it's not a L lens (the price in the heaven)... despite it is better than much of them.

I'm a dentist. For many years I've used manual Minolta SRT 102 with Vivitar 100mm f/3.5 and Yashica Dental Eye. I was very happy in my office wen suddenly, I discovered the Canon world and I fallen in love. I have a EOS A2, the Ring lite ML-3 and the 100mm f/2.8 USM. This lens is fantastic for macro or portrait use or . My Slide of mouth became much more sharp and I improve the color and contrast if compared with others lenses. I don't need to use filters anymore by the amazing job of this lens and the Ring lite ML-3 to take great slides. The versatility of this lens is incredible... I can shot mouth and a patient's portraits with the same quality and sharpness. It has a excellent response in use with ring flash TTL with difficult conditions of the oral cavity. For dentists or anyone who want to take a serious job with macro or portrait photo, this lens is a real real one! Despite the price here in Brazil, 5 stars is the rigth value rating.

Customer Service

I Never needed

Similar Products Used:

Vivitar 100mm f/3.5 macro, Nikon 55 micro with converter, Yashica Dental Eye

• Photographer's eye control and image creation.
• Great versatility: People portraits, close-up macro photos
• Intuitive feel of controls and ease of learning

• Slightly unwieldy for hand-held work due to weight (though worth it's weight in gold!)
• Not a weakness--more of an awareness point: If your subject doesn't have clearly defined edges, the autofocus will out-of-necessity hunt for focus. (Consider the always-available manual focus to fine tune your image.)

Attention! Newer Canon EOS camera users: Run, don't walk, to get one if you're looking for a versatile, sharp, extraordinarily user-friendly lens for serious people photography, close-up work, and (I believe) high-quality, general purpose "grab shots" to serve as your second lens after the standard wide-to-medium zoom lens that comes with camera kits.

Customer Service

Haven't needed to test it out yet. At this writing, the lens is 4 months old and has seen 20-25 rolls of film. I've lugged the lens around either on a camera or in a camera bag (with frequent switches between the two) since I purchased it. I toss the camera bag in and out of my car trunk (dragging it with me to many places I go) on a nearly daily basis.

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• Fixed focal length, manual focus, medium telephoto lens for Olympus OM series cameras
• Fixed focal length, manual focus, 50 mm, f/4 Macro lens for Olympus OM series cameras
• A typical variety of manual focus fixed/zoom lenses

Internal focus- no light loss at 1:1
Non-rotating front element
USM motor for quick focusing
Tripod Collar Mount- for horizontal/vertical framing!!!!this is the major reson I purchased this lens.

One complaint with this new lens...the tripod collar does not operate smoothly. For the price ($150) I would expecting it to operate just like the mount on my 70-200. This rough action is disappointing.

Great sharpness and contrast.
Canon should have included a lens hood with this new lens...the hood is a must have!
Optics are great...just wished they would have developed the tripod mount further.

My old 100 macro was a work horse...I expect years of high quality use/results from this new and improved USM model.

...and if my wish list were to continue...I wish the lens incorporated Image Stabilization too!

Customer Service

None needed for this lens yet.

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This lens replaced my non-USM Canon 100mm macro.