Beginner's first macro lens (Page 2): I did buy that Canon 100 mm f2.8L IS lens for $825 in Thailand. It came with 2 year warranty but only in Asia. Now, having had it for 2 days...

Jackinthebox Loc: travel the world

I did buy that Canon 100 mm f2.8L IS lens for $825 in Thailand. It came with 2 year warranty but only in Asia.
Now, having had it for 2 days, perhaps others have had similar feelings about this lens. It is very diffent from anything else. Had a hard time to get it to focus etc. and I feel it may have been a mistake to get it. It seems to have limited use compared to say a 24-105 lens. I have a lot of patience though and plan to learn to get some use out of it.

travlnman46 Loc: Yakima WA

Jackinthebox wrote:

Thank you travelingman, I appreciate your reply. I do not have any L lens this far and I am itching to get one. You have many options to locate and buy in the states but I am retired in Asia and my choices are limited. Service and repair could become a problem when repatriating to the USA but the retirement circuit is Asia for now and next year perhaps Ecuador.

Indeed I can certainly understand your situation of buying from the USA considering were you're living now.. There should be some local markets over there that would save you quite a few dollars.. I'd still try looking for used lenses and possibly save yourself even more.. Then of course there is always Canon Direct Possibly one of their refurbished lenses. I have included one of my favorite web sites about Canon and a few other lenses.. It was written for beginner photographers making it reasonably easy to follow... Hope this helps.. There is some good information on lens quality and types for usage.. http://photonotes.org/articles/beginner-faq/lenses.html

travlnman46 Loc: Yakima WA

Jackinthebox wrote:

I did buy that Canon 100 mm f2.8L IS lens for $825 in Thailand. It came with 2 year warranty but only in Asia.
Now, having had it for 2 days, perhaps others have had similar feelings about this lens. It is very diffent from anything else. Had a hard time to get it to focus etc. and I feel it may have been a mistake to get it. It seems to have limited use compared to say a 24-105 lens. I have a lot of patience though and plan to learn to get some use out of it.

Hi again Jackinthebox: Indeed it does have a fairly narrow field of focus when you are using it as a macro lens or depth of field.. But depending on your subject it is a pretty good all round lens too... I'd advise you to go to the FAQ beginners website I gave you a link to and read about your new lens... I really love mine and I don't have "L" series glass.. Just keep practicing with it pay special attention to depth of field when doing any macro work.. I think after a while you'll find out you love it...

A-PeeR Loc: Houston, Texas

Jackinthebox wrote:

I did buy that Canon 100 mm f2.8L IS lens for $825 in Thailand. It came with 2 year warranty but only in Asia.
Now, having had it for 2 days, perhaps others have had similar feelings about this lens. It is very different from anything else. Had a hard time to get it to focus etc. and I feel it may have been a mistake to get it. It seems to have limited use compared to say a 24-105 lens. I have a lot of patience though and plan to learn to get some use out of it.

Yes macro lenses are different than standard lens. It has the ability to focus on subjects so close that it is possible to capture subjects at 1:1 (1mm of subject represents 1mm on the sensor). Macro lens are flat field so images are sharp and distortion free from corner to corner. Macro lenses are also prime lens so you do lose the versatility of a zoom, like the 24-105.

You noted that it is difficult to focus with the lens. If you are shooting macro, you need to manually focus with the lens by moving the camera towards or away from the subject. Auto focus doesn't work well at macro focusing distances. I haven't read about or used a macro lens where the AF doesn't hunt back and forth at 1:1. Working distance on your 100mm is ~6". This means at 1:1 magnification the end of the lens will be approximately 6" away from the subject. That should get you in the ballpark for honing in on your subject.

When using the lens for regular photography there shouldn't be an issue with the auto focus locking in on the subject. I think you will find the 100mm a very sharp lens outside the macro realm.

Yes, macro takes practice and patience. It's one of the things I like about it. Go out and take some pictures, post the results here and we'll help you along the way.

Danoj Loc: Winnebago Co. Illinois

Not to hijack the thread... But is that Pattaya beach?

0627ramram32 Loc: Orange County, CA, USA

The Sigma 105 f2.8 Macro is interesting because it is designed to work equally well on either a crop sensor or full frame body. I don't have a full framer, but for your situation it will be ideal. Yes, it makes lovely images.

Jackinthebox Loc: travel the world

Danoj wrote:

Not to hijack the thread... But is that Pattaya beach?

Yes that is Pattaya beach. I will post more pictures taken with the 100mm sometime later today or tomorrow.
The baht bus will take me to the beach road for some more pictures, hmm, big decision, take the 100 or the 18-200?

Jackinthebox Loc: travel the world

Jackinthebox wrote:

Yes that is Pattaya beach. I will post more pictures taken with the 100mm sometime later today or tomorrow.

I took the 100mm back to the shop and told the nice sales lady that this lens is very good but not for Pattaya. No bugs to speak of. She also told me what a great lens this is and it would cost me about $250 restocking charge if I traded it for a 24-105. I told her that I would need a few more days to evaluate this further and today I shot more pictures on the beach with my good old 18-200.

Tomorrow or soon after I will trade the 100mm but it feels like trading one of the kids already. I will just have to buy another 24-105 to get the wider angle and keep the 100 for a buggier place. Oops, buggier, is that a word?
I do want to buy a FF body when Canon makes a new 6D with flip screen. So from now on only EF lenses. I try to attached some beach shots with the 100 and also with the 18-200.
Its a wonderful world.
PS - I do appreciate your comments a lot, thanks. :-)

Beach shot with 18-200 at 20mm 1/400 f8 iso100

100mm macro

Nikonian72 Loc: Chico CA

$825 cost - $250 restocking fee = ouch!
The Canon 100-mm L macro makes a decent short telephoto as well as for close-focusing. My Nikkor 105G (comparable to your 100-mm L lens) is used 95% of time for macro, with a few other shots thrown in for convenience. Here are recent examples, not macro.

(Download)

Jackinthebox Loc: travel the world

Nikonian72 wrote:

$825 cost - $250 restocking fee = ouch!
The Canon 100-mm L macro makes a decent short telephoto as well as for close-focusing. My Nikkor 105G (comparable to your 100-mm L lens) is used 95% of time for macro, with a few other shots thrown in for convenience. Here are recent examples, not macro.

Thanks for your reply. Your pictures are beautiful. It is evening and I still have the 100.
Now shooting the moon with an sx40, amazing little camera. This is a little removed from macro but I will post this moon shot anyway and tomorrow get back to macro. I don't know if that is a good picture or not.

Moon shot with SX40

travlnman46 Loc: Yakima WA

Hi Jackinthebox:
I own the Canon 100-mm macro lens, and it is one of my favorite. It is also great for general photography.. I also have the 12mm, 20mm and 36mm Kenko Extension tubes which really help with macro photography. I bought my Canon 100mm f/2.8 usm Macro, used through Craig's List, he had purchased it from one of the better online suppliers like KEH the year before and decided macro photography wasn't his cup of tea.