Great lens, needs more accessories for fantastic macros

Canon 100mm Macro Lens Cameras

I had always wanted a macro lens but it wasn't on the top of my list. However, when Amazon had a superb deal on the price of this lens a few months ago, I snatched it up instantly.

At first, being the novice I am, I wasn't too thrilled about the lens. As someone who WAS accustomed to pointing and shooting with my Rebel T3i, the lens was difficult to use, blurry and slow to focus and I had expected something more out of the most expensive lens in my amateur lens set-up. It took me some time to figure out how to work the lens but this only encouraged me to explore the camera and my photography in new ways.

Some things I learned using this lens that will probably be beneficial to beginning photographers and those who are new to macro-photography:

First of all, this lens works best with a good tripod if you are using it for its' macro capabilities. Once I learned that, it makes the lens much more enjoyable to use. I find that handheld and with autofocus on it can do portrait and landscape pictures decently. Handheld macro shots ARE possible but I personally find that there are not as sharp as when I use I tripod. There is a noticeable difference in sharpness... this lens can be insanely sharp!

Secondly, the autofocus does not work that great for macro mode. This is not a bad thing. I usually turn off the autofocus and focus manually using the screen rather than the viewfinder and then use the digital magnification capabilities on my T3i to really sharpen the parts of the photo I want to focus on. I don't have a remote so I set the 2-second timer on my camera and take pictures that way. Without autofocus on, you can determine what areas of the the photo to highlight creatively and take advantage of its sharpness. This process may be a little slow and tedious for some people.

Thirdly, it's not a microscope. I was initially disappointed that I could not stand inches away from an object and look at it's molecular breakdown. Haha. Shows my initial naivete but magnification capabilities from a distance allows you to photograph insects and animals without invading their space.

I also use this shot for tripod telephoto shots. It can take some pretty amazing and sharp night shots (with a good tripod!) so I love that it is a very multipurpose lens despite being a macro lens.

I love the USM motor. It is a bit slower than I expected but I assign that to the fact that it's a macro lens. It is super quiet and has introduced me to a level of quality beyond the kit and budget Canon lenses I have in my bag. For budget photographers, this can be a dangerous descent into lens acquisition syndrome.

This lens definitely isn't for everyone. If you're a stubborn point and shooter with no desire/need for creative photography, this lens may not benefit you and will probably frustrate you. However, if you are willing to be patient and thoughtful, you can learn to make some amazing shots with this lens and expand your photographic creativity. If you dislike having to use a tripod and have money to splurge, there is the much more expensive L, image stabailization version of this lens.

I also use this lens for my eBay listings and I feel that it really helps my items pop on the search results compared to competing listings. Highly recommended.

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