Review on 📷 Enhanced Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM Fixed Lens for Canon SLR Cameras by Mike Campbell

I've always wanted a macro lens but it wasn't on my list. However, when Revain had a great deal on this lens a few months ago, I jumped at it. As a beginner, I wasn't too keen on this lens at first. As someone used to pointing and shooting with the Rebel T3i, this lens was difficult to use, blurry and slow to focus, and I expected a little more from the most expensive lens in my hobby lens kit. It took me a while to figure out how to work with the lens, but it just encouraged me to explore the camera and my photography in a new way. Some things I learned from using this lens that will probably be helpful for beginners and those new to macro photography: Firstly, this lens works best with a good tripod if you are using it for macro photography. Learning about this made using the lens much more enjoyable. I believe you can get decent portrait and landscape shots handheld with autofocus. Hands-free shots are possible, but personally I don't find them as sharp as when using a tripod. Noticeable difference in sharpness. This lens can be insanely sharp! Second, the autofocus doesn't work that well in macro mode. That's not a bad thing. I usually disable autofocus and focus manually using the screen rather than the viewfinder. Then I use the digital zoom capabilities on my T3i to really sharpen the parts of the photo I want to focus on. I don't have a remote control so I set a 2 second timer on my camera and shoot like that. By not activating autofocus, you can determine which areas of your photo need creative emphasis and take advantage of the sharpness. For some, this process may seem a bit slow and tedious. Third, this is not a microscope. At first, I was frustrated that I couldn't be inches from an object and watch its molecular decay. Ha ha. Shows my initial naivety but the distance zoom capabilities allow me to photograph insects and animals without invading their space. I also use this frame for tripod telephotos. It can take amazing and clear night shots (with a good tripod!) so I love that despite being a macro lens it's a very versatile lens. I like the USM engine. It's a bit slower than I expected, but I attribute that to being a macro lens. It's very quiet and has opened up a level of quality for me beyond the regular budget Canon lenses I have in my bag. For photographers on a budget, this can be a dangerous lens buying syndrome. This lens is definitely not for everyone. If you are a die-hard photographer and have no desire/need for creative photography, this lens may not do you any good and will most likely disappoint you. However, if you are willing to be patient and thoughtful, you can learn how to take amazing pictures with this lens and expand your creative possibilities. If you don't use a tripod and have money to spend, there is a much more expensive L version with image stabilization of this lens. I also use this lens for my eBay listings and I feel like it really helps my items show up in search results compared to competing listings. Highly recommended.