Archive 2023 · 'Standard' lenses which match the EF 100mm L's rendering?

sebjmatthews
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · 'Standard' lenses which match the EF 100mm L's rendering?

I've recently rediscovered the EF 100mm f/2.8L IS Macro USM, having previously dumped it in the back of a cupboard when it stopped being used for work. This time I'm using it for personal shooting, and I absolutely love its rendering. The saturation, the contrast, even the vignetting is to my taste and goes uncorrected. Now every other lens I use on my free time—other than the 300mm f/2.8L IS II, which produces a similar look but obviously for very different scenarios—just doesn't please me. I have lenses which are sharper than the 100, lenses which do more background blur, lenses which are better-corrected... but I love this look, and now I need something in the middle focal length to match with it.

I had the EF 50mm f/1.2L a long time ago, and from what I remember it had a truckload of aberration and the colour wasn't as intense as with the 100. Maybe that was just my copy, or maybe I'm remembering incorrectly, but for now I've ruled out that.
I know the EF 50 1.4 and 1.8 aren't going to cut it, either.
I know the RF 50mm f/1.2L has gotten rave reviews from everyone, but I get the impression from every sample photo and video I've seen that it'll be too sharp. (And it seems a waste to drop £2k on a lens then stick a Tiffen Soft focus filter on it!)

So, I'm looking for something in the 45-55mm range, either EF or RF mount (or anything else which can adapt to an R5), which can pair well with the EF 100 L's rendering. I might consider a 40mm, at a push. I really don't like 35mm, and 60mm+ would be a bit pointless, I think. 50mm would of course be ideal.
Don't care about brand.
Don't really care about max aperture since I assume anything will be at least f/2.8, anyway.
Don't care about IS; I'd be willing to give up AF if it was the only way to get the optic I want.
Don't have a price limit, other than I'm obviously not going to adapt some £20K Cooke cine lens.

Cheers

Sep 13, 2023 at 05:36 PM

exdeejjjaaaa
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · 'Standard' lenses which match the EF 100mm L's rendering?

Tampon SP 45mm F/1.8 Di VC USD F013 through adapter ?

Sep 13, 2023 at 05:45 PM

johnctharp
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · 'Standard' lenses which match the EF 100mm L's rendering?

exdeejjjaaaa wrote:
Tampon SP 45mm F/1.8 Di VC USD F013 through adapter ?

Quoting for calling Tamron 'Tampon', for posterity.

But additionally having owned the EF 100L and currently owning the 45/1.8 VC, I'd say that they're at least in the same ballpark, that is sharpness, rendering, and plenty of aberrations.

Sep 13, 2023 at 10:16 PM

Pixelpuffin
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · 'Standard' lenses which match the EF 100mm L's rendering?

What a strange coincidence
I have the Tamron 45 and I’m too addicted by it’s charms. The funny thing is I recently rummaged through a box of old now unused sd cards. Was about to format but checked to see what if any pictures were on it, just one… but with the most gorgeous colours. Absolutely beautiful autumn leaf on top of deep emerald green moss, the contrast made it look almost 3 dimensional. For the life of me I couldn’t remember when or what I used to take the picture. Checked the Exif and it was my never-used canon 100mm 2.8L !! I bought the lens used 2yrs ago but the novelty wore off after a few days and it got shoved to the back of the cupboard.

But as you say the rendering is sublime

The joke is it was taken on my M50 !! I honestly thought it was full frame.

Sep 14, 2023 at 12:08 AM

sebjmatthews
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · 'Standard' lenses which match the EF 100mm L's rendering?

Sounds like the Tamron is the way to go. I must say, looking at samples and reviews, it does look and sound like it's as close as I'll get. Nice that it even has a matching filter thread, IS and weather sealing.

My only concern is, I've read many Tamron lenses (including the 45) didn't work properly with the R5 (and R6) when those bodies launched; apparently a firmware update which fixed that, but nobody seems to have reported on whether the problems actually were fixed or not. Anyone got any insight? I'd trust a company like Tamron to work on critical bugs, but at the same time, they've clearly been very busy with Sony and Fujifilm, and I can imagine that fixing a lens which was originally for an older system would not be a priority.

Sep 17, 2023 at 10:48 AM

tomasr
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · 'Standard' lenses which match the EF 100mm L's rendering?

I have Sigma 50mm ART, and briefly had Tamron and much prefer the Sigma. IQ is amazing and it doesn't have anywhere near as much purple aberration and AF is very dependable.

You can also have Sigma 40mm ART which is even better. Or Tamron 35mm f/1.4. Absolutely amazing glass.

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 II will have very similar colour and contrast but sharpness is really not great, and corners are dreadful. It is a zoom, and not a great one at that.

Sep 17, 2023 at 11:13 AM

GammyKnee
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · 'Standard' lenses which match the EF 100mm L's rendering?

I had the Tamron 45 for a few years (never had the Canon 100 macro so can't compare) and I loved both the oddball focal length and its rendering. The fringing could be a pain sometimes but otherwise I felt it delivered a sharp but still very pleasing, organic look.

The lens I had was one of the early releases which could not take a firmware update from the Tamron dock; later copies could do this. Regardless my copy behaved well on my DSLR bodies AF-wise and was even better on my R. I did eventually become frustrated by the AF speed however and was enticed by the prospect of a faster 50-ish lens, so I sold it for a Sigma 50 Art. The Art is a terrific lens, but there are still times when I miss the slightly wider viewing angle and the Tamron's rendering.

Sep 18, 2023 at 05:09 AM

Robin Smith
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · 'Standard' lenses which match the EF 100mm L's rendering?

Always liked the Tamron. It's only downside is that it is the same size as a modern 50/1.4 although it has VC. I seriously doubt the 45/50 difference is anything you would notice, or anyone else. I got the lens because I was looking for a good modern "50" that was not expensive. The 50 STM was a poor focusser, so I was left with the Tamron. It has a very nice performance.

Sep 18, 2023 at 09:21 AM

jj1804
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · 'Standard' lenses which match the EF 100mm L's rendering?

I really like my EF 40 on the R5. It is sharp in the center and mid frame from f/2.8 and at f/6.3 to the corners. I like it so much that I bought a second used copy.

If you go the tamron route you’ll either have to find a used copy that already has the updated firmware or send it in yourself. When i bought my 85 1.8 it was underexposing by about 4/3 stops and I had to turn off the lens correction profile, otherwise I had concentric dark circles in the raw files.

Sep 20, 2023 at 03:22 PM


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