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thw2
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Registered: Dec 26, 2004
Location: N/A
Posts: 3138
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Review Date: Feb 19, 2010
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Super sharp, light-weight, IS works beautifully
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Cons:
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None
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This is one hell of a sharp lens. Sharpness is maintained even when mounted on a 1.4x TC.
Light-weight but superbly built.
IS really works giving 4 to 5 stops advantage at non-macro distances and 1 stop at 1:1 magnification.
For its incredible performance, this lens is worth every cent of its price.
Oh, did I say this lens is sharp from corner to corner? Unbelievable.
Canon has blown me away with this release.
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 Feb 19, 2010
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Photon
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Registered: Jan 18, 2003
Location: United States
Posts: 10239
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Review Date: Jan 30, 2010
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Great optical quality throughout distance range, at all apertures. Very effective IS. Weather sealed, fine build quality. Fast, accurate AF. Versatile lens.
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Cons:
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none
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I have used this lens extensively (on 5DII and 1DIII) for all sorts of macro subjects, portraits, and walk-around detail shots. It has not disappointed me in any significant way. The only nit picking observation I'd make is that after shooting at close range in low light, the AF sometimes freezes if I shift my attention to a more distant subject. However, in situations like that it only takes a moment to use manual focus to get close to the mark, and AF will then take over immediately when called. The full time manual focus makes this no problem. This is probably partly a characteristic of the 5DII; I haven't noticed it with the 1DIII, but I haven't done as much of this sort of shooting with that body.
I find the 100L to be a terrific portrait lens. It's not a substitute for an 85L or 135L, but very versatile. Often f/2.8 is more appropriate for a portrait than 1.2 - 2.0, and in low light situations, four stops of compensation for hand held shake (which is the amount of benefit I get from the IS) is often more useful than one to two and a half stops wider aperture.
No one lens suits all purposes, but this one is a winner that I wish I could have had years ago!
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Jan 30, 2010
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dccb2009
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Registered: Feb 16, 2009
Location: United States
Posts: 30
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Review Date: Jan 17, 2010
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Responsive AF, IS works well for non-macro shots, very sharp
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Cons:
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no collar ring available
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I sold my old 100 f/2.8 macro for this lens and couldn't be happier. The AF seems quick and accurate. The bokeh looks a bit better than the old macro as well, and the overall handling of the lens seems more balanced on my 5D MkII
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Jan 17, 2010
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markle
Offline
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Registered: Jan 16, 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 252
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Review Date: Jan 12, 2010
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $980.00
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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red ring for the looks , IS (but useless in my macro shoots)
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Cons:
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red ring for the price: not as good as the 70-200 2.8IS mark I
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get the 100 without the red ring, it takes the same pictures! quality not up to a 70-200 2.8IS (which is better, from 3.2 and up)
this lens makes sense only for the fashion of the red ring, and that's about it.
now all the 100 macro (all of them!) are sharp. The IS is not as good as the old 70-200 2.8 (again) for a much lighter lens by the way.
for macro I'd get the old 100 (or any 90-100 lens as a matter of fact) and a tripod . for better IS and better quality I'd use the money saved to get a 70-200 2.8IS (which is a zoom therefore more useful)
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Jan 12, 2010
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choiboyogg
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Registered: Jun 9, 2003
Location: United States
Posts: 4333
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Review Date: Jan 8, 2010
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $875.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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OMG...
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Cons:
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nothing
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so, i own a lot of lenses. 14 to be exact. of all my lenses, the one that i used almost exclusively was the 100mm 2.8 USM non-IS.
when i heard about the IS, i was excited but then i realized that i probably didnt need the IS. so i canceled my pre-order and didnt think twice about it
then one day, i was decided to go for it. on ebay, beachcamera was selling it for $965 - 8% came out to about $875.
i just got the lens today and i have to admit, WOW... the quality out of this lens is incredible. i mean, the non-IS was awesome but something about this lens just takes it to the next level. the images just seem that much more crisp. i guess the best way to put it is, it is like the 135L but with macro capabilities.
i've only played with it for 10 minutes and i am just blown away by its performance.
if you have been on the fence about this lens because you can't justify the extra amount from your 100mm non-IS, trust me, do it. you WILL NOT regret it!
now it is my new favorite lens!
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Jan 8, 2010
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hhski
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Registered: Oct 26, 2006
Location: United States
Posts: 2313
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Review Date: Jan 8, 2010
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $950.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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AF fast accurate. Sharp. Sharp. Color and contrast as good as any other L. Light.
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Cons:
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Lack of collar.
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Great lens. Sold my Sigma 150 and TC . My only reget not buying sooner. This lens is the first macro I have used that the AF is fast enough to use as a conventional lens. Canon 185 macro, 100 f2.8 macro and the Sigma 150 f2.8 macro.
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Jan 8, 2010
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cgi_photo
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Registered: Mar 27, 2008
Location: Switzerland
Posts: 37
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Review Date: Jan 4, 2010
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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color, contrast, sharpness, bokeh!, fast AF
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Cons:
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no tripod collar, 72mm would have been nice
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I love this lens :-)
I use it for macro, portrait and as one of my walk-around-lenses.
Image quality is excellent, it's got a quick AF, IS (the first one that I like).
In comparison to the "old" 100/2.8, it has slightly better color and contrast. Sharpness is better too (aperture 2.8-4, but not much)
the missing tripod collar and the diameter of 67mm are the things that I don't like.
I recommend it :-)
wether it is worth the extra money, you have to decide yourself...
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Jan 4, 2010
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Ezzat
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Registered: Dec 28, 2009
Location: Australia
Posts: 0
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Review Date: Dec 28, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Sharp images even at 2.8, excellent IS performance (great for indoors portraits without flash).
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Cons:
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AF sometimes hunts in low light/low contrast subjects (it may be my 5D2, but on the 85mm 1.2 L II it's much less).
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Excellent lens. Highly recommended; I suggest you overlook the original 100mm f2.8, and get this one. It is worth the extra penny.
I will be getting a crop body, perhaps a 500D for macro work.
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Dec 28, 2009
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Jiri
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Registered: Jan 16, 2009
Location: Slovakia
Posts: 0
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Review Date: Dec 28, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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very good macro objectiv!
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Dec 28, 2009
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Gavaconda
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Registered: Dec 25, 2009
Location: Australia
Posts: 0
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Review Date: Dec 25, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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sharpness, background blur/bokeh, hybrid IS, weather sealing, colour/contrast
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Cons:
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None
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I bought this lens as soon as it came out. I was quite impressed that it didn't take long from product announcement, to product availability - thanks Canon. I've had it for about 2 months now.
PROS: Sharpness. Whoah is this baby sharp. For most lenses I like to stop down at least 1 stop from max aperture for added sharpness, but for me on my 5DII it is plenty sharp at f/2.8. Shooting macro, this is far too shallow a DoF, so tend to shoot around f/9 - f/11, and even use a stacker to increase the DoF.
For portrait I thought maybe I might need a larger aperture (say f/2) but when I saw the shallow DoF for 100mm f/2.8, I was very happy. This brings me to my next high praise point:
Bokeh. With 9 blade circular aperture (9 blades!), this lens is second to none in the bokeh dept. Background blur is super creamy. I have a distinct disliking for pentagon/hexagon bokeh and 'unwrapped condom' circular bokeh. This lens has none of those failings - truly a great portrait lens - but better suited to full frame portraits being 100mm.
Hybrid IS. Doesn't mean anything much for extreme macro because it can't stop that in-out shallow DoF focussing issue, so close macro work really needs a tripod, but still a benefit for not-too-extreme handheld macro. For handheld portraits though it is really great.
Colour/contrast is superb. It's weather sealed with a filter in place.
Nit-picking. The plastic beyond the focus ring does seem a bit 'plasticy' but I am sure they put light plastic there so as not to unbalance the lens and make it too front-heavy, since hybrid IS probably adds to the front-end weight. I think this is the right choice, and don't think that a tripod collar is necessary. The lens does have a quality feel about it, and I'm not just talking about the red ring.
I haven't noticed any CA or distortion. I micro-adjusted the lens but found it was spot on.
A 77mm filter thread would be nice so I could use my current CP filter, but that's a minor gripe. The hybrid IS makes a bit of a squeal noise at times, but this is nothing to worry about. Sometimes I forget to change the focus range when going from portrait to macro and vice versa, but that's a 'dumb operator' issue! As for price - I think it's totally worth the money (and I don't say that about all Canon lenses). I couldn't care less if Canon discontinue the non-L 100mm macro. This is worth the added money for sure.
This lens works wonderfully with the extension tubes (I have the 25mm). If you are serious about macro - I feel you really need to get an extension tube as well to boost the magnification.
All in all a great lens, and I'd probably now rate it as my favorite. For full frame - go out and get one now!
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Dec 25, 2009
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star_stardust
Offline
[ X ]
Registered: Jul 26, 2006
Location: Netherlands
Posts: 0
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Review Date: Dec 19, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Sharpness, Depth of Field (amazing !), bokeh, build
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Cons:
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a bit pricy, sometime you forget that the AF is set at the wrong distance. And especially with portraits you need to make more use of PS because every line. pimple is shown :).
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I only have it a day, but the shots until now are amazing. Especially the DOF (thin like a razorblade) and the bokeh are astonishing. You pay quite a lot of money but I'm sure I will use it for a very long time.
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Dec 19, 2009
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Grandin
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Registered: Mar 12, 2006
Location: Sweden
Posts: 51
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Review Date: Dec 6, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Excellent auto focus & IS-implementation- no other lens comes close (tried all Canon's and most of Nikon's macros), light - I salute this lens being manufactured by high quality plastics instead of metal, sharp
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Cons:
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Price - but I'd still say its good value for (a lot of) money
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Owned and or used all Canon's macro lenses as well as a few third party alternatives. My former favourite used to be a combination of Canon EF 100/2.8 USM Macro and Sigma EX 150/2.8 Macro - but I replaced them both with this lens.
I've never had so many keepers as with this lens, it's auto focus and image stabilization are truly excellent. Really happy I decided to get this lens - its a really good multi-purpose lens (available light general tele, portrait, macro etc).
Buy this lens!
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Dec 6, 2009
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bobbytan
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Registered: Feb 2, 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 18643
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Review Date: Nov 24, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Sharpness, color, weight, AF speed, and above all .... the IS rocks!
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Cons:
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Slight CA.
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I've had this lens for only a couple of weeks but I am really enjoying it. I switched from the old Canon 100/2.8 to the Voigtlander APO Lanthar 125 Macro to the new Canon 100L IS. In terms of IQ, the 100L is somewhere between the old 100 and the CV 125. The 100L is as sharp as the old 100 but it has better color and contrast, better AF speed, and the IS is worth the $400 premium IMO. I have shot macro hand-held that I could never possibly get with the old 100, so my keeper rate has gone up significantly. There is a bit of CA but nowhere near as bad as some of my fast lenses like the 85L II. I didn't use my old 100 much, and neither did I use the CV 125 very much either (only because it's MF) but I love this 100L IS lens. It is such a FUN lens to shoot with.
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Nov 24, 2009
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Rey_G
Offline
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Registered: Mar 31, 2008
Location: United States
Posts: 0
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Review Date: Nov 22, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $999.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Sharp, faster focus than the non L, build quality, color rendition, sharp, bokeh, hybrid IS, quiet, sharp.
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Cons:
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None
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Canon's first L lens featuring the new hybrid IS technology and it is a good one. This has to be Canon's sharpest lens; it is at least as sharp as the 135mm L, and definitely is sharper than the non-L 100mm macro wide-open. I also found the color rendition and contrast to be more pleasing than the non-L. I find the IS helpful at this FL, and the new IS system is quiet. I can usually hear the IS wind-up on my 70-200mm 2.L IS, but not on this one. I purchased this lens more as a general purpose prime for use with portraits, product shots, as well as the occasional macro shot. This lens delivers. Beautiful color, bokeh and did I mention sharpness?
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Nov 22, 2009
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MX5NC
Offline
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Registered: Dec 27, 2006
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 76
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Review Date: Nov 13, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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IQ, Ease of use, Metal mount
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Cons:
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77mm filter would have been nice
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My first macro lens so need to get use to using it. Initial attempts have been impressive. As a short telephoto I have found it very good.
Will have to get one of those macro sliding plates (e.g. Manfrotto 454) ... any views on this approach?
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Nov 13, 2009
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jwsparty
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Registered: Jan 3, 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 740
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Review Date: Nov 13, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $1,060.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Sharpness, Fast Focus, Color, Bokeh
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Cons:
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None
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Fantastic lens! Sharpest lens have ever had and the addition of IS really makes this useable in so many conditions. The bokeh is really nice and smooth as well.
Highly recommeded for everything from flowers and bugs to indoor sports.
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Nov 13, 2009
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Reviews
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Views
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Date of last review
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102
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185398
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Oct 28, 2019
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Recommended By
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Average Price
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96% of reviewers
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$949.58
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Build Quality Rating
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Price Rating
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Overall Rating
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9.34
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8.76
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9.6
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