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user222
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Registered: Sep 13, 2007
Location: United States
Posts: 819
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Review Date: Nov 16, 2007
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $1,239.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Crisp, detailed images from corner to corner and across the frame. Can be used as a weapon for self-defense, or to hammer nails around the house. Black.
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Cons:
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Exposes the deficiencies of your other lenses.
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Before purchasing this lens, I spelunked deep in to the darkest and remotest corner of the Interwebs. Gathering user data and information on this lens. After the spreadsheets were analyzed and the numbers crunched. The distributed super-computer cluster (DSSC) I employ for lens evaluation printed out a small piece of ticker tape that read "Purchase Reccommended." It was a go!
During the data collection phase however, some trends were observed.
Opinions. Consensus data that had developed around this lens. For instance. 'AF is very slow.' 'It's very heavy, must be used with a tripod.' 'Not a lens for sports, birds in flight...fast moving objects.'
I would like to address each of these topics.
-- AF is very slow
This lens is marketed as a 'macro' lens, yet it could easily be marketed as a '180mm telephoto lens (with 1:1 magnification)'. The important thing to remember with this lens is the focusing distance it must travel from macro world to the real world.
For instance, you're focused in on the left eyelid of a baby mosquito, and suddenly a bull elk with a huge rack comes walking out of the forest at 50 yards. You swing the camera towards the elk, with the shutter pushed down halfway to engage AF (now is a good time to have a smoke, or see what you brought for lunch). The AF will be quite slow, naturally.
Computers can't do everything for us folks. At times like these you actually have to do something (sorry), and grab the lens and move the focus in range of the elk. Once you're "in range" of subject, whether small or large, near or far. You will find the AF to be quite effective.
The 300 f/2.8 is notorious for it's AF abilities, but it also has a magnification of 1:7.7. If it was 1:1, it would, like the 180 have that much more distance to travel to get things right. It would probably still be fast as all heck, but you get the point (I hope). So move the focus with your hand (sorry again) for large changes in focusing distance, and you will increase the versatility of this lens by some exponential factor that could only be calculated by the DSSC.
-- This lens must be used on a tripod
There's some timeless wisdom to that statement. Every lens, can, or could, or could have at one time benefited from the use of a tripod (and mirror-lock, and remote release). The wisdom of the ages applies to the 180 macro as well. There's times though, when you need to be hand holding the sucka.
Hand holding the 180 is not only easy, it's fun! It should be encouraged.
The lens is quick on the draw. It's a minimalist design. There's an AF/MF switch, focus limiter switch and focus ring. No bells and whistles. Look
at the side of a 300 2.8, it looks the control center at NASA (don't get me wrong, I want one too).
Was it not Thoreau who said:
Simplicity. I say, let your affairs be as two or three, and not a hundred or a thousand; instead of a million count half a dozen, and keep your accounts on your thumb nail.
Would Thoreau have used the 180 macro?
180 macro hand held
http://www.pbase.com/coonrad/image/87174094
http://www.pbase.com/coonrad/image/87174093
-- Not a lens for sports, or BIF...or...or...
(see section on AF)
Move the focus in to range if you have to, and use this lens for whatever action oriented pursuits you desire. Some commonly used lenses for sports and BIF are the 300 f/4.0, the 400 f/5.6, the 100-400, the 500 f/4.0. This lens has wider max. aperture than all the above. If the FL can accommodate your needs, and you can actually manipulate the focus ring with your own hand (I know, sorry). Then you have once again increased the versatility of this lens by some exponential factor that would require a Ph.D in mathematics to calculate.
When you turn on Monday Night Football, are you going to see the sidelines full of 180 macros? Maybe (ok you won't), but don't let the "Macro lens" moniker discourage you from the fact that you have one of the nicest telephoto lenses ever designed by Canon (with 1:1 magnification).
180 macro birds in flight:
http://www.pbase.com/coonrad/image/87174898
http://www.pbase.com/coonrad/image/87174929
As for image quality and build quality.
I haven't used other notoriously sharp lenses like the 200 f/1.8, or the 300 f/2.8. I do know that this is the sharpest lens I own, and is within the top tier (the MTF charts appear to bare this out as well).
Color, contrast and background blur meet all my expectations of how an "L" grade lens should perform.
I was very impressed with the build quality with this lens. I wanted to test it though. So I was able to gain access to the rooftop of a 4 story apartment building, where I proceeded to drop the lens from 48 feet on to a concrete sidewalk...hehe...really, it's built very well.
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 Nov 16, 2007
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Luisifer
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Registered: Jul 20, 2007
Location: Czech Republic
Posts: 75
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Review Date: Aug 31, 2007
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $1,760.00
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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beautiful colors, superb bokeh, perfect built quality, good to very good sharpness, heavy (it's pros to me)
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Cons:
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not so super sharp on 1:1, really overprised (imo about 25 %),
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Cost of this lens (not only this) in Czech Republic (maybe in Europe) is dirtily overpriced. Canon's marketing smell like a shit there (no way to unwrite it). :-((((( (price $ 1.760 @ 21 Kč/$ => 37.000 Kč - about year ago. Present-day it is about 42.000 => $ 2.000 @ 21 Kč/$)
But i love this lens. If will be Mark II of this lens i buy it again. I use it on crop 1.6 now but i hope that at near future will used on FullFrame.
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Aug 31, 2007
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Aberdeen Photo
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Registered: Mar 9, 2006
Location: United States
Posts: 3812
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Review Date: Jul 23, 2007
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $1,164.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Great macro with wonderful sharpness and color
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Cons:
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Not so quick to focus, but hey it is a macro and mf is what I normally use
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Great macro and a step up from the 100 2.8 from Canon. I really enjoy using this for product work as well as macro work. It is a bit slow to focus, but it is a macro and has great sharpness, color, saturation and fore and background blur. It is simply the best macro which I have used.
It is wonderful for small product work and I love this lens for what it is. The results can be stunning! Excellent build and I prefer the working distance esp w/ ff. If you want the best in a macro, this is it.
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Jul 23, 2007
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Tony Ross
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Registered: Jul 9, 2007
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 741
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Review Date: Jul 9, 2007
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Excellent image quality, ability to get 1:1 macro at a greater distance, usable as a 180mm prime telephoto
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Cons:
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Not a lightweight lens, tripod almost a necessity for macro shots, some difficulty finding a suitable tripod head when used with a battery grip or a 1D series body - the body interferes with many heads (eg: Manfrotto 410 geared head) - I'd rather the tripod collar lifted the lens higher.
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This lens is awesomely sharp, as all good (true) macro lenses are. It can be used for things other than straight macro shots; it makes an interesting lens for portraits, but it can be cruel, because it shows every slight imperfection in the skin.
I am not using my 100mm Macro lens any more.
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Jul 9, 2007
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Fetor
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Registered: Mar 21, 2005
Location: United States
Posts: 7
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Review Date: Jun 14, 2007
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $1,196.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Great ergonomics, very similar to the 70-200 2.8L
sturdy build, i wouldn't expect anything less from a L series lens
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Cons:
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72mm diameter :(
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awesome lens, well worth the money, tripod collar fits 70-200 2.8 lens as well. weight not a problem, unless your a weak pansy
sample photo i took
http://img164.imageshack.us/img164/1605/img8105sk8.jpg
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Jun 14, 2007
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Hacker
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Registered: Feb 24, 2006
Location: Singapore
Posts: 98
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Review Date: Apr 30, 2007
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $1,300.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Tack sharp, IF, smooth focusing and solidly built.
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Cons:
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Heavy, needs 72C to mate with the MT-24EX and expensive.
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You will not regret if you decide to get this lens.
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Apr 30, 2007
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ChillAloha
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Registered: Jun 19, 2006
Location: United States
Posts: 529
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Review Date: Oct 30, 2006
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $1,100.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Super sharp, excelent build quality, good color and contrast.
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Cons:
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AF at macro distances (it's fine at non-macro distances and set to focus that way).
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This lens is really sharp. It's easy to get good images of things that don't want me all that close and the ability to use extenders and extension tubes gives this lens a lot of versatility and power.
I don't really care about auto focus when I'm doing macro work and it is reasonably fast when set to distant focus and is being used as a telephoto - so I have no reason to lower its score on that count.
When this is set up with flash adaptors, flashes, extension tubes, and tele-converters, it can get a bit heavy, and it's not light to start with, but that's all part of the game. If it moves slowly, a tripod is a nice respite, but for timid fast moving targets... well, it's a bit of a workout.
Gorgeous, crisp, colorful images out of this. Highly recommended!
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Oct 30, 2006
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2in3
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Registered: Jun 7, 2006
Location: Canada
Posts: 0
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Review Date: Sep 6, 2006
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $1,200.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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everything of a macro lens dream
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Cons:
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not f2.8
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..this is the first canon lenses came with my first canon dslr, 5d..i was very impressed by the cool metal tube of the lens when i touched it for the first time, and it soon became my favorite lens with no regret to skip 100 macro...
..the wide manual focus ring make it very precise when focusing..the nice creamy bokeh proved there are really somethings photoshop can't do..this lens narrowed my vision but broadened my world with inspirations...
..some people complain about the weight, non-IS and slow AF (actually it's pretty fast when switch to 1.5m to infinity)..isn't this lens supposed to be mounted on tripod, manual focusing and shutter released by remote control with mirror locked up?..then why should we pay extra money for IS and faster AF instead of a sturdy gitzo?...
..some sample pix are here:
www.flickr.com/photos/2in3/sets/
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Sep 6, 2006
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luke.price
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Registered: Aug 12, 2006
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 45
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Review Date: Aug 13, 2006
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $1,250.00
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Build quality, handling, image quality, ability to use TC's, reasonable fast AF when used in the >1.5m range.
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Cons:
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Black not White body, not weather sealed fully
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I love this lens, this is the kind of lens that makes you actually want to try different types of photograhy than you would otherwise. I hate spiders and would normally kill them on sight. But now I just chase them around the house with this lens taking their portraits. Safe in the knowledge that I have a good working distance 
I have also been using this lens as a makeshift telephoto for sporting events such as the US GP and the Gold Cup power boat racing here in Detroit. Even used with a 1.4TC it takes very sharp images with great contrast and saturation. The only problem I have found is that it gets very hot during the course of a day shooting. Its large enough that it warrants the white coating I think.
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Aug 13, 2006
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coachjohn
Offline
Buy and Sell: On
Registered: Oct 12, 2002
Location: United States
Posts: 153
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Review Date: Jun 13, 2006
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Recommend? |
Price paid: Not Indicated
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Pros:
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Much better focus than original; very sharp, excellent color rendition; great bokeh; excellent build quality
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Cons:
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Slow AF
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A while back I posted a review on the 180mm f/35. macro that I later got taken to task for. I'm updating my review NOT because of the "worthless" comment, but because of now owning a different copy of the lens. After using the used copy I had purchased for sometime, I ended up returning the copy and buying a new 180mm; the difference and been pronounced. Would I rate it a 10 now? No..it's not the "perfect" lens and a 10 is perfection...but it's very, very close. A 9.5 or 9.8...fast becoming one of my favorites lenses to shoot with.
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Jun 13, 2006
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cjjmst
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Registered: Oct 7, 2005
Location: France
Posts: 475
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Review Date: Jun 13, 2006
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $1,100.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Built. Sharpness. Sharpness. Sharpness. Compatibility with TCs. Internal focus. Collar. Working distance.
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Cons:
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Weight.
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I've been so happy for so many years with my 100 macro thay I long didn't feel any need for this one. Eventually I got one used, compulsively I would say.
But Oh my God! What a lens!
This is a real winner.
For macro of course, the working distance is simply great. Never dreamed before of making macro so comfortable.
Compatibility with Tcs. With the x1.4 is excellent (even x2 but I don't recommend it except when high IQ is not the point). With TC and tubes together, it still works fine (on a good tripod), you then almost have a microscope!!...
Internal focus is a real plus. The lens has a constant length and can't be suspected to suck any dust in.
I also often use it for portraits. Wide open, the sharpness is impressive and you get a dreamy bokeh.
Built like weaponery, it's heavy though and not so easy to shoot handheld (I almost never...).
The price? Yes, it's not a cheap lens, but when you have it in hands, you know that you are not holding a cheap lens...
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Jun 13, 2006
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Chris Schlaf
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Registered: Feb 9, 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 3597
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Review Date: Jun 1, 2006
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $1,200.00
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Extemley sharp very nice bokeh and built like a tank
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Cons:
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Slow AF
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I purchased this about 3 years ago and decided to sell it after about a year and trying a few other macro lenses I repurchased this and wont be selling this one anytime soon (ever).I use the 1x4 and the 2x extender on this lens and the quality has been outstanding.And for me the AF is pretty slow but I use the MF most of the time so it doesnt matter to me.
Hope this helps
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Jun 1, 2006
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lowbone
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Registered: May 7, 2006
Location: United States
Posts: 719
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Review Date: May 23, 2006
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $1,200.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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A very high quality macro lens with excellent build quality
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Cons:
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None
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I already owned a Sigma 180mm f 3.5 macro lens and was fairly pleased with it. I reluctantly bought the Canon 180 macro because of reports that the Sigma lens was just as good. Believe me, it is not. The Canon 180 macro produces sharper photos with better color. You do get what you pay for. If you have the money get the Canon.
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May 23, 2006
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stelin
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Registered: Dec 22, 2005
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 4
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Review Date: May 20, 2006
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Very very sharp
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Cons:
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max aperture -- f2.8 or wider would be nice to make manual focussing easier
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Incredibly sharp, and works very well with the 1.4x Canon extender or extension tubes to increase the magnification beyond 1:1.
I find the AF obviously slower than my zooms, but not horrendous as some would have you believe. The internal focussing is a boon as is the length over my previous 105mm Sigma. -- I prefer to be further back from things with stings!!
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May 20, 2006
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johnastovall
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Registered: Apr 7, 2005
Location: United States
Posts: 1332
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Review Date: May 20, 2006
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $1,264.95
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Great color and so sharp it'll make your eyes bleed. Very glad I got it.
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Cons:
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Non but be prepared to accept it on it's terms and do the work it demands.
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I debate about this L lense and the cheaper 100 or a Tarmon 180 cheaper still. I'm very glad I paid what I did. In just a morning of work it shows it's ever thing one expects from a Canon L lense. Some people complain about the AF speed. I don't expect to use AF that much with a macro and it has silk smooth manual focus. I only have on question for Canon and it's not about the lens, "Where's the MLU button on the 5D!" This lens demands such a feature on the camera body. Also a good heavy tripod is a must.
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May 20, 2006
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DigitalDreamer
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Registered: Apr 20, 2005
Location: United States
Posts: 151
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Review Date: Apr 27, 2006
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $1,129.00
| Rating: 10
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coachjohn if it is everything you described then why a rating of 9? It is reviews like this that make people think of them as worthless.
My review of this lens is simply outstanding if you know how to use a Macro lens. As ALL Macro lenses it does focus slow, but not hindering at all. How ever when put into 1.4 to infinity it can be used as a very nice tele as well and focus locks on fast and holds.
This lens used on my 1dsmkII and my 5D has produced some terriffic portrait shots as well.
I have the Sigma 150 Macro as well which is also another great lens for the money, if money is an objective then go for the Sigma 150 macro, if not get the Canon 180 macro. The big difference between these two lenses to me is color, the canon has much more true color and is sharper, but by a very small amount, and not noticable at all on prints up to A3.
By far the sharpest lens in my Canon lineup!
EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM
EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM
EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM
EF 35mm f/1.4L USM
EF 135mm f/2L USM
EF 180mm f/3.5L Macro USM
EF 400mm f/2.8L IS USM (2nd Sharpest)
EF 500mm f/4L IS USM
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Apr 27, 2006
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Reviews
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Views
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Date of last review
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53
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205675
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Jun 25, 2019
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Recommended By
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Average Price
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96% of reviewers
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$1,212.18
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Build Quality Rating
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Price Rating
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Overall Rating
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9.86
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8.53
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9.7
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