I got my Canon 100 Macro IS L 2.8 about this time last year from B&H whilst on a visit to NY. I have enjoyed using it thro the summer here in England.
A couple of things, it is easier to photograph insects and plant detail with this than with my 50 macro as Alan suggests they are less likely to depart before you have them in focus.
The other point no-one here has mentioned yet is the ability of a suitable flash to suppress distracting backgrounds by underexposing them. Expose close up for the subject at 200th and a small aperture and the subject really stands out against a darker background. In the old days I used to carry a black cloth to drape behind outdoor macro shots to get the same effect. It was very tricky to use in windy conditions.
I use Canon's EX MR-14 ringflash on both my macros.
You need a special adaptor to fit it to the 100 mm lens because it uses a 67 mm filter, I hope these adaptor rings are easier to get now, mine took 4 months to arrive but was worth the wait!
12/09/2010 - 16:15.
I got my Canon 100 Macro IS L 2.8 about this time last year from B&H whilst on a visit to NY. I have enjoyed using it thro the summer here in England.
A couple of things, it is easier to photograph insects and plant detail with this than with my 50 macro as Alan suggests they are less likely to depart before you have them in focus.
The other point no-one here has mentioned yet is the ability of a suitable flash to suppress distracting backgrounds by underexposing them. Expose close up for the subject at 200th and a small aperture and the subject really stands out against a darker background. In the old days I used to carry a black cloth to drape behind outdoor macro shots to get the same effect. It was very tricky to use in windy conditions.
I use Canon's EX MR-14 ringflash on both my macros.
You need a special adaptor to fit it to the 100 mm lens because it uses a 67 mm filter, I hope these adaptor rings are easier to get now, mine took 4 months to arrive but was worth the wait!