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EF 100mm f/2.8 USM macro. Soft on full aperture?

Started Sep 17, 2016 | Discussions
Usagi Forum Member • Posts: 59
EF 100mm f/2.8 USM macro. Soft on full aperture?

I have used 100mm USM macro (non-L) lens and I noticed that full aperture is quite far from sharp.

From my experience with other brands the macro lens has always been really sharp from wide open. Is the Canon 100mm macro exception?

When stopped down to f/4 or smaller aperture, the result is fine.

Here's example crops from center. Focused using live view. f/2.8 and f/4.

100mm f/2.8 USM macro. f/2.8 and f/4

Abu Mahendra Veteran Member • Posts: 5,312
Re: EF 100mm f/2.8 USM macro. Soft on full aperture?

No. Get it MFAed, or fixed.

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>> I am already lovin' the Canon EF 35L II lens! <<

 Abu Mahendra's gear list:Abu Mahendra's gear list
Canon EF 100mm F2.8L Macro IS USM Canon EF 70-200mm F2.8L IS II USM Canon EF 70-200mm F4L IS USM Canon EF 24-70mm F2.8L II USM Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 STM +5 more
J A C S
J A C S Forum Pro • Posts: 20,544
Re: EF 100mm f/2.8 USM macro. Soft on full aperture?

Your test is consistent with this. BTW, "soft" is a relative terms here. Switch to the 1Ds3 there.

OP Usagi Forum Member • Posts: 59
Re: EF 100mm f/2.8 USM macro. Soft on full aperture?

Is the lower resolution of 1D III key for seemingly better performance?

Kjeld Olesen
Kjeld Olesen Veteran Member • Posts: 4,594
What other macro lenses?

IMO your wide open image is sharp.

Have a look also at : http://www.nnplus.de/macro/Macro100E.html

Rgds/Kjeld

User8673440952 wrote:

I have used 100mm USM macro (non-L) lens and I noticed that full aperture is quite far from sharp.

From my experience with other brands the macro lens has always been really sharp from wide open. Is the Canon 100mm macro exception?

When stopped down to f/4 or smaller aperture, the result is fine.

Here's example crops from center. Focused using live view. f/2.8 and f/4.

-- hide signature --
 Kjeld Olesen's gear list:Kjeld Olesen's gear list
Canon EOS M Canon EOS 6D Canon EOS M5 Canon EOS R6
J A C S
J A C S Forum Pro • Posts: 20,544
Re: EF 100mm f/2.8 USM macro. Soft on full aperture?

User8673440952 wrote:

Is the lower resolution of 1D III key for seemingly better performance?

Like 20 vs. 22 mp? No, that is hardly noticeable. Compare 18mp APS-C and 20mp FF then.

The same lens on crop will be always softer than the same one on FF unless the FF has a much lower pixel count, like 12mp, etc. Even the borders will be softer most of the time.

I own the 100L and I have used another copy on my 50D in the past. It was sharp enough, no complains but it was not "razor sharp" wide open. See also this.

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