Canon introduces first Hybrid Image Stabilization lens: EF 100mm Macro
By Darren Murph 
posted Sep 2nd 2009 3:44AM
posted Sep 2nd 2009 3:44AM
[Via HotHardware]
posted Sep 2nd 2009 3:44AM
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Does that mean the old 100mm macro is being discontinued?
I hope not, given that this is more than twice the price. I don't think it will be though; Canon has let IS and non IS versions of lenses coexist in the past.
Just saw this on dpreview: "The Canon EF 100mm F2.8L IS USM macro will supplement, rather than supplant the existing 100mm F2.8 USM macro." So it appears that it's official, the old one isn't going anywhere.
Probably not. This is a "L" lens.
Canon usually has L and non-L lenses with overlapping focal length ranges. They are not for the same target audience.
Now, that is an interesting lens.
One hopes they have fixed the issues with the previous IS lenses where they make the image worse and causing framing drift if the body is tripod mounted and therefore mostly stable.
It's also a curious choice for a first release, macro does need all it can get what with the razor thin dof and all but the bigger issue isn't so much shake but moving ever so slightly in n out causing the focal plane to shift.
I'm pretty sure that all recent IS lenses have been able to sense when they're on a tripod and won't cause any image issues when left on.
Or you could just turn off IS =P
You know there's a switch on the lens to turn Image Stabilization off, right?
Given how easy that is, i wouldn't even consider that a problem. Besides, IS uses battery, so just another reason to keep it off if you don't need it.
I mean, it would be cool if they fixed it, just like anything else, but i wouldn't consider it a fix i'd want to be paying for.
-Taylor
uh, yeah, I know you can turn it off.
The point is, if you are being fairly still the IS lenses have previously made the picture worse, not better; and since the goal as a photographer is to be still while shooting an IS lens can turn out counter-productive. So....
I hope they have improved that, cause its the very subtle movements that mess up both macro and telephoto, which occur even when on a tripod from things like the wind. The prior range of IS lens do nothing to help that and as I said, actually make it worse.
and then... a lens that fixes large movements isn't really helping in a macro shot, because large movements will be moving your focal plane so much that you have no shot anyway. SO to make the first release of this "new tech" a macro IS strange because it will be more often than not, no use at all.
AND even more so, it is not sideways, or angular movement that makes a mess of a macro photograph, it is moving in and out, closer to and away from the subject and this lens does NOTHING to help that.
why would they introduce this in a lens that's prone to be used on a tripod most of the time?
As the text says, it's suitable for "portrait-length telephoto shots", where you are likely prefer hand-held.
Perhaps because they can? Nikon made a 105mm VR with about 1 stop of effectiveness at 1:1 earlier.
Yes, it's "suitable" but why not go with the 85 f1.8 or the 1.2L instead?
IS is a cool feature, but with the better ISO performance of my 5D2, I've never had to use it, even with an F4 lens.
I expect it will be sharper than both the 85mm lenses and it is cheaper than the 1.2L. You can also get a lot closer to your subject. IS gives you more flexibility and options but I agree it's not for everyone. Not all cameras have great high ISO performance -- we don't all own a 5D2 and even then lower ISOs will give more dynamic results. Also you may wish to stop-down a lot to extend the depth-of-field.
Tripod? Depends on what and how you shoot. I regularly shoot insects at 1:1 handheld with my 105mm Nikkor, and I don't use IS/VR when doing it. When I do this the only thing mounted on tripods are my external flashes.
Hell, I've done 2.9:1 shots handheld with a 50mm F1.4 reverse mounted in front of my 105mm. Same deal, not tripod except for my external flashes.
If this IS is truly usable at 1:1 that will be great for some photographers. For myself, using higher shutter speeds combined with external flashes works fine for me.
I never use a tripod for portrait shooting. Mind you, I'm not shooting families in a photo booth, but if you are, you can use a flash anyway. "Portraits" can be anything really, and I have much more flexibility moving around.
-Taylor
$1,049 for a lens isn't that bad.
I was thinking the same thing. It's a new technology. And it is an L series too. They are usually in the $1,600 range, no?
seriously...$1k is low for an L lens and it surprised me
if you ever have problems with buying a lens because of money, just go to B&H and check out the canon 800mm L lens (12,000 bucks later you'll be good to go))
@LeoM
Or the Sigma 200-500mm f/2.8. You can snag that one for the low, low price of 29,000$.
just what i was thinking.
Hybrid IS and L quality glass for only ~$250 more than the non-L version? seems pretty good to me.
I don't understand this lens, but I can't tell time either. so whatevs.
Crap, I just bought the 100mm Macro USM f/2.8 two months ago on the advice that Canon would not be putting out an IS version of it for at least two more years.
Hmm, I wonder if I can sell my lens and buy one of these instead *drool*.
$1049 or Canon L glass?
This is actually a pretty good deal.
I tipped Engadget off two days before Tuesday (when this was released) about this. A day AFTER it's released and Engadget posts it.
Ah well. No point upgrading for current 100mm macro users, but... it's nice. It's... nice.
if the reviews are good for this lens, i'll be tempted to buy it along with the 7d if the reviews are good for the 7d also.
The 7D starts to have too much noise at 3200+. It's good for APS-C, of course, but obviously could have been better with 12, even 15 megapixels.
Wow.. ISO3200+... I don't think I've ever used anything over ISO400, and I consider myself a very serious photographer.
If reduced performance above ISO3200 bothers you, you're just "measurebating" over technology instead of doing photography.
@DutchGuy
What do you shoot with? And what do you shoot? I used to work for a newspaper and I regularly used ISO 1600 on an original Digital Rebel (scary, I know) when shooting basketball because I didn't have a good lens and needed the light. The paper is such low quality that the images were fine, but even now just for hobby stuff with my 40D and 17-55 F2.8 IS lens I still shoot at ISO 1600 sometimes because it means I can take pictures using existing light even when its incredibly dark (and the 40D has much better ISO performance). Sometimes a grainy photo is better than no photo at all - grain isn't even necessarily bad, it can give a good feel to a photo. Last weekend I was at a barbecue with friends and with nothing but a bonfire as light i took some really nice looking photos of them.
Anyway, just think you should branch out and give it a shot.
-Taylor
This kind of thing is a testament to why manufacturers should put the image stabilization in the body. Canon and Nikon are going to keep re-releasing each lens every couple years when the tech improves, charging you an arm and a leg along the way. With the smaller and more innovate competitors ( such as Sony/Olympus/Pentax) each body improvement is going to see an improvement in stabilization, which in turn improves your entire glass collection. I feel like it reduces the value of Canikon products compared to competition. It's all about creating revenue for them, as the risk of allowing you to buy a manual focus large aperture lens on ebay for $50 and having full stabilization on it is only taken by the smaller guys.
I've got a 105mm F2.4 Vivitar zoom that I purchased off ebay for $135 dollars, which has full image stabilization ( with shift and rotation compensation, "HYBRID", on my K7). I doubt anyone could discern the difference between this $1100 lens and my $135 lens. I'm a hobbyist and not a pro, but it just seems you can have much more fun at a lower cost of entry on the systems other than Canon/Nikon.
It's called "planned obsolescence".
Sony/Olympus/Pentax make up what 8% of the DSLR market? Apparently Canon & Nikon know what they are doing.
" I doubt anyone could discern the difference between this $1100 lens and my $135 lens"
Hah.
You'd be surprised.
-Taylor
Canon announced in July that they had developed a hybrid IS system that had a special mode for macro and would be releasing an IS macro lens by the end of 2009.
This lens is hardly a surprise.
Will be very interesting to see what this lens is like.
I've preordered it.
Actually this lens is a perfect example of why IS should be in the lens, since it has a special type of IS just for macro.
i wonder how this compares optically to the Canon 180mm L EF Macro... i absolutely adore my 180mm..so sharp and while slow, it can do telephoto very well in the right light...i use it for my macro work....
i will be very eager to see the test between this new 100L macroand the old 100 macro as well as the 180mm L...
i wonder if this is meant to compete with the macro lenses or more with the super sharp 85mm 1.2L and the 135mm L
it does kind of sit right in between
1K for this is not bad...basically what i paid for my 180mm L Macro... if it is a ton better i might be looking to sell my 180mm and get this new bad boy...
now if i could only find a fair buyer for my 14mm 2.8 L II so i can get that 17mm TS-E
Think this will become the standard for Canon lenses here on out? I would love one of these. But only when the prices goes down. Plus paying through the nose might hurt. Money smells weird too.
Not worth it IMO. If it is used as a macro lens, you should be using a tripod anyways. If it is used for a portrait lens, there are much better options out there.
As much as I'd love to be able to use a tripod everywhere when doing macro, it's not always an option. When doing a wedding, sometimes I gotta grab those ring shots real fast on a jam packed fast paced wedding. No time for tripods! Hold out those rings, shoot, and move on. This lens will come in very handy and increase the amount of ring shot keepers thanks to eliminating shake blur!
Photography is an art, and with all art, the more flexibility offered to the artist, the better their work can be. Being restrained to a tripod means having your work restrained, and anything that eliminates that improves the artists options and (hopefully) the quality of their work.
-Taylor