Canon RF 100mm F/2.8L Macro IS USM

Canon introduced this full-frame RF-mount macro prime in 2021. Its 100mm focal length suits flowers, insects and small products, as well as portraits. It is useful when close detail matters more than zoom flexibility. Check your camera fit and the space available around the subject before a session.

The fixed focal length means changing position to adjust framing. Close work also needs room for lighting and support. For an event or outing with a wide range of subjects, consider how this specialist view fits alongside the rest of your kit.

It weighs 1 lb 9.7 oz (730 g) and runs 5.83 in (148 mm) long, with a body 3.21 in (81.5 mm) wide. A screw-in filter attached directly to the front must match the lens's 67mm thread, so buy filters in that size.

The 100mm view can select a small part of a larger scene. For portraits, choose your position for the framing and background you want. Perspective changes when you move, with near features becoming larger relative to the background. Check the frame edges for distractions.

Maximum magnification is 1.4x, which records a subject larger than life size on the sensor. Closest focus is 0.9 ft (26 cm), measured from the sensor. The clearance in front of the glass is shorter. Allow room for lighting and avoid shading a flower or small product with the camera.

The f/2.8 maximum aperture can help separate a portrait subject from a soft background. At high magnification, depth of field becomes very shallow. Choose the most important detail for focus, then stop down when more depth is needed. Check the exposure time after changing aperture.

A small movement of the camera or subject can move a close detail out of focus. Support the camera for a fixed composition and inspect a test frame. For outdoor flowers, wait for a pause in the wind before taking the picture.

Hybrid image stabilisation helps reduce blur from camera shake. It corrects both angular and shift movement during close work. It cannot freeze a moving insect or wind-blown flower. The stabilisation benefit changes with shooting conditions, so do not assume a distant-subject rating applies at maximum magnification.

Canon sealed the lens against dust and moisture. That suits outdoor close-up work where the camera often sits low over damp ground. Dew, soil and pollen are the everyday hazards of that work.

A fluorine coating helps water and finger marks release during cleaning. Remove loose grit before wiping the glass. Keep the lens sheltered in persistent rain and dry its exterior before storage.

The optical design uses 17 elements in 13 groups. A separate spherical-aberration control ring changes the character of foreground and background blur and can give a soft-focus effect. Use the centre position for standard operation. Compare a test frame after changing this control so the effect fits the subject.