Canon RF 100mm 2.8 L Macro IS USM

For many years, the EF 100mm f2.8L Macro was the close-up lens Canon owners aspired to, delivering excellent results both near and far. It’s a tough act to follow, but the RF 100mm f2.8L Macro out-performs it in a number of key respects. Most obviously it’ll deliver greater reproduction without the use of accessories: 1.4x versus 1x on the older EF model. The RF was also crisper than my EF sample wide-open at f2.8, proved more reliable with eye-detection AF, and a little faster, quieter and more confident overall, although be aware of potential focus shift as the aperture is adjusted when shooting at very close range. Meanwhile, the spherical aberration adjustment may be gimmicky, but can still be fun for generating soft-focus results. In my own tests the stabilisation didn’t meet Canon’s claims, and while the EF version is compatible with tele-converters, the RF is not. Plus while both lenses can work with extension tubes for greater magnification, Canon doesn’t yet make any in the RF fit - although to be fair, third party RF tubes are available. Ultimately the pros outweigh any cons for me personally, making the RF 100mm f2.8L the best overall Macro lens I’ve tested for any Canon camera and recommended if you can afford it. If your budget is tighter, consider Canon’s RF 35mm f1.8 Macro.

The Canon RF 100mm f/2.8 L USM macro IS is a great lens with some added weirdness. Optically, it is capable of delivering very sharp images straight from f/2.8 - just as you would expect from a moderately fast macro lens. Image distortions are basically negligible even without correction. Lateral CAs are on the low side as well and can be easily corrected anyway. This can't be said of the raw vignetting which is comparatively high at f/2.8 so auto-correction should remain activated. The quality of the bokeh is generally pleasing with a smooth background blur and nicely rendered highlights. The foreground blur isn't ideally rendered but that's usually of lesser concern. Bokeh lovers may also like the SA feature on the lens but, to be honest, for most of us, it'll remain an oddity that you have to pay for without using it. Maybe video makers can appreciate it more than photographers. That being said - the massive focus-breathing doesn't help with videos. A bit concerning are the RSAs when stopping down - focus shifts aren't helpful at very close focus distances. It's something to keep in mind when shooting at least. The build quality is in line with what we have seen from other RF L lenses. The (long) lens feels sturdy albeit a bit "hollow" maybe. Formally there's nothing wrong with using good quality plastics though. The dust- and splash-proof design, as well as the internal focus system, are certainly appreciated. The Dual-Nano USM drive allows for fast and quiet auto-focusing. Manual focusing is also a joy "despite" or because of the by-wire system. The Hybrid IS system, as Canon calls it, combines in-lens and in-camera IS with a claimed efficiency of up to 8 f-stops. Yours truly has rarely achieved critically sharp images (by my standards) at the extreme end of this claim but there is no doubt that this helps - a lot. The Canon RF 100mm f/2.8 L USM macro IS is a worthy representative of its species and an obvious choice for Canon RF mount users. That being said - it's also a darn expensive one. Eventually, third-party AF macro lenses will be available, making sales tougher in this class. Or just use an affordable EF macro lens via adapter. Still, this doesn't diminish the qualities of this lens - highly recommended!

Editor's Choice - An excellent macro lens with unique spherical aberration control.