On the previous page, the artificial flower, being a 3-D object, only gives you one part of the EF 180mm Macro lens' true potential. For most non-Macro lens, shooting close-ups or magnifications almost reaching 1:2 (half life-size) can be achieved simply by attaching multiple extension tubes or close-up attachment lenses. The true feature of any macro lens is in its ability to shoot flat, 2-D surfaces - photos, posters, stamps, pages from books or brochures, etc. The next test subject (photos below) used for the EF 180mm Macro lens was a printout by the Canon BJC-8200 printer. The photo quality printout at its top resolution of 1200 x 1200 dpi, which also has a perceived 1800 dpi appearance, was a good test subject. With the naked eye, it is hard to see the dots, common with any color inkjet printers unless a high-magnification loupe is used. Even an actual photograph, when viewed from a normal or close-up distance, the grain structure will not be apparent. Only when you use a high magnification glass or loupe, then the grain (or dots) can be clearly seen. This is also the case with any high performance macro lenses and the EF 180mm f/3.5L macro USM is no exception. At 1:10x At 1:5x     At 1:4x At 1:3x     At 1:2x At 1:1x The test sample was an A4 size printout. At the 1x magnification, the printing dots of the image can be seen clearly. This type of detail-revealing surprise is a common factor whenever a Macro lens is used to shoot close-up photos. You can see such razor-sharp details through the viewfinder of the camera itself. However, to retain that detail-revealing image into the film (or digital chip sensor) is another thing since camera shake will also increase as the magnification gets larger. In order to have a sharp image of whatever flat subject you are shooting, always use a tripod for such purpose plus a cable release or a Remote Switch in the case of EOS cameras, to trigger off the shutter. General photography Aside from allowing you to shoot excellent macro photography, the EF 180mm USM lens can also be used for general photography as well. You can use it to shoot practically anything - candid, people, portraiture, abstracts and sports. These two photos below are some examples: Abstract Close-up of vintage car ornaments << Back to Main . 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 .