Field-test of the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM lens. Canon Inc launched the EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM lens in conjunction with the EOS-1V professional 35mm AF SLR camera at the PMA 2000 Show that was held in Las Vegas, USA. The new lens uses the Ring USM for fast and silent autofocus as well as FT-M to fine-tune the focus adjustment after AF operations. This latest addition to Canon's renowned EF lineup for EOS cameras is also the first 100mm Macro lens to use the inner focusing mechanism, after the discontinued FD 100mm f/4 macro and the older EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro. This feature enables the length of the lens to remain constant, even when adjusting focus, making it more convenient to work with close subjects. The new EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM lens is introduced to accommodate the precise needs of amateur and professional EOS users who are heavily involved in close-up photography. Its optical design incorporates a three-group "floating system" for focusing and image quality adjustments. In this system, two lens groups are used to focus the image while the rear group moves independently to ensure optimal image quality at all focusing distances. Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM The focusing limiter section and AF/M switch     New version (left) vs. old comparison at infinity When both are set to their 1:1 life-size focusing Of course, As a result, the overall image quality of the new EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM matches or exceeds that of its predecessor, the EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro, which uses the earlier (and noisy) Micro Motor for its AF function. The new lens is also fully compatible with Canon's EF 12 and EF 25 Extension Tubes as well as the Macro Ring Lites ML-3 and MR-14EX. The optional Canon Tripod Collar B is an ideal accessory for optimizing the weight balance between camera and lens. Another useful (optional) accessory is Lens Hood ET-67, which prevents stray light from entering the lens during use. This hood can also be reverse-mounted on the lens for storage. A third dedicated accessory is the Lens Pouch LP 1219. The new lens has a larger filter thread - 58mm vs. 52mm for the older version - and its dry weight is at 600 grams. The incorporation of the Ring USM allows the new Macro lens to be used for shooting insects like a dragonfly, butterfly, household fly and other active types, which are very likely to flee upon hearing any noise. The older EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro lens had to be used in manual focus mode when shooting these insects primarily because of its noisy AFmechanism. The new EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM took care of this problem with its fast and silent autofocusing. << Back to Main . 1 . 2 . 3 .