Frequently overshadowed by their more versatile brethren, macro lenses rarely receive much fanfare upon their release. Nonetheless, it is their function as close-up-photography specialists that makes them essential for a range of photographic pursuits like product photography, print reduction and close-up photography of living subjects. This role has made macro lenses a vital element of a camera manufacture’s lens catalog. Their niche design means that that new macro lenses are released rather infrequently, but all major manufactures have at least one modern 100mm (or so) focal length macro lens in their lineup. In 2009, it was Canon’s turn to release an update to their old 100mm f/2.8 macro lens with the release of the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L IS USM. Given its “L” lens status, the EF 100mm f/2.8L IS USM Macro was more than just a minor update of its predecessor, featuring a more robust weather-sealed body and a new optical formula to match. Perhaps the most important addition to the EF 100mm f/2.8L IS USM Macro lens was a brand-new version of Canon’s Image Stabilization system. The Hybrid image stabilization unit used in this lens was created to effectively compensate for both angular and shift movements, offering 4 stops of camera motion aid at conventional distances and up to 2 stops at 1:1 reproduction distance. The addition of image stabilization significantly enhances the EF 100mm f/2.8L IS USM Macro lens’s usability in the field when shooting hand-held. While macro photography is a often tripod-based affair, there are situations when using a tripod is not a possibility and where having image stabilization is imperative to getting the final shot. I obtained a copy of the lens four years ago, and it has been my companion on several trips over that time. At first, I paired the lens with Canon’s 1D III body and later a Canon 1Dx.
