if you want to shoot macro you need this lens, if you want to do portraits get this or the 100mm f2

sharp; good for macro and portraits

all other lenses aren't as good or as cheap as this one

The Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM ($599.99 direct) is a telephoto lens for Canon cameras that can focus close enough to capture objects with true 1:1 magnfiication. It is adequately sharp, even at its maximum aperture, but does suffer from some optical issues in certain high-contrast situations. There are other macro lenses of similar focal lengths available for Canon cameras, including the company's own EF 100mm f/2.8L IS USM—part of its top-end L series of lenses—as well as the manual focus Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar T* 2/100($645.00 at Amazon)—but both will put a bigger dent in your wallet than this relatively inexpensive lens. The lens is rather compact when you consider its focal length, aperture, and close focus capability. It measures 4.7 by 3.1 inches (HD) and weighs about 1.3 pounds. Standard 58mm filters are supported, and the front element doesn't rotate so using a polarizing filter is possible if desired. There is a focus limiter switch on the lens, so you can set it to...

The Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM may not be the company's top of the line macro lens, but it does capture sharp images with 1:1 magnification.

Sharp images; 1:1 magnification; Inexpensive

Prone to color fringing; Lens hood not included; No image stabilization

The Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM ($599.99 direct) is a telephoto lens for Canon cameras that can focus close enough to capture objects with true 1:1 magnfiication. It is adequately sharp, even at its maximum aperture, but does suffer from some optical issues in certain high-contrast situations.

Prone to color fringing; Lens hood not included.

This lens is at a very good price here and the delivery that I got was very nice, It was well protected and the lens came in the best quality, I am happy with my purchase.

This is a pretty decent lens for the money. I wasn't sure how much I'd use it so price was important to me. So far so good. Easy to use, lightweight, sharp. I'd recommend it to anyone who doesn't want to break the bank but wants a good macro lens.

Lightweight

Canon's EF 100mm f2.8 Macro is a close-up lens which will work on both cropped and full-frame bodies. The maximum magnification is 1x, allowing you to reproduce subjects at actual size on the frame for excellent close-ups, while the f2.8 aperture enables blurred backgrounds.

pros: produces very sharp images and excellent color rendering cons: nothing found yet

This is a great lens for a great value. I added this lens to my newly forming collection and LOVE it. Extremely crisp, clear and vibrant pictures.

A big cons is the lack of IS but not for macro work, for portraits. Only for macro is just perfect.

excellent IQ

some focus hunting in low light

I chose this lens over several more expensive models based on test reports, user reviews and, above all, price. While it may not have the build quality and weather sealing of those more expensive models, it still feels quite well built.