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Technical Details
- EF mount; telephoto lens
- Internal focusing; full-time manual focus
- 100mm focal length
- f/2 maximum aperture
- Micro UltraSonic Motor (USM)
Product Details
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Product Description
Despite the large maximum aperture, the lens remains compact. Lens group 5 moves for rear focusing, and sharp, crisp pictures are obtained at all apertures. The background blur is ideal for portraits. The USM autofocuses the lens quickly and quietly.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
39 of 40 people found the following review helpful
Amazon Verified Purchase
I love this lens. I'd previously tried a friend's and was quite impressed with the sharpness from f2.2/2.5 onward, and the bokeh around f2.8/3.2. Upon purchasing the lens, I was overjoyed to discover both better sharpness (impressive wide open and just great by 2.2/2.5 in most circumstances) and smoother bokeh. I've also done some comparing of my lens with an 85mm f/1.8 that I used to own and I'm quite a bit more impressed with the CA performance at wide apertures with the 100mm than with the 85mm: at f/2, CA is present in high contrast situations, but not nearly as bad as with my 85mm; by f/2.5-2.8, the CA is already greatly reduced; and, by f/3.2-4, it's nearly absent. For a non-L, the contrast and color are great, as well. For the cost, size, and capability, I have yet to use a more impressive prime!
90 of 101 people found the following review helpful
I originally bought this lens for use with an Elan II film SLR back in 2003. It was extraordinary. The bokeh, focal length, and extreme background blur made it my favorite lens.
Fast forward to 2005. I bought a Canon Digital Rebel. Now my 100/2 was a 160/2. That's too long for indoor portraits and too short to be a real telephoto. It also had a lot more depth of field at the same angle of view, and thus noticeably less background blur. Slowly, I noticed that I wasn't using it as often, or really at all. So I sold it and bought a 50/1.4.
That's the unfortunate thing with this lens. As an optic, it's excellent. Fairly sharp from f/2, good contrast, fast and silent AF, and only moderate color fringing. But the focal length is just *so* inconvenient. This 100/2 feels cramped for space indoors, but too short to get up close and personal outdoors. The optical design is also optimized for close distances, so if you try to use it for distant objects at larger apertures like a real telephoto, fine detail disappears. It's also incompatible with Canon teleconverters, though you wouldn't really want to attach one anyway.
What I used this lens for on my Elan II was flattering women. It's extremely good at that. My 50/1.4 serves a similar purpose now, but at an 80mm equivalent, it's a bit on the short side. The best option would be a 70/1.4, but alas, that doesn't exist.
If you're considering this lens for a body with a 1.6X cropped sensor (Rebels, 10D-60D, 7D), consider the 85/1.8 instead. They're similar designs, but the 135mm equivalent is just inside the standard portrait range, and you may like it better.
Fast forward to 2005. I bought a Canon Digital Rebel. Now my 100/2 was a 160/2. That's too long for indoor portraits and too short to be a real telephoto. It also had a lot more depth of field at the same angle of view, and thus noticeably less background blur. Slowly, I noticed that I wasn't using it as often, or really at all. So I sold it and bought a 50/1.4.
That's the unfortunate thing with this lens. As an optic, it's excellent. Fairly sharp from f/2, good contrast, fast and silent AF, and only moderate color fringing. But the focal length is just *so* inconvenient. This 100/2 feels cramped for space indoors, but too short to get up close and personal outdoors. The optical design is also optimized for close distances, so if you try to use it for distant objects at larger apertures like a real telephoto, fine detail disappears. It's also incompatible with Canon teleconverters, though you wouldn't really want to attach one anyway.
What I used this lens for on my Elan II was flattering women. It's extremely good at that. My 50/1.4 serves a similar purpose now, but at an 80mm equivalent, it's a bit on the short side. The best option would be a 70/1.4, but alas, that doesn't exist.
If you're considering this lens for a body with a 1.6X cropped sensor (Rebels, 10D-60D, 7D), consider the 85/1.8 instead. They're similar designs, but the 135mm equivalent is just inside the standard portrait range, and you may like it better.
19 of 19 people found the following review helpful
Amazon Verified Purchase
I love this lens. I bought it basically because it is the longest focal length with a really large aperture under $500 ($925 for the 135 f2 and $4800 for the 200 f2). It focuses quick and is razor sharp, even wide open (I find I shoot with it 95% of the time at f2.0). On my crop sensor 40D it acts as a short telephoto and allows me to capture great action and tight portraits with perfectly blurred backgrounds.
My one and only complaint is the lens hood attachment is not the best design. Definitely not large enough an issue to deduct a star.
My one and only complaint is the lens hood attachment is not the best design. Definitely not large enough an issue to deduct a star.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Fast, comapct & light
This lens often gets lost between the 85 f/1.8 and the 135 f/2L. It's almost identical to the highly regarded 85 f/1. Read more
Published 2 days ago by Fernando Valenzuela
Lens
Love this lens. Clear and sharp photos. Used it mainly to photo my son playing water polo outside. Excellent! I recommend this lens.
Published 1 month ago by E. Keppel
Great for portraits
I bought this for portraits and am very happy with it. The speed of F2 combined with the focal length is perfect for my need. The 135mm F1.4 is just a smidge long for me. Read more
Published 4 months ago by James C. Payne
Faster, smaller, longer
This is my eighth lens, and while this is a FF lens, I am using it on a crop. I purchased this lens for portraits, in particular with children and candid street portraits. Read more
Published 4 months ago by 5hogun
Great lens for the money
We got this lens to take better photos in low light situations where a flash is not appropriate and it has been perfect for that. Read more
Published 5 months ago by A. Douglas
The forgotten prime
This lens gets lost in the shuffle with all of the fanfare that surrounds "L" lenses and zooms these days. Non-L primes just aren't as glamorous as they used to be. Read more
Published 7 months ago by J. Howell
Razor sharp in ideal lighting conditions
This lens is razor, razor, razor sharp in ideal lighting conditions. You won't find any difference between this lens and any L lens when shooting in ideal lighting conditions... Read more
Published 9 months ago by Kate Stokes
Killer Lens
Anyone that shoots portraiture (whether professional, semi-professionally, or for personal use) needs this lens in their bag. It's a great go-to lens with just enough bokeh.
Published 12 months ago by alisonetillett
The 100mm f2 is a jewel of a prime.
Fast, small, top quality and amazing value.
I tested the 100 f2, the 100mm 2.8 macro, and all 70-200 lenses on sharpness. Read more
I tested the 100 f2, the 100mm 2.8 macro, and all 70-200 lenses on sharpness. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Mauro Franic
Beautiful, Fast Lens!
The only thing I can say about this lens is...wow! Tack sharp image quality, super-fast (and accurate) auto focus speed, solid construction all at a decent price. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Earl Wilkerson
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