Lens review: Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L

Today I will be reviewing my Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L macro lens! I'm very happy with this purchase because I've been needing a macro quite badly - another prime lens to add to my collection. 

Filter size: 67mm
Size: 77.7mm and 123.0mm (diameter) long
Weight: 623.3g (without hood), 706.9g (with hood)

Most of these were shot on f/3.2 and the bokeh is absolutely beautiful. I could get so much closer and still get so much more detail in things that I've been trying to do with my 50mm but just couldn't get! 

What bugged me about this lens was the long, narrow installed hood that made it very difficult for me to access the lens cap. Adjusting a circular polarizer inside the hood is almost impossible, as your hand completely blocks off the light. However, because of its shape, the lens hood is very protective and useful for this lens. Especially at short macros subject working distances - though the lens hood is easy to bump or scare the subject at these short distances.

100mm on f/2.8 ISO500, Canon 7D (APS-C crop sensor)

100mm on f/2.8 ISO100, Canon 6D (CMOS full frame sensor)

100mm on f/3.2, Canon 7D 

Macro's aren't limited to extreme close-ups -  it also can make a great portrait lens. 

Overall, this particular lens is amazing. The IS works as it's expected to, and the weight is a lot lighter than you'd expect.

Have a good day!

iPhoneography, Instagram, and the Social Media

Every sunset, cloud, meal and moment this life can muster will be captured, filtered and shared thanks to inumerous smartphones on hand at any given time. Finally, we had access to devices with acceptable megapixels, speed and digital functionality that allowed us to leave the home without a 'bulky' stand alone camera, and better yet they allowed us to instantaneously share all that we could see. While mobile phones have had cameras since well before the smartphone era, this desire to capture life as often as possible only came into being in the iPhone era.

iPhoneography has stirred up a fair bit of controversy in the recent past, especially in the world of journalism. The concerns have revolved around two main issues - the first being the experimental growth of 'citizen journalism'. Suddenly, everyone you know has a 10MP camera in their pocket at all times, at the ready for any newsworthy event that may unfold before them. In the ten minutes it takes for the professional photojournalist to get into the action and capture a few photos with their pricey DSLR, Frank's iPhone has already snapped 15 photos and videos, uploaded them to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Youtube, and already hit 130 likes.

The second debatable concern is the use of filter apps, such as Instagram and Hipstamatic. Though these two apps can create great opportunities, their filters can be seen as the antithesis of creativity. They make all photos look the same, they require nearly no thought or creative input; one click and you're done.

As a growing trend, it is comparable to other things that succeeded on the web as well. Why did YouTube grow so successfully on the internet? It gave people a place where they could always find something great to share; and they allowed us to take those videos and talk about them however and wherever we liked.

Is the digital world swallowing up creative industries like such as photography, writing and video-making, or is it opening up new dimensions for us instead? Let us know what you think.

Amateur Professionals, or Professional Amateurs?

A picture is worth a thousand words - an old adage which is growing in increasing relevance in the age of social media. With the growth of Facebook, Twitter and even YouTube has come an increased desire for sharper images - images that require the average person to wield expensive professional grade equipment. It's this flow on effect that has the professional photography industry in a spin - on one hand, there is less need for their services; on the other, the everyday person now believes they too can make money out of their new toys.

Since this facilitates an increase in questionable pseudo-professionals, are the real professional photographers at risk of receiving less and less work over the years? Even with the upsrise of Instagram, anyone from a beginner to professional level standard is able to not only post photos simply snapped from their mobile phone - high resolution images can also be uploaded to their own profiles if they wanted to promote their work in a socially trendy and high quality way.

There are three tiers of cameras that the typical person is drawn to these days and while they do overlap each other's capacities to some degree, each tier gives a clear indiciation of the person's knowledge and intent.


Canon G12/P6000 (Nikon) buyers are those who know what they are doing and want a capable but small alternative to carring their full kit around all the time. As I've been told, it holds the proficiency of a DSLR but at the size of a point and shoot - small things can pack a punch sometimes.

Mirrorless is the average person who wants the increased visual capacity but have no desire to lug the full bulk of a DSLR.

All of the social media sharing and adhoc professional proliferation has allowed for a growing but glaring misconception of photographers  - that equipment is king. There are those out there who will have you believe that simply having a 5D MkIII with an L series lens is the instantaneous key to visual brilliance, neglecting the need for practice and skill.

These self appointed 'professionals' have their belief cemented by a few friends and relatives hitting 'like' on any and every image they choose to upload.
While some of this cohort do make an effort to learn, they continue to base the bulk of their confidence and professionalism on the equipment afforded to them by a good pay check or high credit limit. What does this mean for us? Do you feel that our profession is at risk by these factors?