Got it yesterday, went out to do handheld macro in windy 20-30 Km/hr gusts so some some motion blur.
Caveat: I did not test this lens wide open or in a portraits, or for portrait OOF bokeh at non-macro distances. Another day.
Conclusion: this lens is incredibly sharp, light, easy to hand hold, with beautiful neutral color rendition and the circular aperture results in nice OOF blur. I will keep this lens for specific purposes at work, but if you are new to macro do not buy this lens. Buy the Canon 100mm f/2.8 macro. This 60mm is a special purpose lens, (see below).
http://postit.rutgers.edu …20Pinnae%20n%20Sori%2Ejpg
Dropping out backround with flash. Fern fiddlehead. Greens are punchy, Velvia-like. Resolution? Those look like the spore producing Sori on back of the pinnae leaves.
http://postit.rutgers.edu …ca%20minor%20throat%2Ejpg
MANUAL focus on low contrast object. HANDHELD at closest 1:1 focus looking down throat of Vinca. I understand why Canon put the ground glass focus screen in the 20D. Objects pop in and out of focus like manual focus SLRs of old, despite dark small viewfinders on reduced format dSLRs. The 20D and this lens must have been co-developed. Nice.
http://postit.rutgers.edu …0Floor%20Flower%20I%2Ejpg
Try out-of-focus fall off to Bokeh on floral bud. Nice. This one is better, despite the motion blur:
http://postit.rutgers.edu …loor%20Flower%20III%2Ejpg
Since this lens has a circular aperture, you get a nice creamy fall off. Other shots had nice soft blur.
Trying for some yellow and white:
http://postit.rutgers.edu …Floor%20Flower%20II%2Ejpg
OK, the composition sucks because of handholding in wind, but colors are nice. Cooler, like slides. Not warm like my 70-200L lens. Nice change Canon.
Pluses:
1. This lens fills a gap in my Canon's lineup. For those who have used Nikon's 60mm f/2.8 micro Nikkor, this lens is long welcome.
2. Good for field use, where you frequently don't need all the way to 1:1, and for portraits.
3. This is first macro lens I've had where I can leave the UV filter on the lens while clamping MT-24EX Flash to the front. Those that got it know what I mean.
4. The barrel does not extend, unlike non-Canon macros and Canon 50mm.
5. No one has commented on the way this manual focuses with the 20D ground glass focus screen. I like it. The 20Ds focus screen is ideally mated to this lens. Don't know about the other two EF-S cameras. Better try before you buy.
6. The circular aperture makes a difference in OOF areas and creamy textured fall off. I could see that straight away.
7. The focal length and field of view is useful on reduced format dSLR.
8. It's sharp closed down and the color is punchy. I need to test it wide open on a better day.
9. This lens is 1/2 the weight of my 100mm macro. On field trips, this will slip in the bag and take the place of two lenses. I think it will fill that narrow need.
Minuses:
1. Like all short macro lenses, you have to crawl on hands and knees because working distance is only about 10cm from lens front compared to Canon 100mm macro which is 15cm. That's a 50% difference for no price difference.
2. The EF-S debate. Not worth arguing about if you no longer shoot full frame or film.
3. When any AF macro lens goes OOF, they really go out because the lens elements rack back and forth. Get skilled at composing in the viewfinder and manually focus. Look for distracting items in VF. This macro lens AFs as good as they get, which means you'll do a lot of manual focus at close range. I just wish I could afford a dSLR with a real viewfinder. The only saving grace is Nikon's reduced format dSLR viewfinders are far worse.
4. F/2.8 IS NOT FAST ENOUGH. As you approach 1x magnification, you lose about 2 full F/stops of light in the lens. The camera takes care of the metering fine, but it's like shooting with an f/5.6. You need gobs of light. Why can't someone make me a short f/1.8 macro?
5. I was hoping this lens would double as a macro and low-light prime. It will for field trips where I need reduced gear, but not for portrait priority photogs. I think I will still need an 85 f/1.8. I was hoping not.
Hope this helps others. Jack
