Earlier this year I bought a Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro lens, it’s the old version, without USM and the barrel extend during focusing. I was actually aiming for the newer USM version but couldn’t find any in the used market at the time. Well even though it’s an old lens it’s still perform quite well, but I still wants to get the USM version if I can…
…and today I manage to get it. I was quite lucky to manage to get this lens, as the last time I saw my local shop have a used one in-stock, it was gone in a matter of hours. I saw them posted the lens at a local forum at midnight, after some consideration I msg the shop owner whether I can trade in my old macro lens for the new one, and they replied no problem.
Went to the shop in the morning, let them check my old macro lens, tested the USM version, everything ok, top-up a bit and done. I am now the proud owner of the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM lens. The focusing is very smooth and quite compare to the old version, and the non extending barrel is great, now I don’t have to worry the barrel will hit something when I am focusing.
Built wise I feel the older one is better, very very solid due to the metal construction, the new one is not decent too though.
Beside trading for the macro lens, I also bought a wireless trigger, a cheap trigger that goes by the name of Gadget Infinity, ebay trigger or Cactus trigger. Small little gadget, cheap plastic construction, but it works.
It comes with a receiver and a transmitter, the transmitter goes on the camera hotshoe while the flash goes on the receiver hotshoe. Have to becareful when having the flash attached to the receiver though as the receiver looks very fragile and the flash ain’t light. But it held up when I was shooting the few shoots above.
580exII triggered wirelessly.
Will play around more with wireless flash now that I have the trigger, see if I can get some interesting shots from it.
Non extending barrel lenses are great to use with filters. Still using the kit lens cause I can’t find anything good out there (near me) at a decent price.
By: Belela-san on May 18, 2008
at 11:46 pm
actually that will be non rotating front element, non extending barrel is when they have some sort of inner mechanism for focusing, so the lens doesn’t get longer when it focus, some telephoto have the same thing so they stay the same length no matter how much you zoom
By: valho on May 18, 2008
at 11:51 pm
Yeah my bad, I forgot it was the rotating mechanism
, I think the non rotating ones are quite expensive but they’re the best for landscaping with filter
By: Belela-san on May 19, 2008
at 1:55 am
haha well photography terms do get confusing sometimes. yeah non rotating are better for landscape, goes well with filter
By: valho on May 20, 2008
at 1:44 pm
Well, at least you got an affordable wireless trigger. I’ve no intention to play with wireless at the moment but if we do meet up for a shoot, I got a 430 ex that can be the slave. LOL!
And gosh, you really hardcore lens fanatic! Not too long ago and you already trading another lens.
By: Danny Foo on May 21, 2008
at 1:09 pm
@Danny~yeah it’s cheap, wouldn’t have gotten it if it was expensive though since I am still a noob in wireless flash. Hehe yeah do join our outing at lyn
haha actually this was the macro lens I wanted to get but at the time they don’t have it. The deal was pretty good since they took back my old macro lens for a good price
By: valho on May 21, 2008
at 1:15 pm