EF 100mm f/2.8 non-L OR "L" model (for small product photography, white background)

Hi All!

I own Canon XSi (Rebel, crop sensor). Recently started shooting jewelry, phones, wallets and so on, generally small-mid size products.
After reading this forum, I went ahead and purchased EF 100mm f/2.8 non-L

Overall I like the lens, I've used tripod for taking pictures, but in most cases I prefer not to use it. But with full zoom on 100mm lens, even on tripod sometimes I get blur(ish) pictures, tripod is essential.

My question:
1. Should I switch to EF 100mm f/2.8 L model ? (I rather not use a tripod when shooting small products)
2. Does the "L" model really help when you take a macro image of a ring or earring WITHOUT tripod ?
3. I've been using stock 18-55 lens WITH stabilizer and almost for all products (mostly phones, I never used a tripod). It would be great if I can pick ONE lens which I can use for taking pics of large products and small like jewelry, WITHOUT using tripod. Is it worth switching to 100mm "L" model and selling 18-55 ?

Would love to hear expert advise.

Thank you in advance!

Welcome to the forums!

First, please tell us why you don't like shooting with a tripod. Macro work or not, if your subject is 100% stationary, there should be little reason not to use a tripod. Perhaps you'd be better off with a new tripod instead of a new lens.

Second, why can't you use a 100mm lens to shoot larger products like phones? It should be fine for what you're doing, unless you're in such a tiny room that you can't back up any further. That said, I also can't imagine selling your 18-55 and committing to just a 100.

Macro needs more light than usual. This is the source of all your problems. The IS in the L lens may help, sometimes, but it's probably better to work on fixing the lighting.

At close macro focusing distances, you need to use a small aperture (bigger "f" number) in order for the whole object to be in focus at once. Unfortunately, this reduces the light reaching the sensor, requiring a longer shutter speed.

At close macro focusing distances, the slightest camera movement causes significant subject movement.

Handholding the camera, still enough to not be noticed in a macro shot, for the longer shutter speed required is pretty hard, as you've found out.

There are two fixes. One is to eliminate movement, which the tripod solution. The other is to reduce the shutter speed by adding more light. This can be bright constant light sources, or a Speedlight. You'll want to get the Speedlight off the camera, because at macro distances, the light from a Speedlight in the hot shoe won't reach the subject. The light doesn't shoot down, and the lens is in the way. You can fix this by reflecting light (mirrors and white poster board), or by adding a trigger on the camera, and a lightsource off the camera. Canon's cheapest 90EX flash can actually act as a master, while all the other mid-range flashes, up until the 580EX/600EX-RT, can only act as slaves.

Long story short, use a 430EX off-camera to light your subject, and use a 90EX to go on the camera to trigger the 430EX. Put the camera is M mode. Select a shutter speed of 1/200s, ISO 100, aperture f/whatever you need. The camera will magically figure out the amount of flash required to correctly expose the shot.

I try to shoot a product from a different angle, it's much easier to move around rather adjust the tripod. I know its odd, but I just go used to it this way :)

I have enough room, its just the opening in my photobox is small so 18-55 was just perfect. With 100 I have to move back like 1-1.5 meters to take a shot of a phone, sometimes its hard to capture the whole phone.

Overall, I really like the lens (100mm NON-L version), I just though maybe if I can buy the model 100mm "L", as it has stability control feature, I can take macro shots of products without tripod. (Taking pics of a phone is possible with NON-L lense without using a tripod. But shooting a golden ring, becomes a huge problem, I have to use Tripod.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by peety3

Welcome to the forums!

First, please tell us why you don't like shooting with a tripod. Macro work or not, if your subject is 100% stationary, there should be little reason not to use a tripod. Perhaps you'd be better off with a new tripod instead of a new lens.

Second, why can't you use a 100mm lens to shoot larger products like phones? It should be fine for what you're doing, unless you're in such a tiny room that you can't back up any further. That said, I also can't imagine selling your 18-55 and committing to just a 100.

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You might also consider adding a turntable to your gear list. If you're forced to use a tripod, placing the products on a circular, rotating table will allow you to photograph all the difference sides of a product without having to move the camera. :-)

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Originally Posted by Sean Setters

You might also consider adding a turntable to your gear list. If you're forced to use a tripod, placing the products on a circular, rotating table will allow you to photograph all the difference sides of a product without having to move the camera. :-)

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Plus, you can reverse the turntable and the product will say "Paul is dead". :p

Not to throw a wrench into the discussion - more of a pair of pliers actually - why the need for a macro lens at all? Are we talking about jewelery and not dents on jewelery? Even then, so many lenses could serve the purpose - and have stabilization to boot. I've been running around taking shots this morning with my new 70D, and while I'd call my 6D the king of indoors - I've gotten some pretty nice shots with just available light and small objects. I love my EF 100/2.8L IS, but you've got to be sure you've set the focus distance to where it needs to be, or pretty much nothing happens. I think a lot of people would be disappointed if they wanted to use this as an all around sort of prime. It's slow and it's fussy. But yes, it's dangerously sharp.

These shots below are literally not an hour old, and are out of camera JPEG (haven't looked at the RAW) as Bryan had said the JPEG was greatly improved from the last generation crops. And, they are nice! The first 2 are taken with my Sigma 17-50/2.8 OS. I might need to do a bit of MFA, it looks like it might be front focusing. The second is with the EF 24-70/2.8 II. These are all crops 1:1 100% at 1200x800

http://www.icophos.com/junk/donald.jpg


http://www.icophos.com/junk/17-50.jpg


http://www.icophos.com/junk/24-70.jpg
I seriously think that you could shoot pretty much anything you'd want, including jewelery without a macro lens. The advantage of macro is the 1:1 capability, and I think you're trying to sell a product, not show the imperfections in the metal and dust specs. I really think that there are some better choices that would serve you very well. A less expensive and more flexible/shorter lens with stabilization would also free up your budget for things like lighting or a turntable or...

This is a crop same as above. Bee and Yongnuo YN-14EX flash - EF100/2.8L @ f7.1, 1/60, ISO 100. We've kept bees for years - who knew they had fuzzy eyes?

http://www.icophos.com/junk/bee.jpg

But then, if you plan on using the macro as a macro (don't forget about extension tubes either!) then both of the Canon's are fantastic lenses. And honestly, if I can get stabilization I will. It's just that extra little bit when I need it. I wish the 24-70 had it (regardless of arguments over whether or not it would degrade the overall IQ), it's currently the only modern lens I have without it.

I use the 100mm Non_L for my product shots and do not have a problem at all. I haven't thought of upgrading because the optics are that good. I understand the IS argument, but it won't help that much for what your trying to do. I understand the not wanting to use a tripod, but ultimately I think it would improve your overall look at product photography. Get yourself a wired trigger or wireless and go to town. Light is the key in product photography. If your low on light, go to your local home depot and pick up some heat lamps and get some 200 watt equivalent CFLs or LED lights. No heat so you don't have to worry about sweating too much. The way you were describing what you shoot, you may have been better getting the EF-s 60mm Macro. It would give you tighter shots in your working conditions and you wouldn't have to stand so far back. If you can return you 100mm you might want to go that route instead. The 100 is new to your kit and it does take some getting use to with the length at which you have to shoot but keep at it and you'll be happy.

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Originally Posted by Anthony M

Plus, you can reverse the turntable and the product will say "Paul is dead". :p

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Hahahahah! I guess I'm the only one old enough to get this reference.

Actually, if I recall correctly, John was [incorrectly] heard to say, "I burried Paul." It was Nietzsche's who write "Gott ist tot" ("God is dead").

@ODEMAS

If I'm not too late to contribute here, I think the deciding factor is whether you shoot with a flash. I never use ambient light for product photography. I use flashes so that I have total control over the light hitting the subject. With a flash there is no advantage to using an image stabilized lens because the image is sharpened by the short pulse of light that has a duration of just 1/8000 to 1/10,000 second. What you might want an IS 100MM lens for is shooting other things -- like people, it's a great portrait lens -- without a flash.