Thursday, March 12, 2009

Canon EF-S 60mm f2.8 USM Macro Lens (10 Stars)

For some time I've been developing a keen interest in world of macro photography (taking photographs of subjects from a very short focal distance) and recently decided to take the plunge by buying a Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 USM Macro Lens.

First Impressions

At first the Canon EF-S 60mm lens felt a little on the small side in comparison to my other Canon EOS lenses however I quickly overcame this feeling as the lens is excellently made and fits onto my Canon 450D perfectly. It's quite a weighty lens for the size (a little over 7cm) but that just adds to the feeling of quality. The Canon EF-S 60mm uses an ultra sonic motor (USM) system so focusing is quick and almost silent. Whilst the lens has a fixed focal range of 60mm its real strength lies in the macro photography it is capable of. I've already done a number of test shots and will try to load these up soon so you can see some examples of what the lens is capable of.

Handling and Build Quality

Like all Canon lenses the EF-S 60mm is excellently made. The casing is solid and made from heavy duty black plastic and fits perfectly with my Canon 450D. The lens cap is slightly smaller than the standard kit lens cap that came with the Canon but that makes no difference whatsoever. This USM lens focuses very quickly and is virtually silent in operation.

Features

With any lens it's all about the quality of the picture and the Canon EF-S 60mm does not disappoint in any area. The focus is very quick, as you would expect with a USM lens, and the picture detail is excellent. The lens is primarily intended for taking macro photographs but also works well for portrait photography and takes fantastic pictures either way. I've taken a large number of shots with it so far, both macro and portrait and not been disappointed with either, in fact one of the portrait shots of my daughter has already made it into a frame on the wall.

Conclusion

I am very happy with my Canon EF-S 60mm lens and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone interested in macro photography. The lens takes terrific pictures from an incredibly close range and also works well doubling up as a standard 60mm lens for general use and portrait shots.

I'm hoping the weather will be better soon and I can get out and really take some interesting shots.