Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM Fixed Lens for Canon SLR Cameras

Its a great all-purpose, fixed focal length lens. Since photography is essentially the management of light, Ive always said a great flash is more important that most of the lenses that people are inclined to buy. But once you have that great flash unit, this lens would be the next requisite addition. This isnt the lens youd take to a class receital, a zoom is more appropriate since you dont know where youd be sitting, and once there you probably cant move around. But if youre taking that annual family portrait, this lens is great. FFL lenses requires the photographer to move to frame the shot; that is you cant zoom in or out. However, this lens will let you as close as 6 inches for fantastic macro for nature lovers and the like. This lens does struggle to auto-focus during real close macro shots. All the images produced are crisp and clear.

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This was one of the first lenses that I purchased with my Rebel XT. Now after taking several thousand pictures with it I can honestly say it was well worth the cost. I very rarely have any unsharp pictures with this lens unless it is my own fault by trying to use too slow of a shutter speed without a tripod. I also have the 180mm f/3.5L Macro Lens, which costs about 3 times more than this lens, and although it is very clear and the extra reach is nice at times especially since it can be used with both the 1.4X and 2X TCs, it is very difficult to use inside without a tripod. The 60mm can be handheld if needed with very good results even if you have to bump your ISO up a little to do so. I have also used this lens for both inside and outside portrait work with very nice results. All-in-all, given its small size and light weight I very rarely leave this lens behind when I go out because you never know when you might see a great macro shot.

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I have been using it to take photos of butterflies and insects in my garden. The pictures look amazing with this lens. It doesnt magnify, but is perfect for getting life-size detail. I can focus on something only 9 cm away from the lens. Attached are photos taken with this lens and an EOS 20D, of insects on a mustard plant.

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I got this lens yesterday, and my initial impressions are very good. It focuses quickly and accurately, and gives sharp images down to 1:1. It is light weight and easy to carry. The focusing is done internally. The lens does not extend when focused even at 1:1. According to the manual the lens focuses 9 centimeters, about 3.6 inches, from the front of the lens at 1:1. (I did not check this for myself.) I also ordered the lens shade, the ET67B, but probably will not use it when shooting extreme macro. The lens shade would get in the way.

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LOVE LOVE LOVE ~ I have not returned to my other two lenses since I began using my Canon EF-Macro Lens. Food photography and product shots are what I use it for with success.

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The lens Meets and exceeds my expectations. It does have one problem it does not stay focused, but I found if I pre-set the focus it works well. It is not useful for fast camera work but great for still photos. This all is explained by Canon, so these negatives were expected. The photos below are examples of wildlife inaction taken with a pre-focused lens using the programed setting. I also used this lens to photograph some fossils and minerals from my collection using the programed mode on my Canon XT Rebel.

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This lens makes it fun to take pictures. I love taking closeup pictures of flowers and other botanical specimens. The pictures are sharp. The color is excellent. I also love the way it blurs the background. The pictures look very artistic. The lens isnt heavy so although it doesnt have iso-stablization, I havent had a problem with blurred images. If I get really close, its probably best to use a tripod, but I havent had to do that yet. I have had problems with getting the autofocus to focus quickly. Usually this is due to being very close to the subject. I find that if I try to set the distance before focusing it does better. The lens is relatively expensive, but it gives me so much more versatility for my camera that its worth it. Im really glad I bought it.

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I bought this for my wife as she likes to take pictures of small frogs, flowers, etc... I have to say, from what I have seen so far, this is a very sharp lens and produces 1:1 macro shots. If you have a Canon crop sensor camera and you want to get into macro photography, get this one.

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I bought the Canon EF 50mm f1.4 and thought that was a sharp lens. This ones even sharper. Im accustomed to the razor sharpness of the 85mm f1.2L II, and this one gets mighty close. Plus, its capable of Macro 1:1 to boot. I wont go into the technical details as you can find that from other sites. But wide open, its already tack sharp in the center and corners arent much further behind, and the bokeh is pretty nice. The only difference I found compared to other sites that tested the lens, was that I can actually still use images at F22 aperture shooting macro. Im finding it increasingly hard to keep my 50mm f1.4 on my camera over the 60mm f2.8. Portraiture, they perform about the same in sharpness, and bokeh is similar at exact aperture settings. I actually prefer the slightly more flattened, compressed look of the 60mm. Color saturation and contrast are very similar as well. Both focus at about the same speed, with the noticeable difference that the 60mm has a longer way to go from macro 1:1 to infinity focus. The only quirk, and why I almost knocked it down to 4 stars, is the working distance to 1:1 macro. But I knew that going into this purchase. Its a short working distance (~3.5 inches), short enough to disturb jittery insects. If you feel youre going to be doing a lot of insects and more shy creatures and you want to stay in the Canon lineup, you may want to look at the 100mm f2.8, or even the 180mm f3.5L if you have the money. The reason I went with the 60mm is because it still gave me the 100mm-equivalent full frame focal length for an excellent portrait. The 100mm wouldve been too long, and the 180mm is in no-mans-land for portraits. In short, if you want a razor sharp lens that does macro work very well and switches to an excellent portrait lens, and youre not going to be shooting jittery insects most of the time, then pick this one up. If youre doing a lot of insect work, Id suggest at the least, the 100mm, and maybe even the 180mm. The tradeoff is you cant really use the other two longer lens for portraiture work unless you have an insane working distance.

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This was my very first upgrade from the kit lens for my Canon T5i, although I have since upgraded and used this lens extensively with my Canon 80D as well. I am a food blogger, and this lens really shines for food photography. Its macro capabilities mean you can get super close to your subject and maintain focus. The f/2.8 is wide enough to achieve a nice creamy blurred background while the in-focus portions of the shot are ultra-sharp. Its also a great portrait lens! If youre debating whether to purchase this lens or the Canon 50mm f/1.8 (nifty fifty) which is much less expensive, this one may be worth the extra money if you truly require the macro capability of this lens. You can get much closer to your subject with this lens than with the 50mm, and it is a bit sharper. This may serve you if you do product photography or food photography for pay. In most situations, I could use the two lenses interchangeably, especially at home shooting on a tripod with continuous lighting. I rarely need lower than the f/2.8 for food photography, and although the 60mm performs well in dim lighting (such as in a restaurant), I dont reach for it for night photography or when photographing live music in dark venues -- I prefer my 50mm f/1.8 in those situations. Although I do find them to perform similarly in most cases, I must admit that I find myself reaching for the 50mm much more frequently, since its more compact and performs better for video -- it focuses faster and its autofocus seems to be a bit more accurate. The 60mm has a tendency to blur in and out while hunting for focus, especially if you are taking handheld shots. Overall, while Ive used this lens and been satisfied with the results in my food photography and portraiture, Im planning to sell it and just keep my 50mm, so that I can free up cash for other pieces to add to my collection. I dont think its necessary to own both unless you are shooting on more than one camera at a time.

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