What is the difference between these two Canon Lenses?

Question

http://www.canon-europe.com/For_Home/Product_Finder/Cameras/EF_Lenses/Macro_Lenses/EF_100mm_f28_Macro/

http://www.canon.co.uk/For_Home/Product_Finder/Cameras/EF_Lenses/Macro_Lenses/EF_100mm_f28_Macro_USM/index.asp

Answer 1

Are you sure you got the first one?

First one to me sounds like an older version, it does not have a USM (Ultra Sonic Motor) and filter size is 52mm compared to 58mm.

If you have got the first one for 400 USD, I would say its too costly, the brand new 100mm f2.8 MACRO USM (the second one), is available for about 480 USD.

I would double check the filter size spec and the USM spec on the lens. USM is written as ultrasonic on the lens. If lens has USM the focusing would be very smooth and no noise

Good Luck

Answer 2

There are a couple of ways to look at this.

1) you saved $90 and got a very good Canon  macro lens.

2) In most cases you will be using a macro lens in the manual focus mode, so the ultra-quiet and fast USM feature of the newer lens is not going to be a big deal ... after all the USM feature on Canon's (AF-S on Nikon's) is only useful when shooting spots or action subjects and the macro is not a lens for that purpose.

http://www.kenrockwell.com/canon/lenses/...

Be happy with the discount you got and just enjoy it ... my macro lens is over 35 years old and still works just fine ... I doesn't have auto-focus (fast and silent or not) and I don't miss that feature.

Answer 3

A new US-warranty 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro lens at B&H is about $490. It's your call whether the $90 difference is significant to you. It seems to me that USM offers greater convenience (faster focus, non-extending focus), but in the general picture most macro lenses are very good when it comes to image quality.