And a 100mm/2.8 Macro again
With practically all the cameras I’ve owned over the years, I’ve always had a macro lens as a dedicated lens for close-up and macro photography. And I have one again now, although I’ve simply swapped it out.
Introduction
Whether it was the Canon 400D back then or later the 5D Mark II, my kit always included a 100mm macro lens, first the USM version and then later the Canon 100mm f/2.8 L Macro. This continued with my Micro Four Thirds setup, using a 45mm f/2.8 Macro Elmarit.
And now, with the Lumix S5, I quickly reached for the Sigma 105mm f/2.8 Macro, but I’ve since replaced it with the Lumix 100mm f/2.8 Macro.
Reasons
The Sigma 105mm f/2.8 Macro is a truly excellent macro lens that, even at f/4.0, is virtually unbeatable in all areas up to its maximum 1:1 magnification ratio and offers outstanding image quality. However, at 113mm in length and 715 grams in weight, it is quite a large and heavy lens.
There is nothing to criticize about the lens’s quality, except that occasionally the autofocus would repeatedly scan the entire area and still fail to focus.
But that wasn’t the main reason for my decision to sell the lens.
Lumix S9
Of course, you can attach the Sigma to the Lumix S9 and everything works perfectly, but the entire combination is quite front-heavy. Therefore, I sold both the Lumix 85mm f/1.8 and the Sigma 105mm f/2.8 Macro. Had the 85mm f/1.8 had a better minimum focusing distance and been able to capture smaller details (it doesn’t always have to be 1:1 magnification), this might not have happened.
The Lumix 100mm f/2.8 Macro is just 82mm long and weighs a mere 298 grams, which is more than 400 grams less than the Sigma 105mm f/2.8 Macro.
This becomes particularly clear in this comparison with the Lumix 50mm f/12.8, and the 100mm Macro is hardly any larger. This is consistent with the Lumix prime lenses from 18mm up to the now available 100mm Macro; they are all almost the same size, nearly the same weight, and share a uniform 67mm filter thread.
Optical Quality
I’ve always had a 100mm f/2.8 Macro with my equipment, whether Canon or now Lumix, and they all perform at a very high level. I took some photos of small details, all at f/2.8 and a 1:1 magnification ratio.
That really shows how dusty a battery can get 🙂
Even though the results are very good, you would normally stop down to f/5.6 f or f/8.0 in such situations.
Conclusion
The Lumix 100mm f/2.8 is a very good macro lens that can, of course, also be used in regular photography, e.g., landscapes. And its small size is a real advantage compared to the Sigma 105mm f/2.8.
This would give me the option of using a prime lens setup with the Lumix S9, consisting of the Sigma 24mm f/2.0, the Sigma 45mm f/2.8, and the 100mm f/2.8 macro.
What do you think?
ciao tuxoche
