Canon 100mm Macro, Canon 85mm F1.8 or Sigma 105mm Macro

[scottduffy]

I am into portrait photography but was thinking about giving macro a shot as well. I have been focussed on buying the Canon 85mm F1.8 for a wee while now but having read a recent review about Macro lenses being ideal for portraits too i was thinking should i buy a lens that does both. Will the portraits from the Sigma and Canon macro lenses be much worse than the 85 f1.8 or will they be close enough in quality that i should buy them for their dual purpose?

 

[Mike Jackson]

The Canon 100 is good for portraits when other people use mine. Diabolical when I use it but I'm just rubbish at taking portraits.

 

[BadgerLover]

The quality of the photos taken with the 100mm and the 85mm will be very similar (I don't know anything about the Sigma, I'm afraid). The advantage of the 85mm, and the reasons it's so well reputed as the best Canon portrait lens, are the large aperture, the fantastic bokeh and the ideal focal length (on a full frame body) for portrait work.

If you really want to try out macro work, go for the 100mm. To my knowledge, it's just as sharp as the 85mm and other qualities are good as well.

They're both extremely good lenses. The only real differences are 15mm of reach and the ability to do macro work.

George.

 

[Orville]

The EF-S 60mm Macro is a superb portrait lens for crop sensors. The 85 & 100mm will be a bit long for copped, but perfect for full-frame. I guess you have a full frame sensor, hence not mentioning the 60mm?

 

[EdBray]

I've had all three and whilst I still own a Sigma 105 I would swap it in a heartbeat for a 100 Macro.

On FF the Canon EF 100 macro is brilliant for portraiture, the loss of one and a 3rd stops on the 85 f1.8 is more than compensated for by the 1:1 macro facility and the slight increase in DOF wide open at f2.8 is easily compensated for by its use on FF. The 100 macro also controls CA much better wide open than the 85 f1.8 and it is a relatively silent, quick focussing land well built lens.

The Sigma 105 Macro whilst having very good IQ has a slower noisier motor and the front extends as magnification increases.

On a crop body I would be looking at more the Canon EF-s 60mm Macro