I have seen glowing reports on this lens in several magazines, most notably in Shutterbug. It is truly a splendid performer and one well worth paying for if a photographer needs the extra working distance afforded by a macro lens in the 180mm to 200mm range. Its performance is certainly as good, if not better, than Nikon's venerable 200mm f4 Micro Nikkor, which was one of the first - if not the first - telephoto macro lenses in this focal length. This Canon lens excels not only in macro photography but also in nature photography, getting close-up images of animals in the wild without working too close to disturb them. If I owned Canon equipment, then this lens would be an essential part of my kit.

I spend most of my time as a photographer taking macro photographs of flowers and other small things in nature. I chose this lens over Canon's 50mm macro and 100mm macro for two reasons: (1) it is constructed with higher quality UD glass, so it has great color and contrast, and it's incredibly sharp at all f/stops, and (2) at 180mm, it allows you to stay farther away from your subjects and still focus to 1:1. This makes it easier take photographs without disturbing your subjects and it allows you to have a smaller, more blurry area in background so that the background doesn't compete with the subject for attention. The lens also comes with a tripod color, which allows you conveniently change from vertical to horizontal, and it adds stability with your lens better balanced on your tripod.

The lens has an ultrasonic motor, so it's fast and quiet when focusing, though I highly recommend setting the focus limiter 1.5m-infinity when not shooting macro photography. It will speed up the time it takes for the lens to focus. The only drawback I can find with the lens is that it is constructed with only an 8 blade aperture diaphram. Theoretically, with a higher number of blades, it would allow more natural blurs, but I can say I've never noticed a problem in my photographs.

When this lens is used with a 1.6X camera body such as the XT, 20D, or 30D it ends up giving you an amazing 288mm Macro or you can go one step further with the 1.4x or 2X TC's and make it a 403/576mm super power. Of course whenever doing this you must either use a tripod or flash except in blazing light. It is a little slow to focus compared to many of the other lenses canon offers, but since you will most likely be using manual focus a lot of the time anyway, this is not a huge drawback. It also gets heavy to carry after a few hours and you will have people ask you questions about both your and their cameras. On a good note parents are pretty good about keeping small children out of your way when you have this lens mounted. The narrower background as compared to the 60mm or 100mm macro lenses makes cluttered areas easier to deal with. The extra working distance is also a plus when working with wary insects etc. It is best to use a shutter release and mirror lockup for shutter speeds longer than 1/30 if you want sharp pictures. The 60mm Macro wins in convenience, but for absolute clarity and improved working distance the 180 comes out on top.

Especially in the Canon line up. Buy the 70-200 F/2.8L at similar price or F/2.8L IS at a bit more, and get a few extension tube (you can get a set of 3 Kenko extension tube for around $170 at 12mm, 20mm and 36mm), you will get a fantastic zoom telephoto lens and a far more versatile package. With the 70-200mm zoom lens, you get all the focal length not just the 180mm. If macro is desired choose an extension tube or any combination of extension tubes, you get so much more choices in focus distance and magnification factor combinations, it's mind boggling. If you go with the IS 70-200mm lens, you get the benefit of the image stablizing when taking Macro as well to reduce the camera shake effect. The combination of the 70-200mm family with a set of extension tubes are a far better choice if local focal length macro photography is wanted.

May I introduce you to one of the least know and yet most superb lenses Canon makes. You probably even stumbled on to this page by accident, looking for another Canon lens, looking at various macros, or even just intrigued by this higher-priced lens you've probably never even considered.

Let me just say this about this lens: Ultra sharp. Ultra colorful. Ultra contrast. Ultra solid.

Like everybody else, I initially bought this lens for its macro. The 60mm and 100mm options were a lot cheaper, but my collection is entirely L-class and I'd learned to trust putting gobs of money into the lenses with the red ring. So I put my money where my L-faith is and went with this lens. Needless to say, my faith was rewarded again.

Yeah, sure it's got the 1.0x macro capability, and this is important. But what I wasn't expecting was the image quality. It is unbelievably good. Now I'm not somebody who's taking his first trip into L land and comparing this lens to the $300 run-of-the-mill glass. I've used six L-class lenses significantly and I'm comparing this lens' image quality to THOSE.

You will find yourself using this lens as much as its 180mm focal length and f/3.5 aperture dictates. The lens is versatile both as a super-fine telephoto and as a 1.0x macro.

The macro capability is the main feature. 1.0x macro literally means that a 35mm wide object will completely fill a 35mm frame. Basically, it's a small microscope. If you dare to dial in the aperture to the wide-open f/3.5, the DOF is approximately that of the thickness of two sheets of writing paper at 1.0x. Needless to say, you'll need a tripod, preferably with macro rails that slide forwards and rearwards for ultimate control.

(For those of you new to macro, focusing the lens changes the magnification factor. So as one focuses the object, the object's size in the viewfinder changes. This is why I mention the macro rails, they allow you to achieve focus and physically move the lens/camera in and out to reachieve the desired composition.)

As a telephoto, due to this lens' superb image quality, it actually produces images of a much greater quality than the 70-200mm f/2.8L IS. (I know firsthand, as I own it too) The difference is in the 70-200mm's versatility. If the light drops too low, the f/2.8 and the IS bests the f/3.5 quite rapidly. If the distance of subjects change quickly or you are unable to move your feet to frame images, the 180mm will be too constricting and the zoom will win. But under conditions where the 180mm f/3.5 can perform unhindered (such as at an airshow or out flower hunting), it will consistantly produce brighter, more saturated, and sharper images than the 70-200mm F/2.8 IS.

There is a complaint that circulates about the slow speed at which this lens autofocuses, expecially annoying when trying to be used as a telephoto. This is actually incorrect. The lens' autofocus drive does infact move very quickly, but it must traverse all the way from infinity to about 4" in front of the lens to find the subject. This is where the wait time comes into effect. Here's the solution: utilizing the AF limiter switch allows you to limit the AF search to only between infinity and about 5' in front of the lens. Consequently, this range is about 10% of the focus range (the other 90% is in between that 5' and the 4"). I no longer experience AF "hunting" problems when trying to use the 180mm as a telephoto.

Some other info about this lens:
The front objective element is actually concave. I think this is the only L lens Canon makes with a concave front element. It's probablyexpensive to replace if an accident should occur, so utilize a UV filter (72mm filter size). I recommend only the B+W or Hoya Multi-coated brands. (Yes they're pricey, but worth it)

The hood for this lens is actually a little too small in my opnion. If shooting a backlit object, I sometimes get the heavy orange glow in the viewfinder soI am forced to use my hand as a "hood extender" and block the sunlight.

For its size, this lens is relatively lightweight. It is much lighter than the 70-200mm F/2.8L IS and easily handholdable for extended periods of time.

This lens is compatible with Canon's extenders. I have personally used it with the 1.4x extender. The results are excellent. While CA and sharpness degrade noticeably on the 70-200mm, this lens shows barely a difference in image quality, except for the change in designation to a 252mm F/5, of course. And add to the fact that the macro capability is now gone from 1.0x to 1.4x, a big bonus.

So for whom does this lens apply?
-Those who neither have a macro or a telephoto prime who desire a single piece that can handle both aspects with excellent results.
-Those who plan on performing professional product photography.
-Those that are looking into serious nature photography (packing this lens with a wide-angle is pretty much all you'll need on a day hike).

What this lens does not do well:
-Low-light photography.
-Event photography.
-Landscapes.

Alternatives:
-60mm/100mm: lesser image quality, less telephoto compression in macro images, no real double-duty as a telephoto, but a whole lot cheaper and wider aperture.
-MP-E 65mm: much greater magnification (5.0x), lower image quality, no telephoto capability, odd design means studio use almost exclusively

I upgraded from my Tamron 180mm to the Canon. The Tamron is a good lens and a great value, but there is no comparison to the Canon L glass! I love the lens and the range it gives me to use it. Only complaint is its hard to find the adjustment bracket thing for the Macro Lights for the 180mm 72mm thread filter size. Wish Canon would step up more there!!! Make sure you put a good UV filter on this baby, heliopan or B+W as they are ground glass and much better optically than the other filters!

The Canon L series glass is pristine and holds its value very well also. My bag is all L glass, except for 1 lens. The Tamron 14mm SP 2.8, otherwise my 70-200 2.8 IS, 70-200 F4 IS, 17-40 F4, 300 F4 IS, 500 F4.5, 100-400mm, 24-105 IS, 35 F1.4, and now the 180MM Macro. Canon has some of the Finest glass out there and match that to solid camera, like the EOS 1N and EOS 3 for Film or the 30D, 5D and Mark III for digital, you are in for some wonderful shots and a lot of enjoyment!

I make my living doing Photography, now in Alaska doing photo tours for/with Kenai River Hideaway B&B, as well as selling prints and private shoots, and I won't put any other 35mm Platform in my bag! You get what you pay for, and the L series delivers and holds its value should you wish to change and upgrade later!

You cant go Wrong with Canon L Glass.

Thanks
Alaska Photo Tours

This lens is worth every penny especially with Amazon,s price. Takes awesome close ups better then my Canon 100mm macro lens. I will hang on to my 100mm for now because that lens also takes some great pohtos. The Canon 180mm gets you closer to your subject.

I read all the reviews and researched this lens for almost 3 months while I saved for it. Now that I have it and have used it I can say that this will soon be one of my favorite lenses. I own two other L series lenses, a 17-40 f4 (outstanding lens, especially for the price) and a 70-200 f2.8.

This 180 f/3.5 captures amazing colors, and is the sharpest lens I have used. At 1:1 @ 3.5, simply breathing will change the focal point of your subject, so a tripod for this type of photography is mandatory. I can't say enough about the images it produces, they are simply amazing.

That being said, the lens is a beast. It is the only reason I could not give it 5 stars. I fully understand why it weighs as much as it does, but still it's a bit tough to carry around for a day. The results are worth the effort though. It's a bit slower to auto-focus (then my 70-200 2.8), but I'm finding that focusing manually while shooting macro gives superior results - so this isn't such a big deal. It takes exceptional images outside the "up close" rage too. I've taken some really nice pictures with it as a 180mm lens.

Additionally it looks great. Superior build and finish. Looks fantastic in black.

Overall, I'm extremely pleased with it. I highly recommend it to anyone seeking macro photography.

Canon EF 180mm f3.5L Macro USM AutoFocus Telephoto Lens for Canon SLR CamerasThis is a very good lens, but has to cons that caused me to return it: (1)slow auto focus, and(2)No IS. I'll wait for Canon to come our with the next version.

The EF 180mm f/3.5L Macro lens captures amazing colors, and is the sharpest lens I have used. A tripod for close up photography is mandatory, although the two samples I supplied are hand held. I can't say enough about the images it produces, they are simply amazing.
I read all the reviews and researched this lens for months while I saved for it. Now that I have it and have used it I can say that this will soon be one of my favorite lenses. I own two other L series lenses, a EF 28-135mm and a EF 100-400mm zoom. All L lenses.The lens is large and a bit heavy but what do you expect? If you want good quality images, you must invest in good lenses. You won't go wrong with this lens. The results are worth the effort. I compose my shots to get the effect I want, so, I always focus manually before I auto focus. As a result, the slowness that some complain about doesn't bother me. It takes exceptional images inside and outside the macro range. This is a professional lens with look and feel of greatness. My lens came packed in the Canon carton with a lens hood, white Canon carrying case and shoulder strap. The carrying case cannon supplies with its lens are awesome. I always keep my lens stored in their cases when not is use.

It is great--exactly what I expected from the Canon L series. I used it on a recent trip to the Missouri River (Lewis & Clark) area and was extremely pleased.