Portraits Taken with Canon RF100mm Macro Show Incredible Detail

Canon hasn't missed that the EF version of the 100mm f/2.8 macro lens has been popular as a portrait lens for some time and asked Kahran and Regis Bethencourt of CreativeSoul Photography to take the new RF model for a spin. Together, they show the insane image quality this new optic can deliver.

Canon announced the redesigned RF100mm f/2.8 Macro lens in mid-April with several upgrades that should make it appealing to a wide range of photographers. While a separate video shows exactly how the new Spherical Aberration (SA) Control Ring affects images, the video mostly focused on the macro capabilities of the lens. Here, you can get an idea of what a high-end portrait photographer can expect in terms of image quality and performance.

The Bethencourts chose a "bedazzled" theme for their shoot featuring three child models. The duo clad them in a stunning wardrobe and set of bright, flashy accessories to complete the look.

"We really aim to empower children through our work, so we wanted them to look and feel like royalty in this shoot, with gems from head to toe," Kahran says.

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"We know that most photographers will look at this lens and just think of its macro capabilities. But it's so much more," she adds.

Regis notes that the two actively used the SA control ring to change how bokeh and out-of-focus areas look in the image both in the background and foreground.

"If you turn the lens to the plus side, the bokeh gets a harder edge. Moving the ring to the minus side, the bokeh gets softer," Kahran says. The video above shows the extreme examples of this change, which mirrors what was seen in Canon Europe's video, albeit with more obvious depictions of the changes thanks to the backdrop.

Looking at the images, it's surprising how simple the setup was. The duo chose to make a set of simple, do-it-yourself-style backdrop that wasn't particularly complicated to put together. The first backdrop features a Christmas tree garland, the second uses colorful plastic gems, and the third is just white Christmas lights.

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The Bethencourts note that this lens is incredibly sharp, and the results here don't contest that. While none of the photos from the shoot were captured wide open, none are closed down further than f/5.6 either; most were shot at f/4. All the images above were shot on the Canon EOS R5 cameras. The level of detail is particularly impressive and should give an indication of what photographers can expect when the lens becomes available in July.

Image credits: Photos by CreativeSoul Photography and provided courtesy of Canon USA.

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This is How the Canon RF100mm Macro Bokeh Control Ring Works

Oliver Wright, a professional macro photographer, shows how the Spherical Aberration Control Ring -- also known as the Bokeh Control Ring -- on the new RF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM works in a 5.5-minute video published in conjunction with Canon Europe.

Originally noticed by Fstoppers, this video gives us a closer look at a lens that was announced earlier this week. While the video is very clearly a promotion designed to sell the lens and is part of Canon Europe's marketing endeavors, it does contain some of the first images that have been published using the lens, and the first examples of how the Spherical Aberration Control Ring actually affects images -- Canon USA has yet to provide any images of what photographers can expect out of the lens.

Canon describes the feature as a way to "adjust the look of the bokeh, while applying a flattering soft-focus effect." To demonstrate this, Wright shows the same image taken with different settings on the Spherical Aberration ring and how the image changes:

"As you go to the extremes of the spherical aberration control, you can see the model's hair changing significantly," Wright says.

If you're looking for it, the changes are certainly noticeable. However, use cases for this particular feature will more often likely be for subtle adjustments that take into consideration the photographer's particular tastes in an image and won't be something that will jump out in importance to the average viewer.

This new macro lens effectively replaces the current EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM lens for the company’s DSLRs and has a brand new optical arrangement, new autofocus motor, and better stabilization features in addition to the new Spherical Aberration Control Ring. Speaking specifically to the 1.4x magnification, Canon says that this lens lets photographers get closer to subjects than expected. However, the company seems to have taken notice of the fact that the original EF version of the lens was particularly popular among portrait photographers, and is marketing this new optic to work well in that application.

The Canon RF100mm f/2.8 L Macro IS USM is set to go on sale in July for $1,400.

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