The newly released Canon EOS M6 came with a 15-45mm STM lens and while it will do in most cases, one might need additional lenses for specialized work like macro photography. This is where the EF-M 28mm macro lens comes in.
The EF-M 28mm has been around since last year and it’s specifically tailored for the Canon EOS M series which provides a 44.8mm equivalent focal length. This is a normal-sized lens with a light and compact profile.
The lens barrel is less than 2.5-inches in length but comes with a smaller extending barrel about half the size of the body. This allows for tighter shots and a smaller footprint that reduces the incidence of shadows being cast on the subject.
One of the coolest features of this lens is the built-in LED lights at the end of the lens. This provides additional illumination for close-range shots, thereby eliminating unwanted shadows brought about by the close proximity of the camera to the subject. It has a magnification of 1.2x which produces slightly larger-than-life photos of really tiny object.
The macro lights at the tip of the barrel can be adjusted to light up on either the left side only, right side only, or the entire circumference with the ability to set the brightness level.
The lens focuses really fast and doesn’t get confused with hunting for the subject. We also liked the fact that you can really come close to your subject as 9.3cm (that’s pretty close!). Even on low-light conditions, as long as you turn on the LED lights, the camera can easily focus on the subject at close range.
Here are some sample shots we took using the Canon EOS M6 and the EF-M 28mm Macro lens.
[You can download some of the original files here, here, here and here.]
Shooting macro can be really hard if you don’t use a tripod or if your hands are not very stable. It’s much easier for stationary objects but for moving ones like those ants in the shot, you’ll just have to rely on luck or get as many shots as you can hoping you’ll get a couple very good timings.
The Super Macro settings can really zoom in much closer to the subject so you can really see the detail, grain or texture of the surface of the subject.
As mentioned earlier, there’s a ring light at the end of the lens barrel that will help fill the shadows.
Ring light is OFF.
Ring light is ON.
The ability to adjust the brightness of the LED lights allows you to soften the direct exposure of the subject especially since it’s very close from the lens. The hybrid image stabilization also helps in minimizing camera shake and getting sharper photos.
The f/3.5 aperture isn’t that wide enough but still creates that soft, creamy bokeh especially in the Super Macro Mode.
First-time users will find the EF-M 28mm a pretty useful part of their lens arsenal. It’s light and compact, good performance and image quality and although it’s far from being the perfect macro lens, it can do the job really well especially for its price. It’s a specialized lens so if you’re really into macro photography, this should be part of your lens collection.
Canon EF-M 28mm STM IS Macro Lens:
EF-M Mount Lens/APS-C Format
44.8mm Focal Length (35mm Equivalent)
Maximum Aperture: f/3.5
Angle of View: 51.55°
Minimum Focus Distance: 3.66″ (9.3 cm)
130 grams (weight)
60.9 x 45.5 mm (dimensions)
The Canon EF-M 28mm Macro f/3.5 IS STM lens has a suggested retail price of Php19,498 {see listing here}.
You can also read our full review of the Canon EOS M6 here.
Watch the video review below:
I thought it was for phone. Like roadeavour.
Thanks for the well written review! I am now contemplating on buying this, but i do not have an EOS M system yet! Canon is really trying to catch up with Sony in the Mirrorless market, it seems.
20K for a macro lens? That’s steep. Just buy a Raynox DCR-250 for only 4k instead. You can attach it to any lens in your arsenal. Yes, you’re welcome.