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The perfect lens for beauty photography

Detail and sharpness with the RF 100mm F2.8 L Macro IS USM

Butterfly on lens

My favourite lens for beauty photography is the RF 100mm F2.8 L Macro IS USM. The slightly longer focal length compared to the classic 85mm portrait lens makes beauty shots particularly enjoyable.

Until recently, my all-time favourite lens was the Canon EF 100mm F2.8L Macro IS USM, which I used with the EF-RF adapter on my EOS R5.  Now I have been using the RF 100mm F2.8L IS Macro USM for some time. This was newly developed for the EOS R cameras and gives me even more possibilities and quality for my beauty photography.

The lens has a control ring that I can assign individually via the camera and - this is brand new - a spherical aberration control ring that I can use to control bokeh and image effect. This allows me to achieve a softer look if I want, which is sometimes an advantage for beauty shots. This gives my photos a soft, aesthetic look with fine detail.

The high aperture of F2.8 allows for beautiful bokeh and opens up a wide range of creative possibilities, especially for portraits. The built-in optical Image Stabilizer (IS) ensures that even hand-held macro shots are blur-free.

Dense image effect and perfect sharpness. Photos: Eleni Bogatini

I took the three sample photos with the EF lens, but they can be achieved in exactly the same way with the current RF version of the lens. Use the following tips to achieve beauty shots in this style.

 

Shooting distance and framing

The typical shooting distance for my beauty shots with the 100mm lens is around 30 to 40 centimetres. This distance allows me to get flawless shots with enough room for creative framing, such as eyes, lips or details and accessories such as jewellery and/or butterflies.

 

Aperture to control sharpness

I shoot at medium apertures between f4 and f8 to achieve balanced sharpness throughout the image. The Aperture-priority (Av) mode gives me full control over depth of field, while the camera automatically adjusts the exposure time.

 

Autofocus with Eye Detection

The RF 100mm F2.8 L IS Macro USM lens is characterised by its precise autofocus performance, which is particularly important when capturing the subtle nuances in beauty shots. I use the One-shot AF mode for precise and focused results. The Eye Detection function is extremely helpful in ensuring that the focus is on the pupil - even for extreme close-ups.

 

Manual focus for highlights

It can be helpful to use manual focus for specific details. When I want to focus on tiny details such as the butterfly, manual focus gives me maximum control over the focus point.

The RF 100mm F2.8 L Macro IS USM is a great tool for beauty macro photography. It meets the highest demands for sharpness, detail and artistic freedom.