Macro lens buying advise: Canon 100mm (non-L) or Tamron 90mm?

ananthtm

I'm getting the kenko extenstion tubes.
Which of the 2 lens to buy?

ziggy53

I have an older version of the Tamron SP 90mm, f2.8 true Macro, and I am very pleased with it. The only observation is that the front element of the Tamron is fairly well recessed, making the lens a little more intimidating for some timid insects and making cleaning a little more difficult than with the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro.

The Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro is supposed to have a little better edge and corner sharpness at f2.8, but I have no regrets with the Tamron 90mm, f2.8.

The Canon is also faster to focus, making it more suitable as a general purpose prime lens.

puzzledpaul

I use a Canon 100mm macro (non usm) which also has a recessed front element - and because of this I've never felt the need for a lens hood.
Depending on what type of pics you intend to take, and whether you're likely to be poking your gear thro vegetation etc, you might feel the need for a hood for the Canon 100mm usm you're considering.

Am unsure about the shape / size of the hood for the Canon lens, but (imo) anything on the front of the lens that effectively increases its diameter also limits the angle that you can take pics at - especially when resting lens (hood) front on the same surface as the subject - although I accept you could take the hood off in these situations

pp

ImageX Photography

I have the newer Tamron 90mm Di SP and love it. It is very sharp and just a superb lens overall. It has the recessed element as well and I never use the lens hood. I found a mint used copy for either $300 or $325(here on Dgrin) so it was an excellent value for me. I highly recommend it.

Overfocused

+1 to what Ziggy said, except I've never needed a lens hood on the 100mm either... its got a nice amount of recession as well. Along with that -

Since they're both excellent lenses optically really the only thing I can think of is better functionality for time saving. With the high magnification and short focus distance that you get with tubes, dust really shows when you use small apertures. Wide apertures do show it too, but not nearly as much. I shoot ~2.5x a lot @F/10 and there's always dust somewhere on the lens, even if I've just cleaned it or blown it off, dust always clings back on somewhere during the shoot. If this high magnification is your primary purpose for the lens, I'd get the 100mm since the tamron will suck in dust faster and can make it a bit of a headache in PP after it gets used a bit. I had a brand new tamron 28-200 zoom lens at one point, and from being around Tamron lenses in college, I know Tamron doesn't seal their lenses well against dust at all unless its stated to be a sealed lens. Within a few months I had dust flakes behind the front element that would have been terrible if it were inside of my macro.

ananthtm

Thanks all for the inputs.
I bought the Canon with Kenko ETs!
First shots coming up......