topic Re: RF 100mm f/2.8 L Macro IS USM Lens from Canon With R5 Mark ii Mount Questions & Subject Sugg in EF & RF Lenses

RF 100mm f/2.8 L Macro IS USM Lens from Canon With R5 Mark ii Mount Questions & Subject Suggestions

Far-Out-Dude — Sat, 22 Nov 2025 22:03:12 GMT

I am thinking of buying the Canon RF 100mm f/2.8 L Macro IS USM Lens to use With my R5 Mark ii Mount but have Questions & looking for ideas for indoor Subject Suggestions.

I want to give background that I just spent two and a half months in the hospital and will not be able to leave the home for about 3 months other than doctors visits due to both physical issues and my friends did not turn in my license plates for me (Their vehicle but was in my name as they are Mennonite and I drive for them) the way they said they would so my license is suspended for 96 days. I had planned to buy a Canon RF 15-35mm f/2.8 L IS USM for Winter landscape but since I can't leave the house I want to try another interest.

My questions are mainly about mounting the lens, I use a Wimberly 200 gimble and am not sure I can use the Canon Tripod ring mount with the gimbal or not and I am also looking at a 7" Macro Focusing Rail from Oben as I understand are more precise than the ring would be? I am also looking at the Godox Ring72 Macro Ring LED Light and wonder if I am going overboard with all the extra stuff to start?

My other problem is most of my Macro interest has always been outdoors, what can I shoot indoors that could be interesting? Maybe a bug or two, coins, my eye if I can catch it at the right angle to catch the curve in it are what I am thinking so far, but what would be some other ideas? Also any advise given would be appreciated. This is going to help me learn my R5 Mark ii more as well.

Re: RF 100mm f/2.8 L Macro IS USM Lens from Canon With R5 Mark ii Mount Questions & Subject Sugg

shadowsports — Sun, 23 Nov 2025 14:12:31 GMT

Greetings,

Sorry to hear about the health issues. I wish you a speedy recovery. I own both of the lenses you're considering. I think the RF 100 would be a nice choice if you can't leave the house.

Being stuck at home is no fun. Yesterday my wife and I put up our Christmas tree. We usually do it after Thanksgiving. You could do macros of orniments. We have collected many over the years wherever we traveled. Each one carries a special memory for us.

User @jfg "joe" recently got into macro photography. He purchased an RF 100 and a godox flash I know he is very happy with. I'll ping him and ask him to comment here.

Re: RF 100mm f/2.8 L Macro IS USM Lens from Canon With R5 Mark ii Mount Questions & Subject Sugg

Far-Out-Dude — Sun, 23 Nov 2025 16:11:04 GMT

Thank you much for the reply. What is your opinion on the ring vs the Macro Focusing Rail if you have experience with them please. I do not set up a tree, it is just me and the dog since my girlfriend died 14 months ago, so I just have no desire for that, but it was a very good idea and I thank you for it.

Re: RF 100mm f/2.8 L Macro IS USM Lens from Canon With R5 Mark ii Mount Questions & Subject Sugg

shadowsports — Sun, 23 Nov 2025 17:08:23 GMT

I'm lazy and shoot macro handheld. I've never used a ring flash or macro rail so let's see what Joe has to say. I think he bought a ring flash for his macro setup.

Re: RF 100mm f/2.8 L Macro IS USM Lens from Canon With R5 Mark ii Mount Questions & Subject Sugg

jrhoffman75 — Sun, 23 Nov 2025 17:24:50 GMT

Hi. Wishing you a speedy recovery.

None of what you mention are either/or. They can be used together when you are doing your macro work.

The Tripod Ring Mount for the lens is generally used to allow the camera to be rotated between horizontal and vertical (landscape and portrait). It has a threaded hole that can be used to mount to something (tripod or the like) but you would really want to get an Arca plate since I suspect most of your gear have Arca clamps.

The ring mount canbe mounted to a gimbal, but for macro work you would generally want to use just a ballhead on your tripod.

The purpose of the macro rail is to allow precise fore and aft positioning of the camera for focusing. Depending on your setup you could set the rail on your table or mount to your tripod.

I can post some photos later.

Re: RF 100mm f/2.8 L Macro IS USM Lens from Canon With R5 Mark ii Mount Questions & Subject Sugg

Far-Out-Dude — Sun, 23 Nov 2025 17:46:21 GMT

Okay, thanks for the honesty. By the way, thanks for the well wishes before, I forgot to say that before.

I am partially disabled, I just don't shoot handheld that often because of balance issues so some kind of mount will be necessary for me.

Re: RF 100mm f/2.8 L Macro IS USM Lens from Canon With R5 Mark ii Mount Questions & Subject Sugg

Far-Out-Dude — Sun, 23 Nov 2025 18:07:30 GMT

Thank you much for the reply. My hands were messed up in a car accident back in 88 and I do not have that slow motor movement like most do, they are not club hands or anything like that, just don't do well with the ball heads which is why I started to use the gimbals, they are easier for me to control, but I can try the ball heads again, they are both put up in a cabinet.

Yes everything I use have Arca Swiss plates/clamps.

I look forward to the pictures. Any thoughts on the light I am looking at?

Re: RF 100mm f/2.8 L Macro IS USM Lens from Canon With R5 Mark ii Mount Questions & Subject Sugg

jrhoffman75 — Sun, 23 Nov 2025 18:33:28 GMT

@Far-Out-Dude wrote:

Thank you much for the reply. My hands were messed up in a car accident back in 88 and I do not have that slow motor movement like most do, they are not club hands or anything like that, just don't do well with the ball heads which is why I started to use the gimbals, they are easier for me to control, but I can try the ball heads again, they are both put up in a cabinet.

Yes everything I use have Arca Swiss plates/clamps.

I look forward to the pictures. Any thoughts on the light I am looking at?

The gimbal would work since it can be adjusted in three axes.

I am not familiar with that ring light but as long as it will mount to the lens you should be OK. In general you would need a Canon Microlight Adapter 67 to screw onto the front of the EF or RF macro lens, but it looks like the Godox flash includes the adapter.

Re: RF 100mm f/2.8 L Macro IS USM Lens from Canon With R5 Mark ii Mount Questions & Subject Sugg

Far-Out-Dude — Sun, 23 Nov 2025 20:43:12 GMT

Thank you for the pictures, to be honest I thought the lens was much bigger than it seems in your pictures. Please forgive my stupidity, but how is it that you turn the lens to go the way you want on the Oben? I am guessing there is a particular Arca plate for that or does that unit twist to turn forward? I am guessing it twists by the positions of the bubble in each photo being different? Sorry, I have never even seen macro done so I am pretty ignorant when it comes to this kind of photography. (And most if I am to be honest with myself)

Another quick question that I have is I have noticed while reading reviews of the lens and looking at peoples pictures that the lens can also be used for landscape and portrait photography, I would have thought that the focus would have only been very close and was surprised to see landscape and portrait photos with this lens, how are those two kinds done with a macro lens?

Thanks again for the help.

Re: RF 100mm f/2.8 L Macro IS USM Lens from Canon With R5 Mark ii Mount Questions & Subject Sugg

JFG — Sun, 23 Nov 2025 21:08:35 GMT

Hi Far-Out-Dude,

Hoping you get well soon and resume your normal activities. Since Rick (shadowsports) mentioned that I could answer your questions regarding the RF100mm f2.8 L Macro IS USM lens on an R5 Mark II, here are my 2 pence. Regarding your questions about mounting it to a Gimbal and or a rail.

Q1: "Can I use the Canon Tripod ring mount with the gimbal or not?" A1: Yes, you can use a Canon tripod ring with a gimbal head. The tripod ring itself isn't directly compatible with most gimbals so you'll most likely need to attach an Arca-Swiss style plate. The advantages is using the tripod with a gimble are: Smooth tracking, Reduced strain on the camera mount compared to body-only tripod mounting. Balancing may be trickier since the RF100mm macro lens is lighter and the ring sits close to the body. Using the tripod ring with a gimbal will give you both precision balance and fluid movement for fast moving subjects.

Q2: Yes, the Oben 7" Macro Focusing Rail (FRM-7L) will work very well for precision macro photography; it is sturdy, smooth, and designed for fine adjustments at high magnifications and it has a load capacity up to 22 lbs which is more than enough for your R5 Mark II and RF100mm L Macro set up, even with a flash bracket or heavier body.

Although I have a Gimbal, for Macro photography, I use a "Ball Head" (Ball Swivel Head) because it is generally better than a Gimbal Head for Macro photography. Gimbals excel with heavy telephoto lenses for wildlife or sports, while ball heads provide the fine positioning and stability needed for close-up, high-magnification Macro photography work. Gimbals are designed for fluid tracking not micro adjustments.

Why Ball Heads win for macro photography: Macro requires precise framing and focus stacking. Ball heads will let you lock your R5 Mark II at exact angles.

Compactness: Macro setups like your Canon RF100mm Macro benefit from a lightweight head that doesn't ad bulk.
Stability: Ball heads hold lighter macro lenses firmly without drift, specially when paired with a focusing rail.
Versatility: you can quickly switch between macro, portrait and landscape orientation for different compositions.

My Macro equipment consists of an R5 Mark II and R6 Mark II cameras, an RF100mm F2.8 L Macro IS USM lens, Kenko tubes, Godox MF-R76, carbon fiber Sirui 3 foot quick release monopod, a Manfrotto carbon fiber tripod, and a Sirui Macro Focusing Rail. I also have a Sirui Carbon Fiber Gimbal that I do not use for macro photography and use it primarily for wildlife and sport photography. Also, although I own a focusing rail, I very seldom use it as most of my shots are handheld, and I only use the focusing rail with a tripod. When shooting macro one needs to be able to get close to the subject fast enough before it moves away and for that you can't have bulky equipment that will impede you from getting into small places, therefore keeping it simple works for me. I to date have hardly used the focusing rail. If you're going to be taking pictures of coins, jewelry, food, and subjects that stay in place, than the focusing rail will come in handy. As you can find plenty of fascinating subjects at home, like fruits and vegetables, fabrics and cloths, water or bubbles, paper and books, coins and currency, stones and shells, feathers, spices and seeds, ice crystals, flowers and leaves etc. The key is to look for textures, patterns and subjects with tiny details that would normally go unnoticed and that provide abstract compositions. I hope this helps and look forward to seeing your work soon.

Re: RF 100mm f/2.8 L Macro IS USM Lens from Canon With R5 Mark ii Mount Questions & Subject Sugg

Far-Out-Dude — Sun, 23 Nov 2025 21:03:24 GMT

Thank you very much, one quick question before I forget it, what are "Kenko tubes" I am guessing Kenko is a name brand so then the question would be what are tubes?

I normally shoot wildlife and landscape and agree the gimbals excel with those forms of photography and can understand why ball heads would be better for Macro. Currently my two tripods that came with heads are

1. K&F Concepts TM2324 Tripod

2. SmallRig CT200 Lateral Center Column Aluminum Tripod with Monopod

will these suffice for starting out? I picked up the second as I have not been able to kneel or bend since 1988 but wanted to be able to shoot stuff closer to the ground, I have a Magnus GH-M1 Gimbal Head and have been using it with my M50 with lighter lenses so far. The Magnus was originally suggested to me but it did not do well with the 70-300mm lens (Lots of creep) I had at the time and that is why I upgraded to the Wimberly 200

Re: RF 100mm f/2.8 L Macro IS USM Lens from Canon With R5 Mark ii Mount Questions & Subject Sugg

jrhoffman75 — Sun, 23 Nov 2025 23:22:28 GMT

The macro lens focuses to infinity. It just has the capability to focus very close.

The Arca plate can be positioned parallel or perpendicular to the axis of the Iben device. I didn’t turn the lens hood around. You may have seen photos of the lens with hood installed in photo position. Lens hood isn’t needed for macro and also would interfere with close focus.

Re: RF 100mm f/2.8 L Macro IS USM Lens from Canon With R5 Mark ii Mount Questions & Subject Sugg

JFG — Sun, 23 Nov 2025 23:29:47 GMT

Hi Far-Out-Dude,

Kenko is brand of extension tubes I use since canon has not yet come out with tubes for RF lenses. Kenko tubes are made in Japan and are very highly rated due to their good value and functionality especially compared to more expensive brands like Canon. Extension tubes are used in macro photography to increase magnification by reducing the minimum focusing distance of a lens. They sit between the camera body and the lens, moving the lens farther from the sensor so you can focus much closer than normal. They have no optics (they don't contain glass), so image quality isn't degraded. Kenko makes RF Stackable Tubes that come in different lengths (e.g. 10mm and 16mm) that you can use independently or stacked, so 10mm will add magnification +0.10x and 16mm +0.16x together 26mm +1.26x.. Bottom line: With the Kenko Auto Extension Tubes, your RF100mm can realistically reach from +1:1x to +2.0x in a controlled setup. It's a cost-effective way to bridge the gap between your current RF100mm 1.4x and the more specialized and expensive high-magnification solutions. You can also use the extension tubes with other RF non macro lenses allowing you to get closer to your subjects and often create macro-like images without the need for a dedicated macro-lens.

Yes, your K&F Concepts TM2324 Tripod and SmallRig CT200 Lateral Center Column Aluminum Tripod with Monopod are suitable for macro photography as they offer stability and flexibility in positioning your camera for close-up shots. The K&F tripod in particular, features a center column inversion that allows for low-angle shooting, which is ideal for macro photography. For someone with limited hand dexterity, the most recommended ball heads are those with large, ergonomic knobs or pistol-grip designs, since they reduce the need for fine finger control and allow easier adjustments with the whole hand. Best on current reviews and ergonomic considerations you might want to look at the following:

Manfrotto 322RC Pistol Grip head: A trigger-style control, reposition with one hand, very ergonomic.
Vanguard GH-300T Pistol Grip head: Large grip, integrated shutter release option, designed for comfort.
Sirui K-40X Ball Head: Oversized knobs with smooth friction control, good for palm operation.
Benro VX20 Ball Head: Dual panoramic controls, large knobs, simple quick-release system.
Manfrotto XPRO Ball Head with Lever Release: Arca-Swiss compatible lever clamp, less twisting required.

I hope that the aforementioned answers your questions. If you have any more questions, please feel free to ask as I will be more than happy to help and also provide new options to consider.

Re: RF 100mm f/2.8 L Macro IS USM Lens from Canon With R5 Mark ii Mount Questions & Subject Sugg

Far-Out-Dude — Mon, 24 Nov 2025 03:03:28 GMT

Thank you, I did not mean the lens hood but you were able to answer my question with your answer anyway. Also thank you for answering about the focus.

Re: RF 100mm f/2.8 L Macro IS USM Lens from Canon With R5 Mark ii Mount Questions & Subject Sugg

Far-Out-Dude — Mon, 24 Nov 2025 03:24:20 GMT

Thank you very much for taking the time to research that and lay all that information out for me.

I had always thought of the pistol grip heads as something a videographer would use so I stayed away from them as I don't even have the memory card in my R5 Mark ii for video as I never do video and did not do it on my M50 either. Tried some on my old GE X5 but that was going back quite some time and video is just not what I enjoy doing.

I will look into the price of the Kenko tubes on B&H if they carry them as well.

Thanks, I am hoping for shots of spiders and spiderwebs, if my body will let me safely go outside I want to try to catch the drip as it comes off an icecycle or pine needle/pine cone, but I will have to have somebody with me incase I fall. I have friends online that have caught snowflakes on glass with dark backgrounds but I am not fast enough for that even without the walker.

Re: RF 100mm f/2.8 L Macro IS USM Lens from Canon With R5 Mark ii Mount Questions & Subject Sugg

JFG — Mon, 24 Nov 2025 05:28:51 GMT

Hi Far-Out-Dude,

Pistol grip tripod heads are primarily designed for photography, not for videography. They excel at quick, one-handed repositioning of the camera, but they don't provide the smooth, controlled pans and tilts that videographers need. The reasons why pistol grips work well for photography is because they provide the photographer with Fast framing, One-handed operation, Ergonomic design that reduces reliance on fine motor control compared to small knobs, Load capacity like the Manfrotto 327RC2 that can handle light to heavy telephoto set ups. They are less suitable for videography because they don't have fluid motion which videographers rely on for fluid pans and tilts. Pistol grips lock quickly but don't glide. They are also not ideal for controlled cinematic moves or tracking shots. The best alternative for video are fluid heads or geared heads since they allow continuous, stable movement. I, like you, don't shoot video with any of my cameras (my R5 Mark II and R6 Mark II or my M50 Mark II), I'am a photographer not a videographer or a hybrid photographer/videographer. I use equipment that suit my needs, is fast to set up and allow me to focus on taking pictures. In any case the information provided was simply to give you options. We all know what is best for us and we all follow our own path. "May the light always find your lens, and the wind be at your tripod's back." May the macro road rise to meet you, and the bugs stay still long enough for stacking." May the sun shine warm on your sensor, and the rain fall softly on your gear bag." May your batteries be always charged, and your memory cards never full." WindAtYourBackFocusOnTheStack.

Re: RF 100mm f/2.8 L Macro IS USM Lens from Canon With R5 Mark ii Mount Questions & Subject Sugg

ebiggs1 — Tue, 25 Nov 2025 15:48:05 GMT

"I am thinking of buying the Canon RF 100mm f/2.8 L Macro IS USM Lens to use With my R5 Mark ii ..."

Of course I am all in for buying a new lens or lenses 😁 but if you have not done so, why not invest in a subscription to Photoshop. Learn how to use it. I will bet you will come to find out more can be done with PS than you can with the camera/lens. Alternatively you can d/l the free form Canon photo editing app DPP4 but it is no where as capable as PS.

Use the time you are in recovery mode to learn PS. There are tons of YouTube tutorials. Perhaps you are already a PS expert so you might want to enter the Adobe Beta testing offering of Photoshop. After recovery you will be in hog's heaven with your new photography skills. All the best to you, my friend.

Re: RF 100mm f/2.8 L Macro IS USM Lens from Canon With R5 Mark ii Mount Questions & Subject Sugg

Far-Out-Dude — Wed, 26 Nov 2025 03:43:42 GMT

I tend to use Lightroom much more, it is not because I think it is better, it is because all the controls on photoshop are so small that I simply can't see them. I have to lean all the way forward and get my face almost to my screen to see anything on it, Lightroom appears much larger by a long shot and I can use it.

I wish there was a way to make PS bigger, I have looked it up online and had not luck. I also use Luminar Neo and find it much easier to see as well, though it is not nearly as capable as Lightroom. (I am not using Lightroom Classic)

Re: RF 100mm f/2.8 L Macro IS USM Lens from Canon With R5 Mark ii Mount Questions & Subject Sugg

Far-Out-Dude — Wed, 26 Nov 2025 04:26:46 GMT

I know part of it is my fault, I have had 5 surgeries on my eyes and now I have Glaucoma and it is having an affect, I was supposed to have my eyes checked by a specialist on August 4th but wound up in the hospital for two and half months starting on July 28th so I never made it, it has been rescheduled. This area that is in orange should be filled with the picture, it is wasted space that would make it easier to see and the lettering for the tools needs to be easier to see.

Re: RF 100mm f/2.8 L Macro IS USM Lens from Canon With R5 Mark ii Mount Questions & Subject Sugg

ebiggs1 — Wed, 26 Nov 2025 16:00:50 GMT

You can click the Panel Options menu (three little bars at the top of the Panels) to increase the thumbnail size. For a larger overall interface, go to Photoshop > Preferences > UI Scaling and choose a larger font size, too. You have to restart Photoshop for it to work.

Plus you can set high contrast mode in Windows.

As to the empty space around your image that is limited by the ratio of your image and the size of your monitor. Some measurements just will not work but in Photoshop you can always select Fit on Screen in the View drop down.

I, too, have a problem seeing tiny stuff so I got as big of a monitor as my desk would allow to fit. It is a 34". I also write music and if you want to talk tiny, music gets pretty small when you have a full concert band or orchestra score on screen.

Bottom line there are ways to make PS easier to see but keep in mind any app that is as capable and through as PS is going to be tiny in places because of all the content.