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

[Far-Out-Dude]

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.

[shadowsports]

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.  

[Far-Out-Dude]

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.

[shadowsports]

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.

[jrhoffman75]

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.

[Far-Out-Dude]

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.

[Far-Out-Dude]

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?

[jrhoffman75]

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@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.

[Far-Out-Dude]

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.

[JFG]

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.