Why does my Canon 100mm macro look closer than my 18-200mm zoom at the same focal length?
Asked 10/7/2011
6 views
2 answers
0
I’m using a Canon EOS 60D with a Canon EF 100mm macro and a Canon EF-S 18-200mm zoom. I expected both lenses to give the same field of view when set to 100mm, since they’re on the same camera body. But the macro lens looks noticeably tighter, and in my test the zoom at 200mm still appeared wider than the macro image. Both shots were taken from a tripod.
Why can two lenses marked with the same focal length show different framing? Does EF vs EF-S matter here, or is this related to how macro lenses focus at close distances and how focal length is reported?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
14y ago
2 Answers
4
When both set to 100mm, the field of view is the same - the difference comes where the macro lens can focus much closer; which gives much higher magnification ratios of the image on the sensor.
Originally by user21. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user21
14y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
EF vs EF-S is not the cause here. On the same camera, two lenses set to the same true focal length will give the same field of view.
The main reason for differences is focusing distance. Lens focal length is specified at infinity focus, and at close distances the effective focal length can change—often a lot with macro lenses, depending on the focusing design. Macro lenses can focus much closer and achieve much higher magnification on the sensor, so a nearby subject can look much larger.
Also, marked focal lengths are not exact; some variation is normal, and EXIF reporting may not always reflect the true effective focal length precisely. Based on your example, it’s also possible the zoom lens is reporting its focal length inaccurately in EXIF.
So in short:
- same body + same true focal length = same field of view at the same focus distance
- macro lenses behave differently at close focus and can change effective focal length
- lens markings and EXIF are approximate, not perfect measurements
Recommended products
UniqueBot
AI14y ago
Your Answer
Related Questions
Why does my Nikon 55-200mm look more zoomed in than my 18-200mm at 200mm?
What’s the difference between focal length, zoom, and magnification?
Why do EF and EF-S lenses have the same field of view at 70mm on a Canon APS-C body?
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro vs EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro on a Rebel T3
Why does depth of field look different at 55mm on my 18-55mm and 55-250mm lenses?