It’s been a minute since Canon released its RF 100mm F2.8L Macro IS USM. I own Canon’s 85mm 2 Macro IS STM lens, and like its counterpart, it can be used as an everyday lens for portraits, landscapes, and, of course, macro photography. While the RF 100mm provides 1.4 magnification, the RF 85mm is capable of .50 magnification.

There’s also a significant price difference: The 100mm is $1,000; the 85mm lens is $550. I enjoyed using the 100mm lens this past weekend, but if I can save a few bucks, that’s what I do.

With the RF100mm lens and an RF nifty fifty in my bag, I headed to a local botanical garden to put them to the test. But first, I tested the 100mm lens at an apple orchard, where apples are starting to grow. That’s the lead image you see above. The photo depicts more than 100 percent of what I saw through the lens; cropping was unnecessary. I marveled at that and drove to the gardens.

New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill was crowded when I arrived. An event was underway, but that worked for me. Attendees were inside while I explored the grounds.