A while back, I happen to run accross something strange: USM. And they cost a fortune. 'What in the world is that?' I thought to myself. 'And why would I pay $2500 for a lens?" So I pondered. And I speculated. And I meditated. Sounds like UFO. Could these be lenses from a far more advanced world than ours? That must be it. They're made of some material that is extraterrestrial. I had my answer, so I moved on.
Until I was looking for lenses again last week and there it appeared again: USM. They were stalking me. So in order to get them to stop following me, I indulged them and forced myself to learn about who they are. Turns out, they are not made by aliens, but by humans on Earth. They were first made by Canon. The USM stands for Ultra Sonic Motor. There is a super quiet (ultra-sonic) motor in them so that when they autofocus, they won't scare away your subject if you're shooting wildlife or something. Plus they can auto-focus faster than a regular lens because the motor is built into the lens. They are so expensive because, to put it simply, they are much better than a regular lens. If you're interested in one, just be careful to make sure you get the Ring Ultrasonic, as opposed to a Micromotor ultrasonic drive. (They both will say USM) The Micromotor ultrasonic are a little cheaper, but don't focus as fast.
Mystery solved.
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