Best Canon Lens
Top 10 Rated Canon Lenses 2024
By Brian Jones
DSLR cameras are becoming much more of a consumer camera than they use to be. People are getting in touch with the photographer inside and want to step up their game. Cell phone cameras and smaller point and shoot cameras just aren’t going to do it anymore. A DSLR comes with many pros, the best being the choice of what kind of lens you will use. Canon has a vast array of lenses that will complement any situation perfectly. The trouble comes with choosing which one is right for you. We looked at 10 of the best Canon lenses and rated them with the following criteria:
1. General-purpose vs. specialized use
2. Low light performance
3. Image stabilization and quiet focus
4. Compatibility with different Canon lens mounts
5. Weight and size
6. Minimum focus distances
7. Price
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Only for EF-S mounts |
This is going to be the best general-purpose lens out there you can find. The 15-85mm focal length will work for virtually any situation that does not require an insane amount…read more
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Works with EF and EF-S mounts |
If you are looking for a prime lens, let this be the one you consider seriously. A 35mm focal length makes this a good lens for portrait shooting and a very good walk around lens…read more
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For EF and EF-S mounts |
This is one of the smallest and most lightweight lenses out there. It’s pretty impressive. It is a prime lens, so there is no zoom. This means you will have to be creative…read more
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Works with EF and EF-S mounts |
Here is a macro lens that has the potential to be your best friend. It is a little different from the other two on the list. You will have to work a little closer to your subjects because of the 50mm…read more
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Only for EF-S mounts |
This lens tries to do very many things all at once. The very large range in focal length makes this a very useful lens for any situation. You could be shooting indoors, on a hike…read more
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Works with EF and EF-S mounts |
This medium telephoto canon lens is a top competetor for one of the best lenses you could have in your camera bag. The 85mm focal length makes this a useful lens in many situations. It’s perfect for taking your camera on walks, nature shoots…read more
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Made for EF-S mount only |
This is a zoom lens that takes care of the very low focal lengths. It is be perfect for indoor shooting, landscape photography, and it would even be a good choice for macro photography…read more
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Works with EF and EF-S mounts |
If you are interested in macro photography, this is one lens worth checking out. The first thing to look at is the 1 foot closest focusing distance. There are lenses that go closer out there, but with a 100mm focal length…read more
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Works with EF-S mounts only |
A powerful zoom lens should be a standard in any photographers bag. This 55-250mm from Canon is the perfect example. The focal length makes this a very versatile lens. It can be used in situation where the subject is fairly close…read more
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Only works with EF-S mounts |
This is the perfect lens for macro photography. It is light, has a very close focus distance, a wide aperture, and gets you close enough for some stellar shots. If you are even slightly interested in macro photography…read more
Canon Lens Buying Guide
Lenses are the most important piece of equipment behind the actual body of the camera. Some might even say the lens is more important. Either way, the lens really changes the how you are going to tackle a certain subject or idea. So what are you supposed to look for in a lens. This buying guide will go over some of the key points to look at in a lens depending on what type of shooting you plan on doing.
Focal Length
Focal length is very important in any type of photography. A lot of people think the more zoom you have the better, but that is not always the case. The more zoom you have means you have more weight to carry around and that zoom lens definitely cost an extra arm and leg. If you are going to be shooting at a wedding reception or a school event, a zoom lens in the 18-100mm area is going to be perfect. If you are shooting a sporting event you might want to bump that up to 200mm or 300mm so you can get the greatest shot. There really is no reason to go higher than 300mm if you aren’t doing professional shooting. Look at all the options available and make the right choice.
Aperture
Aperture is listed on the barrel of the lens. It is important to know what the numbers mean and what they will do for you. The lower the number the wider the aperture can get and the more light that enters the camera. The lower the number also means the depth of field will be more shallow. That means the field of focus perpendicular to the camera will be shallow. That’s how photographers make the background and foreground nice an blurry. So, if you plan on doing a lot of low light shooting or want to add a lot of artistic blur a lens with a f/1.8 will do the trick for you.
Filter Thread Size
Buying lots of filters can be expensive. There is nothing worse than finding out that your collection of filters won’t fit on your new lens. 52mm is a pretty standard size, so you should feel pretty comfortable getting filters for that size. A lot of special lenses like the fish-eye and macro will have different. Be aware and know what you are getting into.
Extra Features
Things like Canon’s Ultra Sonic Motor and Optical Image Stabilization make good lenses great lenses. Silent focusing can be a plus if you shoot around people and don’t want to disturb them or if you are shooting an event where you really need to be quiet. VR image stabilization is very good for low light shooting because you will be using slower shutter speeds most of the time. Canon also uses a lot of different lens coatings that help with light transmission and reflections. Look for things like that on your next lens purchase.
You will surely find a lens that works with your camera set up flawlessly if you look out for all of these things on your next lens purchase. It is worth the time and effort of research since buying a new lens is a pretty big investment.
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Brian Jones has had a passion for photography and anything related for the majority of his life. One photography class in high school was all it took to get hooked on everything to do with the subject. He became more focused on learning about camera… See more about Brian |
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Filed Under: Canon Lenses • Digital Cameras • Electronics
