How do you choose the perfect one? Which lens matches your camera and shooting style? This guide will walk you through the essential features to consider and help you find the ideal lens for your needs.
The basics
You’ll learn everything you need to know about a Canon lens from its name. Those are not just random numbers and letters. Let's break down the "Canon RF 100mm F2.8L MACRO IS USM" as an example. In this case:
- RF refers to the lens type
- 100mm is the lens’ focal length
- 8 is the maximum aperture
- L indicates that the lens comes from the L-series of Canon ‘professional’ range.
- MACRO indicates the capability to take photos at macro magnification
- IS means that there is an image stabiliser built in to minimise blurring due to camera shake
- USM or Ultra Sonic Motor is the focusing motor that allows quiet and quick focusing
Specialty Canon lenses may have other indicators in their names that are relevant to the technologies or design. Some examples include DO (Diffractive Optics), DS (Defocus Smoothing), and fisheye.
Additionally, you’ll encounter lenses with II or III in their names. This refers to the model number or the version. For instance, the EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III USM is the EF zoom lens’ third version with a 75-300mm focal length range, f/4 to f/5.6 aperture range, and a USM motor.
Ensure compatibility with your camera.
Before buying any lens, make sure it’s compatible with your camera. Every Canon EOS camera has one of four lens mounts, and every lens type is designed to fit a particular one.
- RF and RF-S lenses are designed for EOS R System mirrorless cameras
- EF-S lenses are suitable for APS-C DSLR cameras
- EF, MP-E (macro), and TS-E (tilt-shift) lenses suit the EF mount on Canon EOS DSLRs.
All cameras in the EOS R System have a similar RF mount, so you can use any RF or RF-S lens with them. These lenses can also work with full-frame EOS R System cameras but expect the camera to automatically crop the image to complement the lens’ smaller APS-C coverage.
Other considerations
Ultimately, the right Canon lenses will depend on your shooting style and what you want to capture. Those with built-in IS may be best if you like shooting at night or in low-light conditions with a slow shutter speed. It also helps when shooting handheld without a tripod or taking photos of moving subjects.
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