On a cropped sensor Canon dSLR, 85mm translates to around 136mm – no longer a versatile focal length perhaps, but still excellent for portraits. Since this lens is incredibly sharp, you can use a relatively high mega-pixel Canon dSLR (i.e. Did I mention I was really jealous of Canon shooters for this lens?! The above lens is the Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS II USM lens. Not a big deal for most people, but those who need it tend to really need it. (113 mm), Dimensions (Diameter x Length): 3.27 in. There are 4 different versions of the 16-35mm zoom in the Canon lens line up. For portraits, it’s hard to go past the Canon EF 85mm f/1.8. (You’ll need Movie Servo for the AF.). The Canon 16-35mm f/2.8L III is better. Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8. The build is great quality, it offers a versatile focal length and the images it produces are razor sharp. Also, being a relatively small black lens rather than huge white one means that the Canon EF 135mm f/2L USM is more likely to pass incognito than a larger zoom. Because the lens mount for these cameras is identical, EF lenses … Also, there isn’t any image stabilization, so handheld video work is pretty much out. While Canon's 85mm f/1.2 is also a widely popular choice for portrait photographers, the f/1.8 wins our vote for being lighter, faster and cheaper, while at the same time producing stunning portraits."}}]}. However, unless you’re using a great lens on the front of your camera, you’re not realising its true potential. However, this guide is to recommend lenses that offer bang for your buck i.e. Some of these lenses are … The size of the aperture isn’t just about low light though, of course – larger apertures can also produce more exaggerated bokeh. It’s one of the top Canon lenses for portraits, and is actually great value for money for the kind of image it can produce. 24-70 is a great focal range, and even at 38-115mm on a cropped sensor camera, it’s a very useful lens that can remain on your camera all day long. If you’re a bokeh-whore but you budget can’t quite stretch to the f/1.2’s of the Canon lens lineup, the Canon EF 135mm f/2L USM is there for you! It’s Canon marketing speak for ‘relatively silent lens’ :p. As for image quality, the Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM has great optical performance throughout its focal range. Nor does ‘more expensive’…. It works on both EF and EF-S Canon camera bodies, has a fast autofocus and is great value for money. There’s no cheaper way to get a nicely blurred background with sharp foreground than the dinky little Canon 50mm f/1.8 lens. Despite its small size, the Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 STM still manages to pack in 7 diaphragm blades, which result in surpisingly smooth and creamy bokeh. The products in this post may contain affiliate links. Javascript is disabled in this browser. Macro. If you’ve ever used an IS Canon lens before, you’ll know it’s a bit of an eerie experience… What magic is this that steadies the image I see before me?! Don’t get me wrong – the Canon 35mm f/1.4L II is an amazing lens. A fixed 135mm lens is admittedly not suited to all day use, but it’s something to have in the bag for those special moments that require it. I’d also recommend this lens over the now discontinued 50mm f/1.8 II version, since it’s faster to focus and has 2 extra diaphragm blades, meaning smoother bokeh. {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"What's the difference between EF and EFS Canon lenses? Ultra-Wide Zoom. On the crop sensor EF-S bodies, you can’t go wrong with the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 – it’s great value for money, and offers the same image and build quality as Canon lenses twice the price. To make matters worse for its competitors, Canon’s best lenses are often available for cheaper than counterparts, sometimes by as much as a few hundred dollars. Canon lens hood list. At f/1.4, the Canon 35mm f/1.4 L is super sharp and exhibits beautiful bokeh. "}},{"@type":"Question","name":"What's the best Canon lens for portrait photography? Before you get too bogged down in the Canon lens reviews, it’s important to understand what all the letters in the lens name mean. Canon 35mm f/1.4 L. Compatible Format: EF, EF-S. Diaphragm Blades: 8. The Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM is in the latter category, exhibiting stellar image quality whilst being the cheapest Canon EF lens ever made! 1.4x increase of the lens's focal length Dustproof and waterproof specifications (JIS 2 equivalent) Lens placement and coatings are optimized to minimize the ghosting Lenses really are cheaper on the Canon side of the fence, and the Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM performs like a lens 3x the price. Personally, I find 50mm too long for the majority of my wedding photography work, so choose to stick with a Nikon 35mm lens. Even though the f/1.2L is an incredible lens, it’s a bit too specialist for this roundup. There are plenty of great f/1.4 Canon lenses, but 35mm is just such a versatile focal length – you can shoot portraits, landscapes and everything in between… and f/1.4 is plenty fast enough for low light situations, and for blurring the background beautifully. A leaked lens roadmap for 2021 indicates that Canon has as many as 16 new RF mount lenses in the works, including some of the most-anticipated additions like the 70-200mm f/4 and 50mm f/1.8. If you’ve got around $2k to spend on lenses, I’d recommend this one every time. Despite its small size, the Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 STM features impressive optics which render mind-blowing sharpness, edge-to-edge, even wide open. Unless you have a subject in the distance or have the room to move back, 135mm is too tight for most situations. The Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L II is among Canon’s most popular pro lenses ever and is a favourite for both amateur and professional Canon dSLR camera owners the world over. (112 mm), Dimensions (Diameter x Length): 3.3 in. Minimum Focus Distance: … Still, if you want things totally silent use a shotgun or offboard mic or manual focus (which again, works excellently). If you’re shooting full frame, the Canon 24-70mm f/2.8 II is the cream of the crop, and arguably the only zoom lens you’ll ever need. Canon 24-70mm f/2.8L II | © Gillespie Photography. And if you needed 3 more, HUGE, HEAVY and EXPENSIVE! As for the build, it’s top quality. Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 II. The image quality is quite fantastic for a $150 lens. The 50mm f/1.8 works fine on an EF-S body, but remember that the focal lens becomes 80mm – a little less versatile than 50mm, but still great as a portrait lens. More importantly, the look of the images produced by the Canon EF 135mm f/2L USM has a certain quality that other lenses simply can’t reproduce. One con to this lens – at least if you’re into astrophotography – is that there aren’t any distance indicators for focusing. Comparing it to the f/1.2 is like comparing a gun to a bow and arrow. STM means that focusing is virtually silent, but more importantly, you’re able to grab the focus ring at any time to make minor adjustments to the auto focus. Best Canon EF-S lenses: 03 Canon 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM, £295. So choose from one of the Canon lenses above and make an investment into your photography. Just because the Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM doesn’t have that elusive red ring of the L series Canon lenses, doesn’t mean it can’t trade punches with the big boys. Aside from DxO Mark naming the VII the sharpest Canon lens, and the marginal advantage when shot at f/1.4, I’d still recommend you save some money and go with the original version. So why on earth have I chosen the Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM as one of Canon’s top wide angle lenses? That’s why the majority of photographers who invest in one of the f/2.8 variants of the 16-35mm are event or wedding photographers. Sunsets, flowers, group shots, street scenes, environmental portraits, weird bugs – this lens is. ","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Our top pick for Canon's best all-around prime lens is the Canon EF 35mm f/1.4 II. Download our CanonSGLens app! Samyang / Rokinon offers many lenses for the Canon EF-M mount, actually more lenses than Canon! It also has great macro capabilities – especially with extension tubes. Optically, the Canon EF 135mm f/2L USM is very impressive. Mark Condon is a British wedding photographer based in Australia and the founder of Shotkit. The … Just make sure to stop down so each row of the group is in focus, but 85mm can be a flattering and efficient way to knock the background out of focus. 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