Canon's top 16 lenses - from fixes to teleoptics

No self-respecting photographer can do without additional lenses. But how to decide on a specific purchase? For example, now there are several hundred lenses for Canon SLR cameras - how not to get lost in such a variety? This article is designed to help you navigate.

Below you will get acquainted with the best optics created for Canon equipment and available for purchase right now. At the same time, the authors of expert.bigbadmole.com/en/en/ divided all products into several categories, because there is no point in directly comparing lenses for portrait photography with optics having a 400 mm focal length. Separately, it should be noted that here we will talk exclusively about the products released by Canon itself. We may talk about third-party optics sometime next time.

Canon Top Lens Rating

Nomination	a place	Name of product	price
The best standard permanent FR lenses for Canon cameras	1	Canon EF 85mm f / 1.2L II USM	94 900 ₽
	2	Canon EF 85mm f / 1.8 USM	20 000 ₽
	3	Canon EF 50mm f / 1.4 USM	17 000 ₽
Best Canon lenses for portrait shooting	1	Canon EF 35mm f / 1.4L II USM	94 890 ₽
	2	Canon EF 85mm f / 1.2L II USM	94 900 ₽
	3	Canon EF 135mm f / 2L USM	49 900 ₽
Canon's best zoom lenses	1	Canon EF 28-300mm f / 3.5-5.6L IS USM	115 000 ₽
	2	Canon EF 24-105mm f / 4L IS USM	38 900 ₽
	3	Canon EF-S 18-200mm f / 3.5-5.6 IS	32 490 ₽
Canon's best telephoto lenses	1	Canon EF 70-200mm f / 2.8L IS II USM	105 990 ₽
	2	Canon EF 135mm f / 2L USM	49 900 ₽
	3	Canon EF 400mm f / 5.6L USM	61 000 ₽
Canon's Best Wide Angles	1	Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L III USM	102 500 ₽
	2	Canon EF 17-40mm f / 4L USM	33 300 ₽
Top Canon Macro Lens	1	Canon EF 100mm f / 2.8L Macro IS USM	46 990 ₽
The best fisheye lenses	1	Canon EF 8-15mm f / 4.0L Fisheye USM	63 400 ₽

The best standard permanent FR lenses for Canon cameras

Canon EF 85mm f / 1.2L II USM

Rating: 4.9

If there is an optics that perfectly blurs the background, then this is exactly this 85mm lens. A f / 1.2 aperture is available here for the photographer, where the zone of sharpness narrows to indecent size. The beautiful bokeh also contributes to the eight-petal diaphragm, gathering in an ideal circle.

The lens may seem small. However, high-quality glass and metal body did their job - this specimen weighs exactly 1 kg. This imposes certain difficulties on the use of the lens on the road. Also, do not expect a quick autofocus from the product - this model is sharpened for portraits, and not for reportage photography.

Canon EF 85mm f / 1.8 USM

Rating: 4.8

One of the most inexpensive lenses, which, however, are sometimes used even by professionals. Approximately 21 thousand rubles. The buyer gets a “glass” with a 85mm focal length and an ultrasonic autofocus motor. The eight aperture blades are maximized to f / 1.8, which may seem like an insufficient parameter to someone. However, it is quite difficult to find fault with the resulting picture, with due skill the photographer will achieve a very nice bokeh. Another undoubted advantage of optics is the low weight of 425 g.

Beginner photographers will note some difficulties using the widest aperture. The fact is that autofocus at such moments can miss. This is a traditional problem for all inexpensive portrait "glasses".

Canon EF 50mm f / 1.4 USM

Rating: 4.7

Universal lens that can be used on both a crooked camera and full frame. This “glass” is very inexpensive - just over 17 thousand rubles. Such an affordable price tag is due to a plastic case. On the one hand, this made the design less reliable - it is not recommended to drop the lens. On the other hand, optics weighs only 290 g, which is especially popular with fans.

Best Canon lenses for portrait shooting

Canon EF 35mm f / 1.4L II USM

Rating: 4.9

A lens with a 35mm focal length should be in every owner of a sprinkled camera. The model named above allows to get very beautiful portraits. The maximum aperture here is expanded to f / 1.4, while the picture, even with it, remains very sharp. Beautiful bokeh is achieved, including through the nine-leaf design of the diaphragm. The product should be pleased with the ultrasonic focusing motor, which can only be heard in complete silence.

Writing reviews people find fault with the lens only about its relatively light weight and appearance. The product really does not look expensive, although such optics cost 89 thousand rubles.

Canon EF 85mm f / 1.2L II USM

Rating: 4.8

Already mentioned in our selection of the lens. But it is not a sin to repeat, mentioning the strictly portrait qualities of this optics, without focusing on the specifications. Unlike many analogs, the product is able to open its diaphragm up to f / 1.2. Usually with this value, the picture starts to “float”, the sharpness disappears somewhere. But in the case of this model there are no such problems. The background here is blurred almost perfectly. Not for nothing is this "glass" used for artistic photography, when you need to draw the viewer's attention to a particular detail.

Canon EF 135mm f / 2L USM

Rating: 4.8

Not everyone likes to use long focal length for portrait shooting. Meanwhile, it allows you to achieve maximum background blur. At 135 mm, and even with the f / 2 diaphragm, it literally turns into jelly or milk. It is surprising that a lens with such characteristics costs only 49 thousand rubles. It seems that the manufacturer understands that there will be very few people who want to purchase such a large “portrait”, so the price is attracted.

Before buying it is worth considering that with this focal length you will have to move very far from the subject, thereby risking losing contact with it. But on the other hand, no other portrait lens will provide such a blurred bokeh.

Canon's best zoom lenses

Canon EF 28-300mm f / 3.5-5.6L IS USM

Rating: 4.7

Very expensive lens, the cost of which is due to unsurpassed characteristics. In fact, this product can be called universal. The focal length range here starts from 28 mm, and this allows you to photograph landscapes and even the simplest portraits. The maximum available to the user 300 mm, which is suitable even for sports shooting. It is surprising that at the maximum RF, the aperture will expand to f / 5.6. This increases the aperture and provides a very beautiful bokeh. The product has a built-in optical stabilizer, so you can not be afraid to make the shutter speed a little longer.

Of course, this optics has its drawbacks. They are, as mentioned above, in value (116 thousand rubles - a significant amount even for a very successful photographer) and a lot of weight.

Canon EF 24-105mm f / 4L IS USM

Rating: 4.7

A rare type of lens, when a constant aperture is used at a variable focal length. And if at 24 mm the value of f / 4 may seem insufficient, then at 105 mm it gives a nice bokeh and a very high aperture ratio. Also, this product has received an image stabilizer that will never interfere at long focal lengths. Another feature of this model is the minimum focusing distance, not exceeding 0.45 m. This makes the lens universal - in fact, it can be taken in a variety of genres (but this macro is still not given to it).

Canon EF-S 18-200mm f / 3.5-5.6 IS

Rating: 4.6

One of the most inexpensive zoom lenses among those released by Canon. In Russia, for this "glass" they ask about 23 thousand rubles. In this regard, you should not be surprised at 600-gram weight, which speaks of not the highest quality body and glass. However, this is a great option for crooked cameras. Here, even an image stabilizer is present, thanks to which you can not worry about the insufficiently widening aperture. In short, the lens should suit many people who have decided to try themselves in photohunting.

Canon's best telephoto lenses

Canon EF 70-200mm f / 2.8L IS II USM

Rating: 4.9

Excellent telephoto lens, suitable for sports shooting or, for example, for photographing birds. In the second case, however, you will need a magnifier, as the 200-millimeter focal length may be small. The price tag, amounting to 96 thousand rubles, speaks of the high quality of manufacturing of both the body and the lenses. This is also hinted at by the polutorakilogramma mass.

The product includes a four-stage stabilizer. This allows the shutter speed to be very long. Also, the stabilizer helps out in those moments when the photographer is trying to remove a moving vehicle or a running football player.

Canon EF 135mm f / 2L USM

Rating: 4.8

Lens with a fixed 135-millimeter distance. It has a black body. Like almost all the products we considered, has an ultrasonic autofocus. In this case, it is also very fast, because focusing motors do not need to go through many different focal lengths. Fixed DF allowed creators to introduce f / 2 aperture. It makes the lens aperture and very sharp. Of course, this also leads to a beautifully blurred background.

Canon EF 400mm f / 5.6L USM

Rating: 4.7

The length of this lens reaches an impressive 256 mm. But to this still need to add a hood, it is unlikely you will take pictures without it. Such a long body hides under it, oddly enough, only seven optical elements in six groups. A knowledgeable person will immediately understand that such a lens cannot but be fast. And this with a huge 400mm focal length!

This model is sold in Russian stores for 61 thousand rubles. In fact, this is one of the cheapest "glass" with a fixed 400 mm DF and an aperture of f / 5.6. Therefore, it is not surprising that many novice sports photographers make their choice in favor of this lens. Before buying it is necessary to take into account that there is no stabilizer here, and therefore shooting with hands is practically impossible. And it is difficult to keep the camera with optics, the weight of which reaches 1250 g.

Canon's Best Wide Angles

Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L III USM

Rating: 4.9

A rather specific lens, the design of which provides the user with a variable focal length with a constant aperture of f / 2.8. It is important that even at the widest angle the picture does not have serious geometric distortions. A 16mm focal length is proposed for shooting landscapes and urban areas. A 35 mm will help to remove the portrait when there is no more suitable lens for this purpose.

First of all, this "glass" is intended for the most expensive full-frame Canon cameras, which are quietly removed at very high ISO values. If you use a lens on a simpler technique, then vignetting will be noticeable.

Canon EF 17-40mm f / 4L USM

Rating: 4.8

Another lens with a variable focal length, but with a slightly wider range. This “glass” is already less universal, since the diaphragm here is revealed only to the value of f / 4. This means that portraits with the help of such optics are not so beautiful. It is because of the lack of universality that only 35 thousand rubles are asked for the lens. However, there is another reason - this is not the most reliable design, as evidenced by the 500-gram weight.

Nevertheless, it is quite a good wide-angle, designed for shooting urban buildings and landscapes. Despite the relatively low cost, it applies ultrasonic autofocus, which works quickly and quietly. The picture is sharp and detailed. You can only complain about small geometric distortions that are corrected in the graphic editor with just one click.

Top Canon Macro Lens

Canon EF 100mm f / 2.8L Macro IS USM

Rating: 4.9

Enough massive and large optics designed for shooting insects, coins and other small objects. To do this, the creators have achieved that the "glass" focuses on the subject, located 30 cm from the camera. With a 100mm focal length, the subject is huge and well detailed, even if it’s a bug. Autofocus responds quickly to moving an object, as it helps to take a clear picture and image stabilization. Here it is impossible to find fault even with weight - the 625-gram “glass” can hardly be called heavy.

The best fisheye lenses

Canon EF 8-15mm f / 4.0L Fisheye USM

Rating: 4.8

Lens with a pronounced bulge of the front lens. For this feature, you can understand that the product has a huge viewing angle. If you use an 8-mm focal length, then the field of view will be all 180 degrees! Unlike the budgetary “phisha”, here there is an opportunity to change the DF by selecting the 15 mm option and getting a viewing angle of 91 degrees. This allows you to act, depending on the circumstances, using one lens instead of two. It's nice that the product turned out to be relatively light, as can not fail to please the diaphragm, opening up to the value of f / 4.0. Only cost, reaching 60 thousand rubles in Russia, is capable of confusing. Nevertheless, it seems to expert.bigbadmole.com/en/en/ authors that such “glass” should be in the arsenal of every wedding photographer using Canon techniques.

Conclusion

The Japanese company Canon has been producing lenses for many decades. And even if we take the park of modern optics designed for digital SLR cameras, even it will be extremely wide. Especially for you, we have chosen the best "glass". Rest assured, the purchase of any of them will definitely not disappoint. The downside of each lens is the high price - alas, budget optics is immensely far from ideal.

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Attention! This rating is subjective, is not advertising and does not serve as a guide to the purchase. Before buying, you should consult with a specialist.