The best Canon lenses for DSLRs are crucial for getting the most out of your camera, whether to have a full-frame DSLR or a crop sensor (APS-C) camera. In the guide below, we've made our picks of both the best Canon EF lenses, which fit both full-frame and APS-C cameras, and the best EF-S mount lenses, which are only suitable for APS-C.
Working out which is the best Canon lens for your needs will depend on what kind of photography you do, which camera you have and what your budget is. We've made our picks based on our expert reviewers' own lab tests and real-world experience with each lens considering the optics best suited to different needs and purposes.
Note that the best Canon EF lenses and EF-S lenses aren't only for DSLRs. They can also be used with Canon's newer mirrorless cameras, the EOS R and EOS M systems if you use an adapter. We recommend checking our dedicated guides to the best Canon RF lenses and the best Canon EF-M lenses for those systems, but opting for an EF lens can be a more economical option (see the questions section at the bottom if you have doubts about compatibility).
We think this is Canon's best-value telephoto zoom, offering a lot of range at a great price. It's not an L-series lens, but were impressed by how sharp it is and found it to handle well on both full-frame and APS-C Canon DSLRs. Read more below
If you want even more reach and still a reasonably fast aperture, this Sigma telephoto lens for Canon is excellent value. We also love how light it is considering the focal length as well as how affordable it is. Read more below
We found this to be an excellent buy for landscapes and other subjects that need a wider focal length. We were impressed with the sharpness across the image frame, even at f/2.8 and distortions are minimal for an ultra-wide zoom. It's even weather-sealed. Read more below
This lens combines image stabilization and a fast f/1.4 aperture, and we found no compromise in features or image quality either. The nine-blade diaphragm enables a well-rounded aperture for attractive bokeh in portraits on full-frame EOS cameras. Read more below
Canon's famous 'nifty fifty' is wonderfully light, compact and incredibly cheap. The fast aperture makes it great for low-light photography. We also like it for portraits on Canon APS-Cs. This is a lens that really punches above its weight in terms of image quality. Read more below
We think this is the best value lens for macro on a Canon EF mount. With nano-structure coatings, weather-seals and a hybrid image stabilizer that counteracts horizontal and vertical shift, we loved how it handles for close-up shooting. Read more below
James Artaius
The editor of Digital Camera World, James has 21 years experience as a journalist and started working in the photographic industry in 2014 (as an assistant to Damian McGillicuddy, who succeeded David Bailey as Principal Photographer for Olympus). In this time he shot for clients like Aston Martin Racing, Elinchrom and L'Oréal, in addition to shooting campaigns and product testing for Olympus, and providing training for professionals. This has led him to being a go-to expert for camera and lens reviews, photo and lighting tutorials, as well as industry news, rumors and analysis for publications like Digital Camera Magazine, PhotoPlus: The Canon Magazine, N-Photo: The Nikon Magazine, Digital Photographer and Professional Imagemaker, as well as hosting workshops and talks at The Photography Show. He also serves as a judge for the Red Bull Illume Photo Contest. An Olympus and Canon shooter, he has a wealth of knowledge on cameras of all makes – and a fondness for vintage lenses and instant cameras.
The best Canon lenses for DSLRs in 2024
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Canon makes a pro-grade L-series 70-300mm zoom, which comes complete with weather seals and an optional tripod mount to take the weight and steady up your shots, but we found this cheaper lens is practically as sharp, only about two-thirds of the weight and less than half as much to buy. It has the same variable aperture too.
It sports Canon's Nano USM autofocus system, which we found to be fast for tracking moving objects when shooting stills while giving smooth focus transitions during video capture. We also liked the neat LCD display with options for showing focal length, focus distance and stabilization information.
This is the first of several third-party lenses for Canon on our list. If money and muscle-power are no object, then we actually prefer its sibling, the Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM Sports as our favourite super-telephoto zoom for Canon cameras. But that's a big and heavy lens, weighing in at nearly 3kg, which makes prolonged handheld shooting a struggle. This ‘Contemporary’ version of the lens is much less expensive to buy, more compact and almost a full kilogram lighter in weight than its 'Sports' counterpart.
It stretches to a mighty 600mm on full-frame bodies, and delivers an incredible 960mm 35mm equivariant on Canon APS-C bodies thanks to the 1.6x crop factor on their smaller sensors. You really do need lenses with this kind of reach for many wildlife subjects, long-range sports like cricket or baseball and aviation photography. This C lens is not quite as extensively weather-sealed as the S version, but it's still very well made, almost as sharp, and has the same range of up-market features and controls. On balance, we think it’s the better buy for most of us.
For extreme viewing angles, the Sigma 14-24mm doesn’t go quite as wide as the massively expensive Canon 11-24mm zoom, nor Sigma’s 12-24mm Art lens, but it comes pretty close and is only about half the price of the Canon. Our testing returned stellar sharpness across the entire image frame, even when shooting wide-open at f/2.8. Distortions were incredibly minimal for an ultra-wide zoom, and colour fringing is absolutely negligible.
The top-performance optics are wrapped up in a superbly well engineered and fully weather-sealed construction. It remains our favourite ultra-wide zoom for full-frame Canon DSLRs (note that for APS-C cameras, 14mm doesn't really look that wide. See further down our list for our favourite option for crop sensors).
When buying a portrait prime, you often need to choose between image stabilization or a fast f/1.4 aperture. This Canon lens gives us the best of both worlds, with no compromise in features or image quality as far as we could find.
It comes with a nine-blade diaphragm that enables an extremely well-rounded aperture for attractive bokeh and Canon’s advanced Air Sphere Coating to minimize ghosting and flare. It’s quite big and chunky but still noticeably smaller and lighter than the competing Sigma 85mm f/1.4 Art lens while maintaining op-notch build quality and a full set of weather seals.
It’s not quite as bitingly sharp as the Sigma but the Canon’s stabilizer can make a huge difference in low-light handheld shooting and its bokeh is deliciously smooth and creamy. Specialist lenses like these are expensive, but you do get what you pay for.
Known as the 'nifty fifty' for its compact size, versatilty and excellent image quality, this lens is quite something for how cheap it is. It weighs just 160g but has a solid metal mounting plate and an improved stepping motor autofocus system compared to previous versions. There's also an electronically coupled fly-by-wire focus ring.
A handling benefit is that the focus ring no longer rotates during autofocus and, although audible, autofocus is quieter than in earlier editions of the lens. Smooth autofocus transitions also become available for movie capture. The wide f/1.8 aperture makes it ideal for shooting in low light conditions, while the seven-blade diaphragm, enables well-rounded aperture when stopping down. This lens is also an excellent, and cheap portrait lens for Canon APS-C DSLR owners, where the 1.6x crop factor gives it an effective 80mm field of view.
This true macro lens is ideal for getting closer to your subjects
Specifications
Mount: Canon EF
Elements/groups: 14/11
Diaphragm blades: 9
Autofocus: Ultrasonic (ring-type)
Stabilizer: 4-stops
Minimum focus distance: 0.3m
Maximum magnification: 1.0x
Filter thread: 62mm
Dimensions (WxL): 79x117mm
Weight: 610g
Reasons to buy
+
Hybrid image stabilizer
+
Full 1.0x magnification
+
Includes weather-seals
Reasons to avoid
-
Nothing really for the price
A focal length of around 90mm to 105mm is often regarded as ideal for macro photography, as it enables a comfortable, natural working distance for close-up photography. We rate this high-quality Tamron ‘G2’ lens for its optical performance, while the build quality is also excellent, with nano-structure coatings, weather-seals and a fluorine coating on the front element to repel moisture and grease.
The ‘hybrid’ image stabilizer counteracts horizontal and vertical shift as well as the usual angular vibration or ‘wobble’, making it more effective in close-up shooting. In this respect, we found that this Tamron matches Canon’s esteemed but expensive 100mm IS USM L-series macro lens. It also performs every bit as well in terms of handling and image quality, but at only around two-thirds of the price, we think the Tamron is the better buy.
For macro on an APS-C camera, see our choice further down in our guide. We also have a guide to the best macro lenses.
The Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM is the choice of many professional photographers around the world, but it’s not particularly good value for money and lacks image stabilization. This Sigma 'Art' lens isn’t as fully weather-sealed as the Canon, but it’s beautifully built, and, in our testing, it matched the Canon for all-round performance and image quality.
Sharpness and contrast are spectacular, while bokeh is lusciously smooth. Autofocus is very quick and extremely quiet, while the 4-stop stabilizer helps to ensure sharp handheld shots at relatively slow shutter speeds. At around two-thirds the price of the Canon lens, it’s a great buy.
The best standard zoom lens for Canon APS-C cameras
Our expert review:
Specifications
Mount: Canon EF-S
Elements/groups: 19/12
Diaphragm blades: 7
Autofocus: Ultrasonic (ring-type)
Stabilizer: 3-stops
Minimum focus distance: 0.35m
Maximum magnification: 0.17x
Filter thread: 77mm
Dimensions (WxL): 83.5x110.6mm
Weight: 645g
Reasons to buy
+
Good zoom range for APS-C cameras for portraits and street photography
+
Fast autofocus
+
Wide aperture for low light
Reasons to avoid
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Big and heavy for an EF-S lens
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Relatively pricey and the hood is sold separately
Our reviewer described this as the nearest thing to a pro EF-S zoom lens. It boasts a suitably wide f/2.8 aperture and fast, accurate autofocus, and our testing showed that sharpness and contrast remained good even at the widest aperture, which satisfyingly smooth bokeh. We also found that barrel distortion was well controlled at the short end, and colour fringing was minimal.
We found the focal length to be good for EF-S mount APS-C cameras, providing a handy range for portraits and street photography, although a little more width would be preferable for landscapes (see below for that).
The lens is quite heavy and relatively expensive for an EF-S lens, but we found that the weight gives it a reassuring solidity without it feeling unbalanced even on smaller Canon APS-C DSLRs. There are the usual drawbacks that come with non L lenses: no weather sealing, and you'll have to buy the lens hood separately if you want one.
The 1.6x crop factor of Canon’s APS-C cameras is quite limiting at the wide-angle end of the zoom range, so a regular kit lens that offers a widest focal length of 18mm gives an ‘effective’ 28.8mm focal length in full-frame terms, which really isn’t that ‘wide’.
Tamron makes some great lenses that cost less than Canon equivalents. Our reviewer was impressed with the optics on this wide-angle zoom, as well as the 4-stop Vibration Compensation stabilization and the High/Low toque-modulated Drive autofocus. Handling was responsive as the focus ring no longer rotates during autofocus and enables full-time manual override. There are weather seals and a fluorine coating on the front element to repel moisture and aid cleaning. We were pleased with the image quality is very good and, while it's not the cheapest ultra-wide angle zoom for Canon EF-S DSLRs, we think it's the best choice if you can afford it.
The Laowa 100mm macro is a manual focus lens designed for very close-up macro photography, with two times magnification, you can get closer than the other macro lenses on this list, although this is at the cost of losing autofocus abilities.
The 100mm focal length is slightly longer than the 'normal' 90mm macro distance, but we find this works in its favor by getting slightly closer to the subject. The lens offers great sharpness rivaling the best lenses, with good bokeh and a solid metal build. It is available in EF and RF mount, however, the RF is considerably longer to make up for the shorter distance between the sensor and the lens due to the lack of a mirror.
Finally, this is our choice for the best Canon lens for APS-C cameras if you're doing macro photography. Like many of the later EF-S designs, it features a stepping motor autofocus system with an electronically coupled focus ring. The hybrid image stabilization is inherited from Canon’s range-topping 100mm L-series lens and is able to correct x-y shift as well as vibration, making it more effective for close-up shooting.
At the minimum focus distance, however, the front of the lens comes to just 3cm from the subject and can block ambient light. To compensate, there’s a built-in LED ‘Macro Lite’, with two brightness levels and the option to use both sides or just the left or right. Sadly, it’s not very bright, though, so even at full power and at the closest shooting distance you’ll need a slow shutter speed of about 1/15th of a second at f/8 (ISO 200). We found this to be an interesting and affordable lens for experimenting, but serious close-up fans would probably go for a lens with a longer focal length. See our Canon EF-S 35mm f/2.8 Macro IS STM review for more.
The best Canon DSLR lenses will depend on your budget and the type of photography you do and what camera you have. In the guide above, we've picked out the best Canon lenses and third-party lenses for Canon EF and EF-S mount in different focal lengths and for different budgets based on our own reviews and testing.
For many photographers, a good telephoto zoom lens is the first extra lens they buy because it gives them that extra reach that most kit lenses aren't capable of. That's why we've placed the excellent value Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 at the top of our guide. If you're doing wildlife photography or sports, chances are you'll want still more reach, especially if you're using a full-frame camera. For that, we think the best option is the Sigma, 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM, which is great value compared to Canon's own super-telephoto zooms (see our full guide to the best Canon telephoto lenses for more options).
When shooting portraits, you generally want to lift people from their surroundings and make them the centre of attention. That can be hard to achieve if you’re shooting against a detailed or cluttered background. A lens with a medium to long focal length and a ‘fast’ aperture of f/1.4 or f/1.8 can solve the problem. With a tight depth of field, it’ll enable you to throw the background out of focus and make people stand out from their environment. The Canon EF 85mm f/1.4L IS USM does the job spectacularly well here. Those with APS-C cameras might prefer the classic nifty-fifty.
Standard zoom lenses are versatile pieces of glass, but if you're keen on shooting landscape or architectural photography, then you might want to consider investing in a wide-angle zoom.
Can you use other brand lenses on a Canon?
Yes. At least for Canon DSLRs, several third-party manufacturers make lenses that fit EF and EF-S mounts, and some of them are very good. Sigma and Tamron are big lens brands that make optics for Canon DSLRs, and in some cases they are sharper or better value than Canon's own optics. We have chosen several third-party lenses in our guide above.
Are Canon or Sigma lenses better?
In terms of image quality, both manufacturers produce excellent lenses. Canon's top-tier optics are its L-series lenses, which have the iconic red ring around the end of the lens, while many people consider Sigma's Art line, generally possessing faster apertures, to be the most desirable.
For build quality, again, Canon's L-series of lenses are professional quality – they possess weather sealing and are of robust construction. Sigma also offers weather-sealed lenses, so the 'best' lenses are the ones that suit your budget and shooting requirements. We have included Sigma and other third party lenses in this guide where we think the Sigma lens offers better value than Canon's nearest equivalent.
What is the best Canon lens for shallow depth of field?
Shallow depth of field is achieved by three factors: the size of the image sensor, the focal length of the lens, and the widest (or fastest) aperture of the lens.
That being the case, we would be looking at full frame lenses with the longest focal length and fastest aperture. Depending on the use case, this could include the Canon EF 50mm f/1.2, the Canon EF 85mm f/1.2, the Canon EF 300mm f/2.8 and the Canon EF 600mm f/4.
Are EF and EF-S lenses interchangeable?
Both EF and EF-S lenses can be used on Canon APS-C cameras, but only EF lenses can be used on Canon full-frame DSLRs. It's also important that you consider which type of camera you have when choosing the focal length of a lens. The crop sensor on APS-C cameras provides a narrower field of view. This means that to get an ultrawide effect on an APS-C camera, you'll need a shorter focal length than you would on a full-frame. Meanwhile, a 55-250mm zoom on a crop-sensor camera may give a field of view comparable to around 88-400mm on a full-frame camera.
Does Canon still make EF and EF-S lenses?
For the moment Canon is still making and selling many of the most popular lenses for its DSLRs, but it has also discontinued a good number too. That means that some Canon DSLR lenses are now only available secondhand or renewed.
Our team of writers has reviewed and tested all of the Canon DSLR lenses included in this guide both through standardised lab tests and by using them in real-world conditions for different uses. We find the combination of lab and real-world testing works best, as each reveals different qualities and characteristics of the lens.
Our lab tests are carried out in scientifically controlled conditions using the Imatest testing suite – analysis software that measures resolution in line widths/picture height, a measurement widely used in lens and camera testing.
To choose the best Canon EF and EF-S lenses to include in this guide, we considered our lab test results and our hands-on reviews. We also considered what each lens is useful for to provide recommendations for different needs. We also factored in value to make recommendations for photographers on different budgets. You can read more about how we test.
Joe is a regular freelance journalist and editor at our sister publication Creative Bloq, where he writes news, features and buying guides on a range of subjects including AI image generation, logo design and new technology. A writer and translator, he worked as a project manager for at Buenos Aires-based design and branding agency Hermana Creatives, where he oversaw photography and video production projects in the hospitality sector. When he isn't learning exploring new developments in AI image creation, he's out snapping wildlife with a Canon EOS R5 or dancing tango.
