The best Canon lenses for DSLRs in 2024: go longer, wider and closer

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).

If you're looking for glass for a specific Canon EOS DSLR camera, we have guides to the best lenses for Canon EOS 5D Mark IV, the best lenses for Canon EOS 90D & EOS 80D, and the best lenses for Canon EOS Rebel T6 and T7.

The Quick List

James Artaius, Digital Camera World editor
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 MagazinePhotoPlus: The Canon MagazineN-Photo: The Nikon MagazineDigital 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

Why you can trust Digital Camera World Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out how we test.

The best Canon telephoto zoom

(Image credit: Canon)
The best Canon telephoto zoom lens for EF and EF-S

Specifications

Mount: Canon EF
Diaphragm blades: 9
Autofocus: Nano USM
Stabilizer: 4-stops
Minimum focus distance: 1.2m
Maximum magnification: 0.25x
Filter thread: 67mm
Dimensions (WxL): 80x146mm
Weight: 710g

Reasons to buy

+
Impressive image quality
+
Super-fast AF system

Reasons to avoid

-
Hood is an expensive ‘optional extra’
-
No weather-seals

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.

Read our hands-on Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS II USM review for more details.

The best super-telephoto zoom

(Image credit: Future)
The best Canon EF super-telephoto zoom lens

Specifications

Mount: Canon EF
Diaphragm blades: 9
Autofocus: Ultrasonic (ring-type)
Stabilizer: 4-stops
Minimum focus distance: 2.8m
Maximum magnification: 0.2x
Filter thread: 95mm
Dimensions (WxL): 105x260mm
Weight: 1,930g

Reasons to buy

+
Manageable size and weight
+
Smart image quality and features

Reasons to avoid

-
Not as sharp as ‘Sports’ edition
-
Not fully weather-sealed

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. 

See our full Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM | C review for more details.

The best wide-angle zoom

(Image credit: Future)
The best Canon lens for landscape on full-frame DSLRs

Specifications

Mount: Canon EF
Elements/groups: 17/11
Diaphragm blades: 9
Autofocus: Ultrasonic (ring-type)
Stabilizer: None
Minimum focus distance: 0.26m
Maximum magnification: 0.19x
Filter thread: None
Dimensions (WxL): 96x135mm
Weight: 1,150g

Reasons to buy

+
Epic image quality 
+
Superb build quality and handling

Reasons to avoid

-
No filter thread (it's too 'wide')
-
Canon’s 11-24mm wider still

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).

Read our full Sigma 14-24mm f/2.8 DG HSM review for more on our experience with this lens, or see our guide to the best Canon wide-angle zooms for more options.

The best Canon lens for portraits

(Image credit: Canon)
A fast aperture plus image stabilization make this a great EF lens for portraits

Specifications

Mount: Canon EF
Elements/groups: 14/10
Diaphragm blades: 9
Autofocus: Ultrasonic (ring-type)
Stabilizer: 4-stops
Minimum focus distance: 0.85m
Maximum magnification: 0.12x
Filter thread: 77mm
Dimensions (WxL): 89x105mm
Weight: 950g

Reasons to buy

+
Beautiful image quality
+
4-stop stabilizer in an f/1.4 lens

Reasons to avoid

-
Very expensive for an 85mm f/1.4
-
Quite weighty at nearly a kilogram

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.

See our in-depth Canon EF 85mm f/1.4L IS USM review for more details.

The best cheap Canon lens for DSLRs

(Image credit: Future)
An excellent budget Canon lens for portraits and low-light

Specifications

Mount: Canon EF
Elements/groups: 6/5
Diaphragm blades: 7
Autofocus: Stepping motor
Stabilizer: None
Minimum focus distance: 0.35m
Maximum magnification: 0.21x
Filter thread: 49mm
Dimensions (WxL): 69x39mm
Weight: 160g

Reasons to buy

+
Compact and lightweight
+
Inexpensive to buy

Reasons to avoid

-
Hood is sold separately
-
No image stabilization

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.

Read our full Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM review to see our test results. See more options in our guide to the best Canon portrait lenses.

The best Canon lens for macro

(Image credit: Tamron)

6. Tamron SP 90mm f/2.8 Di VC USD Macro

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 best zoom for Canon full-frame cameras

(Image credit: Future)
The best EF zoom lens

Specifications

Mount: Canon EF
Elements/groups: 19/14
Diaphragm blades: 9
Autofocus: Ultrasonic (ring-type)
Stabilizer: 4-stops
Minimum focus distance: 0.37m
Maximum magnification: 0.21x
Filter thread: 82mm
Dimensions (WxL): 88x108mm
Weight: 1,020g

Reasons to buy

+
Fabulous image quality
+
Pro-grade build and handling

Reasons to avoid

-
Large 82mm filter thread
-
Heavy, at just over a kilogram

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.

Read our full Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM review.

The best APS-C zoom Canon lens

(Image credit: Future)

8. Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM

The best standard zoom lens for Canon APS-C cameras

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

-
Big and heavy for an EF-S lens
-
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.

See our full Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM review for more details.

The best APS-C wide-angle zoom

(Image credit: Future)
Extra reach for landscape photography on Canon APS-C cameras

Specifications

Mount: Canon EF-S
Elements/groups: 15/12
Diaphragm blades: 7
Autofocus: HLD (High/Low toque-modulated Drive)
Stabilizer: 4-stops
Minimum focus distance: 0.24m
Maximum magnification: 0.19x
Filter thread: 77mm
Dimensions (WxL): 84x85mm
Weight: 440g

Reasons to buy

+
Impressive performance
+
4-stop image stabilizer
+
Weather-seals and fluorine coating

Reasons to avoid

-
Expensive compared to Canon 10-18mm

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. 

Read our Tamron 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 Di II VC HLD review for our full opinion.

Best 2x macro lens for Canon

(Image credit: Laowa)
Sharp 2x magnification but you'll need to focus manually

Specifications

Mount: Canon EF / RF
Elements/groups: 11/9
Diaphragm blades: 9
Autofocus: Manual
Minimum focus distance: 0.25m
Maximum magnification: 2:1
Filter thread: 67mm
Dimensions (WxL): 72mm×125mm (EF) 72mm×155mm (RF)
Weight: 638g (EF) 650g (RF)

Reasons to buy

+
2x magnification
+
Sharp optics with good build quality

Reasons to avoid

-
Manual focus only
-
A very physically long lens

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.

See our Laowa 100mm f/2.8 2x Ultra Macro review for more details.

The best Canon lens for macro on APS-C

(Image credit: Canon)
The best EF-S lens for close-up macro shooting

Specifications

Mount: Canon EF-S
Elements/groups: 10/6
Diaphragm blades: 7
Autofocus: Stepping motor
Stabilizer: 4-stops
Minimum focus distance: 0.13m
Maximum magnification: 1.0x
Filter thread: 49mm
Dimensions (WxL): 69x56mm
Weight: 190g

Reasons to buy

+
Built-in LED lamp
+
Hybrid image stabiliser

Reasons to avoid

-
Short working distance for close-ups
-
LED could be brighter

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.

How to choose the best Canon lens

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.

How we test Canon lenses

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.

Joseph Foley

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.

With contributions from