Over the years Canon has produced a number of lenses with built-in teleconverters, but so far the RF mount has been left out of Canon's plans. This looks set to change with the first credible rumors of a new Canon RF 200-500mm f/4 lens with a built-in 1.4x converter potentially in the pipeline.

Canon already has two optional RF mount teleconverters, the Extender RF 2x and Extender RF 1.4x, which can be used with the majority of Canon's pro zoom and prime lenses – at the sacrifice of 1 to 2 f-stops. But for professional sports and wildlife photographers, the ease of a built-in converter is hard to beat.

Of course, with an f/4 aperture (likely to be f/5.6 when the 1.4x teleconverter is engaged), the lens is likely to be a lot bigger than Canon's current lineup of telephoto zooms.

And, if the EF version of the Canon EF 100-400mm f/4L IS USM 1.4x Extender was any precedent, it's likely to be a lot more expensive as well. That EF lens cost a cool $11,099, which likely puts a new RF 200-500mm f/4 firmly out of reach for most photographers.

However, Canon already has a couple of great options for wildlife shooters without such deep pockets. The Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM has a lower aperture, especially when paired with the 1.4x Extender, but at $2,899 is a much more viable option.

If you want to forget all about teleconverters for a second then there is Canon's newest superzoom, the Canon RF 200-800mm f/6.3-9 IS USM for $1,899, which I tested this year and was taken by surprise at just how good the photos were from a lens of this price and zoom range.

Sources place the lens coming out around November 2024, which would also perfectly coincide with the launch of the Canon EOS R1, which despite being announced a few months ago is taking its time getting into stores – and these two would make perfect companions.

Find out more about the best lens for sports or the best lenses for bird photography and wildlife in our guides. Or if you need a camera, check out the best camera for sports photography.

Meike has announced a new accessibly-priced prime lens for full-frame Sony E-mount, Nikon Z-mount, and L-mount cameras. The Meike 35mm F2.0 has an optical stack comprised of 11 elements in 9 groups, a minimum focus distance of 0.45m, and can be fitted with 58mm filters.

Read more:
The best Sony lenses
The best Nikon Z lenses
The best L-mount lenses

The 35mm focal length equates to a 64-degree diagonal angle of view on a full-frame camera, and 44.2 degrees when fitted to an APS-C body. The lens has a diameter of 73mm and is 90-93mm long, depending on mount option, and it's also reasonably light weight at 298g for the E-mount version.

But the standout feature of the Meike 35mm F2.0 is that, despite its low $199.99 price tag, the lens features autofocus, courtesy of a stepping motor system. Traditionally, cheap primes like this have been 'dumb' lenses, with no electronic communication between the lens and host body and were therefore manual focus-only. But with the 35mm F2.0, Meike is following some recent Viltrox and 7Artisans prime lenses by producing a fully-featured optic that should operate much closer to an equivalent lens from the likes of Sony, Nikon or Sigma.

The Meike 35mm F2.0 is available now, priced at $199.99 / £149.99 / AU $289

The cheap, auto-focus mirrorless lens arms race continues with the release of the 7Artisans 85mm f/1.8 for Z, a full-frame lens for Nikon Z cameras that's available for order now and is priced at $299 / £229. This plucky little prime was previously available in Sony E mount and comes hot on the heels of the TTArtisans AF 75mm f/2, another budget contender for the best Nikon portrait lenses available.

You can have the best camera for portraits, but if you don't have a lens with a suitable focal length, you're going to struggle. Many portrait photographers consider an 85mm the go-to focal length for people pics, making this affordable prime an attractive prospect for portrait photographers on a budget.

7Artisans' mid-telephoto prime is constructed from 10 elements in seven groups. It includes a pair of extra-low dispersion lenses and two high-refractive lenses to help mitigate distortions and deliver better image quality. 

The lens is built from metal and is a little heavier than the Sony E-mount variant (437.5g), weighing in at 452g. But it's still lighter than the Nikon Z 85mm f/1.8 S at 470g. It's a hair smaller than the Nikon optic, too, with a diameter of 72mm (2.83in) and length of 98mm (3.85), compared to the Nikon's 75mm (2.95in) and 99mm (3.89in).

Autofocus is controlled via a stepping motor, for smoother and quieter focusing, which should make it more suitable for video. A feature that's indicative of more premium optics is the presence of a customizable Fn button for easier operation. You'll also find a USB-C input on the rear of the lens for installing firmware updates. 

The lens has a close focusing distance of 0.8m, which is roughly what you'd expect and takes 62mm filters. A nice feature is the presence of an 11-bladed diaphragm. When paired with that fast f/1.8 aperture, it should realize nice, big circular discs of bokeh. 

You may also be interested in our guides to the best Nikon camera or the best Sony camera.

Want to talk workhorses? The Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II USM was launched in 2010 – and it's still an absolute telephoto monster in 2024. 

And that's no small feat – not just because the Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II USM is almost a decade and a half old, but also because it's been replaced by two newer versions of the lens. 

Let's be clear: there's no doubt that 2018's Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L IS III USM, and especially 2021's Canon RF 400mm f/2.8L IS USM mirrorless evolution, are astounding optics. However, they also came with astounding price tags; the RF version, for instance, carries a $11,999 / £12,449 / AU$21,999 asking price.  

But here's the thing with Canon's top-class glass: it ages like fine wine. And that L-series red ring doesn't disappear just because a few years have passed. 

The Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II USM remains a ferocious performer. It packs four stops of image stabilization, with three different modes, which is rock solid when paired with a modern body like the EOS R5 Mark II or even the EOS R7 – where the 1.6x crop factor turns this into an enviable 640mm lens. 

The premium Subwavelength coating suppresses the internal reflections that cause ghosting and flare, the autofocus speed is still as quick as a hiccup, and most importantly the image quality is still pin sharp and utterly superb.

Perhaps most importantly, though, is the price. While fine wine tends to get more expensive as it matures, the introduction of newer lenses means that great glass only becomes more affordable.

The Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II USM is frequently available at about $5,500 in the USA – making it a very appealing alternative to its replacements, even the cutting-edge RF version. 

So if you're in the market for a top tier telephoto lens, yes, don't overlook this golden oldie. It's every bit as good now as it ever was… and much friendlier on your bank balance! 

You might be interested in the best Canon telephoto lenses – which covers some of the best Canon lenses for DSLRs and the best Canon RF lenses for mirrorless cameras. 

The Zeiss Milvus 15mm f/2.8 follows suit with various other families of Zeiss lenses, like the Batis and Loxia (for Sony E-mount cameras), in that it’s named after a bird. This time around, instead of being a sub-Saharan flycatcher or a stocky finch, Milvus takes its name from the red kite, a bird of prey. That sounds like a more high-performance and impressive deal from the get-go. It’s worth bearing in mind though that, in my neck of the woods, the red kite went extinct for about 100 years before being so successfully being reintroduced to the UK. I have to wonder if the writing is also on the wall for DSLR lenses, with so much of the world going mirrorless. Either way, the Milvus 15mm ultra-wide-angle, full-frame compatible lens is still available in ZE and ZF.2 options, for Canon and Nikon DSLRs respectively. In fact, these manual-focus lenses arguably work even better on Canon and Nikon mirrorless cameras via the respective companies’ mount adapters, where focusing aids like magnified preview and focus peaking come into play.

Specifications

Key features

This Zeiss Milvus lens has two key features as far as I’m concerned. First is its ultra-wide 15mm focal length, delivering a mighty 100-degree viewing angle. As an ultra-wide lens, it’s great for sweeping landscape vistas, cityscapes, architectural interiors and simply for exaggerating the perspective between foreground and background areas of a scene. Indeed, with a short minimum focus distance of just 0.25m (9cm or 3.5 inches from the front of the lens), you certainly can get in close.

The second major attraction is the fairly fast f/2.8 aperture rating. That comes in useful for maintaining quick shutter speeds for freezing motion even under dull lighting conditions, as well as enabling a fairly tight depth of field if needed, when shooting extreme close-ups. It also adds astrophotography to the remit of the lens.

A glaring omission from the feature set, at least for many digital photographers, is that there’s no autofocus. Many of us have come to rely almost entirely on autofocus since the 1970s, and the lack of it can seem a real challenge. But hang on a minute. At regular focus distance and medium aperture settings, the depth of field of a 15mm lens is huge, so ultra-precise, pinpoint focusing is largely unnecessary. As it turns out, the long throw of 119 degrees for the focus control ring enables very fine adjustments, and the silky-smooth action gives a really fluid feel.

And there’s more. The long throw of the focus ring enables a genuinely useful focus distance scale, complete with depth of field markers for all full f/stop intervals from f/2.8 right through to f/22. This enables effective ‘zone focusing’, so you can set the near and far limits covered by the depth of field for any focus distance and aperture combination. On top of that, while there’s no split screen or microprism in the viewfinders of DSLRs, there’s a focus confirmation lamp in Canon cameras and the additional benefit of focus direction lamps in Nikon cameras. Those are enabled thanks to the lens having an integral CPU and full electronic communication with the host camera body.

All in all, the lack of autofocus needn’t be a deal-breaker. And if you use an EOS R-system or Nikon Z-system mirrorless camera, the lens is fully compatible via EF-EOS R and FTZ mount adapters respectively. A bonus in both cases is that you can take advantage of magnified preview in the viewfinder or rear screen, and the option of focus peaking to help with accurate focusing.

Many ultra-wide-angle lenses have an integral hood that precludes the easy use of filters. I like that the Milvus 15mm has separate petal-shaped, bayonet-fit hood, enabling the inclusion of a filter attachment thread. A downside, however, is that the filter thread is unusually large at 95mm.

A bonus for video shooting, at least with the Nikon F-mount version of the lens, is that the aperture ring comes complete with a click/de-click option. That’s sadly lacking in the Canon edition. Both versions of the lens are epically well built, with an black anodized metal barrel and comprehensive weather-seals. And unlike many ‘metal lenses’, this one has a rubberized focus control ring which feels more tactile and less cold to the touch in chilly weather.

Performance

The lens is designed on classic Zeiss Distagon principles. As such, it has a retrofocus design that aims for optical excellence right out to the edges of the image frame, with effective correction of aberrations and very low field curvature. The complex optical path contains 15 elements which include two aspherical elements and five low dispersion elements, the latter to boost sharpness and clarity while reducing color fringing. Zeiss’s legendary T* Anti-Reflective Coating is applied to minimize ghosting and flare, and to boost contrast. To further this, the edges of all the optical elements are manually coated with pitch-black lacquer light traps are built into mechanical components to combat internal reflections.

Center-sharpness is excellent, even when shooting wide-open at f/2.8. As I’d expect, it pays to stop down to apertures of between f/5.6 and f/11 for enhancing sharpness towards the extreme edges and corners of the frame.

Lab results

We run a range of lab tests under controlled conditions, using the Imatest Master testing suite. Photos of test charts are taken across the range of apertures and zooms (where available), then analyzed for sharpness, distortion and chromatic aberrations.

We use Imatest SFR (spatial frequency response) charts and analysis software to plot lens resolution at the center of the image frame, corners and mid-point distances, across the range of aperture settings and, with zoom lenses, at four different focal lengths. The tests also measure distortion and color fringing (chromatic aberration).

Sharpness:

Surprisingly, the lens delivers its best center-sharpness at the very widest aperture of f/2.8, but it remains excellent all the way down to f/11. Edge/corner-sharpness comes on song at f/5.6 and remains impressive through to f/11.

Fringing:

There’s only minimal color fringing across most of the image frame, throughout the entire aperture range. It can be a little visible towards the extreme edges and corners of the frame but is still very well controlled.

Distortion: -2.15

Barrel distortion is of a low order for such an ultra-wide-angle lens. For critical scenarios, like in architectural photography, the uniform nature of the distortion makes it easy to correct at the editing stage.

Verdict

I feel that sometimes bigger really is better, and the Zeiss Milvus 15mm F2.8 certainly delivers in terms of an oversized viewing angle. I love the way it can shoehorn vast landscape vistas into the image frame and that it works similarly well for architectural interiors and even for astrophotography. Build quality, handling and performance are all exceptional but it lacks autofocus and comes at a very steep purchase price.

• Other Zeiss Milvus lens reviews
• Zeiss Milvus 35mm f/2 review
• Zeiss Milvus 50mm f/1.4 ZE review
• Zeiss Milvus 18mm f/2.8 review
• Zeiss Milvus 21mm f/2.8 review

Canon has just dropped a bombshell on the world of cinema cameras with the Canon EOS C400 – its first full-frame RF mount cine camera, offering 12-bit 6K 60p, triple-base ISO (yes, really), Dual Pixel CMOS Autofocus II and support for 180° VR video.

Fascinatingly, the Canon EOS C400 was first rumored a decade ago as a new model to sit alongside the C300 Mark III and C500 Mark II. While it technically sits below the C500 series, its specs are definitely streaks ahead of its older brother. 

Canon EOS C400 specs

The EOS C400 features a newly developed, back-side illuminated, full-frame 6K sensor. It's capable of RAW recording up to 6K 60p, 4K 120fps and 2K 180fps in Canon's 12-bit Cinema RAW Light format. 

It also offers Canon's own XF-AVC codec for uncropped 10-bit 4:2:2 capture up to 120p, oversampled from 6K, along with two new codecs: XF-AVC S and XF-HEVC S (with an "easy-to-manage naming system and folder structure, while recording in the familiar MP4 format and preserving metadata").

Recording options aside, arguably the sensor's most amazing trick is the introduction of triple-base ISO – leapfrogging the conventional dual-native ISO technology seen in other video-oriented cameras. 

This enables the C400 to shoot at base ISOs of 800, 3200 and 12800 to offer an incredible dynamic range spectrum. 

With a full-fat CFexpress Type B slot and a standard SD card slot, the C400 enables you to record in RAW to the former while offering sub-recording and proxy options to the latter.

The 12-pin connection offered by the RF mount (the EF mount only had 8 pins) enables the Canon EOS C400 to take full advantage of broadcast and Cine-Servo lenses. 

It also boasts a full-size HDMI port, mini-XLR inputs, DIN connectors (for timecode, genlock and return video), 12G-SDI and 3G-SDI monitor outputs, ethernet connection and a variety of other in and output interfaces.

The camera also features integrated Wi-Fi connectivity along with support for video and audio IP streaming via SRT. Remote control is available via Canon's RC-IP100 or RC-IP1000 controllers, the Canon Multi-Camera Control app or browser remotes. 

All this signifies the company's full weight being thrown behind the RF mount when it comes to cinema cameras, following the baby steps taken by the Super35 EOS C70 and hybrid EOS R5 C. It's a brave but necessary step, moving away from the industry standard EF mount. 

The Canon EOS C400 will be available in September for $7,999 / £7,799 / AU$13,500 . Unlike other Cinema EOS cameras, which have been offered in PL mount, a dedicated PL to RF lens adapter is going to be sold for $1,599 / AU$2,600.

You might be interested in the best Canon cameras across all categories, including some of the best DSLRs and best mirrorless cameras.

Photography enthusiasts will have heard the sad, yet potentially not overdue, news recently about the discontinuation of the Sigma APO 200-500mm f/2.8 EX DG, also affectionately known as 'The Bigma’.

Launched back in 2008, the gigantic lens weighs in at 15.7kg / 34.6lb, with a 200mm+ diameter for the majority of the barrel. With its dark green paint job, it looks more like a piece of military equipment than a camera accessory. 

At a whopping $26,000 (£20,450), only a limited few have ever seen this lens in action, so imagine our surprise when photographer Tom Calton decided to attach 'The Bigma’ to the tiny Panasonic Lumix GM1. 

The Sigma lens was sold in Canon EF, Nikon F, and Sigma SA mounts. The Lumix is a Micro Four Thirds camera, so using a Metabones speed booster to connect the camera to the lens allowed the camera to maintain full autofocus functionality, and we spoke to him about the process and, more importantly, the results. 

“I’ve made videos about 'The Bigma’ in the past and they’ve always drawn an audience, mainly because it’s absolutely ginormous, but also because it’s a pretty rare lens,” Calton told Digital Camera World, “I had a feeling this might be something people would be curious to see.”

As well as its unique size, the Sigma APO 200-500mm f/2.8 EX DG was the first telephoto zoom lens to provide an aperture of F2.8 at the 500mm focal length.

The lens is so large it even needs its own battery-powered motor to control the zoom and autofocus, which sounds like a small plane taking off when in use.

What started off as a fun experiment actually produced some pretty nice results.

“Shooting at 500mm with an aperture of f/2.8 gives a pretty unique look to your images and it's certainly something I like,” said Calton, “However, trying to focus was an absolute nightmare as all of the tech involved is pretty old now and also not really designed to be used in combination, so I came away with way more out of focus shots than I did sharp ones. But that's all part of the challenge I guess!”

Check out our guide to the best portrait lenses on the market that you can actually pick up. 

If your looking for the best micro four thirds cameras, or the best compact cameras, we've also got you covered. 

Freefly produces high-speed cameras to capture slow-motion footage, and has been known for its E-mount cameras. They have just announced the new Ember 2.5K camera, at NAB 2024, with a Canon EF mount which shoots at up to 2,900fps.

By 'active', Freefly means that the mount has electronics that allow the camera to talk with and control the Canon EF mount electronics through the camera body (or the camera's remote controls).

This is especially interesting because Freefly originally produced its 5K Ember camera with an Sony E-mount, but according to the company's own frank video, Sony has asked them to cease doing so. They have done that and switched to Canon EF compatibility, and clearly done all the necessary work to support Canon in a way convenient to users. 

It sounds like there will be no more new Sony E-mount cameras from Freefly (the B&H page for the Freefly Ember 5K says 'temporarily out of stock'). In the long run, it also begs questions about other Freefly Sony-linked products, like the Astro drone camera platform 

Freefly says their mission is nothing less than creating the “smallest, easiest, most fun to use high-speed imaging system,” and the S2.5K might sound like lower resolution than its predecessor the S5K – because it is – but in this game that isn't necessarily a bad thing. The reduction and crop help in pushing up the frame rates; at 2.5K the device can shoot in 2277fps, while 2K is the 2,900fps (it'll even go to 3,563 with a less broadcast-friendly crop).

The camera boasts a new high-endurance 2.56TB pSLC SSD built right into the camera – all those frames make for a lot of data! The drive also enables pre- and post-recording until it's full, a handy feature.

This launch video (above) shows off the slow-motion capabilities of the Ember 2.5K

Freefly sees its customers likely to be scientists and industrial testers (think crash test dummies, defense testing, and the like), rather than filmmakers. Both the Ember S2.5K and the Ember S5K can be operated using an iPhone, iPad, or Mac app that can also be used as a monitor. A new feature will be 'amplify', to signal process at certain frequencies.

A firmware update for the S5K will also be available on May 1, offering the new crops and frame rates in monochrome only. The update will also bring stabilization options that use the camera's inertial measurement unit.

The Ember S2.5K is already available for order, and will ship in May, at $24,995 from Freefly Systems.

Check our guide for best slow motion cameras for some more consumer-friendly options!

The Irix 65mm T1.5 Cine is the company’s cine lens, coming soon for Canon EF and RF, PL, Sony FE, Nikon Z, Micro Four Thirds, Fujifilm X and L Mount. 

It is compatible with majority of cine accessories, both manual and motorized, and the design ensures that a change of focus distance has no influence on the lens’ length or front element rotation.

Crucial markings are engraved and filled with UV-reactive paint, making them better visible in low light, and up to eight times more visible than standard paint under UV light, making it perfect for shooting in challenging conditions. The weather-sealed construction provides protection from dust and moisture.

The lens is equipped with 11 rounded aperture blades, to offer extraordinary image quality over the entire frame with smooth bokeh, and its low-distortion optical design enables super-panoramic film shots with a rectilinear image. 

There’s an 86mm thread, but the lens also comes with a Magnetic Mount System for rapid attachment of accessories and filter placement. 

This latest Irix Cine lens means the brand now has most common focal lengths covered, covering 11mm to 150mm, with the same color reproduction, weight and location of gears across the range.

The Irix 65mm T1.5 Cine lens retails for approximately $1,300 / £1,050 / AU$1,980 and is available direct from the Irix store. 

See it at The Photography & Video Show on stand B601

The Photography & Video Show 2024 : everything to know

I've just learned that the Canon EOS 6D Mark II has been discontinued. It's still being sold while stocks last, but it's no longer being manufactured – though its spirit lives on in its 6-series successors, the Canon EOS R6 and R6 Mark II. 

DSLRs have been being discontinued for years, of course, but this one hits me harder than most, because the 6D Mark II was my favorite DSLR ever made. 

There were better DSLRs, of course, arguably including the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV – which was the contemporary sibling at the time. However, when it came to put down cold hard cash, the 6D II was the camera I chose – it may not have been the "better camera", but it was the better camera for me.

It was 2018 and I'd just been offered a job on one of DCW's sister print publications, PhotoPlus – The Canon Magazine. While I'd been a Canon user for years (my first ever camera was the Canon AE-1) I had been shooting professionally with Olympus kit. So, when I got the PhotoPlus job, I rewarded myself by buying a full-frame Canon camera. 

Coming back to DSLRs from the mirrorless world was a strange move, but the 6D Mark II was ahead of its time for a mirrored camera in that it was basically a hybrid camera before the term was widely used. 

It was small for a full-frame camera, and hit the resolution sweet spot that made it great for everyday workhorse photography and crisp, versatile video footage. No, it didn't shoot 4K, but in 2018 I didn't need 4K – though I did need the fully articulating screen, which is something the 5D lacked and that I wasn't willing to compromise on for stills or video. 

While the 26MP resolution was quite conservative, even back then, the resolution was less important to me than the full-frame sensor that would unlock dreamy depth of field and that "cinematic look" that everyone loves so much. It also opened up the rich EF ecosystem of lenses to complement my stash of Canon FD lenses. Again, the 6D Mark II being a hybrid camera made it a gateway drug to the world of EF cine lenses, too

That camera saw me through a lot of professional jobs, magazine spreads and personal projects as well. I ultimately sold it to fund cameras like the Canon EOS R5, but it was a significant part of my photographic journey. 

So, raise a glass with me to the brilliant 6D Mark II – and keep an eye out for Canon EOS 6D Mark II deals, because this is still a fantastic camera with a lot to offer, and there are going to be some irresistible offers as retailers clear their inventory. 

Take a look at the best DSLRs (which includes some of the best Canon cameras), and see where things stand in the ongoing DSLR vs mirrorless vs mirrorless cameras debate.

The Canon EOS R5 is a hugely popular and successful mirrorless full-frame that excels in both stills and video shooting. That said, excellent though the EOS R5 is, it’s fair to say that it is arguably better at still capturing than video where its tendency to over-heat compromised its appeal.

Using the Canon EOS R5 as a starting point, Canon has packed it with video features without compromising its stills skills, although it has lost its very effective five-axis in-body image stabilizer. The most obvious physical change is the body’s left side is much deeper to allow the space to install permanent cooling fan and vents which, in theory, means the camera has the ability to shoot 8K video until the battery dies or the media is full without any overheating issues.

The EOS R5 C is the result, making it the smallest, most compact camera in Canon’s Cinema range, which includes the EOS C70 ($5,499 / £4459 body only) at the budget end of the range and the EOS C700 FF and C500 Mark II at the top end. 

In effect, the EOS R5 C is two very powerful cameras in one. For stills, you can enjoy its 45-megapixel output, high ISO performance, exceptional AF skills, and the ability to shoot full-res Raws at 20fps with the electronic shutter. 

Its headline video features include its ability to record 8K video at 30p (60p with a compatible external power supply) with three 12-bit Cinema Raw Light footage options internally but also MP4 for usable out-of-camera footage, XF-AVC with 10-bit 4:2:2 files and oversampled 4K at 120fps. 

Being equipped with the EOS RF mount means the EOS R5 C can accept a growing collection of RF lenses and a massive range of EOS EF and Cinema lenses via an adapter.

Although the EOS R5 C does not have IBIS it does have the same Advanced Five-axis Electronic IS found in the pro Cinema EOS cameras for stable, smooth hand-held footage and this facility is also available with non-stabilized Cinema lenses.

Finally, Canon released a firmware update (v1.0.61) in December 2023 with extra features including compatibility with RF Mount Cinema prime lenses and the recently introduced RF 24-105mm f/2.8. 

Canon EOS R5 C: Specifications

Canon EOS R5 C: Design & Handling

Given the EOS R5 C’s design heritage, it’s no surprise that it handles very similarly to the EOS R5 especially the right side of the body. The magnesium alloy body itself has a robust, reassuring feel and it’s weather-sealed to a pro standard. 

The contoured handgrip provides a secure and positive grip and quick access to all key controls. The three control dials are positive in use and there are no fewer than 13 assignable buttons, which means there is huge potential for setting up the EOS R5 C to your needs. In stills set-up, the number of customizable buttons drops to 12 with number 10 (the record button on the EOS R5) not having any function. It is a bit of a memory test recalling which button does what.

Continuing the tour to the left-side top plate, you can see that the EOS R5 C has a dedicated on/off switch with the option of photo and video. It is clearly marked but a better physical differentiation between the three positions would be a benefit. It was too easy to go straight from video to photo skipping the off position and I did this several times, so this needs watching if you don’t want to arrive on location with a drained battery. A more positive or lockable off setting might be better or greater travel between the three settings.

On the plus side, in Photo mode, the EOS R5 C’s menu and its contents are essentially identical to the EOS R5’s but when you switch over to video shooting, you get Canon’s Cinema EOS menu with its video-oriented workflow. A smaller font and many more options means you have to be a little more deliberate when using the video menu touchscreen, but at least with the two completely different interfaces that have been optimized for the two shooting modes there’s no chance of any confusion, so it makes sense.

The EOS R5 C’s cinematic menu is deep and complex to work through for content creators more familiar working with cameras that are more stills-focused. There are features not found on the EOS R5 including waveform, vectorscope monitors, and false colors.

We’ve already mentioned that the EOS R5 C has a much deeper body on the left side. It’s not especially elegant but it’s there for a good reason and at least we haven’t lost the really useful 3.2in vari-angle touch monitor that swings out for easy viewing from many angles including from the front.  

There are vents on both sides of the fan housing plinth and it seems air is drawn from the right vents and this takes any generated heat from the sensor and expels it through the left-side vents. When running, the fan is audible even at the low setting and it is much more obvious at the high or maximum settings. Fan levels can be set independently in standby and record modes. It did its job well in typical UK winter shooting conditions. 

For internal recording, EOS R5 C has dual card slots, one for CFexpress Type B and the other for UHS-II SD. For this test, I stuck with CFexpress Type B cards, ProGrade Gold, and Sandisk Extreme. 

Power is supplied by a single LP-E6 NH Lithium Ion battery. This provides sufficient energy to access most of the camera’s features, the exception being the ability to shoot 8K at 60p. For that, you need the optional CA-946 with the DR-E6C external power supply or a suitable power bank.

Canon EOS R5 C: Performance

For this test of the EOS R5 C, I used a selection of Canon RF prime and zooms including the RF 24-105mm f/4, 14-35mm f/4, and RF 50mm f1/8. I had also a Canon C N-E 50mm T1.3 L F lens to try on the EOS R5 C via a Canon EF to RF adaptor. The retail price of this lens is $3,950 / £3699. Canon announced a family of seven RF cinema primes last autumn and these are due reach to the shops early in 2024.

As you would expect the camera performed solidly producing fine-quality results. I thought not having IBIS would be an issue particularly when shooting stills but it wasn’t really. Most buyers of the EOS R5 C would probably have the camera on a gimbal or some other support, so it’s probably a non-issue anyway. 

With IS-equipped RF lenses, the camera gives the option of Digital IS, and the two work together for steady shooting for those who want to use it. 

Shooting 8K footage with the EOS R5 C loaded with a fully charged battery and at an ambient room temperature of around 18°C I got a recording time of 55min before the battery finally expired. However, battery capacity out on location when the temperature was around 8°C was less impressive I got about 30 minutes shooting time. 

Shooting on location or an event such as a wedding, you’ll very likely need spares and an option to consider is to buy the BG-R10 Battery Grip (current street price is $349 / £379) that takes two LP-E6 NH cells. 

In-body charging is possible via the camera’s USB-C port and if you have a suitable power bank it can run camera from it. I tried a Charmast 100W/20,000mAh PD power bank with a PD cable and the PD icon appearing on the LCD display and monitor showed that it worked fine. The freshly charged power bank kept the EOS R5 C running for three hours and was down to about 50% at the end. 

During those three hours, I had the EOS R5 C filming in different modes on my desk with the fan in its auto setting and although the handgrip and base got rather warm, the camera didn’t shut down. It is worth noting that the ambient temperature of my home office was about 18°C so I can’t vouch for how the camera and fan would perform in warmer climates.

In terms of movie formats, resolutions, and frame rates, the EOS R5 C is blessed with a great selection. The EOS R5 C’s sensor obviously shares many of the attributes for the EOS R5 but there are key differences such as Dual Gain ISO at 800 and 3200 for C-Log 3 and there’s the option of audio with 4K/120p. 

I shot MP4 and Raw format shooting in 4K and 8K with footage put through Final Cut Pro. In both file types, color reproduction looked spot on and whether you like a punchy or more natural look, the potential is there. With noise reduction and stabilization added during the edit the final results looked excellent.

The EOS R5 C’s autofocus worked well for both stills and video. There are many more AF options in stills shooting and the system has a wide choice of focus zones and subject-detect modes is the same as that found in the EOS R5. For video shooting the AF frame options are small, large, and whole frame and fine-tuning options include AF Speed that can be varied from +2 to -7 and a selection of human-based modes such as Face Detect & Tracking and Eye Detection which proved sensitive and tenacious as the subject walked at normal pace towards the camera position. Shooting indoors under typical domestic lighting was no problem either and AF was snappy and accurate.

Canon EOS R5 C: Verdict

The Canon EOS R5 C is a fine and capable camera that can deliver very effectively on two fronts, stills and video. 

For the serious content creator and video professionals, there is no denying its appeal and it is a better investment than the EOS R5. Obviously, much depends on your aims and how you like to work. The EOS R5 has better battery life and IBIS and while overheating (which I have experienced even when shooting stills) is a potential pain, but it can be managed. On the other hand, the EOS R5 C has its integral fan and a huge range of movie features but it is a chunkier camera although it is just over 30 grams heavier. 

Money-wise, on the street the EOS R5 C body costs £4149 while the EOS R5 is £3879 so the difference is just £270. The other option for serious content creators is the RF mount but smaller sensor EOS C70 which is currently around £4600 body only but this is a dedicated video camera. At this level of spend, that difference between the three cameras is unlikely to be a deciding factor so which one you go for depends on your needs. Go for the EOS R5 C body and you’re not going to be disappointed.

Canon EOS R5 C Alternatives

There are lots of reasons you may need to rent photo and video equipment. You may need a backup camera for a big job, a specialist lens for an unusual client request, or perhaps you just want to thoroughly test something before investing. While some manufacturers offer a try-before-you-buy scheme, camera and lens rentals prove time and time again to be a godsend to photographers who are after short-term use of a particular item. 

For two years in a row, the Canon EOS R5 has been the most popular camera rental. While the production of DSLRs may have ground to a halt (except for Pentax which is working on a brand new full-frame DSLR), lots of photographers are still using them. 

Canon also grabbed the second and third spots with the Canon RF 28-70mm f/2L coming second and the Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS in third place. Perhaps people don't just rent a camera body alone?

• Check out the best mirrorless cameras as we round up models to suit every need and budget from entry-level systems to professional flagship models

Slipping into fourth place was the video-centric A7S III which, incidentally, could soon be abolished in favor of the FX II according to a wild rumor. Sony’s full-frame cinema camera, the FX6 came in fifth while Canon appears again in sixth place with the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II.

One of the most surprising things about these results is that the entire 20 top most rented products were either Canon or Sony. Despite the popularity of Nikon, Fujifilm, Panasonic, and OM Sytsems (although less so) not a single item appeared in Lens Rentals' list.

Although these results are interesting and provide a small amount of insight into the industry, these stats are from one US-based company. They don’t take into account worldwide rental trends or what is being rented from sites such as Fat Llama (which allows the average Joe to rent out their kit and make a bit of extra money). 

Between 2022 and 2023, there were some pretty big changes in the most rented equipment but in both years the rental field was dominated by Canon and Sony. Admittedly you can't be that surprised – these two brands demand the biggest market share with 33.39% and 32.67% respectively in 2023.

It could also come down to the fact these are the brands the pros prefer and therefore have more need to rent equipment for jobs. Perhaps they're the brands that are most reassuring to some clients?

No matter the reasons though, unless we were to survey every rental house in the world, calling the Canon EOS R5 the world's top rented product in 2023 isn’t completely true – unless we’re strictly talking about LensRentals – but it's definitely interesting.

Not ready to make the move to mirrorless? The best DSLRs still offer incredible image quality, fast autofocus, and fast burst speeds.

One of Nikon's most famous lenses has resurfaced, attracting attention and amazement in equal parts. 

The rare Nikon Zoom-Nikkor 1200-1700mm f/5.6-8P IF-ED lens is an absolute monster, and like the one in Loch Ness, pops its head up occasionally to remind us of its existence. The Nikon lens, however, is very much real and is one of the largest full-frame zoom lenses ever developed, dwarfing the best telephoto lenses of the modern era. PCH Pro Shop in Belgium happened to get its hands on one, and the sheer size of the lens is unbelievable.

Released in 1994 at an eye-watering price of $60,000 (with inflation that's around $124,800 / £98,800 / AU$188,100 today), sightings of the lens are few and far between. So when PCH Pro Shop had a customer bring one to the shop, the photos started doing the rounds. 

The size of it is the crazy thing, with that being the feature that now defines it. It has a length just shy of 3ft (888mm) and a weight of over 35lbs (16kg) making it difficult for the shop employees to pose for a photo with it.

First used in 1990 at Japan's Koshien Stadium, the baseball ground at which the spring high school baseball tournament is staged, it wasn't until 1994 that it was made available to the general public – which at the time boasted the longest focal length of any zoom lens for 35mm cameras.

At the same time, Canon was developing its own monster lens and created the Canon EF 1200mm f/5.6 L USM, which recently fetched $462,321 at auction. Nikon distinguished its lens from Canon's by featuring a zoom function, instead of Canon's switch teleconverter function, meaning the photographer was free to use the whole focal range between 1200-1700mm.

The lens found popularity with photojournalists and sports photographers due to its enormous focal length. It has been used in many notable historic events, such as the French Charlie Hebdo hostage situation in 2015 to capture photos from a safe distance, and a famous incident in 2013 where a photographer used it to capture a photograph of the then-new Pope.

The engineering and design of the lens are remarkable for the short time in which it was developed. The "monster of zooms" consists of 18 elements in 13 groups, including 3 extra-low dispersion (ED) lenses. With a minimum focusing distance of 32.8ft / 10m, it offers a variable maximum aperture of f/5.6-8, controlled by a 9-blade diaphragm.

Although now mainly fallen into disuse, Nikon says that, "the experience that the engineers of the 1200-1700mm gained in developing the lens has subsequently been put to good use in the development of contemporary super telephoto lenses."

Nikon is currently celebrating 90 years of Nikkor lenses, and this certainly counts as a standout!

You may also be interested in our guides to the best Nikon cameras along with the best Nikon lenses, and the best Nikon Z lenses for mirrorless cameras.

Every so often, a new big superzoom telephoto lens pops up to grab everyone's attention. Mostly it’s third-party lens makers like Sigma and Tamron, duking it out over different stratospheric focal lengths or huge apertures. It seemed like Canon was content to focus on sensible quality and let other companies make the headlines. But no longer! The Canon RF 200-800mm f/6.3-9 IS USM has arrived on the scene as a serious challenger to the superzoom throne.

In the realm of full-frame superzoom lenses, there are a few different priorities. There is simply the longest lens in terms of maximum reach, like the Nikkor 1200-1700mm f/5.6-8P IF-ED, or there is the widest aperture superzoom like the battlefield-ready Sigma APO 200-500mm f/2.8 EX DG, or there is the widest zoom range, like the Sigma 60-600mm f/4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM Sport and its broad 540mm of reach.

The Canon RF 200-800mm offers a (currently) record snatching 600mm difference in focal length from wide to tele, for full-frame cameras anyway, and manages to achieve this in a body weighing just over 2kg and just 31cm long. There are, however, compromises to be made, with the maximum aperture being limited to f/6.3-9, which puts it considerably narrower than other rival lenses with slightly less ambitious focal lengths.

The RF 200-800mm is designed for full-frame cameras, but its reach can be extended even further if paired with a Canon APS-C camera like the Canon EOS R7 with its 1.6x crop factor, which makes the lens a whopping 320-1280mm! The lens is also compatible with Canon’s 1.4x and 2x teleconverters, although you have the penalty of losing one or two stops in maximum aperture respectively.

Canon has delayed getting into the super-zoom wars for so long, but has finally turned up to the party – has Canon found the secret formula for near to far perfection?

Specifications

Price

At $1,899 / £2,299 / AU$3,499 – the RF 200-800mm is an expensive lens, but not unreasonably so, with Canon clearly banking on its extra reach offering enough to set this above cheaper lenses with a shorter zoom range. However, Canon’s restrictive practices around its mount mean that this is one of the only true superzoom lenses available for the RF system.

Sigma’s closest EF lens – the Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM Sport, comes in considerably cheaper bundled with a Sigma 1.4x teleconverter – and while you then have to use another mount adapter, this might be a worthwhile trade-off for a substantial saving.

Design & Handling

On my first impression of the lens, I was initially struck by the size – while it isn't dramatically smaller than superzoom lenses from the likes of Sigma and Tamron, I was expecting it to be so much larger and heavier. When you remember just how much focal length it covers, the overall size actually is quite remarkable. Although, the mediocre maximum aperture can likely be thanked for some of this size reduction.

Unusually the lens is in white, which is normally reserved for Canon’s more premium L-series lenses, but it has been employed here as it reflects more heat off the quite substantial surface area of the lens for better performance in extreme conditions. This does also have the psychological benefit of making me subconsciously assume it's going to be a more optically impressive lens to the quality of the L-series – if that was intentional then, smart move Canon.

For its huge 200-800mm range, the lens is surprisingly lightweight, at just over 2kg. I have been using the lens mostly handheld in my testing while attached to the Canon EOS R5, and the weight was not really troublesome when being carried around, although holding the lens up to my eye for long periods when tracking wildlife did drain my arms quickly, but a shoot with this lens means I can skip the gym.

At 31.4cm (12.4in) in total length when collapsed, the lens should slip into a decent-sized camera backpack alongside a camera with no issue, so wildlife and sports photographers can be saved from a little less back pain. 

The lens comes with a built-in tripod foot, which I found doubled perfectly as a carry handle as I walked around. There is also an additional carry strap included if you prefer to use it (I personally find straps just get in the way). I didn't find any issues balancing the lens and EOS R5 camera on a tripod, even on unstable and uneven ground at my local bird sanctuary, it wasn't much hassle to kick the legs into a strong balanced position.

Unusually for a Canon non-L lens – the hood is included. Although for the price of the lens, throwing in a plastic lens hood is a small concession from Canon. 

The lens hood is in black (unlike the white lens) and doesn’t match the same quality as the hood included with lenses like the Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM, but I won't look a gift horse in the mouth – it is nice to have.

In terms of the lens features, the switches on the 200-800mm are relatively simplistic, with one for AF-MF and a second for OIS on or off, there are no options for different stabilization modes or focus limits on this lens. I don’t know if this is an engineering decision in terms of what was possible to achieve with the lens, Canon suggesting the lens/camera is now smart enough to pick everything itself, or just a costing decision to keep the price affordable. 

You do, however, have two custom function buttons on the lens as well as Canon’s customizable control ring, which also does double duty as the manual focus ring when required. There is also a ring to make the zoom tighter or smoother, which might be useful to some who need very precise zoom. I found the lens was challenging to turn all the way from 200 to 800mm in one fell swoop, even on smooth, as it is just a long throw and a big barrel to turn.

Photo Performance

Canon has almost gone and done it! The Canon RF 200-800mm lens comes so close to touching optical greatness, with only some minor quibbles with quality towards the top end of the zoom range, but throughout its huge 600mm zoom range, you can achieve some stunning results.

This is in the context of the prosumer superzoom lens category – don't start putting your telephoto primes on eBay just yet! There are unfortunately a few reasons why this lens probably didn't get the red ring of professional approval – but in certain situations, it comes tantalizingly close.

The RF 200-800mm is best through its 200-700mm range – between 700-800mm there is a noticeable drop in image quality, with sharpness becoming a bit murkier. I actually found I could achieve better results using the 45MP sensor from the Canon EOS R5 while shooting at 600mm and cropping the image to the same aspect as 800mm. In the image below you can see the difference between 600mm and 800mm in the fine lines around the robin's features and feathers.

The results look more dramatic when you directly compare them side-by-side. When viewed in isolation, I didn't clearly notice the robin at 800mm being a narrowly lower-quality image, and I was actually really happy with the image until I viewed the wider shots next to one another. You can see the same image below at 400mm, 600mm, and 800mm to compare the results at each length.

The range that the 200-800mm lens can achieve is astounding. You can see just what a difference 600mm makes in the image of the plane below. I live nowhere near an airport, so this plane is way up in the air – at 200mm, the plane remains somewhat of a dot in the sky, but zooming in to 800mm I can almost read the plane's tail number! 

Where the lens comes a little unstuck is with its limited aperture. I tested the lens chasing birds around a wildlife park, which meant shooting a lot of fast-moving critters – thus high shutter speeds. Due to the smallish f/9 aperture at the top end of the zoom, the camera ISO kept jumping higher than was ideal. With heavy cloud cover, it became a dance between going as slow with the shutter as I could while avoiding subject blur and trying to keep the ISO down.

Lower peak sharpness at 800mm, combined with reduced quality at higher apertures meant that shots I hoped would capture a lot of detail in feathers or fur were just a little lackluster and smoothed. 

The RF 200-800mm lens is compatible with Canon's RF 1.4x and 2x teleconverters. Throwing the 1.4x and the 2x converter on the lens, I could not notice any perceptible drop in quality to my eye caused by the converter at the low end of the focal range, with shots from around 200-600mm looking good, with sharpness and contrast remaining consistent with the lens alone at the equivalent length. 

But, unsurprisingly, matching the lens, shots at the top end of the lens when used with teleconverters were also soft. When the 2x teleconverter was used at 800mm (1600mm with the x2 converter), the image contrast also suffered quite heavily as well with shots becoming more washed out.

Finally – the autofocus of the RF 200-800mm is exceptional. Now, the autofocus on the Canon EOS R5 is one of the best in the business, and the RF 200-800mm lens had no issues keeping up. I mostly used bird tracking autofocus, which flawlessly pinpointed each bird's eye with the RF 200-800mm moving just following along in near total silence – there is definitely no danger of this scaring off any skittish wildlife. 

Pulling from near to far focus was a tiny little bit slower than shorter lenses, probably down to the distances internal parts need to be pushed and pulled inside the big white lens, but I didn't really miss any crucial shots from the lens being too slow to find focus.

Sample Images

Lab Results

We run a range of lab tests under controlled conditions, using the Imatest Master testing suite. Photos of test charts are taken across the range of apertures and zooms (where available), then analyzed for sharpness, distortion and chromatic aberrations.

We use Imatest SFR (spatial frequency response) charts and analysis software to plot lens resolution at the center of the image frame, corners and mid-point distances, across the range of aperture settings and, with zoom lenses, at four different focal lengths. The tests also measure distortion and color fringing (chromatic aberration).

Sharpness:

Center sharpness is very good in the 200-600mm focal range, but becomes more average at 800mm. Corner sharpness is average at all focal lengths, but this is less problematic for a super-telephoto lens, where your subject is likely to only occupy the center of frame.

Fringing:

Color fringing is quite easily visible at all tested focal lengths and apertures, and is most noticeable at 400mm. These results were obtained with in-camera aberration correction disabled though, so this is a worst-case scenario.

Distortion:

There's minor pincushion distortion at 200mm, which gradually reduces as you zoom in. Again, we disable any in-camera lens corrections to ensure a fair test, so enabling distortion correction would likely improve things considerably.

Video Performance

With a lens of this length, stable video is going to be the biggest hurdle. The best advice is to invest in a study video tripod, with a video head capable of smooth panning and tilting reducing the amount of jerkiness and handshake – although at the full stretch of this lens, every tiny vibration is reflected on the final footage. Even when mounted on a tripod, I still found a few tremors from my movement around the lens sneaking into the footage.

Luckily, the image stabilization is a savior in the RF 200-800mm – especially if you are willing to use Canon's enhanced digital image stabilization at the penalty of a slight crop on the footage. 

You can see some of the differences in stabilization modes and the effect on handheld footage in the sample video above.

The optical image stabilization built into the lens on its own is fantastic, but handheld, couldn't quite achieve the levels of stabilization I would consider usable. Adding the Digital I.S. (Enhanced) however, did nudge the lens to a level of steadiness to which I would actually consider shooting 800mm video footage handheld and leaving my tripod in my bag.

The image stabilization is fairly solid when held steady, although small movements did sometimes spur significant jumpy autocorrections from the I.S. However, I was especially impressed when panning with the lens – tracking birds as they swam around the lake produced beautifully smooth and stable footage.

Again, I wouldn't recommend leaving a tripod at home, but if you need to get footage quickly then these combined image stabilization modes can come to the rescue in a pinch.

Verdict

If you want a lens that covers the absolute widest range of telephoto focal lengths possible, then the Canon RF 200-800mm f/6.3-9 IS USM is an easy decision. This is (at the time of writing) the reigning champion of all the full-frame superzooms for focal range. It is also remarkably light and compact for the massive focal length, so shooting wildlife all day with this lens should be a walk in the park (pun very much intended). And it should fit into most decent-sized camera bags, too.

The downside, however, is the maximum aperture is less than what you get on other less ambitious superzoom lenses. At focal lengths as long as this, background blur and subject isolation are great, although the lens will suffer in lower light conditions. In good light, the lens is impressively sharp throughout most of the zoom range – and although sharpness and contrast could have been a little stronger at 800mm in my testing, but the autofocus was lightning-fast and accurate.

While the lens is hugely impressive for its reach – the price is quite a lot to pay unless you really need the additional length. You can pick up the Canon RF 100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM for about a quarter of the price if you can make do with the shorter length – and it can be paired with the 2x converter, a combination that still comes in cheaper than the 200-800mm alone. 

However, the RF 200-800mm is a bargain compared to Canon's L-Series telephoto lenses, and the best choice for any enthusiast, at least until Canon opens up its mount to third-party lensmakers anyway. 

Alternatives

Thanks to the design freedoms afforded by the mirrorless camera configuration, we are becoming accustomed to seeing more exotic lenses, especially zooms. The shorter flange back distance and, in many cases, wider throat of the mirrorless camera mounts provide more scope for optimizing lens performance without requiring complex and expensive optical constructions. And optical correction for distortion and optical aberrations can be assisted by in-camera corrections, so lens designers are generally becoming more adventurous. 

Samyang’s AF 35-150mm f/2.0-2.8 FE is both ‘everyday’ and exotic. Also available under the Rokinon range, the focal range initially looks to be quite conservative until you appreciate that it spans a whole bunch of classic focal lengths – 35mm, 50mm, 90mm (for photographers, 85mm for video-makers), 135mm and 150mm – with, of course, all points in between. It’s a lot more versatile that you might initially think, made more so by the fast maximum aperture range of f/2.0 to f/2.8 which is advantageous for low-light shooting as well for using selective focusing via the shallow depth-of-field, especially at the shorter focal lengths. The ‘FE’ designation in the model number indicates that the mount is for Sony’s full-frame Alpha series bodies, but now that Samyang has joined the L Mount Alliance, it’s not unreasonable to expect a version in this fitting will arrive at some point. 

If you think that this particular focal range and lens speed look familiar, you’re absolutely right because there’s a similar Tamron 35-150mm F/2-2.8 Di III VXD which is available for both the Sony FE and Nikon Z mirrorless mounts. The latter is the result of Tamron’s long relationship with Nikon which has given it access to the Z mount protocols and it’s although noting that Tamron earlier made a 35-150mm f/2.8-4 Di VC OSD zoom – albeit a little slower – for the Canon EF and Nikon F DSLR mounts. It’s proved to be very popular which is no doubt why the focal range is being reprised in the mirrorless mounts… and Sony FE users actually have a choice of two models. 

They’re also quite similar in size, weight and external design, but there are some key differences in the optical construction and, not surprisingly, the Samyang model is the more affordable. Significantly, as we’ve come to expect from Samyang, this saving doesn’t come at the cost of either performance or capabilities. In fact, Samyang continues to load up its newest AF mirrorless lenses with ever more features and functions. 

Having built its reputation with solidly performing manual focus primes, Samyang now seems equally adept at building autofocus zooms. 

Specifications

Mount: Sony E (FE)
Full frame: Yes
Image stabilization: No
Autofocus: Yes
Lens construction: 21 elements in 18 groups
Diaphragm blades: 9
Minimum aperture: f/16-22
Minimum focusing distance: 0.33m (W) 0.85m (T)
Maximum magnification ratio: 0.18x (W) 0.175x (T)
Filter size: 82mm
Dimensions: 92.8x157.4mm
Weight: 1,224g / 43.2oz

Handling

The fast maximum apertures make the 35-150mm a big lens and result in a screw thread filter diameter of 82 millimetres. It weighs in at a substantial 1.23 kilograms so even on the most compact of Sony Alpha bodies, it’s still quite a handful. A tripod mounting collar would probably be beneficial, but it’s comfortable to use handheld although shooting over longer periods – say at a sports event – would likely become more of a challenge. 

The zooming collar is quite wide, so it affords a firm grip, and the zooming mechanism is telescopic so the lenses increases in physical length as the focal length is increase. There’s a zoom lock to secure it at the 35mm setting, and prevent the barrel extended when you’re carrying the lens on-camera. However, in practice, we found that the zooming mechanism is stiff enough to prevent any creep. 

The manual focusing collar is also a decent size and has a nicely weighted feel despite being an electronic ‘fly-by-wire’ control. The 35-150mm has a number of other controls on the barrel and these comprise an MF/AF switch, a pair of focus hold/memory buttons – set at the 12 o’clock and three o’clock positions – and a ‘Custom’ switch which is becoming a common feature on Samyang’s most recent lenses, both zooms and primes. On the 35-150mm there’s three setting positions and a total of four mode settings straight out of the box. With the lens set for AF operation, the Mode 2 setting switches the MF control ring into a manual aperture collar, allowing for stepless adjustment from f/2.0-2.8 to f/16- 22. With the lens set for manual focusing, the ‘Custom’ switch settings then vary how the MF control collar works – non-linear, linear or what Samyang is calling the “Dolly Shot” function. With non-linear adjustment, the amount of focus shift is governed by the rotation speed of the focus collar… in other words, if you turn it quickly, you’ll make big adjustments, but turning it slowly allows for more precise control thanks to the smaller degrees of change. With the linear-type adjustment, the focus is shifted at a constant speed according to the rotational angle of the focus ring. The latter allows for more uniformity of adjustment – i.e., more linear – which is something video-makers often require when using focusing creatively. There’s also a long focus ‘throw’ of 300 degrees which is also something that video makers like for more precise focusing control. With the Mode 3 “Dolly Shot” function, the focusing collar and zooming control are linked so, once you’ve established the size of your subject, you can zoom out while moving in and it will be maintained, but obviously the perspective of the background will change. It doesn’t quite replace the versatility of a proper dolly, but if you only need to use this effect occasionally and only over short distances, then doing it via the Samyang’s zooming ring is a lot cheaper and, in practice, just as effective. And, of course, you can achieve it single-handedly. The other main stipulation is that you need to be relatively close to your subject (Samyang recommends no further out than a couple of metres). 

Being a fully supported Sony FE mount lens, the focus hold buttons can be programmed for different functions from the camera body such as ‘Hybrid AF’ and ‘Eye AF’. With manual focusing, the hold buttons can be used to store a distance setting that you can then immediately return to. You can also reprogram the Custom mode settings, but for this you’ll the need the optional Samyang ‘Lens Station’ docking module. 

The main barrels are made from metal alloy with extensive sealing to prevent the intrusion of dust or moisture. This includes a rubber gasket around the lens mount which is even more important on a mirrorless camera where the sensor is more exposed than with a DSLR. The lens looks – and feels – exceptionally well-made and has Samyang’s “hidden red ring” – so named because it can only be seen from the front of the lens – which is a cosmetic feature of its premium models. 

Design

There are no fewer than 21 elements at work inside the Samyang 35-150mm zoom and they’re arranged in 18 groups. A total of 12 elements are special types which indicates that Samyang has gone to considerable lengths to provide a high degree of optical correction. The specials include one hybrid aspherical element (‘H-ASP’), two aspherical (‘ASP’) types, six with extra-low dispersion (ED) characteristics, and three made from glass with a high refractive index (HR). Together, these correct for distortion, chromatic aberrations (both lateral and longitudinal) and spherical aberrations, as well as minimizing the fall-off of both sharpness and brightness towards the corners of the frame. Samyang’s ‘Ultra Multi-Coating’ (UMC) prevents internal reflections thereby reducing both flare and ghosting. By the way, a hybrid aspherical element is one made by shaping optical-standard resin over a glass spherical which allows for more powerful corrective capabilities. 

Autofocusing is via a stepping-type motor (STM) which delivers a faster response – due to its low inertia – and then faster operation. This speed is particularly important when tracking fast-moving subjects. STMs are also very quiet which is a plus for video shooters. The minimum focusing distance is 33 centimetres at 35mm and 85 centimetres at 150mm which gives a maximum reproduction ratio of 1:5.5. Importantly for video-makers, the optical design is parfocal which means that a manually-set focusing distance won’t shift when zooming. Interestingly, Samyang describes it as “Digital Parfocal” which suggests the lens is automatically re-adjusting the focus during zooming to maintain the set distance. Makes sense given just how expensive an optically parfocal design can be. Also, good news for video-makers is that there’s no evidence of focus ‘breathing’ so the image size remains unchanged across the lens’s distance range. 

The aperture diaphragm employs nine blades to give smoother, more rounded out-of-focus effects. There’s no optical image stabilization so dealing with camera shake relies entirely on the in-body systems in the full-frame Sony Alpha cameras. 

Performance

As noted previously, Samyang has worked hard to optically correct the 35-150mm zoom as effectively as it can, and it shows in the optical performance. The center sharpness is exceptional across the focal range and while there is some fall-off towards the corners at 35mm and f/2.0, it’s not as much as might be expected. By f/4.0, the centre-to-corner sharpness is impressively uniform as is the brightness. Again, there’s slight vignetting when shooting at the widest focal length and wide open, but it’s not excessive and may not even be enough to warrant any post-camera correction (depending on your personal preferences). 

Distortion is very well-controlled with a tiny amount of barrel-type bending at the wide-angle end which then becomes pincushion-type bending from around 50mm. This progressively increases towards the telephoto end, but only slightly and so, overall, distortion just won’t be noticeable in a great many real-world subjects and scenes. Lateral chromatic aberration isn’t evident at all so crisp definition is maintained along all the high contrast edges. Longitudinal chromatic aberration, if it occurs, is only very slight when shooting wide-open and is effectively countered by stopping down. 

Given the large expanse of front element, using the supplied lens hood is a must with strong side lighting, but some flare is unavoidable when the sun is the frame. However, closing down to f/16-f/22 converts the flare into nicely defined sun stars. 

This zoom is nicely contrasty and delivers a convincing impression of depth with the very smooth roll-off from the in-focus to the out-of-focus. For portraiture, backgrounds can be rendered softly blurred thanks to the fast maximum aperture that’s maintained across the zooming range. On the other hand, if you want sharpness and definition, the Samyang 35-150mm can resolve the tiniest of details and the most intricate of patterns… so it’s easily a match optically for Sony’s growing line-up high-res 61 megapixels Alpha bodies, such as the Sony A7R V. 

Verdict

There’s no shying away from the size and weight of Samyang’s AF 35-150mm zoom, but there’s plenty of reward for effort here too. The zooming range covers all those focal lengths that we now consider ‘classical’ because they have proven universally useful. Importantly, the f/2.0-2.8 maximum aperture range means that you aren’t sacrificing a whole lot of speed compared to using primes, especially at the telephoto end. And, of course, carrying a set of fast primes would be a much heavier load… with a lot of time-wasting involved when changing focal lengths compared to the convenience of simply zooming. Samyang backs up this practicality with a solid optical performance all round and excellent affordability which makes the value-for-money proposition hard to ignore too. 

Sony and Canon are both targeting a new generation of hybrid photographers who want to capture both still images and video. Our Sony A6700 vs Canon EOS R7 pits their two latest and best APS-C cameras against each other to see which one comes out on top.

It looks like a close-run contest. Both cameras are candidates for our list of the best hybrid cameras right now, and are among the best cameras for filmmaking on specification alone. The Sony A6700 is one of the best Sony cameras so far, while the Canon EOS R7 in turn counts among the best Canon cameras to buy... though here there is a snag. Lenses.

This is where there is perhaps the biggest difference between these two cameras, and we'll go into more detail on that below.

In other respects, however, this looks like a close match. Both of these cameras have new, higher resolution APS-C sensors, state-of-the-art AI subject recognition AF systems, and video capabilities that would have put them among the best cinema cameras just a few years back.

Perhaps more important, these cameras use the APS-C format, which brings them well within range for keen beginners and enthusiasts. They offer many of the capabilities of full-frame cameras but at a much more affordable price.

So let's get to it, and see how the Sony A6700 and Canon R7 compare…

Sony A6700 vs Canon R7 in 2026

1. Sensor/processor

• Sony A6700: 26MP APS-C back-illuminated Exmor R CMOS, BIONZ XR processor, ISO 100-32000 standard, ISO 50-102400 expanded
• Canon EOS R7: 32.5MP APS-C CMOS, DIGIC X processor, ISO 100-32000 standard, ISO 100-51200 expanded

Both cameras nominally use APS-C sensors, but in fact the Canon's is just a millimetre or so smaller, bringing a 1.6x crop factor relative to full frame, compared to 1.5x for the Sony. This is standard for Canon 'APS-C' cameras and does not normally have any practical significance, except when making focal length crop factor calculations.

The Canon wins for resolution, with 32.5 megapixels vs the 26 megapixels of the Sony A6700. It's a small difference, but if you're looking for the best, the Canon wins this particular battle.

On the other hand, the Sony A6700 does have a slightly higher expanded sensitivity range, which you might think is an effective counter to the Canon's resolution. They are both fairly closely matched, at any rate.

2. Lens mount

• Sony A6700: Sony E-mount, FE compatible
• Canon EOS R7: Canon RF-S, RF compatible, EF/EF-S lenses via adaptor

The Sony A6700 features the ubiquitous Sony E mount, used across Sony's camera range, from its APS-C and full frame mirrorless models, right through to its cinema line. Sony makes a good range of lenses specifically for the smaller APS-C models, so there's a good choice of fast primes and ultra-wide zooms.

Canon EOS R7 buyers will not be so lucky. At the time of writing, Canon makes just three 'native' RF-S lenses – a short standard zoom, a longer standard zoom and a telephoto zoom. There are no fast primes, no ultra-wide zooms. The lack of native RF-S lenses wider than 29mm equivalent (18mm on the RF-S standard zooms) effectively limits or rules out the EOS R7 for walk-and-talk vlogging, travel, architecture, interiors and landscapes – that's a huge swathe of photography and video genres and users. The low-cost Canon RF 16mm f/2.8 full frame lens might help, but only a little, giving an effective focal length of around 26mm on the EOS R7.

One solution is to use one of the four Canon EF-EOS R Mount Adapters to fit old DSLR lenses, but that seems like a pretty poor workaround. Another is to hang on and hope that Canon has some wider RF-S lenses in the pipeline. Right now, Canon seems to be pitching its full frame models as an upgrade path for users of these APS-C cameras to get, among other things, wider angles of view, so that's not encouraging for EOS R7 buyers.

3. Autofocus

• Sony A6700: AI processing unit from A7R V, Human, animal, bird, insect, car/train, and airplane recognition for both stills and video, Still images: Max. 759 points (phase-detection AF) Movies: Max. 495 points (phase-detection AF)
• Canon EOS R7: Dual Pixel CMOS AF II, 651-zone, 100% coverage, Deep learning AI subject recognition over 100% of frame, eye priority, then head, then body, birds, cats and dogs, vehicles, choose subject type priority

AI autofocus is where camera makers have made massive strides, using deep learning AI to incorporate sophisticated subject recognition and tracking and then filtering this high-end tech down to affordable mid-range cameras like these. 

With Sony's system you have to tell the camera what subject type you want to look for and track, but Canon's can find all kinds of subject for itself – and you can even tell it how you want it to prioritise different subject types.

Sony's AF system uses its tried and trusted hybrid phase/contrast-detect AF, while Canon uses its unique Dual Pixel CMOS AF, where every photosite is effectively a phase detect AF sensor.

Both systems work extremely well, and in the absence of any in-depth side-by-side testing data right now, we're going to say it's too close to call. It will probably come down to which one 'gels' best with the way you shoot.

4. Video

• Sony A6700: 4K 30/60p with 6K oversampling, 120p with crop, 4:2:2 10-bit internal recording, 14+ stops dynamic range (S-Log3) , S-Cinetone picture profile, AI-driven Auto-Framing (cropped from a 4K resolution image)
• Canon EOS R7: 4K 30p oversampled, 4K 60p line skipping or 1.8x crop, up to 120p FHD, 4:2:2 10-bit internal recording, Canon Log 3

In terms of headline video specs, these cameras look pretty closely matched. Both offer 4K 60p full width capture and up to 120p high speed video. But as ever with video specs, the devil is in the detail, and this reveals that the Sony is better, and by some margin.

While the EOS R7 can capture full width 4K 60p video, it can only do it by line-skipping/pixel binning to reduce the readout/processing overhead, while the 4K 60p video captured by the A6700 is from full width oversampled 6K data. You can get higher quality 4K 60p video from the Canon using a hefty 1.8x crop mode, but if you can accept a crop then the A6700 doubles the frame rate with up to 4K 120p capture.

Neither camera offers 'open gate' 6K capture, even though the sensors have the resolution for it, but the Sony A6700 definitely wins the 4K capture battle. The EOS R7 is a decent hybrid camera for casual video shooters, but filmmakers will want the A6700.

5. Stabilization

• Sony A6700: 5-axis IBIS, up to 5 stops compensation, Active Mode digital stabilization
• Canon EOS R7: 'Collaborative' 5-axis IBIS and lens stabilization, up to 7 stops with RF-S 18-150mm F3.5-6.3 IS STM, 8 stops with other RF lenses, Movie Digital IS

Both cameras have 5-axis IBIS, and the Canon's is designed to work IS-equipped lenses for up to 8 stops of compensation – though Canon doesn't quote the compensation offered just by the IBIS alone. Many Sony lenses have image stabilization too, and both cameras add optional digital stabilization on top. On paper at least, there's nothing to choose between these cameras for stabilization.

6. Continuous shooting

• Sony A6700: 11fps (1000+ JPEG Fine/Standard, 59 raw)
• Canon EOS R7: 15fps (224 JPEG, 51 RAW, 187 CRAW), 30fps with electronic shutter (126 JPEG, 42 RAW, 93 CRAW), inc RAW Burst (single file), 0.5sec Pre-shooting mode

This is where the Canon streaks ahead. The Sony a6700 offers 11fps burst shooting with its mechanical shutter, a figure we're used to seeing with past A6000-series cameras, so it doesn't look as if Sony has made any great effort to move forward this model's burst shooting capabilities. The buffer capacity for JPEG images is very good, but only average for raw files.

The Canon EOS R7 is much faster. It can shoot at 15fps with its mechanical shutter and an impressive 30fps with its electronic shutter. Having said that, its buffer capacity is scarcely better than the Sony's, and actually rather worse for JPEGs. The EOS R7 is saved somewhat by its compressed CRAW raw format, which brings very little quality loss but much better buffer capacities for raw shooters. Even so, despite its speed, the EOS R7 is not in the same league as a pro sports camera, being limited to pretty short bursts.

7. Viewfinder and screen

• Sony A6700: 0.39-inch, 2.36m dot EVF, 1.07x magnification, 3-inch vari-angle touchscreen, 1,036k dots
• Canon EOS R7: 0.39-inch, 2.36m dot EVF, 1.15x magnification, 2.95-inch vari-angle touchscreen, 1.62m dots

We'll call this one a draw. Both cameras use 0.39-type EVFs with 2.36m dot resolution, and while the Canon has a slightly higher magnification, it's close enough that you're unlikely to notice.

On the back of the camera, the Sony and Canon both have flip-out vari-angle touchscreens. The Canon's is slightly smaller at 2.95 inches versus 3 inches on the Sony, but it has a higher resolution at 1.62m dots versus 1.036m dots on the Sony. We've said this before, but Sony is typically a bit mean with its screen specs.

8. Storage

• Sony A6700: 1x SD UHS II
• Canon EOS R7: 2x SD UHS II

If you like a camera to have two card slots, then the EOS R7 is for you. It's a physically bigger camera, and has the space to accommodate two SD UHS II card slots versus the single memory card slot on the Sony. On its own it's hardly enough to justify choosing the Canon over the Sony, but if you're struggling to reach a decision, this could be a decisive factor.

9. Power

• Sony A6700: NP-FZ100, Approx. 550 shots (Viewfinder) / Approx. 570 shots (LCD monitor) (CIPA standard), USB Type C PD
• Canon EOS R7: LP-E6NH, 770 shots LCD, 500 shots EVF, USB Type C PD

We've noted before that the Sony A6700 doesn't seem to get as much life out of its NP-FZ1000 battery as other Sony cameras – though its 500+ shot battery life is still good for a camera in this class. The EOS R7 is slightly behind if you use the EVF exclusively, but stretches out a decent advantage over the A6700 when you use the rear screen.

10. Connectivity

• Sony A6700: Multi-Interface (MI) Shoe compatible with digital audio interfaces and new ECM-M1 shotgun mic, USB Type C, HDMI micro connector (Type-D), 3.5mm mic, 3.5mm headphone, Remote, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
• Canon EOS R7: USB Type C, HDMI micro connector (Type-D), 3.5mm mic, 3.5mm headphone, Remote, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth

The Sony A6700 and EOS R7 have the same set of connections, with one difference – the A6700 also has the Sony Multi-Interface (MI) hotshoe for direct digital connection with Sony's own digital mics, including the new ECM-M1 digital shotgun mic, for example. This will only matter if you're into the Sony video ecosystem in a big way and want to use the company's own digital mics; otherwise, it's a small difference.

Both cameras have 3.5mm analog mic input and headphone output sockets for audio monitoring, and both have HDMI output, though using the smaller size HDMI Type D micro connector rather than the full size and more secure HDMI connector favored by serious filmmakers.

11. Size and weight

• Sony A6700: 122.0 x 69.0 x 75.1mm, 409g
• Canon EOS R7: 132.0 x 90.4 x 91.7mm, 530g

It's pretty clear from the specs alone that the Sony A6700 is the smaller and lighter camera. Even so, the EOS R7 is not that big and certainly not that heavy. More important than shaving off a few millimetres and grams here and there is how these cameras feel in the hand and how they handle, especially with different kinds of lenses fitted.

The A6700 is the smaller camera, and will fit into a smaller space in your camera bag, but it's not necessarily the nicest to hold or the most ergonomic. Sony fans may insist it's fine, other users may feel different. The EOS R7 is a little larger, but it has smoothly contoured edges and a hold that some users might prefer, especially with larger lenses.

These are two cameras that you definitely need to pick up and hold to see which suits you. This matters a lot more than the differences in size and weight, even though these might appear significant.

12. Price

• Sony A6700: $1398/£1449 body only, $1498/£1549 with 16-50mm, $1798/£1799 with 18-135mm
• Canon EOS R7: $1399/£1449 body only, $1799/£1799 with 18-150mm

It's almost as if Sony and Canon have used the same market research to work out what people will pay and what features they will expect for their money. 

In body-only form, and at the time of writing, the Sony A6700 and Canon EOS R7 cost the same. You can also get the A6700 with Sony's compact 16-50mm power zoom lens, which is small, but not the greatest, to be fair, or the 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 which is actually quite good. The EOS R7 can also be bought with Canon's equivalent Canon RF-S 18-150mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM, which is longer again, though with a smaller maximum aperture at full zoom.

Cost-wise, it's so close at the time of writing that this isn't even a factor.

Sony A6700 vs Canon EOS R7: conclusions

This has been a very interesting comparison to write. Very often, the cameras we compare are so close in features, specifications and performance that it's difficult to reach any final, definite conclusions. But not this time.

This time, we're going to say put the specs to one side for a moment, and talk about lenses. The lack of native RF-S lenses for the EOS R7 is, for us, a crippling drawback. There is nothing you can buy from the Canon RF lens range that is wider than an effective 29mm focal length, which is barely wide at all by today's standards. You COULD pay a lot of money for an ultra-wide full frame Canon RF lens, but even here you're not going to get anything wider than around 22mm equivalent, and that's with the Canon RF 14-35mm f/4 L IS USM lens, which alone costs as much as the EOS R7 body. And you CAN use older EF-S DSLR lenses via an adapter. But sorry, Canon, this is just not right. The EOS R7 might be a good 'second' camera for a full frame EOS R-system user, but it's not a system camera in its own right.

For this reason alone, the Sony A6700 is an easy winner in this head-to-head. 

But what if we put the lens situation to one side for a moment and concentrate only on the camera bodies? We can do this if your main interest is 'normal' and longer focal lengths and in particular action, wildlife and sports photography at longer range.

Here, the Sony A6700 definitely wins for video features, while the Canon EOS R7 scores for resolution and burst speeds. The A6700 is a more accomplished hybrid camera, while the EOS R7 is better for wildlife and sports – and is pretty handy for video too.

But what this comparison shows us is that while these two cameras appear similarly specified on paper, their actual potential is very, very different. The Sony A6700 is a complete system camera for all types of photographer, while the EOS R7 is not.

• Sony A6700 vs Fujifilm X-S20
• Sony A6700 vs A7C
• Sony A6700 vs A6600

I've long been into sports photography and have always found that I need seriously good telephoto lenses for capturing fast action on the pitch or on the track. Whether you're photographing athletics, ball games or motor sports, the principles of what makes a good lens are the same – so this guide should prove handy for sports shooters of all stripes.

Using one of the best lenses for sports will benefit you if you're shooting from the peanut gallery or you're lucky enough to have a media pass. The main thing it will give you is telephoto reach, with a versatile zoom range that enables you to react to the action. Other things to look out for are a fast aperture, weather sealing and image stabilization – which can compensate for a lack of stabilization in your camera body or even work in sync with it.

Remember that some third-party glass is compatible with multiple systems and that many DSLR lenses work with mirrorless cameras via mount adapters, often with full functionality of autofocus and stabilization. If you need a new camera, too, check out our guide to the best cameras for sports photography.

The best lenses for sports photography 

Best Canon lens for sport photography

The Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM has long been a favorite with Canon DSLR shooters, with the Mk II edition having a twist-ring zoom mechanism, rather than a push-pull arrangement. The RF 100-500mm for EOS R-series mirrorless cameras follows suit, also inheriting the smooth control ring.

Handling is refined, with a triple-mode, five-stop image stabilizer, a customizable control ring, and an autofocus-range limiter switch.

Helped by the inclusion of six UD (Ultra-low Dispersion) elements, one Super UD element, and Air Sphere Coating, image quality is excellent. The image stabilizer lives up to its claims on EOS R and RP cameras, and its effectiveness is further boosted when combined with the in-body stabilizers of newer EOS R-series cameras.

Read my full Canon RF 100-500mm review

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Best Nikon Z-mount lens for sport photography

Nikon very much sees this as the Z-mount successor to the popular AF-S 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR lens. It's an ultra-telephoto lens that's highly capable, but also reasonably affordable to amateurs and enthusiasts as well as professionals. The extra-long zoom range delivers real versatility.

In my review, I was blown away by this absolute cracker of a lens. It's razor-sharp right the way through that big focal range, and the build makes it sufficiently lightweight for prolonged handheld use. Autofocus is lightning-fast and pinpoint accurate – which is the gold standard where for sports photography.

Even when the conditions are challenging, this lens delivers the goods, building on the success of its DSLR-based forebear.

Read my full Nikon Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR review

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Best Sony lens for sport photography

I’ve been impressed by the Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 G Master OSS super-tele zoom for E-mount mirrorless cameras, but the newer 200-600mm really boosts telephoto reach, with only a minimal narrowing of the aperture rating. It’s also considerably less expensive, has similarly refined handling, and delivers superb performance and image quality

Handling is excellent, with a switchable triple-mode optical stabilizer, an autofocus range limiter, and customizable AF-on/AF-lock buttons. Unusually for this type of lens, the overall physical length remains fixed throughout the zoom range.

The Direct Drive Super Sonic Motor autofocus system is fast, accurate, and ultra-quiet. The optical stabilizer works best in conjunction with in-body stabilizers featured in recent Sony cameras, and sharpness is both scintillating and consistent.

Read my full Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS review

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Best L-mount lens for sport photography

Despite being a full-frame compatible super-tele zoom, the Panasonic 100-500mm is relatively compact and lightweight, even if it does tip the scales at well over a kilogram. That puts handheld shooting firmly on the agenda, rather than necessitating the use of a monopod or tripod, and to help keep things steady, there’s an outstanding 7-stop optical stabilization system built into the lens.

Build quality feels super-tough and the lens is designed to survive rain, sea spray and dusty conditions, as well as freezing temperatures down to -10ºC (14ºF). Handling extras include an AF/MF switch, focus limiter switch, stabilization mode with static and panning options. Further along, there’s a hybrid zoom function switch which is customizable for alternative options.

Image quality and all-round performance is excellent in all respects and sharpness is boosted in practical terms by that super-duper stabilizer.

Read our full Panasonic Lumix S 100-500mm f/5-7.1 O.I.S. review

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Best Fujifilm lens for sport photography

Thanks to the X series' crop factor, this lens effectively gives you a 150-600mm focal range, which should easily cover the distance for most sports photography scenarios.

It comes with a string of letters after its name, denoting a physical aperture ring, a linear motor autofocus system, optical image stabilization, and a weather-resistant construction – ticking pretty much all of the boxes on a Fujifilm sports photographer’s wishlist.

The lens is beautifully engineered, with a high-precision feel to all its controls, and no hint of zoom creep. The optical path includes five ED (Extra-low Dispersion) elements, plus a Super ED element. The autofocus system’s dual linear stepping motors enable very fast performance, and the five-stop stabilizer is highly effective.

Read my full Fujifilm XF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR review

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Best Micro Four Thirds lens for sport photography

The OM System M.Zuiko 40-150mm f/2.8 Pro (previously available as an Olympus lens) offers an enviable 80-300mm equivalent focal range, and is the telephoto member of the OM / Olympus trinity family of Pro lenses – which also includes the standard M.Zuiko 12-40mm f/2.8 Pro II (a 24-80mm equivalent) and the wide M.Zuiko 7-14mm f/2.8 Pro (14-28mm).

Unless you're working at close quarters, the 40-150mm offers the most versatile focal range for sports shooters. And it's compatible with both 1.4x and 2.0x teleconverters, giving it a maximum effective range of 160-600mm!

It boasts IP53 weather sealing and truly excellent build quality, including a manual focus clutch and an ingeniously designed lens hood that's both integrated and collapsible. It's inescapably a larger lens, though, and will pair better on bigger bodies like the OM System OM-1 Mark II or Olympus OM-D E-M1X.

Optically it's a formidable performer, with good sharpness, negligible fringing and zero distortion, though corner sharpness is a bit mediocre.

Read my full Olympus / OM System M.Zuiko 40-150mm f/2.8 Pro review

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Best Pentax lens for sport photography

This lens is a great option whether you're using full-frame DSLRs like the Pentax K-1 Mark II or APS-C bodies like the Pentax K-3 Mark III (where it gives an effective focal range of 230-690mm).

It has plenty of autofocus tricks, boasting Quick Shift modes with auto and manual priority modes along with an AF preset function, though autofocus speed itself can be a little bit pedestrian.

Other goodies include four customizable buttons around the middle of the lens, tough weather-sealed construction, HD coatings to reduce ghosting and flare, along with a ‘super protect’ coating on the front element.

Sharpness does drop off at the long end, which isn't helped by the absence of stabilization (relying on you having a stabilized body), but otherwise, this is a high-tech and incredibly robust lens for sports shooters.

Read my full HD Pentax-D FA 150-450mm f/4.5-5.6 ED DC AW review

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Best Nikon F-mount lens for sport photography

Nikon has long made a Nikkor AF-S 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR lens – but, while it delivers excellent image quality, the focal length is relatively limited and it’s pretty pricey. This newer 200-500mm zoom is more affordable and packs in smart additional features.

Attractions include a constant-aperture design and an electromagnetically controlled diaphragm that ensures greater exposure consistency in rapid-fire shooting. Uprated VR (Vibration Reduction) is good for 4.5 stops and adds a ‘Sport’ mode for improved stability while tracking moving subjects.

During our lab testing, it showed good levels of sharpness that remain impressively consistent throughout the entire zoom range, and overall image quality is of a high standard. Autofocus and stabilization systems work quickly and effectively. The maximum focal length falls a little short, compared with Nikon-mount Sigma and Tamron 150-600mm zooms, but performance is very good indeed.

Read my full Nikon AF-S 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR review

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Best independent lens for sport photography

A retooling of the already excellent DSLR lens, the Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Sports is the complete package for L-mount and Sony E-mount shooters. Pairing superb internal optics with an all-around excellent weather-sealed build, this heavy-duty zoom lens is the real deal for both types of camera.

Of course, build quality wouldn't matter much if the lens's performance was sub-standard. Fortunately, it's excellent. The optical path is a little different from the DSLR version, including 25 elements arranged in 15 groups, and it produces impressive sharpness throughout the entirety of the zoom range. There's some inevitable fall-off in the corners, but not enough to worry about, and it's the sort of thing that will be hidden anyway when you're shooting with a shallow depth of field.

Autofocus is fast, accurate and altogether excellent. It's well able to make the most of advanced autofocus modes in high-end cameras, where available. I won't pretend this is a lightweight lens but it sure handles well, with tactile zoom and focus rings and a series of on-body controls for functions like AF speed, stabilization intensity, and in a new addition for the mirrorless version, Zoom Torque control to adjust the resistance of the zoom ring.

The Sigma is an all-around excellent lens that's absolutely worth the money for E-mount and L-mount users.

Read my full Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Sports review

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Best constant-aperture lens for sport photography

To my mind, the Sigma 300-600mm f/4 DG OS Sports isn’t a lens to be taken lightly. It weighs the best part of 4kg / 9lb and has a similarly weighty price tag, although it’s still something of a bargain considering the ultra-long zoom range coupled with a relatively fast and constant f/4 aperture rating. Fully pro-grade build quality features a weather-sealed magnesium alloy barrel and both of the zoom and focus mechanisms are fully internal, so the overall length of the lens remain fixed at all settings (ideal if you’re using a gimbal head).

Autofocus is driven by a ‘high-thrust’ HLA (High-response Linear Actuator) motor, geared for maximum speed and accuracy. Handling is high-end, with a rank of four function buttons placed at 90-degree intervals around the lens. A new ‘function ring’ is situated just behind the AF-L buttons, which you can use in Focus Preset mode to return instantly to a preset focus distance, or for ‘Power Focus Mode’ that’s ideal for videography.

Optical stabilization is worth 5.5-stops and the lens features multiple low-dispersion and high refractive index elements, aiming to boost sharpness, clarity and color rendition while minimizing unwanted aberrations. Sigma’s Super Multi-layer Coating and high-tech Nano Porous Coating are applied to minimize ghosting and flare, and there’s a water/oil-repellant coating on the front element. Performance is absolutely top-drawer in all respects.

Read my full Sigma 300-600mm f/4 DG OS | S review

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Lab data and comparisons

The graphs below show the comparative performance of the lenses in this guide, based on our in-house lab tests. The Canon RF 100-500mm and Nikon Z 180-600mm both score very highly for sharpness, with the Sony FE 200-600mm and Sigma 150-600mm coming very close behind. There’s not much distortion on show, while the Pentax 150-450mm is technically worst for color fringing.

Scores for sharpness and color fringing are averaged from data taken across the entire image frame, from the center to the edges and corners, throughout the aperture range. For zoom lenses, the scores are also averaged from data measured at all marked focal lengths, and the same applies to distortion.

Bear in mind that these average values don't fully reflect specific areas of performance. For example, a zoom lens might have noticeable barrel and pincushion distortion at its shortest and longest focal lengths respectively, which tends to average out when looking at the data overall. For more detailed graphs of each lens's performance, which give the full picture, check out the graphs in our full standalone lens reviews.

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How to choose the best sports photography lens

When picking lenses for sports photography, you're going to need to prioritize a number of things. A decent telephoto focal length is going to be a given, as sports by their nature don't allow you to get close to the action. And at this range, you're going to likely need a capable stabilization system to help keep shots sharp, as you may not always be able to rely on being able to use a tripod. Having as wide a maximum aperture as possible will also be handy; sports photography generally requires fast shutter speeds, so being able to open up the lens will help you ensure enough light gets in without having to amp up the ISO.

Fast focusing is a must – a lens needs a powerful system that'll lock-on quickly. Also, given that many sports take place outdoors, some measure of weatherproofing is highly advisable.

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How we test lenses

The lens experts in our testing lab run a range of tests under controlled conditions, using the Imatest Master testing suite. Photos of test charts are taken across the range of apertures and zooms (where available), then analyzed for sharpness, distortion and chromatic aberrations.

We use Imatest SFR (spatial frequency response) charts and analysis software to plot lens resolution at the centre of the image frame, corners and mid-point distances, across the range of aperture settings and, with zoom lenses, at four different focal lengths.

There's more to it than just the technical side, though! Beyond the lab, our reviewers test lenses in real-world environments – and sometimes on professional shoots! We work with lenses both indoors and outdoors, in studio conditions and in natural light, with as many different subjects as is possible (or appropriate – there's no point testing a landscape lens' ability to shoot a portrait!).

We take into account everything from handling and ease of use to speed of autofocus and the overall quality of the images produced.

Find out more about how we test and review on Digital Camera World

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Nikon has launched its first-ever prime lens for the DX range of mirrorless lenses. The Nikkor Z DX 24mm f/1.7 joins four zoom lenses that are designed exclusively for Nikon's APS-C-sensored cameras - the Nikon Zfc, Z30 and Z50 - and is the last of the DX lenses promised on the current Nikon Z lens roadmap.

Although many of the full-frame Z-mount lenses in Nikon's range can be used on these DX cameras, the lack of affordable, lightweight lenses has been a significant disadvantage for users of these models. The new 24mm f/1.7 lens provides a fast wide-angle lens that weighs just 135g (4.8 oz), and measures 70 x 40mm (2.8 x 1.6in).

With the 1.5x crop factor taken into account, the new prime offers an effective focal length of a traditional 35mm lens. The lens is constructed from nine elements in eight groups, including two aspherical glass elements, and uses a seven-blade iris diaphragm. The minimum focus is just 0.18m (0.59 ft) - providing a maximum magnification ratio of 0.19x. The filter thread has a diameter of just 46mm.

The lens uses a stepping motor which we are told offers "fast, accurate, smooth, quiet autofocus with reduced wobbling" – which will be particularly welcome by those shooting video. You can manually focus the lens, but there is no A/M switch on the lens itself, and there is no distance scale.

The lens goes on sale in June for $279.95 / £289 / AU$499.95 - and will come supplied with a lens hood. 

The other current DX Z-mount lenses are:

• Nikkor Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR review
• Nikon Z DX 18-140mm f/3.5-6.3 VR review
• Nikkor Z DX 50-250mm f/4.5-6.3 VR review
• Nikon Z DX 12-28mm f/3.5-5.6 PZ VR review

A Canon RF 200-500mm f/4L IS USM has been long rumored, and now the team over at Canon Rumors has managed to confirm its existence, and that we might see it as soon as the end of this year!

We reported a few months ago about the first rumors of a Canon RF 200-500mm f/4L IS USM lens. Canon already makes a similar EF version of this lens – the Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM Extender 1.4x. However, the latest information from Canon Rumors suggests that to reduce the overall size and weight of the lens, the new RF version will forgo the 1.4x teleconverter but will add an additional 100mm in focal length to compensate.

Wildlife and sports photographers needn't fear however, as Canon Rumors also asserts that a newly designed separate teleconverter extension is also coming soon, which will also work with the recently introduced Canon RF 100-300mm f/2.8L IS USM lens.

Currently, the only huge super-zoom telephoto lens in Canon's "big white" professional range is the RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1 L IS USM, although many shooters prefer a constant aperture lens for consistent shots throughout the zoom range. Canon recently introduced the slightly shorter but wide aperture RF 100-300mm f/2.8L IS USM lens, although this has an eyewatering price of around $12,000! So something in the middle of these two lenses would be very welcome.

Canon has long offered some of the most beloved and best lenses for bird photography and wildlife as well as sports photography, which is why you will see Canon featured so frequently in nature documentaries and at big sporting events like the Olympics.

The Canon RF 200-500mm f/4L IS USM is apparently due to arrive at the end of this year, or at the very beginning of 2024, and will come just before the Canon EOS R1 as photographers get ready for the Paris Olympics next summer.

It's not all about the lenses, find out more about the best camera for wildlife photography and the best camera for sports photography in our guides.

For decades, telephoto zoom lenses were divided into two categories. Budget-friendly consumer models were reasonably compact and tended to have a maximum aperture of f/4-5.6 as you stretch through the zoom range. Professional lenses were bigger, heavier, had higher-grade optics and usually boast a faster maximum aperture of f/2.8 or f/4. The maximum aperture also remains fixed throughout the zoom range, earning them the ‘constant-aperture’ moniker. The Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM broke the mold - offering a half-way house between the two types.

Despite having a fairly modest filter diameter of 67mm, 10mm less than the fast Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS II USM lens, the lens barrel is almost the same width. At first the 70-300mm L looks like a budget telephoto zoom packed into an oversized full metal jacket. Look deeper, though, and you’ll find a full raft of Luxury-series finery. Build quality feels rock solid, there’s full environmental sealing to guard against moisture and dust in adverse shooting conditions, and all switches and moving parts feel of fully professional quality.

Specifications

Mount: Canon EF
Full frame: Yes
Image stabilization: Yes (four stops)
Lens construction: 19 elements in 14 groups
Angle of view: 34º - 8º 15'
Diaphragm blades: 8
Minimum aperture: f/32-45
Minimum focusing distance: 1.2m
Maximum magnification ratio: 0.21x
Filter size: 67mm
Dimensions: 89x143mm
Weight: 1,050g

Handling

The zoom ring is silky-smooth, without any hint of stiffness, but there’s no zoom creep. Even so, the lens features a zoom lock switch, to be on the safe side. The ring-type USM (UltraSonic Motor) autofocus is wonderfully fast, quiet and precise, and features full-time manual override to tweak the focus if needed. The minimum focus distance of 1.2m is fixed throughout the zoom range, giving a maximum magnification of 0.21x at 300mm.

The battleship build quality inevitably has an impact on weight. The all-plastic EF-S 55-250mm IS lens, which performs very well on APS-C DSLRs such as the EOS 90D or EOS 7D Mark II, weighs a mere 390g; the 70-300mm L is more than 2.5 times as heavy, at 1.05kg. Despite the extra bulk and weight, handling feels very natural, even on lightweight bodies like the 550D. And while the 70-300mm L is fully compatible with full-frame cameras such as the 5D Mark IV, it gives really powerful telephoto reach on cameras with smaller sensors, with an effective zoom range of 112-480mm.

The main strength of a faster telephoto lens, with a larger maximum aperture, is that you can fend off camera shake and freeze the action with a faster shutter speed. Conventionally, you’d need a minimum shutter speed of 1/500 sec to avoid camera shake at an equivalent focal length of 480mm. Using an EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM with a 1.4x teleconverter, you’d get a maximum equivalent telephoto length of 448mm, with a one-stop faster aperture of f/4. However, this combination is significantly more expensive

As with most Canon L-series lenses, you get a couple of neat extras included with the 70-300mm L. First up is a an ET-73B lens hood, which has a felt-type inner lining to cut down reflections while limiting ghosting and flare. There’s also an LP1424 soft pouch and, while this doesn’t measure up to the soft case provided with the EF 70-200mm f/2.8L in terms of quality, it’s better than nothing. One thing that’s missing, however, is a tripod collar, which a lens of this weight really needs for tripod use. The C (W II) collar, pictured above, is only available as an optional extra, with a hefty additional cost of about $170/£170.

Performance

To beat camera shake, the 4-stop image stabilizer on the 70-300mm works brilliantly well. On a EOS 550D, we consistently got pin-sharp handheld shots at an equivalent 480mm focal length, shooting at just 1/30 sec. It’s actually a dual-mode stabilizer: Mode 2 applying stabilization in just the vertical plane when panning in landscape-orientation, and vice versa when panning in portrait-orientation. Naturally, no amount of stabilization can counteract movement on the part of the subject but, then again, current Canon DSLRs offer excellent image quality at higher ISO ratings, so it’s relatively painless to offset the lens’s smaller maximum aperture by increasing the camera’s sensitivity. The other bonus of wider apertures is that you can minimize depth of field, but 300mm at f/5.6 still enables you to go really shallow.

The bottom line is image quality, and the 70-300mm L really excels. Distortions are remarkably low for a zoom lens and chromatic aberrations are practically non-existent. The biggest factor, however, is that an expensive lens like this with a relatively modest maximum aperture really has to deliver super-sharp shots with plenty of contrast when shooting wide open. Whereas we’d expect to need to shrink the aperture to f/8 or f/11 for good image quality with most budget telephoto zooms, the 70-300mm gives premium quality at its maximum apertures.

Verdict

This lens aims to give you the best of both worlds, combining L-series build quality with the 70-300mm range more common in budget tele-zooms. Unfortunately, something has to give, and in this case it’s aperture. Instead of the constant-aperture design of most upmarket models, this one has a variable widest aperture of f/4-5.6.

It’s tempting to think of this as a budget lens dressed in an L-series cream overcoat. However, this misconception is dispelled when you start shooting. Handling is refined, with silky-smooth zoom and focus rings, and autofocus is very fast and highly accurate. Best of all, image quality is fabulous. Sharpness is stunning throughout the entire zoom range, with practically no drop-off even at the 300mm end.

Read more:

Best Canon lenses
Best wide-angle lenses for Canon
Best Canon telephoto lenses

According to Photo Rumors, a new telephoto prime lens could be about to launch. Chinese lens manufacturer Zhongyi Optics, makers of lenses like the Mitakon Speedmaster range, looks set to announce a 200mm f/4 for no fewer than NINE different lens mounts: Canon EF and RF, Nikon F and Z, Sony E, Fuji X, L mount, and even the Fuji GFX and Hasselblad XCD medium-format mounts, on which the lens is likely to have an effective focal length of roughly 158mm.

The lens itself is said to be made up of 11 elements in 7 groups and will contain 9 aperture blades. Minimum focus distance is listed as 0.48mnm, and the lens takes 67mm filters. Size wise, the 75x205mm dimensions are similar to those of a full-frame 70-200mm f/4 optic, though at 1300g, the Zhongyi lens is almost as heavy as a 70-200mm f/2.8.

As this is a lens available for so many different camera mounts, it's almost certainly going to lack autofocus, optical image stabilisation, or indeed any electrical contacts to communicate with the host camera. As a result of this no-frills design, the cost of the lens is predicted to be relatively accessible - 3980 yuan, or around $600.

However, while manual focus primes can work well at shorter focal lengths up to around the portrait/85mm mark, a manual focus, non-stabilized 200mm lens could well be a hard beast to tame. A wafer-thin focal plane at 200mm will necessitate ultra-precise focussing - not easy when tracking a moving subject - and with no stabilisation, handheld shooting won't be easy.

We'll reserve full judgement until which time we can actually test the lens. But after we recently reviewed this fully manual telephoto prime which was darned near unusable, we're now rather sceptical of cut-price telephoto lenses.

Story credit: Photo Rumors

Read more:

• These are the best lenses for landscapes right now
• We pick the best budget telephoto lenses
• The best lenses for bird photography
• What are the best camera lenses to get?

Canon has announced that for the 20th consecutive year (from 2003 to 2022), its interchangeable-lens digital cameras have maintained the No. 1 share of the global market. The chart-topping achievement comes as the ground-breaking Digital Rebel, the first truly mass-market DSLR, celebrates its 20th birthday

Canon's EOS camera lineup includes both mirrorless cameras and DSLR cameras, and ranges from high-performance flagship models such as the EOS R3 or EOS-1D X Mark III, all the way down to entry-level models, like the EOS R50 or EOS Rebel T7 (2000D). 

Canon also offers an extensive selection of RF lenses for mirrorless and EF lenses for DSLRs, catering to the diverse needs of customers, amateurs, and professionals alike.

Above: Canon's anniversary video, celebrating 20 years of leading the digital interchangeable lens camera market

Canon's journey in the digital SLR camera market began with the introduction of its breakthrough EOS Digital Rebel (known as the EOS 300D in Europe and the EOS Kiss Digital in Japan), which was launched in September 2003. Since then, Canon has launched several groundbreaking products, including the professional-model EOS-1D series and the EOS 5D series, which paved the way for digital SLR video recording. 

Canon's next-generation EOS R System was launched in October 2018, which included the EOS R and EOS RP. This culminated in the launch of the EOS R5 and R3, which feature incredible new tracking autofocus for fast-moving subjects and continuous shooting performance. In December 2021, Canon also launched the EOS VR System, designed to record video for virtual reality content.

In 2022, Canon had a bumper year for cameras, expanding its lineup with the release of the EOS R7, EOS R10, and EOS R6 Mark II full-frame camera, alongside six new RF lenses. Canon followed this up this year with its most recent cameras, the EOS R8 and EOS R50, both cameras offering entry-level features for full-frame and APS-C sensors respectively.

Canon is not going to stop here, with rumors already swirling about its next cameras, with many pundits expecting the release of a Canon EOS R1 camera in the next year in time for the Paris Olympic games, as well as a rumored big update for the Canon EOS R5 adding new tracking features and pixel shift technology that keeps that camera fresh in the minds of consumers and fends off challengers from rival brands.

Read more about Canon in our guides to the best Canon cameras and the best Canon lenses.

Abandoned in the quest for pixel perfection by camera makers and photographers alike, some film manufacturers endured. Spurred on by a new generation of photographers embracing the grain, the re-emergence of this retro medium has now sparked a new lease of life for our old film cameras.

So why should you consider shooting film? For some it is the anticipation and excitement of seeing the image days or weeks after pressing the shutter. For others, it is the distinctive aesthetic or the individual characteristics of each film stock. And then there are the tangible outputs; long lasting negatives and unique prints. 

Many will counter-argue that film cameras are limiting. Your ISO is fixed, your frames are restricted to the length of film in your camera – and getting it right
in camera is essential. Yet these limitations can be both liberating and rewarding ways to improve our photographic skills.

For many of you, film was a stepping stone on your photographic journey to digital, yet for new and experienced photographers alike it still has so much to offer. It is no longer a case of film versus digital; the two mediums now coexist by offering photographers choice. So, now is the time to dust off your old Canon SLR, or buy a classic film camera,and enjoy the delights of analogue!

Buy a Canon film camera

What you need to know to find the perfect Canon film camera for you

One of the unashamed pleasures of film photography is the selection of cameras available to us. While technology has moved on considerably since Canon’s last film model was released in 2005, their legacy of innovation and quality was founded in the film era, with some ground breaking cameras paving the way for the technological advancements we take for granted in today’s digital line up of cameras. 

Thanks to the re-emergence of film, these cameras are once again more than just ornaments gathering dust on a shelf. Better still, these decades old machines are typically available at a fraction of their original selling price, meaning you can snag a real bargain.

My pick of Canon film cameras

There’s a lot of different film cameras to choose from, here’s our best Canon picks

Canon’s first prototype camera, a 1934 Leica-inspired rangefinder, heralded the start of a long and illustrious line up of film cameras that covered everything from cheap plastic point and shoots, half-frame ‘Demi’ cameras, IXUS APS compacts all the way up to high-spec precursors of our modern digital SLRs. We take a look at some of our Canon favorites. 

Canon EOS Rebel 2000 (1999)
An affordable introduction to the EF mount

EOS film cameras were manufactured between 1987 and 2004 and all of them utilize the EF mount. For Canon DSLR owners this makes them an excellent route back into film photography, particularly if you own EF glass.

Despite being relatively modern, EOS models are often much more affordable than their older manual-focusing cousins. The mid-range EOS Rebel 2000 (known as the EOS 300 outside North America , as well as the Rebel Ti/300V (2002) and Rebel T2/300X (2004) upgrades, are a great choice when a compact, light-weight yet highly capable camera is required thanks to fast and accurate AF and excellent 35-zone evaluative metering.

Expected cost: $30 / £30 (sometimes sold with its kit lens)

Alternatives: There are many alternatives, but the newer entry-level EOS Rebel K2 / EOS 3000V (2003) has a similar spec in an even lighter body.

Canon AF35M (1979)
The original autofocus point and shoot

This chunky point and shoot is notable in that it was Canon’s first compact camera to offer AF and auto exposure, as well as automated frame advance and rewind. It has a fairly average 38mm f/2.8 lens, a plasticky build and is anything but silent in operation, so will never be considered amongst Canon’s elite, yet its popularity stems from having one of the best metering systems of any compact at that time. It is capable of handling challenging light conditions and with today’s surging demand for film point and shoots it is a relatively affordable, readily available and perfectly capable option.

Expected cost: $40-50 / £50-80

Alternatives: The original Autoboy was the first in a long succession of compact AF Canon point and shoots that included a Mark II as well as modern fixed and zoom lens Sure Shot/Prima compacts.

Canon EOS 5 (1992)
The original eye-controlled focus

Canon introduced a unique feature into their Prosumer cameras when the EOS 5 (1992-98) became the world’s first 35mm SLR camera to have Eye-Controlled Focus, a technology not used in digital cameras until the R3 in 2021. The EOS 5 could select between one of 5 focusing points simply by looking at it. A 6th point activated a depth of field preview. This popular pro-spec’d camera also boasted evaluative, centre-weight average and spot metering, full manual operation as well as shutter and aperture priority AE and other intelligent program modes. 

Expected cost: $70-80 / £50-75

Alternatives: Only four other 35mm cameras had this feature. The EOS 50E (1995-2000), EOS 30 (2000-04), EOS 30V (2004-07) and EOS 3 (1998-2007). The latter had a whopping 45 AF points.

Canon A-1 (1978)

Classic old school enjoyment

Canon’s ‘A’ series has proved very popular for those wanting a truly different experience to digital thanks to its manual focus FD mount. The pick of the bunch and the most advanced model of the 6 in the series is the A-1 (1978-85). Featuring both aperture and shutter priority auto exposure modes it was also the first SLR to offer a ‘program’ auto exposure mode. Its ISO settings range from 6 to 12,800 and its shutter speed from 30 secs to 1/1000 sec, while another notable feature is the easy-to-read, electronic display within the viewfinder.

Expected cost: $80-$200 / £120-£160 inc 50mm f/1.8 lens

Alternatives: The popular Canon AE-1 Program (1981) is a student favorite that built on the successes of the original AE-1 (1976) and introduced the Program Mode from the A-1.

Canonet G III QL17 (1972)
The ‘affordable’ rangefinder

An affordable alternative to the upmarket Leica, this 1972, 3rd generation Canonet rangefinder has a sharp, fixed 40mm f/1.7 lens and an integrated light meter housed in a well-built yet relatively lightweight and compact body. As one of a number of ‘Canonet’ models, the popularity of this particular one continues today due to the fact it was manufactured over the course of a decade and sold more than 1.2 million units.

Expected cost: $120-200 / £180-250

Alternatives: While the G III QL17 was the pinnacle of the Canonet line, older generations of Canonets, including options with inferior lenses, date back to the original in 1961.

New Canon F-1 (1981)

Shoot like a pro

The ‘New F-1’ replaced the 1971 original F-1 as the FD Mount’s pro standard Canon SLR. Unlike today’s rapid product life cycle, Canon had committed to a 10-year run of the original F-1 and aside from the 1976 F-1n with 13 minor changes, they stuck to their guns. When 1981 finally rolled around there was much anticipation… The New F-1 camera delivered. It continued the F-1’s tradition of a tank-like mechanical body built around a modular system of interchangeable viewfinders, focusing screens, backs and motor drives, which let you customize what was a basic manual function camera to your style.

Expected cost: $200-300 / £250-300

Alternatives: The eventual ‘pro’ successors to the New F-1 were the super-fast EOS-1 (1989), 1N (1994) and 1V (2000). The 1V is arguably the best pro film camera ever made.

What to look for when buying

Aside from the cosmetic condition of the camera always check that the shutter works at different speeds, the meter reacts to different light, the film loads, advances and rewinds, the frame counter advances, nobs and dials move as they should, the shutter curtain is intact, the lens is free from fungus and the battery compartment has no rust or corrosion. If you’re viewing the camera in person, take fresh batteries with you and even an old roll of film to test out the body.

If you can’t physically see the camera before buying then carefully check the listing’s pictures and wording. If possible, try to buy from someone who has film tested the camera or is willing to be talked through the various tests.

Canon SLR mounts

Canon developed several mounts for its SLRs starting with the breech-lock ‘R’ (1959-64) and ‘FL’ (1964-71) mounts before their popular FD mount (1971–89), which featured an extensive line up of manual lenses and supported three key series of Canon film cameras: the ‘F’ (1971-81), ‘A’ (1976-82) and ‘T’ (1983-90). 

However, in 1987, Canon took the bold decision to replace the FD mount with a non-compatible yet ground-breaking, fully electric EF (Electric Focus) lens mount for their new EOS system (Electro-Optical System). This move cemented Canon’s market position, and ultimately provided the bridge between film and digital SLRs.

Where to buy film cameras

This will depend on your budget, appetite for risk and how desperate you are for a specific model. Online classifieds and auction sites, such as Facebook Marketplace and eBay, are good hunting grounds with a fantastic choice, although the risk of buying unseen or untested cameras is not without its pitfalls.

The safest option is to buy through a reputable, specialist second-hand camera retailer. The staff are often very knowledgeable and can advise on which model to buy, while your purchases typically also come with some level of warranty as well as piece of mind of its working condition.

Before you start shooting

Before using a film camera for the very first time, always run a test roll of film through it. Just make sure you’re using a roll of film you’re not precious about, you don’t want to ruin prized images! This will show any visual defects on the negatives, such as light leaks which are a common issue in older cameras. Light leaks are caused by deterioration of the light seal foam. Thankfully the foam is relatively cheap to replace, but if you are in any doubt, you can send the camera to a specialist for a CLA (clean, lubricate and adjust). Once you are happy the camera is in decent working condition then you can start shooting with the confidence that your photos will be okay.

Best 35mm film
Best film cameras
The best film scanners
Best darkroom equipment: photo enlargers, film tanks, trays

Legacy lens maker Cosina is launching a new super-fast lens for the Canon RF mount under its Voigtlander brand – the NOKTON 50mm f/1.0 Aspherical. With a staggering aperture of f/1.0, it is just wide enough to squeak onto our list of the fastest lenses ever. 

Previously, the fastest lens for Canon RF shooters has been the eye-wateringly expensive Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L USM, so it is very exciting to have a new, hopefully more affordable, and much more compact option for those who want the most extreme depth of field and bokeh. 

Canon has not made its own lens this fast since the EF 50mm f/1.0L USM, released in September 1989. And although there have been rumblings that Canon might be preparing to launch an RF 60mm lens with a super-fast f/1.0 aperture, this is still just a very early speculation, so for the time being will have to make good with third-party glass. Although Canon is not making this easy by locking down its lens mount to outside development.

Voigtlander lenses are very well respected amongst photographers who enjoy manual focus lenses with vintage styling, especially for classic rangefinder cameras. Cocina has been in the business for over sixty-four years perfecting its lensmaking techniques. Cosina NOKTON lenses are typically very well built with a solid metal lens construction akin to those you would find on classic film cameras or today's premium cameras from companies like Leica. 

Exhibited at last week's CP+ trade expo, the NOKTON 50mm f/1.0 Aspherical for RF mount, will be manual focus only but will include electrical contacts to communicate with EOS R series cameras for capturing relevant EXIF data for use in organizing images. The aperture is also manually controlled by an aperture ring on the lens, and Cosina has included focus markings on the lens barrel for guided manual focusing.

The NOKTON 50mm f/1.0 Aspherical lens has nine elements in seven groups, as well as a twelve-bladed aperture offering smooth focus fall-off and rounded bokeh balls, with the aperture ranging from f/1 to f/16. The lens measures 64mm in length and 79.3mm in diameter and it weighs 650g, the lens will also feature a front filter thread with a size of 67mm.

If you are interested in more fast 50mm primes, then you can read more in our guide to the best 50mm lenses. You can also check out the best Canon RF lenses and the best Canon portrait lenses.

The EOS R system introduced RF lenses with a control ring around the lens body in addition to the usual focus and zoom rings. It controls a range of functions, from basic exposure to autofocus and image settings. 

The position of control rings is different on different Canon leness, making it more difficult to find instinctively if you use a range of lenses. In this respect, using EF lenses with the control ring mount adapter is better as the control ring remains in the same location. 

Some of the compact Canon RF lenses have little space for an additional ring and feature a combined focus and control ring. Autofocus on the EOS R series is so reliable there’s little need for a manual focus ring, so using it as a control ring is more useful.

When using automatic exposure modes, you may find a good use for the control ring to change one AF method to another. The benefit of the control ring is that you can switch back and forth by turning the ring in opposite directions, which is faster than cycling through all the available AF methods. 

If you regularly shoot with Manual exposure mode, it is good to have separate controls for the individual parameters: shutter speed, aperture, ISO and exposure compensation when using auto ISO. For such use, assign exposure compensation to the control ring. The control ring can be set to only change a value while the shutter is half-pressed or even locked with a configuration of the lock button on most cameras.

Picture styles and white balance

If you like to work with JPEGs, it’s more important to choose appropriate white balance and picture style settings. The control ring can be set to freely cycle through these or require that the shutter is half-pressed before making a change.

Colour consistency is vital for video, so many movie makers use Kelvin white balance so that when edits are put together, there are no color shifts in the same light situation. Select Kelvin White Balance and then use the control ring to easily adjust the Kelvin value in response to changing light temperature.

Control rings and other customized button settings additionally make the camera more usable if you have limited movement or grip in your hands.

You might also like to read our guide on the best Canon camera, which covers the best DSLRs, mirrorless cameras and EOS-M cameras.

As a long-time fan of the original Canon EF-M 22mm f/2 STM, you can imagine I am very excited about the news from Canon Rumors that a new version of the EF-M 22mm is rumored to be heading our way soon for the Canon RF-S mount.

The Canon RF-S 22mm f/2 STM is rumored to be coming out alongside the as-yet-unannounced Canon EOS R50, which itself is meant to be a replacement for the EOS M50. A Canon EOS R50 and RF-S 22mm pancake lens might just be the perfect pocketable setup for content creation, and therefore a big win for Canon if it wants to continue to attract new users.

Although Canon's EOS M range of cameras always felt a little like the unloved younger sibling of its attention-hogging EF older brother, Canon actually produced a couple of very nice EF-M lenses. Canon EOS-M lenses managed to strike that perfect balance of image quality in an impressively compact form factor. Canon's EF-M 22mm f/2 STM is a shining example of this and potentially one of the best Canon lenses for the Canon M system of cameras (please don't write in).

• Check out the best Canon Black Friday deals

Sure, the EF-M 22mm has its flaws, hello extreme vignetting, but it is one of the most compact pancake lenses on the market, with sharpness and quality that has no right coming from a lens that size. Especially combined with Canon's excellent M50 or M6 cameras, it is an excellent choice for travel and vlogging.

My hope is that Canon manages to keep the aspects of the EF-M lens that made it so special to begin with, and we get a really compact travel and street photography lens that also outperforms in the image quality department. Hopefully, the new wizardry in the RF mount and its increased flange distance can smooth out some of the issues with the previous EF-M version.

Stay tuned for more Canon rumors in our Canon rumors hub, and check out the best Canon cameras to see all the latest models in the lineup.

Any serious photographer should have a 50mm lens in their kit bag. Also known as a 'standard' prime or a 'nifty fifty,' these lenses capture a perspective that's roughly equivalent to the field of view of the human eye (when mounted on a full-frame camera). This makes them ideal for creating natural-feeling images, and means they can be useful in just about any genre of photography. And on a crop-sensor APS-C or Micro Four Thirds camera, the longer 'effective' focal length makes them ideal for portraiture.

50mm lenses run the gamut in terms of price – it's possible to spend a four-figure sum on professional 50mm lenses, but there are also some ultra-budget optics out there that offer surprisingly good quality for a minimal outlay.

I've put together this guide of 50mm lenses, focusing on the best buys for all the major mounts. I've also added some advice on how to choose a good 50mm lens at the bottom of this guide. For a longer perspective, you may also want to check out my guide to the best telephoto lenses.

The best 50mm lenses

Best Canon

Sure, it's too big for the cameras it's made for. Sure, it costs about the same as a new EOS R camera. All these are valid points. But... well, if you use the RF 50mm f/1.2L USM, you'll understand. It is quite simply a beautiful lens that radically redefines what the L series is capable of.

Real-world results are near-flawless, with exceptional sharpness even wide open at f/1.2, and a really natural roll-off between focused and defocused areas, along with beautifully smooth bokeh.

A customizable control ring enbles you to really make the lens your own and have it handle exactly the way you want it to. There's weather-sealing too, and a super-speedy autofocus system: in short, everything you could want from a lens of this type. It's an incredible feat of engineering by Canon.

See our full Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L review

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Budget Canon

While the RF 50mm f/1.2L USM is a stunning lens, its price means it's out of reach for many EOS R series users. That's where the RF 50mm f/1.8 STM comes in.

As far as I'm concerned, this relatively inexpensive, compact and capable standard prime lens is the best-value buy in Canon's entire RF lens catalog. The great news too is that image quality hasn't been compromised – my tests show that it's on par with the much pricier f/1.2 variant, in one or two areas at least, with impressive sharpness.

The build quality is a little better than in the EF equivalent, although it's worth bearing in mind that neither is weather-sealed. Focusing is also very good, with the stepping motor (STM) offering quick and quiet focus, which is fast enough for stills and smooth enough for video. The Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM is a fantastic everyday lens that pairs well with any RF body.

See our full Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM review

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Best Nikon

The fastest 50mm-ish Z-mount lens that Nikon makes is the Nikkor 58mm f/0.95 Noct, but it's crazy expensive and somewhat inpractical. When compared to the Noct, this 50mm f/1.2 S looks much better value, even it's still a very pricey lens.

There's no getting around the fact that at 150mm long and over 1kg in weight, this is a hefty 50mm prime. The 17-element pro lens incorporates advanced coatings like anti-reflection ARNEO and Nano Crystal Coat, along with a 9-blade rounded diaphragm.

The exterior is fully weather sealed and features a video-friendly silent control ring, along with a customizable Fn button and OLED info panel that displays important data. All in all, handling is top-end and the same goes for image quality and every other aspect of performance. It's a cracker.

Read our full Nikon Z 50mm f/1.2 S review

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Budget Nikon

I raised an eyebrow when Nikon launched the Z 50mm f/1.8 S as one of the first ever Z-system lenses, giving up-market S-line credentials to a prime that ‘only’ had an f/1.8 aperture rating. As soon as I tried it, I was won over by its quality and all-around performance, but still hankered over that faster f/1.4 aperture.

This lens hits the f/1.4 mark, while also adding a secondary customizable control ring. I find that’s most useful for stepless aperture control when shooting video, which this lens does superbly well.

Although aimed at ‘content creators’, the lens is equally adept at stills as well as video. It doesn’t have an auto/manual focus mode switch, but I’m not really bothered. Edge/corner sharpness isn’t the best, but I’ve found that the lens can do full justice to the resolving power of Z6 -series cameras, and the relatively compact, lightweight build makes it a good fit.

Read more: Nikon Z 50mm f/1.4 review

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Best Sony

The Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 G Master is a spectacular nifty-fifty, boasting impressive sharpness right the way through its aperture range – yes, even at f/1.2. Sony has built this lens from the ground up with sharpness in mind, and its optical path includes three XA (extreme aspherical) elements that have been engineered to a surface-precision tolerance of 0.01 microns.

What this means, as we found in our review, is that the lens performance is absolutely stellar – blowing away its rivals from the likes of Canon and Nikon. Our lab tests reported basically nothing in terms of imperfections, except for some pincushion distortion, and a little vignetting at f/1.2

The handling, too, is excellent. It's a heavy lens, as it needs to be with specs like these, but not exceptionally so in the pantheon of 50mm f/1.2 lenses. This is an all-around fantastic optic, and if its asking price isn't too dear for you, it'll deliver nothing short of spectacular performance.

Read our full Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 G Master full review

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Budget Sony

Unlike many high-profile 50mm lenses with very fast max apertures, the FE 50mm f/2.5 is extremely small, extremely light and extremely practical. It can go places where you just wouldn’t take a bigger lens: with a lens this size you can shoot all day without getting arm-ache.

The lens's maximum aperture of f/2.5 might sound very tame by today’s standards, but it’s still faster than even a pro zoom lens (just), while being a fraction of the size and cost.

Performance-wise, this lens is just terrific. Sharpness is sensational, especially between f/2.8 and f/5.6, and chromatic aberration is almost invisible. The dual linear AF motors do their work silently, smoothly and quickly, and though there no stabilization, all current Sony A7 and A9 cameras have in-body stabilization anyway.

See our full Sony FE 50mm f/2.5 G review

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Best independent

This Viltrox lens is designed and built as a pro-grade lens, catering to the most demanding professional and enthusiast photographers. It’s something of a feast in handling terms, with a dedicated aperture control ring plus a click/de-click switch, customizable function button and more besides. Build quality is pretty epic as well, with a really solid feel to the weather-sealed construction. And of course, it has that desirably fast f/1.4 aperture rating.

Quality glass features 15 elements in 11 groups, including a UA (Ultra Aspherical) element with a relatively large diameter and ultra-high precision build, three ED (Extra-low dispersion) elements and no less than eight HR (High Refractive index) elements. The aperture is based on an 11-blade diaphragm, which remains particularly well-rounded when stopping down.

Autofocus is based on a HyperVCM (Voice Coil Motor) autofocus system, designed to be quick for stills, while also delivering ultra-smooth focus transitions when shooting video, in virtually complete silence. Image quality is fabulous, combining excellent sharpness and clarity, even when shooting wide-open, with beautifully soft and dreamy bokeh. It’s a cracker of a lens and an absolute bargain at the price.

Read our full Viltrox AF 50mm f/1.4 Pro review

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Best L-mount

Sigma has pumped out a fair few 50mm lenses for L-mount – which makes sense, given that the manufacturer was one of the originators of the L-mount alliance, along with Leica and Panasonic. As usual, Sigma also offers a Sony E (FE) mount version of the lens.

This 50mm F1.2 DG DN | Art lens is one of my personal favorites. It joins the elite class of f/1.2 primes, delivering a tight depth of field and beautiful bokeh. What's more, Sigma has achieved this with no noticeable compromise in terms of sharpness and clarity.

The only real catch is that it's a pricey lens to buy, which again is only to be expected. If your budget won't stretch to it, take a look at the Sigma 50mm F1.4 DG DN Art or the natty little Sigma 50mm F2 DG DN | C, both of which earned high marks in our reviews. Again, these two are also available in E-mount for Sony mirrorless cameras.

Read our full Sigma 50mm F1.2 DG DN Art review

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Best Leica

All right, I'll wait until you're finished fainting at the price tag. All done? Right – while I'm going to admit that this expensive lens is not for everyone, I have to also be fair and say that it is one of the sharpest lenses I've ever tested – ever.

The Leica Summilux-SL 50mm f/1.4 ASPH is ludicrously well constructed, inside and out, and the reason it weighs more than a kilogram is because it's packed with some of the finest glass in optical engineering.

If you need the best of the best to pair with your Leica L-mount camera, this is the buy to make – it's absurdly sharp even with the aperture wide open or stopped fully down, and in the mid-range it's simply scintillating. What a lens.

See our full Leica Summilux-SL 50mm f/1.4 ASPH review

Lab data and comparisons

The graphs below show the comparative performance of the lenses in this guide, based on our in-house lab tests. Perhaps usurprisingly, some of the priciest lenses are also the sharpest, including the Sony FE 50mm f/1.2, Sigma 50mm f/1.2 and Nikon Z 50mm f/1.2.

As I'd expect for modern, high-quality prime lenses with a standard focal length, distortion is minimal across the board and they all do well to minimize color fringing.

For more detailed graphs of each lens's performance, take a look at the graphs published in our full standalone reviews.

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How to choose the best 50mm lens

A good 50mm lens should produce undistorted, naturalistic-looking images. There is plenty of variance among 50mm lenses in terms of their size, weight, price and maximum aperture. Generally, a larger and more expensive lens will have the advantage of a larger maximum aperture (f/1.4 or f/1.2), meaning you can open up the lens wider to let in more light. Not only is this useful in dark situations, but it also allows the lens to create images with a shallower depth of field, producing that clean separation between subject and background that is so sought-after by portrait photographers.

Equivalent focal lengths

One thing that's worth being aware of is that a 50mm lens does not always produce the field of view of a 50mm lens, depending on the sensor size of the camera you're using. On an APS-C body, such as a Fujifilm X camera, the same lens will have an effective focal length of 75mm (80mm for Canon), making it a better fit for portraiture.

Shrink down to a Micro Four Thirds camera, and a 50mm lens will have a 100mm effective focal length, more suitable for really tight portraits and short telephoto shooting.

Whichever camp you’re in, a ‘nifty fifty’ might well be the only prime lens you ever buy, so it pays to get a good one.

How we test lenses

We test lenses using both real world sample images and lab tests. Our lab tests are carried out scientifically in controlled conditions using the Imatest testing suite, which consists of custom charts and analysis software that measures resolution in line widths/picture height, a measurement widely used in lens and camera testing. We find the combination of lab and real-word testing works best, as each reveals different qualities and characteristics. See more on how we test and review at Digital Camera World.

In this guide, I'm covering the best wide-angle zoom lenses for Canon cameras. That includes RF and RF-S options for mirrorless cameras, plus EF and EF-S zooms for DSLRs. There's a lot to choose from, especially with Canon recently ramping up the number of RF lenses that fit the bill.

Wide-angle zooms are often used for architecture, landscape and interior photography, and in many cases are also preferred by video shooters and vloggers who want to get plenty into the frame while presenting to camera. The wide-angles on this list are some of the best I've tested, and I've made sure to include budget-friendly options as well as premium, professional lenses.

I've put together a quick list of my top choices across the different mounts before getting into the list proper – it's a long list, as my colleagues and I have reviewed a lot of lenses! For more options, you can also see our general guides to the best Canon RF lenses and the best Canon EF lenses.

Best Canon wide-angle lenses

Canon RF

Here are the wide-angle zooms for Canon's full-frame EOS R series mirrorless cameras – the latest flagship lenses and professional optics, plus some budget-friendly alternatives.

Best RF wide-angle zoom lens

Canon has taken full advantage of the strengths of the RF mount – chiefly its close proximity between the rear lens element and the sensor – to deliver a lens that's a world first. The RF 10-20mm f/4L IS STM is the widest full-frame rectilinear lens with autofocus, and while yes that is a lot of qualifiers for a record, it's still cool, dammit. The rectilinear design (as opposed to fisheye) means it can keep straight lines straight even in such a wide perspective, making it much more viable for architecture and landscape photography.

Also, by cutting the longer end of the zoom down from 24mm to 20mm, Canon manages to make the RF lens both lighter and cheaper than its EF predecessor, which you'll meet further down the page.

Read our full Canon RF 10-20mm f/4L IS STM review

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Best trinity RF wide-angle zoom lens

This is a big lens that feels less well matched to a slim-line mirrorless camera body, but the Canon lens certainly goes large on features and handling. The main reason for its price and size is that it’s an f/2.8 constant aperture zoom. As usual for a Canon L-series lens, it has tough, weather-sealed build quality of a pro-grade standard.

Handling bonuses include a 5-stop optical stabilizer, a customizable control ring, and a detachable hood, which enables the fitment of 82mm filters or filter holders. The image quality is gorgeous, although corner sharpness could be a little better when shooting wide-open at the short end of the zoom range.

Read our full Canon RF 15-35mm f/2.8L IS USM review

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Best landcape RF wide-angle zoom lens

This might look at first glance like simply a cheap version of the RF 15-35mm f/2.8 lens listed above – but dig in deeper, and Canon's RF 14-35mm f/4L IS USM reveals itself to be quite a bit more than that. For a start, as you may have noticed it's a little wider, and while 14mm might not sound all that different to 15mm, it can count for a lot in terms of your field of view.

Then you also have that 0.2m close focusing distance, and an absolutely superb stabilisation system, which delivers up to 7 stops effective compensation when paired with a compatible EOS R body. On testing, we managed to get sharp shots while hand-holding the camera for a full 1sec shutter speed.

Read our full Canon RF 14-35mm f/4L IS USM review

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Best compact RF wide-angle zoom lens

The Canon RF 15-30mm F4.5-6.3 IS STM offers up a wide viewing angle for RF users without the hefty cost of Canon's L series glass. There are of course some compromises, with the aperture being quite narrow, which restricts its use in low-light situations.

However, the benefits massively outweigh this with the lens being light and compact, while still offering 5.5-stops of stabilization, which is expanded to 7 stops when used on a compatible body. The lens can also act as a pseudo-macro lens, with 0.52x magnification at 15mm, opening up new creative opportunities. And with Canon's quiet and fast STM motor, this lens is perfect for vlogging and video making.

Read our full Canon RF 15-30mm F4.5-6.3 IS STM review

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Best alt trinity RF wide-angle zoom lens

There are growing ranks of alternative ‘trinity’ f/2.8 constant-aperture zoom lenses from various different manufacturers, in all three of the wide-angle, standard and telephoto classes. Not to be left out, Canon has released this RF 16-28mm, which is refreshingly lightweight and easy to live with, yet has that desirable f/2.8 aperture rating that remains available throughout the entire zoom range.

The zoom range itself is comparatively limited, being less ‘wide-angle’ at the short end and more modest at the long end, compared with many wide-angle zooms. However, that’s typically the price you pay for downsizing. And although compact, the lens does squeeze in a 5.5-stop optical stabilizer and stepping motor-based autofocus. Image quality and all-round performance are very satisfying.

Read our full Canon RF 16-28mm f/2.8 IS STM review

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Canon RF-S

There haven't been many lenses designed specifically for Canon's RF-S mount for APS-C cameras (remember that these cameras can still use full-frame RF lenses). However, this is changing thanks to Canon finally opening up the RF-S mount to third-party manufacturers. This means that RF-S shooters have the option of a Sigma wide-angle zoom, as well as Canon's own lens.

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Best RF-S wide-angle zoom lens

We were all waiting a while for Canon to get around to releasing a decent wide zoom for its APS-C mirrorless cameras – and happily, this one is more than decent. In fact, the RF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM is really rather good, with consistently good image quality, fast focusing and effective stabilisation – more of a necessity on the APS-C cameras, which tend not to have in-body stabilisation systems.

Indeed, we found little to complain about in our test of the lens. It'll create a fair amount of distortion if left uncorrected, although that's common with many mirrorless lenses that rely heavily on automatic in-camera corrections. Ultimately, this is a solid wide-angle zoom for APS-C EOS R cameras.

Read our full Canon RF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM review

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Fastest RF-S wide-angle zoom lens

A third-party wide-angle zoom for RF-S mount – with autofocus, no less – the Sigma 10-18mm f/2.8 DC DN C is a welcome sight indeed. Offering the same focal range as Canon's own RF-S zoom, the Sigma version distinguishes itself with a faster constant f/2.8 aperture. This means off the bat that it's both heavier and more expensive than Canon's 10-18mm lens, with the trade-off of better low-light performance. Sigma also doesn't share Canon's ultra-stingy habit of making you pay extra for a lens hood, so that's nice.

The choice between this and Canon's cheaper 10-18mm RF-S lens is a complicated one. The optical stabilisation on the own-brand lens really is a boon in a number of shooting situations, even on a format as wide as this, and I also like the fact that Canon's lens puts in a decent macro performance with 0.5x magnification, letting you switch to manual focusing and get in super-close. However, Sigma's lens wins out in sheer quality terms, and having an f/2.8 aperture at this price is nothing to sneeze at.

Read our full Sigma 10-18mm F2.8 DC DN C review

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Canon EF

Users of full-frame Canon DSLRs have no shortage of options when it comes to wide-angle zooms. Here are the ones that have particularly impressed our review team.

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Best EF wide-angle zoom lens

If money’s no object, the Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L III USM is an f/stop faster than this lens, and a darling of the most demanding pro photographers; however, it’s bigger, heavier, lacks image stabilization, and costs twice the price. For an own-brand Canon wide-angle zoom for full-frame cameras, this lens is our favorite. It’s relatively compact and lightweight, has a highly effective 4-stop image stabilizer, and maintains a very high standard of build quality and performance throughout. Like most L-series lenses, it’s robust and weather-sealed, with excellent handling.

Optical highlights include two UD (Ultra-low Dispersion) elements and Super Spectra coating. Fluorine coatings are also applied to the front and rear elements. Centre-sharpness is spectacular, although it drops off a little more towards the extreme edges and corners of the frame. Color fringing is controlled particularly well, and there’s fairly little barrel and pincushion distortion at the short and long ends of the zoom range respectively.

Read our full Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM review

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Value EF wide-angle zoom lens

Sigma has really gone to town with wide-angle zooms in its Global Vision lineup, but this lens is the latest and greatest. It has a slightly more modest maximum viewing angle than the 12-24mm Art lens below, but a faster aperture rating; both are practically identical in size and weight. High-tech glass includes an ultra-high-precision moulded glass aspherical front element, combined with three FLD (Fluorite-grade Low Dispersion) and three SLD (Special Low Dispersion) elements.

The lens is immaculately engineered and has a full set of weather seals instead of just a sealed mount. A fluorine coating is applied to repel muck and moisture, while the built-in lens hood gives physical protection to the protruding front element, as well as helping to reduce ghosting and flare. Sharpness and contrast are very impressive even when shooting wide-open at f/2.8, and this lens is virtually distortion-free. Colour fringing is also negligible, even around high-contrast edges towards the extreme corners of the frame. It’s an absolutely stellar lens in every respect.

Read our full Sigma 14-24mm f/2.8 DG HSM | A review

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Canon EF-S

If you're using a Canon DSLR with an APS-C sensor, here's the wide-angle zoom to go for. Third-party alternatives have now been discontinued.

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Best EF-S wide-angle zoom lens

I prefer this new Canon STM lens to the veteran EF-S 10-22mm, and not just because it’s only about a third of the price. The 10-18mm is wonderfully compact and lightweight for a wide-angle zoom – it’s actually less than half the weight of the competing Sigma APS-C format lenses, so ideally suited to travel photography. The weight saving is partly due to the mounting plate being made from plastic rather than metal, but the lens still feels reasonably robust.

The STM (Stepping Motor) autofocus system is fast for stills and ideal for video capture, delivering smooth focus transitions and being virtually silent in operation. Another advantage over the Canon 10-22mm is that this lens adds image stabilization, which is great for indoor or twilight shooting.

Read our full Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM review

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Lab data and comparisons

The graphs below show the comparative performance of the lenses in this guide, based on our in-house lab tests. The Canon RF full-frame zooms generally come out on top for sharpness, but the Sigma EF-mount lens also does very well.

Scores for sharpness and color fringing are averaged from data taken across the entire image frame, from the center to the edges and corners, throughout the aperture range. For zoom lenses, the scores are also averaged from data measured at all marked focal lengths, and the same applies to distortion.

Bear in mind that these average values don't fully reflect specific areas of performance. For example, a zoom lens might have noticeable barrel and pincushion distortion at its shortest and longest focal lengths respectively, which tends to average out when looking at the data overall. For more detailed graphs of each lens's performance, which give the full picture, check out the graphs in our full standalone lens reviews.

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How to choose a Canon wide-angle lens

When picking a wide-angle lens, it's important to think about what kind of photography you want to use it for – and these lenses have quite a few application. A wide-angle can be great for travel photography, for instance, allowing you to accentuate the drama and scale of tall landmarks or dazzling interiors. They can be used to great creative effect, letting you recede the backdrop of an image and dramatically separate the main subject in the foreground. Short focal lengths also introduce a large depth of field, which lets you keep the whole image plane as sharp as possible.

Our guide includes the best wide-angle zooms across all Canon's systems. Naturally, DSLR users with the EF and EF-S lens mounts will have the most choice, as the ranges for EOS M and RF mirrorless cameras are a lot less expansive. Also, users of EOS M, APS-C DSLRs (EF-S) or APS-C RF mirrorless cameras (RF-S) should be aware that the crop factor will affect the perspective of the lens, and if you use a full-frame wide-angle lens on an APS-C camera, you'll lose some of the effect; a 17-40mm full-frame EF lens will behave like a 27-64mm lens on an APS-C camera.

How we test lenses

We test lenses using both real world sample images and lab tests. Our lab tests are carried out scientifically in controlled conditions using the Imatest testing suite, which consists of custom charts and analysis software that measures resolution in line widths/picture height, a measurement widely used in lens and camera testing. We find the combination of lab and real-word testing works best, as each reveals different qualities and characteristics.

FAQs

AstrHori has just announced the official specs for the 28mm f/13 2X macro probe lens which was leaked last week. It's now been confirmed the lens will be available in the following mounts: Sony E, Fujifilm X, Nikon Z, Nikon F, Canon RF, L-mount and PL-mount. Notably, Canon EF mount is notably missing from the list.

Those familiar with the similarly unusual-looking Laowa 24mm f/14 2x macro probe lens will notice just how closely these two wide-angle probe lenses resemble one another. Both lenses feature an extremely long, thin barrel which is designed for a very particular purpose; to get insanely close to your subjects and capture shots no other lens can. Unlike most lenses, probe lenses have a built-in LED ring light at the front of the lens enabling you to illuminate your subjects when you can't use an external light source. 

• These are the best macro lenses for capturing your subjects really close up

If you shoot portraits or landscapes, chances are you won't have any need for this lens but for content creators who regularly shoot food, or small items such as jewelry or who want to capture shots underwater, this lens is a really affordable alternative to the Laowa version. Thinking outside the box about your shots is key to using this lens but you will definitely be able to capture exciting content that those without this lens couldn't. 

With a maximum aperture of f/13 and a minimum aperture of f/40, you'll have to make sure your sensor is spotless because any marks on it will show up. It has a 75° angle of view, a minimum working distance of 10mm, a minimum focusing distance of 0.48m to infinity and offers a 2:1 maximum magnification.  The optical structure is formed of 21 elements in 16 groups and a 7-bladed diaphragm. 

Weighing 698g it certainly isn't the lightest macro lens about but it's almost definitely one of the longest at 45.7cm (the Laowa equivalent is 40.8cm). However, a user-friendly design means it can be separated into two parts and the main body part can be used independently of the aperture and focus ring which feature a cine focus gear for use with cine focusing devices. 

Although designed for full-frame cameras it could be used on APS-C bodies with a crop factor of 1.5x making it a 42mm full-frame equivalent. The very front of the lens is completely waterproof allowing you to submerge it just beneath the water up to 25cm. A built-in LED ring on the front of the lens makes it really easy to illuminate subjects, especially when used underwater and the LED is powered by a USB port on the lens barrel. 

The Astrhori 28mm f/13 2X macro lens is now available to buy from Amazon for $739/£649 (around AU$1,160) - roughly half what the Laowa equivalent would set you back. 

Check out the best LED light panels and the best tripods which will help you take even better macro photos!

I know that Canon still only produces half a dozen RF-S lenses tailor-made for the EOS R10, but this needn't be a deal-breaker. That's because the camera can also be fitted with regular full-frame RF lenses, of which there are dozens to choose from. While full-frame lenses are usually a heavy and expensive option for APS-C cameras like the EOS R10, I’ve found some perfectly affordable lenses that are ideal – both for size and for price.

Most people think of the full-frame DSLR and mirrorless models as being the best Canon cameras, but APS-C models like the EOS R10 and the R50 are a lot cheaper, and pretty powerful in their own right.

There’s one more option to mention – the Canon Mount Adapter EF-EOS R! This handy gadget doesn’t cost a whole lot (you may even have got one with your camera, depending on your dealer), and it opens up a whole world of Canon EF and EF lenses.

So if you’re upgrading to the EOS R10 from an older EOS DSLR system, don’t get rid of your old lenses. And if you’re starting from scratch, (we rate the EOS R10 as one of the best cameras for beginners) there are plenty of Canon EF lenses on the used market to keep you going until the Canon RF-S lens line-up fills out properly.

The best lenses for the Canon EOS R10

Best starter lens for the R10

If you're looking at the EOS R10 and wondering whether you should go for this 18-45mm kit lens or the longer range 18-150mm (normally sold with the more advanced EOS R7), we'd suggest you don't write off this smaller lens too quickly. Small is the word.

Fitted to the EOS R10 it makes a light, compact combination that's easy to carry and use, and the image quality is actually rather good. It's obviously not going to give the same performance as L-series or even mid-range glass, but it still delivers solid image quality (providing you leave in-camera optical corrections enabled!), and fine for a camera like the EOS R10.

Read more: Canon RF-S 18-45mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM review

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Best wide-angle lens for the R10

I waited a long time for Canon to release an RF-S wide-angle zoom, which was a big hole in the RF-S range. But at last the EOS R10 launched as an affordable wide-angle lens, ideal for shooting interiors, landscapes and buildings. If you like to film vlogs for streaming, you’ll find this a compelling option.

The lens delivers sharp, punchy photos, although it does exhibit some distortion, especially at the 10mm setting. Fortunately, this is easily addressed via in-camera corrections or some quick post-processing. The lens' narrow aperture also means you’ll have to be careful with your exposure settings as it gets dark.

Read more: Canon RF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM review

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Best telephoto lens for the R10

This was the third RF-S launched by Canon, and offers plenty of telephoto reach for a small, portable lens. The 3.8x zoom range is equivalent to using a 88-336mm lens on a full-frame camera, the viewing angle ranging from 27.8 to 7.4 degrees as you extend through the zoom range. Given that the EOS R10 lacks in-body image stabilization, optical stabilization is a key feature, and this gives a 4.5-stop advantage in beating camera shake. The build beyond this is basic, but in our tests we were impressed by the performance, noting snappy autofocus and with good center sharpness throughout the full range.

Read more: Canon RF-S 55-210mm f/5-7.1 IS STM review

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Best travel photography lens for the R10

The Canon RF-S 18-150mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM is typically sold as the kit lens for the Canon EOS R7, but it's worth considering as an option for the EOS R10 too. Its 18-150mm focal range equates to about 29-240mm in full frame camera terms, so although this lens is pretty compact and light, it actually qualifies as a do-it-all 'superzoom'.

It's the ideal travel companion for APS-C cameras like the Canon EOS R7 and R10. It offers a much greater range and a slightly faster aperture than the RF-S 18-45mm lens, and also boasts light macro capability. It performs above expectations for a kit lens and is an excellent choice with either of Canon's new APS-C bodies.

Read more: Canon RF-S 18-150mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM review

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Best standard prime

As close as you can get to a ‘nifty fifty’ on an APS-C Canon camera, this 35mm lens offers a 56mm focal length on the EOS R10. If you’re only going to buy one own-brand prime lens for your R10, this is the one to go for.

It’s wonderfully compact and lightweight, as well as only costing about a fifth of the price of Canon’s bulky f/1.2 lenses. Indeed, the relatively small and inexpensive build enabled by the more modest aperture rating makes you wonder why Canon hasn’t made more f/1.8 RF primes yet.

The focal length while fitted to the R10 is perfect for street photography, and gives an entirely natural viewing perspective that works well for landscape and architectural photography, as well as for environmental portraits where you want to include a person’s surroundings.

The versatility doesn’t end there, as the lens has a short 0.17m minimum focus distance that enables 0.5x macro shooting, complete with a hybrid 5-stop stabilizer that corrects for an x-y shift in addition to the more usual angular vibrations.

Read more: Canon RF 35mm f/1.8 IS Macro STM lens review

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Best portrait photography lens for the R10

The Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM is a 'standard' lens on a full-frame Canon but fitted to the EOS R10 it has an effective focal length of 80mm, which is pretty much perfect for portrait photography.

It has an f/1.8 maximum aperture, which will give you nice background blur, and it's cheap, compact, and capable, delivering great image quality (on par in some areas with the RF 50mm f/1.2L, which costs over ten times as much!) in a truly pocket-sized lens. The smallest optic for the EOS R system, it's a fantastic everyday lens that pairs well with any RF body, including the EOS R10.

Read more: Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM review

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Best super-telephoto lens for the R10

This is a full frame Canon RF lens, but at a size and price that makes it a great buy for the Canon EOS R10 too. In fact, the R10's smaller sensor works in its favor and gives this lens an effective focal range of 160-640mm.

That's HUGE, especially at this price. The autofocus is super-fast, the image stabilization is highly effective and the image quality is highly impressive in all respects, with the caveat that sharpness drops off noticeably when combining close focusing distances with the longest zoom setting.

The aperture rating of f/8 at the long end of the zoom range might be a bit slow, but that’s the price you pay for this downsized design and affordable price tag.

Read more: Canon RF 100-400mm f/5.6-8 IS USM review

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Best wide-angle prime for the R10

Until Canon brings out an ultra-wide RF-S lens, this is the next best thing without spending a fortune.

This little 16mm f/2.8 is actually an ultra-wide full-frame lens, but it still gives a handy 26mm equivalent wide-angle view on the EOS R10. Canon's 16mm wide prime is just as affordable and packs the added bonus of autofocus. It's just 40mm long and 165g light, and very portable.

In fact, like the RF 35mm and primes also in this guide, this 16mm makes a convincing case for leaving a standard zoom lens out of the shooting equation and sticking to prime numbers. And even if you do generally shoot with a standard zoom, the RF 16mm is an excellent addition, delivering convincing image quality and all-around performance.

If ever a lens was a no-brainer, it’s this one. And if you do later upgrade to a full frame EOS R camera, this lens will work on that too!

Read more: Canon RF 16mm f/2.8 STM review

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Best for the streets

This is another in the selection of full-frame Canon RF lenses that go brilliantly with the R10 because of their size and weight. This is a ‘pancake’ design, so it’s even more compact than its RF stablemates. Add one to the R10 and you’ve got a convenient combo you can slip in a coat pocket.

The effective focal length on the R10 is 45mm, which makes it suitable for lots of everyday shooting situations. It checks the boxes for portability, price and performance, so it fully deserves its place in this list.

Read more: Canon RF 28mm f/2.8 STM hands-on review

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Lab data and comparisons

The graphs below show the comparative performance of the lenses in this guide, based on our in-house lab tests. Levels of sharpness are generally very good, although the RF-S 55-210mm is little less impressive. The RF-S 18-45mm doesn’t perform so well for color fringing and distortion, and the RF-S 10-18mm is the worst for distortion, but these issues are taken care of by automatic in-camera correction, as with many lenses designed for mirrorless cameras.

Scores for sharpness and color fringing are averaged from data taken across the entire image frame, from the center to the edges and corners, throughout the aperture range. For zoom lenses, the scores are also averaged from data measured at all marked focal lengths, and the same applies to distortion. Bear in mind that these average values don't fully reflect specific areas of performance. For example, a zoom lens might have noticeable barrel and pincushion distortion at its shortest and longest focal lengths respectively, which tends to average out when looking at the data overall. For more detailed graphs of each lens's performance, which give the full picture, check out the graphs in our full standalone lens reviews.

How to choose the best lens for the Canon EOS R10

How we test lenses

The lens experts in our testing lab run a range of tests under controlled conditions, using the Imatest Master testing suite. Photos of test charts are taken across the range of apertures and zooms (where available), then analyzed for sharpness, distortion and chromatic aberrations.

We use Imatest SFR (spatial frequency response) charts and analysis software to plot lens resolution at the centre of the image frame, corners and mid-point distances, across the range of aperture settings and, with zoom lenses, at four different focal lengths.

There's more to it than just the technical side, though! Beyond the lab, our reviewers test lenses in real-world environments – and sometimes on professional shoots! We work with lenses both indoors and outdoors, in studio conditions and in natural light, with as many different subjects as is possible (or appropriate – there's no point testing a landscape lens' ability to shoot a portrait!).

We take into account everything from handling and ease of use to speed of autofocus and the overall quality of the images produced.

Find out more about how we test and review on Digital Camera World

The best lenses for astrophotography have to fulfil some quite specific requirements. A wide-angle of view is a must, not only to fit in lots of the night sky, but also to aid the use of slower shutter speeds without ending up with stars smeared across the sky. A fast maximum aperture is also extremely helpful to gather as much light as possible, and you ideally want high-quality optics to keep those stars sharp all the way across the frame.

No small order then! Fortunately, manufacturers have developed lenses that are up to the challenge, and this list includes the best I've tested across all the major mounts. Whether you're using a DSLR or a mirrorless camera, there should be at least one great lens here for you, and if you need more help understanding the key criteria for an astro lens, take a look at our astrophotography tips and how-to guide.

There's plenty more kit that is essential for astrophotography. Obviously, one of the cameras for astrophotography is a must, but you'll also need one of the best tripods to ensure you have a steady shooting platform. Here, though, we're talking lenses, so let's take a look at the best lenses for astrophotography for every major camera system.

Best lenses for astrophotography

Best Canon RF

If you've got an EOS R camera and want to do astrophotography, this is the dedicated lens for you. It's no surprise when you look at the focal range and maximum aperture available to find out that this is a big and heavy lens. It just about balances okay on one of Canon's mirrorless cameras, but it should be less of an issue for astrophotographers. A nice touch is the separate hood, which means it's possible to attach filters if desired via an 82mm filter thread, while there's also built-in IS.

We found the focusing performance of the Canon RF 15-35mm f/2.8L IS USM to be brilliant in testing, with the lens enjoying a Nano Ultrasonic AF system for virtually silent focusing. Oh, and did I mention that stellar image quality? A brilliant lens, but it does come with a hefty price tag.

If you prefer the idea of a prime lens, I'd recommend taking a look at the Canon RF 20mm f/1.4L VCM, which is the widest professional prime for the RF system. We haven't finished our testing yet, but pre-lab results have been impressive so far (though once again, it's not a cheap lens).

See our full Canon RF 15-35mm f/2.8L IS USM review

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Best Nikon Z

The Nikkor Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S is Nikon's latest effort to attract pros to the Z mount system. Completing the holy trinity of fast f/2.8 S-line zooms, it slots in neatly next to the Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S and promises uncompromising wide-angle image quality. The 16-element optical stack includes 3 aspherical elements, along with Nikon’s Nano Crystal and ARNEO Coat for reducing ghosting and flare.

As you might expect, Nikon went all guns blazing with the design of this lens to try and sway photographers to the Z mount. As such, the build, handling, and image quality of this lens are all absolutely top-tier. Copiously weather-sealed, with scintillating sharpness, this is a lens for those who demand the best (and it comes with the kind of price tag you might expect).

The front element gets a smear-resistant fluorine coating, and the lens is fully weather sealed. Add the included HB-98 lens hood and huge 112mm filters can be used – Nikon offers Neutral Color and Circular Polarizer options.

See our full Nikon Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S review

Best Sony E

Only until recently, the FE 12-24mm f/4 G has been Sony’s most wide-angle zoom. However, with a constant maximum aperture of f/4, it isn't suited to astrophotography. Step forward the Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 G Master. We tested out this lens both in our lab and out in the field, and completely fell in love. Its impeccable image quality and ultra-wide viewing angle makes it an outstanding choice for astrophotography.

Boasting a diagonal coverage up to an incredible 122 degrees, while also delivering a fast and constant f/2.8 aperture, this combination makes it the world’s fastest lens in its class. There's no getting away from the hefty price, but this is a lens that delivers supreme image quality, while the AF system is quick, smooth and quiet. Factor in the lovely handling and rock-solid build quality and this is a stunning lens.

See our full Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 G Master review

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Best L-mount

This is one of the wide-angle options in Sigma's growing range of I-series primes for Sony E-mount and Leica L-mount, and it's a solid choice for astro work. The optical path of the lens is particularly impressive, especially considering how small the lens is – 13 elements are somehow crammed in there, including three high-precision glass-molded aspherical elements, one SLD (Special Low Dispersion) element and one FLD (Fluorite Low Dispersion) element. Then there's also Sigma's Super Multi-Layer Coating and Nano Porous Coating.

Therefore, as you might expect, the Sigma 20mm F2 DG DN | C performed very well in our testing, delivering excellent sharpness. We found that vignetting was a little severe when used at wider apertures than f/5.6, and there is some distortion that will require cleanup in software, but nothing ruinous.

The 'C' or 'Contemporary' designator means it's a lightweight and portable lens – though this doesn't matter as much for astrophotography as it does for other disciplines, as you're always going to be tethered to your tripod. Still, the metal construction is pleasingly solid, and the addition of an aperture ring is welcome.

See our full Sigma 20mm F2 DG DN | C review

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Best MFT

The 2x crop factor of Micro Four Thirds cameras can make it tricky to find a high-quality lens that's wide enough for astrophotography; however, we really rate this Olympus lens, the M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 7-14mm 1:2.8 PRO. Mounted on an MFT body, it provides an equivalent focal range of 14-28mm, and thanks to its bright f/2.8 aperture that runs through the zoom range, it is an excellent choice for astro work.

In our review, the lens achieved impressive results throughout our lab tests, delivering excellent sharpness even when used wide open. It's well built too, with enough weather-sealing to handle the long nights it'll spend outside while you're busy shooting the stars. It's on the expensive side for an MFT lens, and arguably on the heavy side too, but since you won't be shooting handheld, the latter shouldn't be too much of an issue.

See our full Olympus M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 7-14mm 1:2.8 PRO review

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Best Fujifilm X

In 2019, Fujifilm debuted its widest lens yet, the Fujifilm 8-16mm f2.8 XF R LM WR Fujinon Lens. Its size and price tag put it firmly in the same camp as the pro optics; weighing more than 800g, when it's paired with one of the larger cameras like the X-T5, this lens makes for a setup that calls the mirrorless reputation for lightness into question. Don't get us wrong though, this is a fantastic lens, as we noted in our full review.

A sophisticated optical construction ensures pin-sharp image quality, while it also has an extra f-stop over its nearest comparison point in the X stable, the 10-24mm (see below). It's worth being aware that the lens lacks optical image stabilisation of any kind, and its wide front makes it incompatible with screw-in filters. Nevertheless, this is as wide as ultra-wide zooms get, with a full frame equivalent focal length of just 12mm at its widest setting!

See our full Fujinon XF 8-16mm f/2.8 R LM WR review

Best cheap lens for astrophotography

It can be tricky to find a good astro lens on a budget. If you're a Canon RF-S, Fujifilm X, or Sony E (APS-C) user, the LK Samyang / Rokinon AF 12mm f/2 lens is a wonderfully affordable option, going big on angle of view and adding in handy extra features like weather resistance. Producing an equivalent focal length of around 20mm, varying a little depending on which system you use, it's a more unique proposition for some cameras than others. Canon doesn't have any equivalent RF-S primes on the market right now, while Fujifilm and Sony have a few more alternatives. At a recommended price of around $449 / £335, it's not the cheapest lens ever made, but it is definitely cheap by astrophotography standards.

Performance-wise, the lens delivers on sharpness. It drops off a little at the F2 setting you'll likely be using for astro, but it's still well within tolerances. One thing that I was particularly impressed by in our review was the minimizing of chromatic aberrations, distortion, and sagittal coma, the latter of which is particularly relevant for astrophotography as it's what causes stars to take on irregular shapes towards the edges of the frame. This is thanks to a sophisticated optical construction of 12 elements in 10 groups, including one aspherical, one hybrid-aspherical and three ED (Extra-low Dispersion).

See our full Samyang AF 12mm f/2.0 Sony E-mount review
See our full LK Samyang AF 12mm f/2 Canon RF-S-mount review

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Best DSLR astro prime

From Korean manufacturer Samyang’s XP stable of premium manual-focus prime lenses for Canon and Nikon full-frame cameras, this 14mm f/2.4 is ideal for astrophotography. The lens is sold as the Rokinon SP 14mm f/2.4 in North America.

The high-quality glass is neatly wrapped in a really solid casing. The rubberized manual focus ring gives a very assured grip and has a long rotational travel with a fluid feel. There’s no weather-seal ring on the mounting plate to guard against the ingress of dust and moisture. To be fair, though, if you’re photographing the Milky Way, you’ll need clear, dry, and dust-free conditions.

In our review, we were hugely impressed by how well this lens maintained its image quality when wide open, which is hugely important for astrophotography. It's markedly better than Irix's rival 15mm f/2.4 Blackstone lens or a Sigma 14mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art. Sharpness is both very good and extremely consistent across the image frame. Chromatic aberrations are negligible, while coma and astigmatism are very minimal. Barrel distortion can be visible at close focus distances, but that's not an issue for astrophotography.

Maintaining excellent image quality at a lens's widest aperture for astrophotography is a real challenge in an ultra-wide-angle optic, but this Samyang does exactly that – an admirable achievement.

See our full Samyang/Rokinon XP 14mm f/2.4 review

Best DSLR astro zoom

Available in Canon EF and Nikon F mounts, this Sigma lens is up against own-brand legends like the Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM III and the Nikkor AF-S 14-24mm f/2.8G ED. It beats both of them for image quality and price. Build quality and handling are excellent, with a full set of weather-seals and a fluorine coating on the front element. The lens is also compatible with Sigma’s optional USB Dock for customisation and firmware updates.

In our review, we found we could produce images with this lens that were nothing short of outstanding. Even at the shortest focal length with the widest aperture, sharpness is excellent across the entire frame, and the lens does very well to retain excellent corner sharpness at wide apertures.

Vignetting is remarkably minimal, and though barrel distortion is prominent at close range, it's negligible for astrophotography. Lateral and spherical aberrations are also very well controlled.

For full-frame Canon and Nikon DSLRs, this is simply the best ultra-wide, fast-aperture zoom lens on the market, and not just for astrophotography.

See our full Sigma 14-24mm f/2.8 DG HSM | A review

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Best Canon EF

If you own a full-frame Canon DSLR, this is Canon’s most ideal zoom lens for astrophotography. It may not be as wide-angle as the company's EF 11-24mm f/4L USM, but it's an all-important f-stop faster. The maximum viewing angle is admittedly slightly less than the 14mm and 15mm full-frame on this list, equating to 108 degrees compared with 114 or 110 degrees.

This lens gains a large and complex double-surface GMO (Glass Moulded) aspherical element at the front, adding to two UD (Ultra-low Dispersion) elements and a ground aspherical element at the rear. Upgraded, high-tech coatings include both SWC (SubWavelength Coating) and ASC (Air Sphere Coating) for greater resistance to ghosting and flare. Weather-resistant attributes are extended to include moisture- and grease-repellent fluorine coatings on the front and rear elements. The lens is quite long at 128mm, considering that it doesn’t have a built-in fixed hood. Unlike with some rival lenses, the separate bayonet-fit hood enables the easy attachment of filters via an 82mm thread. Build quality is up to Canon’s usual robust L-series standards.

We tested the Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM III in our lab, and found sharpness and contrast to be exceptionally impressive across the zoom range. The Mk III has much-improved corner sharpness compared with the previous edition, but still lags behind the competing Sigma 14-24mm zoom. There’s very little spherical aberration at f/2.8, but coma and astigmatism can be quite visible near the extreme corners of the frame.

See our full Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM III review

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Lab data and comparisons

The graphs below show the comparative performance of the lenses in this guide, based on our in-house lab tests. The Sigma, Sony, and Nikon lenses lead the group for average sharpness scores, but the Samyang does particularly well to retain sharpness out to the edges and corners of the frame in astro shooting, as well as eliminating coma and flare. The Samyang and both Sigma prime and zoom lenses in the group rely more heavily than most on correction for distortion.

Scores for sharpness and color fringing are averaged from data taken across the entire image frame, from the center to the edges and corners, throughout the aperture range. For zoom lenses, the scores are also averaged from data measured at all marked focal lengths, and the same applies to distortion. Bear in mind that these average values don't fully reflect specific areas of performance. For example, a zoom lens might have noticeable barrel and pincushion distortion at its shortest and longest focal lengths, respectively, which tends to average out when looking at the data overall. For more detailed graphs of each lens's performance, which give the full picture, check out the graphs in our full standalone lens reviews.

How to choose the best lens for astrophotography

If you're picking an astrophotography lens, a wide-angle is almost certainly going to be the way to go. A lens with a nice, wide field of view is useful not only for getting as much of the night sky in the frame as possible, but also for minimizing the "trailing" effect of stars. Astrophotography requires long shutter speeds, and assuming that you haven't mounted your camera and lens to a dedicated equatorial mount, too long a shutter speed will cause the stars to trail and blur across the sky as the Earth rotates. The shorter your focal length, the more leeway you have before this starts to happen.

This means that something else that can help is having a nice, wide maximum aperture, allowing the lens to drink in as much light as possible. You'll be able to use shorter shutter speeds at f/1.4 than you would at f/2.8; however, you also need to balance this with the fact that you'll get better sharpness when you stop down.

For astrophotography lenses, it's especially important to look to minimize different types of distortion and aberration, all the way to the edges of the frame. Too much coma and astigmatism will give an irregular shape to stars, so it's a higher priority than usual to choose lenses that are as free as possible from these types of distortion. These are some of the many factors we assess when we test lenses, which you can read more about below.

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How we test the best lenses for astrophotography

We test lenses using both real-world sample images and lab tests. Our lab tests are carried out scientifically in controlled conditions using the Imatest testing suite, which consists of custom charts and analysis software that measures resolution in line widths/picture height, a measurement widely used in lens and camera testing. We find the combination of lab and real-world testing works best, as each reveals different qualities and characteristics.

Astrophotography lenses: frequently asked questions

Welcome to my guide to the best Canon portrait lenses. Whether you're using a Canon EOS R system mirrorless camera or an EOS DSLR, these are the fast primes that will get you perfect portraits, every time.

As Digital Camera World's go-to lens reviewer, I've covered lenses for all of Canon's systems, and this list represents the best of the best, in my view. One thing to note, however, is that I've not just picked the most expensive professional lenses – sometimes I think that more affordable options make smarter buys, so I've included some budget-friendly lenses.

See the bottom of this page for more detail on my selection criteria, or check out our team's other guides to the best Canon DSLR lenses and the best Canon mirrorless lenses for RF-mount. But for now, let's get started with the best Canon portrait lenses!

The best Canon portrait lenses

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Best Canon RF portrait lens

Canon’s RF 85mm f/1.2L USM is arguably the best portrait lens in the world right now. It combines premium aspherical and UD (Ultra-low Dispersion) and BR (Blue spectrum Refractive) optical elements with high-tech ASC (Air Sphere Coating) to deliver absolutely stunning image quality in all respects.

Unlike the EF 85mm f/1.2 lens for DSLRs, this RF-mount lens for EOS R-series cameras features weather seals and fluorine coatings on the front and rear elements. It also has a much faster autofocus system, although the electronically coupled manual focus ring is retained, which enables very fine and precise adjustments. Sharpness is stunning and bokeh is sublime and, as noted, this becomes an effective 136mm optic on an APS-C camera – making it ideal for those shooting on crop sensors.

For the most demanding portrait photographers, there’s an even pricier version of the lens: the Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM DS, which has an additional Defocus Smoothing coating. This further softens the edges of bokeh discs caused by defocused lights and bright spots for the creamiest bokeh you've ever seen! We'd still ultimately opt for the RF 85mm f/1.2L USM, as the loss of transmission in the DS version is a bit of a drawback.

Read our full Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM review

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Best Canon RF environmental portrait lens

Think super-fast standard primes and if you’re a Canon mirrorless shooter, the mighty Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L USM will probably spring to mind. After all, it’s Canon’s relatively well established, flagship ‘nifty fifty’. However, if you aspire to a prime lens with an f/1.2 aperture rating, the Canon RF 45mm f/1.2 STM is a much more affordable proposition, only costing around a fifth of the price.

The f/1.2 aperture is the main highlight, enabling a really tight depth of field for isolating subjects against fussy backgrounds, as well as for enabling faster shutter speeds under low lighting conditions, for freezing the action. The lens is relatively small at 76x75mm and 346g in weight, and has a modestly sized 67mm filter attachment thread.

Good sharpness combines with smooth bokeh to deliver pleasing results, making the lens a very good buy at the price. It’s also a great choice as a portrait lens on Canon’s APS-C format R series cameras, where it has an ‘effective’ focal length of 72mm.

Read our full Canon RF 45mm f/1.2 STM review

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Best Canon portrait lens for headshots

It took some 27 years for Canon to get around to releasing a successor to its hugely popular 135mm f/2 L USM EF lens – but it was certainly worth the wait. The RF 135mm f/1.8L IS USM lens is ultra-sharp and built to the exacting standards of Canon's premium L series.

With a tighter field of view than the 85mm standard portrait lens, it's ideal for getting headshots and head-and-shoulders portraits, placing firm emphasis on the subject rather than their environment. It's also stabilised, with 5.5 stops of lens-based IS, which can be upgraded to 8 effective stops when used with compatible EOS R cameras.

Of course, given that this is an L-series lens, it's certainly not cheap. It's also a hefty customer – weighing in at almost a kilogram, it's certainly a lens that you'll be painfully aware of if you carry it around on your neck all day.

Read our Canon RF 135mm f/1.8L IS STM review

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Best Canon portrait macro portrait lens

There's no getting away from the fact that Canon's RF 85mm f/1.2L USM in our number-one spot is an expensive lens. So, if you're looking for a more affordable option, the RF 85mm f/2 Macro is the way to go – especially since it does double duty as a light macro lens, with a 1:2 reproduction ratio, making it a great option for both kinds of close-ups.

While the maximum aperture of f/2 might not be the fastest, I still found this lens to be very capable of delivering really pleasing defocused backgrounds – and it's also incredibly sharp. If your budget won't stretch to the 85mm f/1.2, or you simply want something that isn't bigger and heavier than the camera you're mounting it on, you certainly won't be disappointed with this lens.

Read our full Canon RF 85mm f/2 Macro IS STM review

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Best Canon portrait lens for APS-C

While this isn't nominally an RF-S lens, its lightweight build means it balances well on Canon's smaller APS-C cameras. And what's more, the crop factor of APS-C means that when this lens is mounted to a Canon camera with a smaller sensor, like the EOS R100 or the EOS R50, it produces an effective focal length of 80mm. This makes it a much better candidate for portraiture than any of the dedicated RF-S lenses, which are mostly zooms with fairly narrow maximum apertures.

This lens is a successor to the famous EF 50mm f/1.8 STM 'nifty fifty' – users of Canon APS-C DSLRs will want to consider that lens instead. However, this new version improves on its predecessor in pretty much every conceivable way, without adding any extra bulk.

It delivers brilliantly punchy images right the way through its aperture range, providing excellent separation of subject and background. It's not quite in the same league as the RF 50mm f/1.2L (more on which below), but as we found in our testing, it can match the bigger lens for sharpness in certain situations – and for a tenth of the price!

See our full Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM review

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Best Canon EF portrait lens

Canon’s EF 85mm f/1.2L USM II lens is often seen as the holy grail of portrait primes, with its super-fast aperture rating, but we actually prefer this f/1.4 lens. It’s smaller, lighter, has a much faster autofocus system and adds weather seals. Even more importantly, it adds a 4-stop image stabilizer which can be a massive help in getting consistently sharp handheld images under dull ambient lighting. These upgrades stack up particularly well for wedding portraiture.

Another bonus of this lens over the bigger f/1.2 is that it has nine diaphragm blades rather than eight, enabling a better-rounded aperture when stopping down a little. This avoids the problem of the f/1.2 lens producing noticeably octagonal bokeh discs from defocused pinpricks of light and bright spots.

See our full Canon EF 85mm f/1.4L IS USM review

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Best third-party EF lens

A supersized 85mm optic, this Sigma is a bit like the Incredible Hulk of portrait lenses. At 95x126mm and 1130g, it’s one of the biggest lenses on this list.

Uncommonly for a Sigma lens, everything’s wrapped up in a weather-resistant dust/splash-proof casing, and, as with the 50mm Art lens also featured, it’s compatible with Sigma’s USB Dock for applying firmware updates and customizing settings. Also like the Sigma 50mm lens, this one comes complete with a lens hood and padded soft case.

Autofocus is fast, extremely quiet, and unerringly accurate. Sharpness away from the center of the image frame is outstanding, even when shooting wide open at f/1.4, although center sharpness at the widest aperture isn’t quite as spectacular as from Sigma’s smaller 50mm Art lens.

All in all, this lens delivers a superb performance, but it’s pricey and rather cumbersome for an 85mm prime lens.

See our Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art review

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Best Canon EF-S lens for portraiture

This is a full-frame compatbile lens rather than strictly an EF-S lens designed. However, it will still work just as well and it’s such a useful lens that I couldn’t omit it from this list. Super sharp, fast focusing is powered by a quiet Stepper Motor (STM) technology meaning it’s suitable for both stills and video recording.

The effective 80mm focal length on APS-C format DSLRs makes it ideal for portraiture. Consider that alongside a fast f/1.8 aperture that oozes charm when shot wide open, and you have a recipe for magical-looking portrait images on a shoestring budget.

See our full Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM review

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Lab data and comparisons

The graphs below show the comparative performance of the lenses in this guide, based on our in-house lab tests. The Canon RF-S 85mm f/2 Macro and Sigma 85mm f/1.4 EF-mount lens lead the way for sharpness, but there are no underachievers in this group.

Scores for sharpness and color fringing are averaged from data taken across the entire image frame, from the center to the edges and corners, throughout the aperture range. For zoom lenses, the scores are also averaged from data measured at all marked focal lengths, and the same applies to distortion.

Bear in mind that these average values don't fully reflect specific areas of performance. For example, a zoom lens might have noticeable barrel and pincushion distortion at its shortest and longest focal lengths respectively, which tends to average out when looking at the data overall. For more detailed graphs of each lens's performance, which give the full picture, check out the graphs in our full standalone lens reviews.

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How to choose the best Canon portrait lenses

You can make a striking, interesting and dynamic portrait with basically any lens, so we're not going to give you hard-and-fast rules here. However, as you've probably already noticed if you've scanned through this guide, there are a number of lens qualities that portrait shooters tend to favour.

The first is a short telephoto focal length. While specifics vary, 85mm is generally considered the sweet spot, with 70mm to around 110mm also being favoured. There are two key reasons for this: first, a longer focal length provides a compressed perspective that results in more flatter rendition of facial features. Second, the separation between subject and background is stronger, allowing for the characteristic sharp subject / blurred background combination that is characteristic of a good portrait.

With that said, some shooters prefer using slightly shorter focal lengths like 50mm to create more environmental portraits that place a subject in context. Also, remember that if you're using a camera with an APS-C sensor (an EF-S, RF-S or EF-M model) then you'll need to apply a 1.6x crop factor to the stated focal length to work out what the lens will actually deliver. So, a 50mm lens mounted to an APS-C Canon DSLR will produce an effective focal length of 80mm.

The other key factor is a nice and wide maximum aperture, allowing you to create a shallow depth of field to further accentuate that difference between sharp subject and blurred background. In general, you want at least f/2 to work with, though f/1.8 is better, and f/1.4 is better still. The ultra-professional portrait lenses will generally go to f/1.2, though this isn't strictly necessarily, and will be beyond most people's budgets.

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How we test the best Canon portrait lenses

We test lenses using both real-world sample images and lab tests. Our lab tests are carried out scientifically in controlled conditions using the Imatest testing suite, which consists of custom charts and analysis software that measures resolution in line widths/picture height, a measurement widely used in lens and camera testing.

We also test each lens in live shooting environments, often for portfolio or paid client work, to truly put them through their paces. Results removed from the lab are less theoretical, and really reveal the proof in the pudding, especially when used in challenging and uncontrolled environments.

We find the combination of lab and real-word testing works best, as each reveals different qualities and characteristics.

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FAQs

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You might also be interested in the best portrait lenses across all camera brands, as well as the best 50mm lenses and the best Canon standard zoom lenses.

Standard zooms are often sold as 'kit lenses' Canon cameras, so you can buy a camera body complete with a standard zoom as a kit, typically saving money in the process. And to be hones, I think that some of Canon's kit lenses are so good that you might never need to consider upgrading. Even so, you might want to look at replacing your kit lens with something more up-market, perhaps offering a greater zoom range or a faster, constant aperture, or just for premium image quality and all-round performance. Let's face it, most of us use a standard zoom for everyday shooting, most of the time, so it pays to have a great one.

As I've just touched on, a major reason for upgrading to a new standard zoom lens is so you can get a lens with a wider maximum aperture, typically f/2.8, that remains available throughout the zoom range. This enables faster shutter speeds under dull or indoor lighting conditions, without the need to bump up your ISO setting too much, and gives the option of a tighter depth of field, bringing bokeh into the mix.

It's not just Canon that makes great standard zoom lenses, and I've included a couple of Sigma alternatives for both DSLRs and EOS R system mirrorless cameras, that are definitely worthy of consideration.

I've split this guide to the best Canon standard zoom lenses into five categories, tailored to 'EF-S' APS-C format DSLRs, 'EF' full-frame DSLRs, 'RF-S' and 'RF' for APS-C and full-frame EOS R system mirrorless cameras respectively, and finally older 'EF-M' APS-C format mirrorless cameras. With all that in mind, here's my guide to the best standard zoom lenses for whatever type of Canon camera you use...

The Quick List

Canon EF-S

This is the closest thing to a pro-grade, L-series ‘EF-S’ lens for APS-C cameras that Canon has ever built. Unlike Canon’s f/2.8 standard zooms for full-frame DSLRs, this one features an image stabilizer. Yet it’s an old version of the technology and only gives three, rather than four, stops of advantage in fending off camera-shake. Compared with the autofocus systems of other APS-C lenses on test, it’s faster and quieter, if not near-silent as in Canon’s STM or Nano USM lenses. Lab scores for sharpness proved underwhelming for our particular lab-test sample, but I’ve always been impressed by the lens’s clarity in my wide-ranging real-world tests, and how other samples have performed in the past.

Read the full Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM review

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Canon EF

I prefer this lens to Canon’s own EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM standard zoom for DSLRs and think it's a much smarter buy. Both have an identical zoom range and aperture rating, and both lenses deliver similarly excellent image quality in all respects. The big plus point for the Sigma is that it features an optical image stabilizer, which can be incredibly useful for general walkabout shooting. Another neat extra is that it’s compatible with Sigma’s optional USB Dock, which you can use for fine-tuning and customizing the lens, as well as for applying firmware updates. And like many Sigma Global Vision lenses, it can take full advantage of in-camera corrections in current and recent Canon DSLRs, for the likes of lateral chromatic aberration, distortion, and peripheral illumination. All in all, it’s a highly desirable lens at a very attractive price and has long been my go-to standard zoom for Canon DSLRs.

Read the full Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM | A review

The standard zoom of choice for many pro photographers, Canon’s original 24-70mm f/2.8L was something of a classic. As you’d expect from Canon’s range-topping standard zoom, autofocus comes courtesy of a fast and whisper-quiet ring-type ultrasonic system. Image quality is excellent, with great sharpness and contrast even when shooting wide-open. Sharpness has been improved towards the edges of the frame but, even so, the ability to capture consistently sharp handheld images can suffer due to the lack of an optical stabilizer, featured in the competing Sigma lens that I've listed already. The lack of stabilization aside, this simply delivers top-class performance.

Read the full Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM review

This newer Mark II edition of the 24-105mm has been redesigned to be tougher and more resistant to shock and vibration, as well as featuring fluorine coatings on the front and rear elements. More importantly, for my money, the optics have been revamped, with the aim of improving sharpness across the whole image frame, and throughout the zoom range. Barrel distortion from the preceding 24-105mm lens was notoriously bad at the short end of the zoom range, but the Mk II performs a little better. It’s also a bit sharper (as promised), autofocus is a little quicker and bokeh is smoother, thanks to the fitment of ten, rather than eight, diaphragm blades. Overall, however, each of the improvements is quite subtle rather than making a hugely noticeable difference.

Read the full Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS II USM review

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Canon RF-S

The Canon RF-S 18-45mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM is an incredibly lean, lightweight lens that's a great match for the whole range of compact, APS-C format EOS R system mirrorless cameras. Its image quality is better than it has any right to be, and it even boasts 4 stops of image stabilization (which ramps all the way up to 6.5 on a body with IBIS in the EOS R7). I fell that it's an ideal everyday companion for stills and video shooting.

Read the full Canon RF-S 18-45mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM review

The Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN offers a constant f/2.8 aperture, unlike the competing Canon standard zoom, with a classic 3x zoom range for this class of lens. The Sigma is smaller than you’d expect given its constant maximum aperture yet the build quality is very good – and it’s weather-resistant as well.

The autofocus system is super-fast and virtually silent, and I was impressed by the quality of the images. It's very much like a 'trinity' standard zoom, downsized from full-frame to APS-C format, and very good value at the price.

Read more: Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN | C review

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Canon RF

A highly popular choice for EOS R-series cameras, this lens occupies the middle-ground between the compact, low-budget RF 24-105mm f/4-7.1 IS STM and the mighty RF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS USM. The former has a disappointingly narrow aperture at longer zoom settings, while the latter has a relatively limited zoom range and is much pricier to buy. For my money, the 24-105mm f/4 offers an ideal compromise. It has a very versatile zoom range with a constant f/4 aperture rating, it’s not overly big or heavy, and is competitively priced. Highlights in handling and performance include a customisable control ring, 5-stop optical stabilization and fast Nano USM autofocus, all wrapped up in a weather-sealed and typically sturdy construction, befitting an L-series lens.

Read the full Canon RF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM review

Unless you’re desperate for the faster aperture of Canon’s huge RF 28-70mm f/2L USM standard zoom, which tips the scales at nearly 1.5kg and is fiendishly expensive to buy, the 24-70mm is the better option. At 900g, it’s more manageable and is actually only 200g heavier than the RF 24-105mm f/4 lens. Naturally, it’s an f/stop faster but has less telephoto reach. The premium optical design includes three aspherical elements and three UD (Ultra-low Dispersion) elements, along with high-tech Air Sphere Coating to minimize ghosting and flare. There’s also a fluorine coating on the front and rear elements, to repel moisture and finger marks. High-speed Nano USM autofocus and 5-stop stabilization are featured but I feel that it’s the sensational image quality of this lens that makes it worth its undeniably up-market price tag.

Read the full Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS USM review

The Canon RF 28-70mm f/2L USM is a bit of a monster, weighing in at 1,430g. The reason for this is that it's a full f/stop faster than most professional f/2.8 standard zoom lenses, boasting a maximum aperture of f/2 at all focal lengths. With a design that goes all out for premium image quality, it's a fabulous lens that really can rival three or four separate prime lenses. There's no optical image stabilization though, so to help reduce camera shake, you'll want to pair it with one of Canon's later EOS R system cameras that feature in-body image stabilization. The zoom range is a bit limited at the wide-angle end but the f/2 aperture is great for gaining a tight depth of field, along with beautiful bokeh.

Read the full Canon RF 28-70mm f/2L USM review

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Canon EOS M

Despite its impressive 24-72mm ‘effective’ zoom range, this retractable lens measures a mere 61x45mm and is a real featherweight at just 130g. To put that into perspective, a complete outfit comprising an EOS M camera body plus all three of Canon’s standard 15-45mm, 11-22mm wide-angle and 55-200mm telephoto zooms weighs as little as Sigma’s full-frame 24-70mm f/2.8 lens on its own, with no camera attached. Although small, the lens feels sturdy, has good handling characteristics and is impeccably turned out in a choice of silver or graphite finishes. The stepping motor autofocus system is quick and virtually silent, and the image stabilizer lives up to its 4-stop billing. It’s not the sharpest tool in Canon’s box but image quality is very satisfying overall, and it's the ideal standard zoom for cameras like the Canon EOS M200 and EOS M50 Mark II.

Read the full Canon EF-M 15-45mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM review

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Lab data and comparisons

The graphs below show the comparative performance of the lenses in this guide, based on our in-house lab tests. The Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS USM leads the way for sharpness while the Canon RF-S 18-45mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM is the least impressive for control over distortion and color fringing, although automatic in-camera correction is available.

Scores for sharpness and color fringing are averaged from data taken across the entire image frame, from the center to the edges and corners, throughout the aperture range. For zoom lenses, the scores are also averaged from data measured at all marked focal lengths, and the same applies to distortion. Bear in mind that these average values don't fully reflect specific areas of performance. For example, a zoom lens might have noticeable barrel and pincushion distortion at its shortest and longest focal lengths respectively, which tends to average out when looking at the data overall. For more detailed graphs of each lens's performance, which give the full picture, check out the graphs in our full standalone lens reviews.

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How we test lenses

We test lenses using a mix of both real world sample images and lab tests. Our lab tests are carried out scientifically in controlled conditions using the Imatest testing suite, which consists of custom charts and analysis software that measures resolution in line widths/picture height, a measurement widely used in lens and camera testing. We find the combination of lab and real-word testing works best, as each reveals different qualities and characteristics.

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The best lenses for bird photography solve many of the key challenges of this tough but rewarding discipline of photography. Getting close enough to a skittish bird without scaring it into flight can be a tricky thing, so strong telephoto reach is a must. The lens must also deliver enough detail and quality to get satisfying results, preferably with a wide enough aperture to allow you to use fast shutter speeds for freezing motion in its tracks. However, wide apertures aren't as important as they used to be, if you're using a recent mirrorless camera with good autofocus abilities and high-ISO performance.

My list of best buys includes some of the best telephoto lenses that I've tested, all of which I think will excel for bird photography. Fast-focusing and capable of producing crisp, punchy images, these lenses will deliver brilliant bird shots that fill the frame with your avian subject, whether you're out in the wild or photographing at your garden feeder.

I've included options for all the major lens mounts in use today, including both mirrorless and DSLR systems, so whatever camera you use, I should have you covered. Also, if you can't get enough birdwatching, you might also get some use out of our best bird feeder camera guide as well!

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Best lenses for bird photography

Best Canon RF

The Canon RF 800mm f/11 IS STM super-telephoto lens for Canon EOS R-series full-frame mirrorless cameras gives phenomenal reach but is much smaller and more lightweight than competing lenses for DSLRs, and relatively inexpensive to buy.

The lens has a fixed aperture of f/11, and many birders might consider that rather too narrow, while others might be unimpressed that you can’t alter the aperture. However, the modest f/11 rating enables a relatively compact and lightweight build with smaller-diameter lens elements.

At 1,260g, it’s perfectly viable for long periods of handheld shooting, aided by a highly effective optical image stabilizer. It also has a retractable mechanism to cut down on stowage size, making it ideal for use anywhere and everywhere, from local locations to wildlife shoots in far-flung corners of the world.

Read more: Canon RF 800mm f/11 IS STM review

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Best Nikon Z

This lens gives you telephoto superpowers in a relatively lightweight package. The downsized build has been achieved by a modest f/6.3 aperture rating and a Phase Fresnel optical element, a technology that’s commonly used to focus the beam in a lighthouse. The addition of highly effective optical VR that works in tandem with IBIS in Z system full-frame cameras should ensure exceptionally sharp avian images.

A useful range of handling extras ensures top-quality results time after time, with excellent consistency even in handheld shooting. When you need to nail the definitive moment in bird and wildlife photography, this is a lens you can surely count on. It's not cheap, but less than half the price of the Nikon Z 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S.

Read more: Nikon Z 800mm f/6.3 VR S review

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Best Sony FE

This own-brand Sony lens has the same 600mm maximum focal length as the independent Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Sports, which is another excellent choice for Sony mirrorless cameras. This Sony’s size and weight are fairly typical, but feel a little more imposing on comparatively lightweight Sony Alpha mirrorless bodies.

The maximum ‘effective’ focal length stretches from 600mm to around 900mm when shooting on an APS-C camera. Triple-mode image stabilization is switchable for static and panning shots, with an additional option for applying stabilization only during exposures. This makes it easier to track the erratic movement of birds in flight. DDSSM (Direct Drive Super Sonic Motor) autofocus is super-fast and comes complete with customizable focus-hold buttons mounted around the barrel.

The optical image stabilizer is effective on its own and even better when coupled with in-body stabilization, featured in later Sony Alpha A7 and A9 mirrorless cameras. Sharpness, contrast, and other image attributes are excellent and very consistent throughout the entire zoom range.

Read more: Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS review

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Best Fujifilm X

This Fujifilm looks like an imposing lens, as I’d expect from a 500mm super-telephoto prime. Even so, it’s compact and lightweight for its type, measuring 105x256mm, or 10.1 inches long, and weighing in at an eminently manageable 1,335g (2.94lb). That puts handheld bird and wildlife photography firmly on the agenda. Better still, the ‘effective’ reach is boosted to a focal length of 762mm, thanks to the Fujifilm X system’s APS-C crop factor. With such powerful super-telephoto reach, the 5.5-stop optical image stabilizer certainly earns its keep.

Fast autofocus is backed up by plenty of high-end handling exotica, while the optical path boasts no less than five ED (Extra-low Dispersion) elements plus two Super ED elements. The aim is to optimize clarity, contrast, and sharpness while minimizing color fringing and other aberrations. I personally tested this lens with Fujifilm’s flagship Fujifilm X-H2 camera body, and found that it did full justice to the high-res 40MP sensor. All in all, it’s a cracking lens and the ultimate bird and wildlife photography choice for X system cameras, when you really need to cover the distance.

Read more: Fujifilm XF 500mm f/5.6 R LM OIS WR review

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Best L-mount