Choosing the best lenses for the Canon EOS R7 is not completely straightforward because Canon is still building a lens system for its APS-C EOS R cameras, and while there are a couple of standard lenses and a telephoto zoom designed specifically for the smaller sensor, for the rest, users will need to fall back on Canon's extensive range of full-frame RF lenses.
Many of these actually play to the EOS R7's strengths. Its high-speed burst shooting and sophisticated autofocus make it really well suited to wildlife and sports photography, and the 1.6 crop factor of the smaller sensor means that Canon's full frame telephotos gain a further 1.6x effective focal length, or reach. It's already one of the best Canon cameras for sports and wildlife, and we expect it to become popular for a wider range of subjects as more RF-S lenses are added to the line-up.
In our list of lenses below, we quote the equivalent focal lengths for all these lenses so that you can get an idea of their magnifying power when fitted to the EOS R7. The best Canon RF lenses are not all expensive, either, and many will fit within the budgets of beginners and enthusiasts.
We do quote Canon's claimed stabilization figures, where available, for these lenses, but these don't take into account the extra in-body stabilization of the EOS R7. This will further increase the stabilization effect.
Sadly, Canon has not yet produced any ultra-wide zoom or prime lenses for its smaller APS-C models. What you can do for the time being is use a Canon Mount Adapter EF-EOS R (sold separately) to fit Canon EF or especially EF-S DSLR lenses, though we don't think most users will see this as a long-term solution so we haven't included them in this list.
Incidentally, it's easy to distinguish Canon RF lenses designed for these two different sensor formats. Full frame lenses have 'RF' in the name, while dedicated. APS-C lenses have 'RF-S' in the name.
We have included several full-frame RF lenses in our list, partly because these are already a good match for the Canon EOS R7, and partly because Canon seems keen to get users to upgrade to full-frame in the future, so any full-frame lenses you buy now will also work if you follow the full frame route. So let's get to the list!
Best Canon R7 lenses in 2023
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This is the lens usually sold as a 'kit lens' with the EOS R7, but if you bought this camera body-only, it's still worth considering as an additional purchase. It makes a great extended-range standard zoom, going all the way from 29mm equivalent up to an impressive 240mm equivalent – that's medium telephoto territory. It's an extremely versatile lens, and light to carry around too. The only downsides are a fairly limited f/6.3 maximum aperture at full zoom, a lack of weather seals and only average corner sharpness. We expect some optical compromises in a long range standard zoom, though, and the Canon RF-S 18-150mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM performs well above the average for a lens of this type.
See our full Canon RF-S 18-150mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM review
The EOS R7 is normally sold with the Canon RF-S 18-150mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM lens above, but this Canon RF-S 18-45mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM kit lens is a very interesting option for anyone who wants to travel light or just save some money. It jas a shorter 29-72mm effective focal range, but that's likely to be fine for most casual shooting and travel photography, say, and it makes for a very light and compact combination when fitted to the EOS R7. There are downsides. The f/4.5-6.3 maximum aperture range is very limited for a kit lens – traditionally, these have always been around f/3.5-5.6. This lens also relies heavily on digital corrections, so while these are applied automatically for in-camera JPEGs, if you shoot raw you will need raw software with a suitable lens correction profile (Lightroom is fine). It's not a fault, just something to be aware of. Digital corrections are standard on most mirrorless lenses these days, and on many Canon RF lenses.
See our full Canon RF-S 18-45mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM review
After a kit lens, most camera users look for a telephoto zoom to extend their shooting opportunities, and the Canon RF-S 55-210mm f/5-7.1 IS STM is designed specifically for Canon's APS-C EOS R cameras, and the EOS R7 is of course included in that. It's a light, affordable and effective telephoto zoom which actually offers an impressive 336mm effective maximum focal length – this really is a pretty long range zoom. It's not weather sealed, though, and there's no lens hood (there often isn't with Canon lenses) so don't go standing too long in the rain. The f/7.1 maximum aperture is also on the slow side, though today's advances in ISO performance and noise reduction make this less of an issue than it might have been in the past.
See our full Canon RF-S 55-210mm f/5-7.1 IS STM review
While the Canon RF-S 55-210mm f/5-7.1 IS STM is a decent 'starter' telephoto, the Canon RF 100-400mm f/5.6-8 IS USM is a much more serious proposition. It's designed to be an affordable telephoto zoom for Canon's full frame EOS R cameras, but works perfectly on the EOS R7 too, as the 1.6x crop factor gives this lens a huge 160-640mm effective focal range. It's like a 'super-telephoto' at a 'regular telephoto' price. The other advantage, of course, is that if you move up to a full frame Canon later, this lens will work fine with that too. As is often the case with Canon lenses, though, a lens hood is a pricey extra. This lens has no weather sealing either, so if your chosen subjects mean standing outside for long periods in bad weather, you'll need to look at Canon's more expensive pro-orientated lenses.
See our full Canon RF 100-400mm f/5.6-8 IS USM review
If the reach of the Canon RF 100-400mm f/5.6-8 IS USM is still not enough for you, then take a look at the rather remarkable Canon RF 600mm f/11 IS STM. Don't be put off by that small-looking fixed aperture – it's amazing what a bit of ISO boosting and the lens's built-in IS can achieve, even in poor lighting. This lens, and the Canon Canon RF 800mm f/11 IS STM are unique as supertelephoto prime lenses within the budgets of ordinary photographers – Canon's pro supertelephoto primes cost 15x more! The stabilization is effective and the optical performance is surprisingly good. The best thing of all, though, is the 960mm effective focal length on the EOS R7. Nowhere else will you get this kind of magnification at this price.
See our full Canon RF 600mm f/11 IS STM review
This full frame ultra-wide zoom might seem an odd choice to go with the Canon EOS R7, but hold on. The relatively new Canon RF 15-30mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM might be designed for full frame Canons, but it gives a very useful effective 24-48mm focal range on the EOS R7. That's usefully wider than either of the R7's kit lens options AND if you upgrade to a full frame Canon later, this lens will become even more useful. It's light, it's affordable and it performs well optically, too. The cost does mean that you miss out on weather seals and an included lens hood, and the maximum aperture range is a little modest, but for the price this really is a terrific lens – whether or not you stay with APS-C or move up to full frame.
See our full Canon RF 15-30mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM review
Canon does make some very affordable, very good prime lenses for its full frame cameras, and we've picked out a couple as being particularly interesting for EOS R7 owners. The first is the Canon RF 35mm f/1.8 Macro IS STM, which is tempting for a number of reasons. The first is the focal length, which equates roughly to a classic 'nifty fifty' standard lense; the second is the fast f/1.8 maximum aperture, which is good at this price; the third is the built in IS (though we never get close to Canon's claimed 5-stop compensation); and the fourth thing is its 0.5x close-focusing capability. It's not a true 1x macro lens, but it focuses way closer than regular lenses. Here's another lens that's going to be just as useful if you upgrade to a full frame camera later. See our full Canon RF 35mm f/1.8 Macro IS STM review
Designed as a 'nifty fifty' for full frame EOS R cameras, the Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM becomes even more interesting on the EOS R7, where the APS-C crop factor gives it an effective 75mm focal length. This, combined with the fast f/1.8 maximum aperture, makes it a near-perfect 'portrait' lens for the EOS R7. This lens is super-cheap, but there's nothing to give that away in either its construction or its optical performance. The one thing to keep in mind is that there's no in-built stabilization – but then the EOS R7 has IBIS anyway, so that's not really a worry either. There's no lens hood or weather sealing, as usual with Canon's lower-cost lenses, but the lens mount is metal and you still get Canon's handy focus/control ring, just as you do on its other lenses. See our full Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM review
