Canon EOS Lenses what options are there for my Canon EOS dSLR

Whilst writing my recent review of the Canon EF-S 60mm macro lens it occured to me that a general guide to the wide variety of Canon EOS lenses would be useful for anyone unsure as to what options are available and why you would choose a specific lens type for your Canon EOS Camera.

Most of the cheaper Canon dSLR Cameras can mount two types of lens, the more expensive EF mount designed for the expensive 'full frame' cameras such as the Canon 5D and Canon 1D, and the cheaper EF-S mount designed for the less expensive dSLR cameras such as the Canon 450D, Canon 1000D and Canon 50D. Whilst the cheaper cameras can usually mount both lens types they are at their best with the EF-S lenses and the more expensive camera's, the 1D and 5D can only mount the EF lenses.

Canon EF-S Lenses

Canon EF-S lenses are designed to work with the lower priced Canon EOS dSLR range starting from the Canon 1000D all the way up to the Canon 50D. These EOS cameras are not able to capture a full frame image with the APS-C sensor they come equipped with, so any EF lenses that are used, whilst they will work, will give a different image through the viewfinder as to what is actually captured on the card.

With this in mind Canon developed the EF-S lens mount which is designed specifically to work with the APS-C sensor. The APS-C sensor is much cheaper to manufacture than the more expensive APS-H sensor used on the likes of the Canon EOS 1D Mark III, however the downside of this is that these cheaper EOS cameras have a 'crop factor' which reduces the actual size of the image. The EF-S lenses come predesigned to work with this cropping and so the image through the viewfinder is the image captured on the card.

Another plus side of the cheaper APS-C sensor is that the EOS EF-S lenses are correspondingly cheaper than the EF lenses.

Types of Canon EF-S Lenses

There is a wide variety of EF-S lenses designed to meet all your photography requirements. If you bought you Canon EOS with a kit lens then you already have one lens for your collection which is most likely an 18-55mm EF-S lens if you own the Canon 450D or Canon 1000D. This is a great starter lens designed to suit most purposes and should you never buy another lens it will meet the majority of your needs.

When you start to look for additional lenses there is a wide choice when you start looking for a new EF-S lens with lenses designed for telephoto or zoom functions, macro lenses designed for close up work, fixed focal lenses which work well for portrait work or general photography, and wide angle or fish eye lenses.

EF-S Canon Telephoto Lenses

The first additional lens I bought for my Canon was a telephoto lens. These lenses allow you to zoom in and fill the frame with far away subjects. They are excellent for taking photographs when you cannot get near to your subject such as wildlife photography as well as taking pictures when the subject is not specifically posing.

Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS Telephoto Zoom AF Lens

EF-S Canon Macro Lenses

Macro lenses allow you to get really close to your subject filling the entire frame and capturing exquisite levels of detail. There are a number of EF-S Macro lenses available:

EF-S Canon Wide Angle Lenses

Other EF-S Canon Lenses

Canon EF Lenses

The more expensive Canon EOS cameras use the APS-H sensor which captures the full frame of the image just like 35mm film cameras do. These sensors are expensive to manufacture however so the price of the Canon EOS digital camera is pushed upwards along with any lenses designed to use the same fitting.

None of the Canon EOS cameras that use the APS-H sensor will work with the EF-S lense system so were you to upgrade at some point in the future having invested in EF-S lenses they would not be compatible with your new camera.

There are still a number of reasons to consider the EF lenses if you have an APS-C camera. For example, the EF lenses generally capture a better image than the EF-S lenses. Also, should you upgrade later, your EF lenses can still be used with your new camera. Another reason is that the EF lenses tend to be made from better materials than the majority of EF-S compatible lenses just as the more expensive Canon EOS cameras use a magnesium alloy body and the less expensive cameras tend to use a toughened plastic body.

EF Canon Telephoto Lenses

• Canon EF 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6 IS USM Lens
• Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM Zoom lens
• Canon EF 75-300mm f/4.0-5.6 III Lens

EF Canon Macro Lenses

EF Canon Wide Angle Lenses

Other EF Canon Lenses

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Lens