Best lenses for Canon full-frame DSLRs

Note that Canon EF-S are not uniform with the cameras mentioned on the first page of this guide, which include any EOS 1D, 5D or 6D model.

For each of the categories below the winner is the lens which we observe to offering the best combination of quality and value. In most cases, we've also provided a more budget-friendly pick, as well as a choice for those with more to spend.

Jump to:

  • Best kit lens replacement
  • All-time prime number/single focal length lens
  • Best wide-angle zoom lens
  • Best telephoto zoom lens
  • Best portrait lens
  • All-time macro lens
  • Best travel zoom lens

All-time standard zoom lens

Standard zooms are just what they sound like - versatile, general-purpose lenses that offset with a adequately wide bending of view and permit you lot to zoom in to a focal length traditionally used for portraits.

Our pick: Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 DG OS HSM Art

Sigma's 24-70mm F2.viii covers a classically useful range with a bright enough maximum aperture to assistance y'all get the most out of your full-frame photographic camera. While image quality doesn't lucifer the impeccable standards of Sigma's prime / fixed focal length 'Art' lenses, it's nevertheless very skilful, and costs less than Canon's own take on this workhorse lens type.

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Best value:
Canon EF 24-70mm F4L IS USM

Catechism's 24-70mm F4 offers is smaller and lighter than F2.viii versions while still offering the paradigm quality to qualify as part of the company'south 'L' range. It's a entire cease slower than the F2.8s but still an upgrade from most variable aperture lenses.

Money no object:
Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L Ii USM

The Canon 24-70mm F2.8 L is one of the most widely-used professional person lenses in the world. It'south fast, solidly-built and well-respected for its image quality.

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Best prime / single focal length lens

Prime number lenses are only a single focal length; removing the complexity of a zoom ofttimes allows for these lenses to be smaller, lighter and sharper, while letting more light through and beingness more useful in dimly lit situations.

Our pick: Sigma 35mm F1.iv DG HSM Art

The 35mm F1.4 Fine art offers 1 of the most flexible do-everything focal lengths, paired with splendid image quality at a sensible price. At that place are enough of choices of other focal lengths available for full-frame Canon, but unless yous take a specific employ in mind, the 35mm F1.4 makes a great all-rounder.

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Best broad-angle zoom lens

Wide-bending lenses are often useful for taking photos of interiors, landscapes and architecture.

Our option: Canon EF 16-35mm F4L IS USM

Canon's sixteen-35mm F4 IS is a fairly bright, optically reliable wide-angle zoom. The addition of image stabilization makes information technology easy to shoot a diversity of wide-angle subjects, especially in lower low-cal.

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Best telephoto zoom lens

Telephoto lenses start out beingness fairly zoomed-in, and allow you to zoom in further so y'all can make full your frame with more afar subjects.

Our selection: Canon EF 70-200mm F4L IS Two USM

The stabilized version of Canon's lxx-200mm F4 L offers an excellent balance of size, price and image quality. It focuses fast enough for sports shooting and offers a classic, flexible telephoto range. The lighter weight and solid optical performance arrive worth considering rather than tertiary-party F2.8 alternatives.

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Best portrait lens

Whether you're taking breezy headshots or making a living shooting weddings, a fast prime lens is a must-have.

Our option: Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG HSM Art

The Sigma 85mm F1.4 Fine art is one of the best lenses available for any system. It offers impressive sharpness and excellent all-round operation at a lower toll than nigh photographic camera maker's own eyes. It'southward a pretty substantial lens, just well worth the weight.

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Best value:
Tamron SP 85mm F1.8 Di VC USD

The Tamron 85mm F1.8 isn't just precipitous and well-priced: it'southward also prototype stabilized. And, while paradigm stabilization won't prevent your subject from moving, information technology can help maximize shooting opportunities in deadline situations besides as letting y'all shoot with longer shutter speeds.

Money no object:
Canon EF 85mm F1.4L IS USM

Some people will choose the Catechism 85mm F1.4 over the Sigma because they desire to stay on-make, while other people volition capeesh that information technology's a affect smaller and lighter. It'due south an first-class lens, whatsoever your motivation.

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Best macro lens

Macro lenses allow you to focus very shut to small subjects, which is very handy for photographing flowers or bugs.

Our pick: Canon EF 100mm F2.8L Macro IS USM

The Canon 100mm F2.8 Macro is an update to what was already considered a classic lens. The Hybrid IS organisation is designed specifically to correct for the kinds of move that tin plague macro photography, making it a useful boosted to an optically excellent lens.

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All-time travel zoom lens

Travel zooms are like your standard zoom lens but taken to the extreme. You lot still get-go out with a adequately wide field of view, but yous can zoom in almost as much equally many telephoto lenses. This is user-friendly, only these lenses tend to let less light through them, and so aren't as useful in dimly lit situations, and they may not always give you the sharpest results.

Our pick: Sigma 24-105mm F4 DG OS HSM Fine art

The large sensor of full-frame cameras makes it difficult to offer lenses that offer a broad range of focal lengths without the lens becoming unfeasibly large. The 24-105mm F4 strikes a nice balance, though. Extending from the usefully wide-angle 24mm out into the portrait-friendly mid-telephoto region at 105mm, it makes a solid 'any happens' lens.

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All-time value:
Tamron 28-300mm F3.five-6.iii Di VC PZD

The Tamron is unusual in being able to offer the semi-wide to long tele range of 28-300mm. The maximum aperture drops to a pretty dull F6.iii at the long end simply it fits a lot of flexibility into a sensibly-sized parcel.

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