Best Canon-Compatible Lenses In 2022

Sorting Through The Lens Lingo

Have you ever listened to a photographer taking about lenses and wondered at the lingo they use? We’ve put together some of the most common phrases and words you need to understand to make an intelligent lense choice.

Maximum Aperture – This refers to the amount of light that the lens can gather. You’ll usually see these specifications displayed as f/2.8, F2.8, or 1:2.8. ns. The lower the aperture number, the more light the lens can gather.

Some lenses, such as zoom lenses, have a variable maximum aperture, which can change depending on the focal length. With maximum apertures that are variable, you’ll see this specification displayed as F3.5-5.6 or something similar.

Focal Length – This is shown in millimeters, and the higher the number, the bigger the zoom. A shorter focal length is usually better for wider shots. If the camera lens has a focal length with two numbers, for example, 24-80mm, then it is a zoom lens. A single number refers to a prime lens.

Lens Mount – The part of the camera a lens attaches to is called a lens mount. Many camera manufacturers make these lenses with proprietary mounts, which means you will only ever be able to purchase their lenses for your camera. Some will even make different lens mounts for different series of cameras, so it is crucial that you check the compatibility of your lens to ensure it can be mounted to your camera.

Format – Along with the lens mount of your camera, you must ensure that the lens is capable of producing an image large enough to cover the image sensor. Different cameras utilize different sized sensors and manufacturers produce different lenses to work with these different types of cameras.

Different Types of Lenses

There are different types of lenses available for the photography enthusiast, and they generally fall under these categories:

Standard – This is the most basic of all camera lenses and is usually the lens that comes with a camera when you first make your purchase. As the name suggests, this is a normal, everyday type of lens that is used for most types of photography. Many standard lenses have zoom capabilities, which is why they are so versatile and practical for beginners.

Wide Angle – These lenses are usually available as prime or zoom lenses and have a focal length between 24 and 35 mm. These offer a wide field of view and can magnify the distance between subjects in the background and the foreground. Wide-angle lenses are great for landscape photography, photographing mass group events, or taking pictures of large buildings or other immense objects.

Ultra-Wide Angle – These lenses are considered to be specialty lenses and are popular for use in architecture and interior design. You can creatively alter the distortion and highlight the main subject in a number of artistic ways. Ultra-wide-angle lenses have a focal length of 24 mm or less, which means they can capture a wider scene than other lenses. Sometimes these lenses are called "fish-eye" lenses because of the distortion they produce.

Telephoto – These lenses have a focal length that exceeds 70mm, and some may even go as high as 400mm. They have a narrow field of view, which makes them perfect for focusing on a specific subject or those at a considerable distance. Telephoto lenses are popular for wildlife photographers as it allows them to take close-ups without getting up close and personal with a wild beast. These are also the best lenses for sporting events when you need to keep yourself at ta distance.

Superzoom – If you want a lens that can take any photo in crystal sharp detail, then a superzoom lens is your best bet. Superzoom lenses can cover almost any focal length from wide to telephoto. These are popular choices for people who need to switch from one focal length to another in the shortest amount of time possible or for those who don’t want to take a bag full of lenses with them on a photoshoot.

Macro – A macro lens is one of the most specific types of lenses available for cameras.  These are great for those extreme close up shots and have a focal length of anything between 40 – 200mm. Macro lenses are the best when you want superior image sharpness, but keep in mind that the depth of field is shallow. The subject could be a single tiny flower or an insect that will take up almost the entire field with every minute detail clearly visible, but the background will be blurry.

Factors To Consider When Buying A Canon-Compatible Lens

Price – Some of the prices of Canon Compatible Lenses will have you grabbing your head in despair. These can truly reach astronomical price tags, so unless you have a bulging bank account or you’re a professional photographer, you may be better off looking at less expensive camera lenses.

Size – The camera lens that usually comes with your new camera is most likely small. However, some camera lenses are enormous and are often considerably larger than the camera. If you’ve ever watched a football match on TV, you’ve probably seen a group of photographers on the sidelines somewhere with huge lenses pointing at the field. These lenses often come with a stand for stability. These lenses are at the extreme end when it comes to size, but even beginner lenses can range from small to quite large. Size doesn’t matter all that much unless you want to take specific types of photos.

Weight– As a general rule, when it comes to camera lenses, the bigger lenses are also the heaviest. This may be fine if you only need to carry your camera and the rest of your equipment for a short distance, but a very large lens is going to be quite heavy so may not be suitable for something like nature or wildlife photography where you may frequently find yourself moving during the shoot.

Canon-Compatible Lens FAQ

Q: How does a camera lens work?

A: Light reflects off of every object around us, and this light can also be transmitted into another object and captured. This type of object is a lens. A lens takes in the light and colors bouncing from objects and projects them onto the sensor at the back of the camera.

Q: Why does a photographer need more than one camera lens?

A: The main reason a photographer needs more than one camera lens is that they need to take a variety of different photographs from different angles, distances, and even action photos where the subject is in motion. This means the lenses need to be different sizes and have the ability to capture subjects in different lighting, distances, and with different effects.

Before you rush out to buy a Canon compatible lens for your camera, make a list of what you intend to take pictures of and get a lens that will facilitate your needs. Camera lenses can be quite expensive, so the last thing you want is to have a costly piece of equipment just sitting in your equipment case doing nothing. It’s often better to get a Canon compatible lens that can cover a multitude of different types of photography.