topic EOS Rebel Lens Recommendations in EF & RF Lenses

EOS Rebel Lens Recommendations

jaycieo1 — Tue, 27 Jun 2023 12:29:51 GMT

So I take photos on the side for fun. I’m wanting to get more lenses for my Canon Rebel 6 but don’t know what lenses will work. Does anyone know of any?

I take all sorts of photos. Mainly of horses and cattle and some landscape. Love to take portraits of horses, cattle and people on horses. Also starting to dabble in action shots of people riding horses.
I’m new to camera still so any help is appreciated

Re: What work for Canon R6

shadowsports — Mon, 26 Jun 2023 02:53:04 GMT

Greetings,

So we can make correct suggestions, please confirm the model of your camera? Is it an EOS R6 mirrorless body?

There is no such body as a Rebel 6 but people sometimes use terms loosely.

What lens(es) do you currently own now?

First question after you've talked about what you want to take pictures of is budget.

What is your budget?

Re: What work for Canon R6

jaycieo1 — Mon, 26 Jun 2023 02:55:07 GMT

I have a EF 75-300mm and EF-S 18-55mm

I don’t really have a budget at the moment as I’m wanting to see what options I might have and go from there! I appreciate your help!

Hello. I have a Canon Rebel 6 and am looking for more lenses:

jaycieo1 — Mon, 26 Jun 2023 14:40:19 GMT

Anyone know of any lenses I can buy that’ll for for a canon Rebel 6?

I only have two lenses and was hoping to get some more lenses, to have more of a variety.
I mostly like to take portraits shots of cattle, horses and of people riding horses. Also take action shots of people riding horses and landscapes. Will probably venture into more avenues as I take more photos.
Im unsure how to find out what lenses I can get for this camera as I’m still new to learning. Any help is appreciated!

Re: Hello. I have a Canon Rebel 6 and am looking for more lenses:

krahe — Mon, 26 Jun 2023 14:44:49 GMT

Which lenses do you have now? If you're trying to keep the cost down, I think the EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM would be good for those kinds of shots. It's available for $149 US from the Canon refurbished store right now. I picked one up a couple weeks ago to use with my M50 Mark II.

Re: Hello. I have a Canon Rebel 6 and am looking for more lenses:

stevet1 — Mon, 26 Jun 2023 19:23:42 GMT

Kevin's idea of the 55-250 is a good one.

You can also get a Canon 50mm f/1.8 prime lens for about $125.00.

Steve Thomas

Re: What work for Canon R6

shadowsports — Mon, 26 Jun 2023 19:29:09 GMT

Greetings,

And the camera is a ?? Rebel T6??

Please confirm.

Re: Hello. I have a Canon Rebel 6 and am looking for more lenses:

Tronhard — Mon, 26 Jun 2023 23:13:15 GMT

Given that in a duplicate post (you should delete that), you say your knowledge of cameras is limited, I strongly recommend you take steps to learn the basics of photography. A dedicated camera requires much more knowledge to use effectively and achieve the potential to generate great images, compared to a cell phone, for example. Photography comes with its own terminology and learning some of that language is important if you are going to communicate effectively with those trying to provide assistance.

I suggest you invest a couple of hours to watch the following videos:
A general overview of photography with National Geographic photographer Chris Bray:
(2) Learn Photography - Simple, Practical - Free Photography Course 1/10 - YouTube

My colleagues may refer you to other videos and resources, and I encourage you to engage with them.

Given you said there you have an 18-55 and 75-300, if you want better glass you should consider the following:
Lenses that fit the T6 body will have either an EF or EF-S designation. NO OTHERS WILL FIT THAT BODY.
Consider the EF-S 18-135 IS STM or USM lens to replace the 18-55 - it is faster focus and is a better all-around carry-about unit because of its focal range.
To replace the 75-300 (which is at best a mediocre unit) you could consider a 100-400 lens. Canon makes one but it is overly expensive for the body you have, so I would suggest the Sigma EF 100-400mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM Contemporary lens. You need to specify that it is an Canon EF mount when getting one, as they make lenses for different brands and you don't want to get the wrong one! You can search the web for the best deals, but I recommend getting from a reputable dealer.

That would mean that in two lenses you have a focal range from 24-400mm, which should cover most applications.

To get to know this unit's controls and operations see:
(2) Canon Rebel T6s & 760D Overview Training Tutorial - YouTube

Re: What work for Canon R6

amfoto1 — Mon, 26 Jun 2023 23:53:46 GMT

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I am guessing you have a Canon Rebel "T6" camera. Not a "T6i", but a "T6" (no "i").

It is common for the series that includes the T6 to be sold in kit with two lenses. Usually those were an EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS "II" and an EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 "III".

Notice that neither lens has "STM" or "USM" designation. This means they use a slower, noisier "micro motor" to autofocus. This will make them less useful for action photos. They will struggle to lock onto and track moving subjects. The EF-S 18-55mm is okay in terms of image quality and has IS (Image Stabilization), but besides slower autofocus drive, it also has a fairly small maximum aperture and the front barrel rotates during focus and/or zoom. The smaller aperture limits how much you can blur down backgrounds in portraits while the rotating front barrel is a pain when trying to use a circular polarizing filter for a scenic shot. The smaller lens aperture (higher f/number) also effects focus performance.

It's even worse with the EF 75-300mm "III". That lens also uses a slower micro motor for autofocus. As a telephoto it probably is even more noticeable that it's not very fast focusing. Telephoto lenses typically have to move their focusing elements a lot farther than short focal length lenses. This lens also lacks IS. And, it doesn't have particularly good image quality... especially at the 300mm end of the zoom range.

Finally, the Rebel series viewfinders aren't the brightest. Lenses that stop down to f/5.6 like both of yours don't help with that.

There are definitely a lot of lenses that would be improvements for you. How much improvement depends upon your budget. One relatively low cost solution would be the EF-S 55-250mm f/4 (or f/3.5) to f/5.6 IS STM to replace the EF 75-300mm. The "STM" stands for "stepper motor" autofocusing, which is quieter, faster and smoother than the micro motor in your current lens. This 55-250mm also has IS, which is particularly helpful getting steady hand held shots with telephoto lenses. To buy it new, the current version of the EF-S 55-250mm costs $299 (also spend the $24 to get the ET-63 lens hood that's sold separately, then use it to protect the lens and make for better images. This lens also has better image quality than the EF 75-300mm III.

You can probably continue to use your EF-S 18-55mm for landscape shots. But for portraits, in particular, some have suggested the EF 50mm f/1.8 STM lens, which is quite affordable, too, and has a much larger lens aperture. It's more than a stop brighter than your EF-S 18-55mm (at 50mm). This means more than twice as much light to help AF performance as well as make your viewfinder brighter. While this lens doesn't have IS, it does have better performing STM focus drive. On a shorter focal length like this, especially with a brighter aperture that means faster shutter speeds, IS may not be all that important. Best of all, this lens brand new only costs $125. It has a fairly deeply recessed front element, so a lens hood might not be necessary. But if you want one, the ES-68 hood made for the lens costs $25.

An affordable lens that would "expand" your capabilities, especially for landscape photography, is the EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM. Rather than duplicating or replacing focal lengths you already have, this gives you much wider angle of view, which is often popular when shooting landscapes, seascapes, cityscapes, etc. Among lenses of this type, the EF-S 10-18mm is compact, lightweight and one of the most affordable at $299 brand new, plus $25 for the EW-73C lens hood it uses.

If you want to try a circular polarizing filter to see what it can do for your landscape, etc. images in particular, the most logical lenses to use them on are the EF-S 10-18mm that uses a 67mm diameter filter and your EF-S 18-55mm that uses a 58mm diameter filter (and it uses an EW-60C lens hood, if you don't already have one).

Yes, there are even higher performance lenses available. But they are also a lot more expensive. For example, the EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM is two full stops (4X) brighter than your 18-55mm, has top image quality, has IS and uses a "USM" or "ultrasonic" focusing motor that's even faster than STM. Another premium lens is the EF 70-200mm IS USM, where both f/4 and f/2.8 versions are available... 2X or 4X brighter than your 75-300mm. But, the 70-200s are pricey lenses too.

Since you are just getting started, try the EF-S 55-250mm IS STM lens. That will be your "go to" for equestrian action. Also consider the EF 50mm f/1.8 STM for portraits and the EF-S 10-18mm IS STM for landscapes/etc.

Besides the above lenses, you also might want to get a decent flash, an off-camera shoe cord and a flash. That can be useful shooting outside in strong midday sun, when shadows can be harsh. I don't use flash during the action shooting, but do use it at times for portraits.

Semi-back lit subjects... Canon 550EX flash (fill), EOS 10D camera, EF 70-200mm f/2.8 lens (at 160mm, f/5.6):

Overcast days and covered arenas have some advantages, but you need larger lens apertures to have fast enough shutter speeds. Beautiful light early and late in the day also can be ideal.

I've been shooting equestrian sports for many years. Everything from gymkhana to English/western, hunter/jumper to dressage. One tip I'll give you is to learn to use your camera's AI Servo focus mode in conjunction with Back Button Focusing. Also get in the habit of using a single point... the center one in your camera's array, which is higher performance than the other eight points. It will be on you to keep that point right where you want the camera and lens to focus. Don't leave it up to the camera to choose where to focus, by trying to use all the AF points.

Your camera can shoot bursts, but only at 3 frames/sec. My 7D Mark IIs shoot at 10 frames/sec and older models I have used did 8 or 6 fps. You'll need to carefully time your shots for the "peak moment" because you will probably only get one shot. I sometimes get two, three or more usable images in a short burst.

Even the occasional trail trials...

Throughout events, I keep my "head on a swivel" and an eye out for candid portraits & details...

***********

Alan Myers
San Jose, Calif., USA
"Walk softly and carry a big lens."
GEAR: 5DII, 7DII (x2), 7D(x2), EOS M5, some other cameras, various lenses & accessories
FLICKR

Re: What work for Canon R6

jaycieo1 — Mon, 26 Jun 2023 23:41:31 GMT

Thank you so much for your tips! This was extremely helpful!

Re: Hello. I have a Canon Rebel 6 and am looking for more lenses:

Tintype_18 — Tue, 27 Jun 2023 12:12:53 GMT

When I first got into photography four years ago, I was only familiar with my wife's SX530 HS camera. I bought a T7 and a book written just for me...Digital Photography for Dummies by Barbara Obermeier. I have read it twice and always find something new. Plus I downloaded the manual an go through with while using the camera along with it. jaycie01, digest the replies, buy what fits the budget, experiment and learn. Above all, have fun!

Re: What work for Canon R6

kvbarkley — Tue, 27 Jun 2023 14:04:29 GMT

A 10 mm, even on EF-S might be too wide for a polarizer :

https://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/filters.htm

Re: EOS Rebel Lens Recommendations

ebiggs1 — Tue, 27 Jun 2023 15:02:58 GMT

"I take all sorts of photos. Mainly of horses and cattle and some landscape. Love to take portraits of horses, cattle and people on horses."

Bottom line you don't really need any additional lenses. You can do what you sad you like shooting just fine with what you have. You can upgrade what you have because there are better lenses out there but they won't offer you any different focal lengths unless you add a FL you don't currently own. Perhaps one of the 150-600mm super zooms for instance. Or on the other end of the FL something like the10-22mm ultra wide lens.

Someone above suggested something like the 55-250mm or 18-135mm and although they are better lenses they don't offer anything different that what you have. They duplicate it. Depending on the final use you have for these photos, better lenses is a question you need to answer. If the final use is social media like Facebook, I doubt you will ever tell a difference. If you make nice prints than, yes, higher quality lenses are worthwhile.

Don't fall into mantra the you need to upgrade if it won't better what you do. Adding something out of your current lenses covered FL makes more sense.

Re: EOS Rebel Lens Recommendations

kvbarkley — Tue, 27 Jun 2023 16:16:10 GMT

Unless you need a macro, while that might fall into your current focal length range, its specialization makes it worth it.