topic Re: Lena compatibility in EF & RF Lenses

Lena compatibility

Jpiponidis — Sun, 11 Nov 2018 17:09:46 GMT

Will the EFS 15-85 mm lens fit on the 6D MII

Re: Lena compatibility

Waddizzle — Sun, 11 Nov 2018 17:55:11 GMT

@Jpiponidis wrote:
Will the EFS 15-85 mm lens fit on the 6D MII

Nice Camera!

No, it will not fit. This is by design. The 6D Mk II has the Canon EF mount, for full frame image sensor cameras. The Canon EF-S mount projects a smaller image circle for cameras that use the smaller APS-C image.

Make sure any Canon EOS lens that you purchase has an EF model number, not EF-S. There are a couple of exceptions, but I will not go into that because those are really specialized lenses. By the time you get that deep into the weeds of photography you will know what cameras can use them.

Third party lenses are a different story, though. Make sure any third party lens should be described as being for full frame sensor bodies.

A good starter full frame lens for someone on a budget is the EF 50mm f/1.8 STM lens. You will get amazing results with it.

Re: Lena compatibility

TCampbell — Sun, 11 Nov 2018 20:58:44 GMT

You can use any EOS "EF", "TS-E", or "MP-E" lens on the 6D II (or any Canon full-frame DSLR body).

You cannot use the "EF-S", "EF-M", or "RF" series lenses on the 6D II (or any Canon full-frame DSLR body).

There are two fundamental differences between EF vs. EF-S lenses.

Originally EF lenses were designed to work on Canon EOS 35mm film cameras. A single frame on the film was 36mm wide by 24mm tall. A "full frame" DSLR, such as the 6D II, uses a digital sensor ... but it's the same size as a single frame of film ... 36mm wide by 24mm tall. As such, Canon EOS "EF" lenses work on these cameras.

While the photos are rectangular (becuse the sensor is rectangular), the lens itself is round. This means it projects an image "circle" into the camera. That circle needs a diameter large enough to fill the sensor from corner to corner... just a bit shy of 44mm across.

In the early days of digital, the sensors were very expensive. A way to reduce cost and make them affordable was to use a physically smaller sensor. Canon came out with DSLRs that used "APS-C" size sensors... which are smaller. These sensors are 22.5mmwide by 15mm tall. The sensor measures about 27mm diagonally.

Since the sensor is smaller, Canon realized they could produce lenses which are *also* smaller and project a smaller image circle (large enough to project a 27mm image circle, but does not need to provide a 44mm image circle). This advantage means you can get lenses for these APS-C cameras that are smaller, lighter, and cost less ... but optically are still as good as the larger lenses.

ONE technique employed by these smaller lenses is to shift the lens closer to the image sensor. EF-S lenses have a rear optical element that projects INSIDE the camera body when attached. Since DSLR cameras have an articulated reflex mirror that needs to "swing clear" when you take a shot, they need to make sure there is enough clearance for the mirror to swing clear. But since the sensor is smaller, the mirror can also be smaller ... that means there is still enogh room even with the protruding rear-element on the EF-S lens (the "S" in "EF-S" stands for "Short back-focus")

By making cameras with smaller sensors and offering smaller lenses ... the cost was at a point where they could sell cameras that mere mortals could afford. This create a huge market for DSLR cameras among emthusiast photographers. Full frame DSLRS were financially out-of-reach for most people. (The 6D was the first "full frame" camera with a price below $2000. Prior to the 6D, you would expect to pay more than $3000 for a full-frame DSLR.)

But now there are two sensors sizes and two lens sizes. (there was actually a third, but I'll leave that out for simplicity).

If you were to attach an EF-S lens to full-frame body (which you can't do by design -- but hypothetically lets just say you can) TWO bad things would happen.

#1 The image circle projected by the EF-S lens isn't large enough to fill the frame for a full-frame sensor camera. This means you get a round image with black corners and sides -- which you probably wont like.

More importantly...

#2 Remember that mirror that needs to swing clear? On an APS-C camera it has enough clearance because the mirror is smaller. But on a full-frame camera where the mirror is larger... there's not enough room. The mirror would strike the back of the EF-S lens and either jam or break. This is NOT a good thing!

To protect you from damaging the camera, Canon designed the bodies so that even though they use the same lens bayonet design on the mounting flange... the APS-C bodies have a recessed area to allow the EF-S lens to seat flush to the mounting flange. The full-frame bodies do NOT have a recessed area ... this way if you attempt to mount the lens, the rear element ont actually be able to fit on the body.

So the two differences are:

1) EF-S lenses have a smaller image circle (not large enough for a full-frame sensor) and

2) EF-S lenses have a protruding rear-element (not enough mirror clearance for full-frame body).

While you cannot use an EF-S lens on a full-frame body, you CAN use an EF lens on an APS-C body. That's no problem.

I should also mention that "EF" stands for "Electro-Focus" -- in other words these are all auto-focusing lenses. Canon makes a few lenses for full-frame bodies which are not auto-focus. These include all of the tilt-shift lenses (the "TS-E" series lenses) as well as one special extreme macro-photo lens (the "MP-E" lens).

There are now two other lens lines designed only for mirrorless bodies. Those are the "EF-M" and the "RF" series lenses. Those lenses will not work on any camera body other than the mirrorless bodies for which they were designed.

Re: Lena compatibility

Jpiponidis — Sun, 11 Nov 2018 22:37:25 GMT

Thank you

Re: Lena compatibility

Jpiponidis — Sun, 11 Nov 2018 22:43:06 GMT

Thank you for your response. It was very informative.

I am considering purchasing a new camera. I am a very amateur photographer. I currently have a T1i. I have been looking at different Canon cameras. I have been doing a lot of traveling lately, so many of my photographs are of the places we have traveled to. I have also done some portrait photography. One of the cameras I have looked at is the 6D Mark II. Is that camera too much of a jump for me and are there others you may suggest?
I am asking because as I read your response, I realized that you have a great deal of knowledge of the Canon cameras,

Re: Lena compatibility

Waddizzle — Mon, 12 Nov 2018 01:16:20 GMT

@Jpiponidis wrote:
Thank you for your response. It was very informative.

I am considering purchasing a new camera. I am a very amateur photographer. I currently have a T1i.

One of the cameras I have looked at is the 6D Mark II. Is that camera too much of a jump for me and are there others you may suggest?

No one can really say whether or not 6D Mk II would be “too much of a jump” for you. Only your skill set can determine that.

The 6D Mk II would be a major jump in performance. It also has a complex AF system that will take a little time to learn, along with lots of practice. It is a very good camera, which has a full frame image sensor that is capable of producing very high quality images.

Canon produces a similar camera with an APS-C image sensor. An 80D has AF system that is very similar to the 6D Mk II, but it has an APS-C image sensor, and so it can your existing EF-S lenses.

Each camera has its’ own advantage over the other. I think the biggest question is to ask yourself is whether or not you want the wide field of view of a full frame sensor, or the narrower field of view from an APS-C image sensor.

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My personal preference would be the full frame sensor, which has a slightly better high ISO performance over the APS-C sensor. I like to shoot indoors a lot, usually under circumstances when a flash cannot be used. I also like to shoot, or pretend that I can shoot, action photography, which means a FAST shutter speed, upwards of 1/1000, and higher ISO settings.

But, most of my photography are shots taken in “tourist mode”. I travel a lot, and take lots of landscape and cityscape shots, and I will often use a tripod for these shots, just so that I can shoot at ISO 100.

Finally, I am going to suggest that you check out Canon’s Online Refurbished Store for the best deals on Canon gear.

Re: Lena compatibility

ebiggs1 — Mon, 12 Nov 2018 16:55:02 GMT

"I currently have a T1i."

If you like your current Rebel check out the newest T7i. You will love it and it will not be a stranger.