topic How to choose my lens in EOS DSLR & Mirrorless Cameras

How to choose my lens

idanidan123 — Tue, 29 Nov 2016 14:00:13 GMT

I own the 70D, and I just want to know how can I know which lens will work with my camera, because I've heard that not all lens work with every canon DSLR. I already have the 28-105mm and the 90-300mm and they work perfectly.

Re: How to choose my lens

kvbarkley — Tue, 29 Nov 2016 14:34:41 GMT

That is a crop sensor Camera, so all of Canon's current (non-M) lenses will work with it, both EF and EF-S.

Re: How to choose my lens

idanidan123 — Tue, 29 Nov 2016 17:03:20 GMT

Isn't is a better choice to get EF lens because of when I'll be moving to full frame ?
Also, I'm asking this question because when I compare cameras, I often see that some cameras have more available lenses than others.

Re: How to choose my lens

kvbarkley — Tue, 29 Nov 2016 17:06:44 GMT

In other words, if you change the scope of the question you will get a different answer. You made no mention of full frame in the OP.

What lenses are "available" for any camera probably has more to do with marketing and what lenses are available at the time, rather than compatibility.

Re: How to choose my lens

ScottyP — Tue, 29 Nov 2016 18:10:09 GMT

All Canon crop cameras have the same lens mount. All of them can use both crop lenses (EF-s) and full frame lenses (EF).

All full frame Canon cameras have the same mount and they can only use full frame EF lenses. They can't use the EF-s lenses.

The mirrorless M lenses won't fit full frame or crop dslr cameras but you seldom see them anywhere anyway.

There are 3rd party lens makers like Sigma, Tamron, etc but remember they also make both crop lenses and full frame lenses. Be sure not to get a crop lens if you want full frame as they use different lettering systems (DG, DX, etc). Also be sure any 3rd party lens you buy is the "for Canon" version since they make versions for other camera brands too.

Re: How to choose my lens

idanidan123 — Tue, 29 Nov 2016 18:12:26 GMT

So you're saying it's just meant for marketing, and basically any canon camera is compatible with any lens, unless the lens isn't for FF camera but the camera is FF, or the other way around, like the EF and EF-S thing.

Re: How to choose my lens

RobertTheFat — Tue, 29 Nov 2016 18:34:54 GMT

@idanidan123 wrote:
So you're saying it's just meant for marketing, and basically any canon camera is compatible with any lens, unless the lens isn't for FF camera but the camera is FF, or the other way around, like the EF and EF-S thing.

No, what Scott is saying is exactly what he said, and he couldn't have put it more clearly. Go back and read it carefully, and plan your purchase (if any) accordingly.

Re: How to choose my lens

TTMartin — Tue, 29 Nov 2016 18:51:20 GMT

@idanidan123 wrote:
Isn't is a better choice to get EF lens because of when I'll be moving to full frame ?
Also, I'm asking this question because when I compare cameras, I often see that some cameras have more available lenses than others.

Why will you be moving to full frame?

What does full frame do for you that an APS-C camera doesn't?

The question you need to ask yourself before you assume you need a full frame camera. Just because people on the Internet say you need one doesn't make it true.

A full frame camera in addition to being larger and heavier to begin with, requires larger, heavier and generally more expensive lenses.

Modern APS-C sensor are so much better than when even the Canon 5D Mk II was introduced. Today there would be no reason to choose a 5D Mk II over a 70D, 80D or 7D Mk II. So other than as a status symbol, why do you really want a full frame camera?

Re: How to choose my lens

TCampbell — Tue, 29 Nov 2016 20:00:12 GMT

Canon EOS "EF" lenses (no suffix after the "EF") can be used on ANY Canon EOS camera body... film or digital... full-frame or crop-frame.

Canon "EF-S" lenses can be used only on cameras that have an "APS-C" size sensor (such as your 70D).

A few years back Canon launched a mirrorless line and there is a small number of lenses which are designed to be used exclusively with those mirrorless bodies. They are labeled "EF-M" lenses.

A Canon "mirrorless" camera can use any of the EF-M lenses, and via an adapter it can also use Canon EF-S lenses or Canon EF lenses. In short, it can use any Canon EOS lens.

A Canon camera with an APS-C sensor can use any Canon "EF-S" lense AND can also use any Canon "EF" lens.

A Canon camera with a full-frame sensor (or a Canon EOS 35mm film camera even though these haven't been made in years) can use any Canon "EF" lens (but cannot use the EF-S or EF-M lenses.)

There are a few specialty lenses such as the four different tilt-shiift lenses (designated as "TS-E") and one speciality macro photo lens called the "MP-E". These can be treated like "EF" lenses which means any Canon EOS camera can use them.

So what's the difference?

The sensor inside a full frame camera measures 36mm x 24mm. That's a diagonal measure of just over 43mm. So as long as the lens projects an image circle into the camera body which has a diameter at least 44mm across then the image can completely cover the sensor (no vignettting in the corners). Canon "EF", "TS-E", and "MP-E" lenses can all do this.

The sensor inside an APS-C camera (like your 70D) measures roughly 23mm x 15mm. That's a diagonal of about 27mm. It turns out the "EF-S" lenses were specifically designed for these cameras. The lenses and it's optical elements are all smaller and it projects a smaller image circle into the camera body. This allows Canon to reduce size, weight, and even cost... WITHOUT sacrificing optical quality. However... since they only project a smaller image circle, the image projected into the camera body is not large enough to completely cover the size of a the larger "full frame" sensor. Canon also pushes the lens elements back closer to the sensor (they can get away with this since the reflex mirror inside the camera is smaller and doesn't need as much space to swing clear). A full-frame camera has a larger mirror which needs more space... and would likey crash into the rear-most elements. For this reason, Canon designed the mount so that an EF-S lens will not actually mate properly with a full-frame body.

The mirrorless cameras, of course, have no mirror at all. So the lens' optical elements can be even closer... allowing for an even smaller and lighter lens without sacrificing optical quality. So these "EF-M" lenses can ONLY be used with the Canon EOS M series camera bodies. However... since they're all EOS cameras and lenses, they know how to "talk" to each other. This means with a simple adapter that holds the EF-S and EF lenses at the proper distance from the sensor (each lens is optimized for a specific back-focus distance) it is actually possible to use any EF-M or EF lens with a Canon EOS mirrorless camera (but that adapter module is needed.

There are also 3rd party lenses. Often the 3rd party lens maker will indicate if the lens is intended for use only with APS-C cameras or if it is designed for full-frame or APS-C cameras.

If you do NOT intend to go to full-frame then there's no advantage to buying full-frame lenses (in fact there's a disadvantage because focal length ranges are a bit different.). If you know that you definitely DO plan to go full-frame in the future, then you may want to stick to only EF lenses.

Just be aware that a normal 1x zoom is achieved on YOUR camera at roughly a 28mm focal length. So things like the 28-135mm lens offers a "normal" focal length through a telephoto length ... but absolutely no "wide-angle" capabilities at all when used on a 70D body.

A lens such as a 24-70 or 24-105 offer only a very very slight wide-angle (not much) when used on your 70D.

A lens such as the 16-35mm or 17-40mm zooms WILL offer some wide-angle through a rather mild amount of telephoto when used on your 70D... but on a full-frame camera those lenses will range from very-wide to moderately-wide.

Re: How to choose my lens

idanidan123 — Tue, 29 Nov 2016 20:29:13 GMT

Thank you!

Re: How to choose my lens

idanidan123 — Tue, 29 Nov 2016 20:32:49 GMT

People don't tell me I need a FF camera, it's just that most of the time when I want to take a photo, I don't like how to sensor is cropped and I don't see the whole scale of my potential photo. Actually people have told me there's really not such a big difference, but I really want the entire scale of my photos, and not just a cropped version.

Re: How to choose my lens

RobertTheFat — Wed, 30 Nov 2016 03:52:28 GMT

@idanidan123 wrote:
People don't tell me I need a FF camera, it's just that most of the time when I want to take a photo, I don't like how to sensor is cropped and I don't see the whole scale of my potential photo. Actually people have told me there's really not such a big difference, but I really want the entire scale of my photos, and not just a cropped version.

Ah. Is it that you don't like the fact that your viewfinder "crops" the picture, in the sense that it shows you less than you're actually going to get? That is indeed a problem with many cameras, but it's unrelated to the difference between full-frame and APS-C ("crop frame") sensor sizes. While it's true that a full-frame camera is more likely to show you exactly what you're going to get in the picture, there are "crop frame" cameras that do so as well. The 7D and the 7D Mk II do, and there may be others. So while a total solution to your problem may require a new camera, it doesn't necessarily have to be a full-frame camera.

Re: How to choose my lens

Waddizzle — Tue, 29 Nov 2016 21:11:09 GMT

@idanidan123 wrote:
People don't tell me I need a FF camera, it's just that most of the time when I want to take a photo, I don't like how to sensor is cropped and I don't see the whole scale of my potential photo. Actually people have told me there's really not such a big difference, but I really want the entire scale of my photos, and not just a cropped version.

I understand what you're saying. I like to shoot landscapes and my shots were not wide enough with the crop body, although the EF-S 10-22mm on an APS-C body is equivalent to the EF 16-35mm on a full frame body. It's up to the job. The EF-S 10-18mm is supposed to be pretty good, too. I prefer the 10-22mm for its' internal focusing and zooming, the 77mm filter size, and being faster than the 10-18mm.

Re: How to choose my lens

ScottyP — Wed, 30 Nov 2016 02:31:31 GMT

Most consumer cameras have around a "95%" viefinder. You see about that percentage of the image that your camera will capture, so your actual image ends up taking in just a tiny bit more of the scene on all 4 sides.

In instances where this makes any difference, you can fix this really easily in post by just cropping the image a little. Better to have too much and need to crop than to have captured too little, since you can't zoom out in post to get more scenery than you actually captured.

The more expensive cameras do have 100% or closer to 100% viewfinders. I definitely would not upgrade cameras based just on that though.

Much cheaper to get used to cropping in post. Do you use a post-proccessing program like Lightroom, etc.?

Re: How to choose my lens

ebiggs1 — Wed, 30 Nov 2016 08:19:07 GMT

One point. There are no ef-s lenses made with the "L" classification. If that is important to you. It is to me.

Re: How to choose my lens

ebiggs1 — Wed, 30 Nov 2016 08:24:00 GMT

"Why will you be moving to full frame?

What does full frame do for you that an APS-C camera doesn't?"

I often ask this same question and it is a legit question. As to WA or UWA lenses, there really isn't a big advantage in FF. Maybe a tiny bit but you get a boost on the tele end. So you give to get.

Canon makes a wonderful ef 8-15mm f4L lens. That should be wide enough for anybody. It is a great fun lens!

Re: How to choose my lens

TTMartin — Wed, 30 Nov 2016 11:37:12 GMT

@idanidan123 wrote:
People don't tell me I need a FF camera, it's just that most of the time when I want to take a photo, I don't like how to sensor is cropped and I don't see the whole scale of my potential photo. Actually people have told me there's really not such a big difference, but I really want the entire scale of my photos, and not just a cropped version.

The 70D has a 98% viewfinder, so I don't think you are complaining about the viewfinder.

What I beleive you are complaining about is your current 28-105 lens is designed for a full frame camera and doesn't give you a wide enough angle of view on your old T3 or you new 70D. You have a lens problem, not a crop camera problem.

Again, please ignore everyone who says buy a full frame lens because someday you might get a full frame camera. You already have full frame lenses, and you JUST bought another crop frame camera. Get lenses that work with your new camera.

The Canon EF-S 10-18mm IS STM lens is an Ultra Wide Angle zoom lens and on your 70D would give you an equivalent field of view to a 16-28mm lens on a full frame camera.

The Canon EF-S 18-55mm IS STM lens is a Wide Angle to Moderate Telephoto zoom lens and on your 70D would give you an equivalent field of view to a 28-88mm lens on a full frame camera. This is close to what your current 28-105 lens would be on a full frame camera.

The Canon EF-S 18-135mm IS STM lens is a Wide Angle to Telephoto zoom lens and on your 70D would give you an equivalent field of view to a 28-216mm lens on a full frame camera.

There are non-STM versions of those lenses, skip them and get an STM lens they have much better image quality.

Re: How to choose my lens

idanidan123 — Thu, 01 Dec 2016 20:27:55 GMT

Yea, I think lens such as the 50mm could solve parts of the issue.

Re: How to choose my lens

idanidan123 — Thu, 01 Dec 2016 20:33:11 GMT

Yes I do, but I don't do much of a post-prosccessing, just applying some presets.

Re: How to choose my lens

Waddizzle — Fri, 02 Dec 2016 10:14:56 GMT

@idanidan123 wrote:
Yea, I think lens such as the 50mm could solve parts of the issue.

How so? If you want "wider" photos, then a 50mm won't be near as wide as your 28-105mm zoom. Yes, it is a much faster lens, and good in low light, but it will not give you "wider" photos. Use your 28-105mm to get an idea what a fixed 50mm lens would look and feel like. Based upon your original post, I'm not sure if it is the best lens choice to make.

The EF-S 10-18mm, or the EF-S 10-22mm, will give you ultra-wide images. These lenses can give you pretty sharp images, The 10-18mm sells for around half the price of the 10-22mm. I think one of these will solve all of your "wider" photo complaints.

Then there are a handful of EF-S lenses in the 18-55mm and 18-135mm range. Different versions reflect different designs. Look for the "STM" at the end of the extended model number for those lenses. !8mm means these lenses are nearly as wide as the ultra-wide zoom lenses I mentioned above. These lenses are what are known as "standard zoom" lenses, good for walking around like a tourist.