Are EF lenses worth it?

[feng192]

Hey all, I have an R7 and I know EF lenses are cheaper than RF lenses. I’m no professional photographer, mostly shoot family outings or some mini trips I take (either for work or on my own). I know for EF lenses to work, I’d have to get the adapter. But what do you think? Are EF lenses worth it for a mirrorless camera?

[ebiggs1]

There you go again and not reading or understanding the whole reply!

" Now if you wanted to qualify that statement to EF/EF-S lenses AF better, I can get on board with that. AF is done by the camera not the lens so it is easy to see that a better AF system would make it seem that the lens is better when it is not any different."

However, the EF lens is no different than it ever was. The camera is what is better. Now if you want to say that the better AF makes the lens better go ahead you have my permission. Putting the exact same R sensor in the exact same DSLR, I suspect you would see the exact same IQ results.

[Waddizzle]

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@ebiggs1 wrote:

There you go again and not reading or understanding the whole reply!

" Now if you wanted to qualify that statement to EF/EF-S lenses AF better, I can get on board with that. AF is done by the camera not the lens so it is easy to see that a better AF system would make it seem that the lens is better when it is not any different."

However, the EF lens is no different than it ever was. The camera is what is better. Now if you want to say that the better AF makes the lens better go ahead you have my permission. Putting the exact same R sensor in the exact same DSLR, I suspect you would see the exact same IQ results.

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No, there you go again, Ernie.  You do not seen to understand that nearly everyone already understands that once a lens is built, the hardware does not change.  No one is talking about that, except for you.  

People are talking about camera bodies improving the performance of lenses.  A camera with a better AF system will get better performance out of a lens than a camera with an inferior AF system.  

[In other words, a DSLR with an accurate AFMA adjustment will get better performance out of a lens than a DSLR with an inaccurate AFMA adjustment.]

For example, your 16MP 1D4 camera body will capture better photos than an 18MP T5 Rebel camera body.  The difference is even more dramatic between a Canon DSLR body and a Canon MILC body   That is all that people are saying.

You havre always been a big proponent of people should speak from experience, not speculation and conjecture.  Maybe you should try out an MILC body for yourself.  

[ebiggs1]

"...your 16MP 1D4 camera body will capture better photos than an 18MP T5 Rebel camera body.  The difference is even more dramatic between a Canon DSLR body and a Canon MILC body"

This may be true but it isn't the lens that did it, now is it? A 1DX takes better pictures than my 1D did.  WOW such a revelation. Again it isn't the lens is it. Any time you have an improved camera body you get better results. In the same vein as camera bodies improve, it is paramount that lenses improve. EF lenses cannot change, can't get over that fact can you but the camera can. You can use FD lenses on your new DSLR and they will most likely look like they are better. Its the same thing. At some point you realize the camera needs better lenses and so we have RF lenses.

"...you should try out an MILC body for yourself."

It is a lens thing not a camera. All new tech is or should be better than old. No different than me going from my 1D to a 1DX Mk III. It may be semantics but it is the camera that is better not the lens.

[Waddizzle]

“  WOW such a revelation. Again it isn't the lens is it. “

My point, exactly.  People are talking about camera bodies while you’re harping on lenses.

[shadowsports]

@feng192,

Plenty of good advice here.  I'd recommend using RF glass with your R7 if possible.  Canon develops a "shooting system".  Body's and lenses designed to work together.  It's true you can get excellent results adapting EF glass to a mirrorless body.  This decision for some can be influenced by cost.  For others, performance.  I switched due to the latter.  In many cases it was marginal, but enough that it increased the level of enjoyment I got from taking photos.  The most consistent results are achieved using Canon glass. 

EF glass is not going to disappear, but its further development has ended and I would not be surprised if production has also been greatly reduced or eliminated.  If my situation was different, and I was to buy any EF glass, I'd buy used.  I still have a bunch of EF glass now I'm slowly parting with.

Lenses are the real investment in photography.  Continuing to invest in EF glass is not something I would do today.  I've switched to mirrorless.  For me, its not the best move from a investment standpoint.  Diminishing return, low ROI.  An exception might be a special purpose lens you cannot get in an RF mount yet.  Example, TS-E.  However, TS-R's in 14 and 24mm are rumored to be in the wild and being tested.  EF lenses are sharp, but some focus more slowly than their RF counterparts.  The IS in RF glass is different than EF.  It works differently with IBIS capable body's and conventional digital IS.

The RF glass you buy today will come with you as you move to a new body.  Once you make a decision to move to mirrorless using native RF glass makes more sense, except for one off specialty situations.  More RF glass is coming too.  😀

[ebiggs1]

"People are talking about camera bodies while you’re harping on lenses."

I suggest you read the posts in other threads about this and even in this one. More slowly, my friend.

They tell me the lens will work as well or better than ever...
The RF lens was sharper than the EF.

EF lenses MAY perform better on a mirrorless body IF:

A. The mirrorless body has a better sensor than the older body used for comparison, this will become the key factor over time as no new DSLR bodies are introduced as sensor quality increases ...

But ultimately, it is focused light hitting a sensor in either architecture that records the image; no new magic is released by chanting the phrase mirrorless in the dark of the moon while clicking your heels together 3 times.

[Aviator168]

"But ultimately, it is focused light hitting a sensor in either architecture that records the image; no new magic is released by chanting the phrase mirrorless in the dark of the moon while clicking your heels together 3 times."

Amen to that.

The only things changed in lens tech are electronics and motors. The old EF lenses might have stepper motors, the newer ones have USMs and new new ones has micro USMs. With the older EF lenses, the stepper motors are noisy. So when you are shooting videos, the focusing action can mess up your audio track. Hey, I don't shoot videos and still buy cheap EF lenses for my M camera as I know I will upgrade to a R.