Does an encyclopedic list of Canon EF lenses exist?

[ChrisPBacon]

Does anyone have a comprehensive list of Canon EF lenses manufactured, more specifically, those compatible with Canon film or digital SLR cameras?

If I recall correctly, the Canon EOS 1V I purchased (2000?) used EF lenses, so I know they’ve been made for several decades. 

I’m trying to determine what lenses Canon has manufactured that are EF or are EF-compatible (excluding all EFS lenses).  I’m aware that “EF” stands for Electro-focus, but I disable AF for astrophotography in any case, so manual focus lenses are acceptable as long as the mount is compatible with Canon’s DSLR cameras.

Those lists I have found detail Canon lenses made since 1987 that were mass-produced over and above certain production run lengths, though I’ve been told by some long-time professional Canon users that these lists are not complete (Canon has produced a number of limited-run lenses not listed in most records).

My interests are limited to prime ultra wide-angle lenses, but I’d be very grateful to anyone with a comprehensive list of EF lenses manufactured who would care to share their list with me.

Thank you for your help.

[Tronhard]

I don't know if this is what you are looking for , but here is a list that I found after a  brief search:

https://www.lightandmatter.org/2012/lens-recommendations/canon-lens-recommendations/complete-canon-l...

cheers:Trevor

[ChrisPBacon]

Trevor:

The list you cited is excellent — thank you! — of Canon and Canon-compatible EF lenses, an excellent reference to maintain.

What I’m looking for is a historical list of all Canon EF lenses produced (strictly EF, not EFS): every lens produced by Canon that I could mount onto my 6D Mk II, for example.

Again, than you.

Chris

[kvbarkley]

Ken Rockwell has reviews of most of them:

https://www.kenrockwell.com/canon/lenses/index.htm

[ebiggs1]

"...here is a list that I found after a  brief search..."

Trevor I used to think I had, or had used, most of the ef/ef-s lenses but I see I was grossly mistaken. 

[Tronhard]

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@ebiggs1 wrote:

"...here is a list that I found after a  brief search..."

Trevor I used to think I had, or had used, most of the ef/ef-s lenses but I see I was grossly mistaken. 

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I shows me how little I have progressed in dominating the Canon lens landscape...

[ChrisPBacon]

Reviews are not the problem. Think of it this way: could you develop a list of all the world’s volcanos by looking through an encyclopedia set?

i’m trying to find one specific lens (to purchase) and look up ultra wide-angle lenses to try. The best lists usually don’t include lenses no longer made, or those that Canon will no longer repair. I’ve yet to see a recent list that included the Canon EF 200mm f/1.8L USM, the manufacture of which Canon stopped in 2004: it’s gems like this I’m shopping for.

Thanks for responding.

[ebiggs1]

I guess I really don't know what you are after but I do understand your interest in lenses. For the first 15 years after I retired, from a company that had a huge inventory or lenses, I made lenses my hobby. I don't even know how many I bought and sold to further that interest. The intense interest has wained lately for one, among other, reason.  WHat is it?  The current crop of DSLR lenses is the best lenses ever made. Nothing to very little from the past can even equal them. Let alone surpass them.

In the case of the Canon EF 200mm f/1.8L USM, the Canon 200mm f/2L IS superseded it.   All lenses tend to run there course and service lifetime the Canon EF 200mm f/1.8L USM apparently had reached that. I have never used either but I believe you can find either version for sale used.

[kvbarkley]

If you go to Rockwell's site you will see that he lists all the lenses by *focal length* so you can just look at the wide angle ones, and he includes lots of basic info about each lens. I knew what you wanted, and would not have suggested something that would not be helpful.

And yes, you might be able to use an encyclopedia by going to the entry on "Volcanos" where there might be a list of them, or at least a "see also" list of them.

[amfoto1]

Here's a late reply, but hopefully a helpful one...

The official Canon Museum is just about the most comprehensive list of Canon lenses you'll find anywhere:

https://global.canon/en/c-museum/series_search.html?t=lens&s=ef

Any and all "EF" lenses shown there will work fine on a 1V. In fact, they will work on all the EOS cameras regardless of format, except the M-series (APS-C) mirrorless and the R-series (full frame) mirrorless will require adapters.

EF-S lenses are only usable on the Canon Digital Rebel (300D) and later APS-C models. They cannot be fitted to the APS-C 10D, D60 and D30 models that came out earlier (2004 and prior). They will not fit or work on any of the film EOS, full frame EOS or APS-H EOS. They can be used via adapter on the M-series mirrorless. Also can be used in a limited way on the R-series mirrorless, via an adapter.

EF-M lenses are only usable on the M-series mirrorless cameras.

RF lenses are only usable on the R-series mirrorless cameras.

There aren't a lot of EF-M or RF lenses.

There are any number of third party lenses produced to fit EOS/EF mount cameras. Some lenses are "crop only", but many others are able to be used on full frame (as well as crop cameras).

On full frame, I would consider a lens  21mm or wider to be an "ultrawide". Canon themselves make a number of ultrawides. Currently:

EF 11-24mm f/4L USM

TS-E 17mm f/4L Tilt-Shift (manual focus)

EF 14mm f/2.8L II USM

EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM III

EF 8-15mm f/4L USM Fisheye

EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM

EF 20mm f/2.8 USM

EF 17-40mm f/4L USM

Third party ultrawide lenses for EF mount:

Zeiss Milvus 15mm f/2.8 ZE (manual focus)

Zeiss Milvus 18mm f/2.8 ZE (manual focus)

Zeiss Milvus 21mm f/2.8 ZE (manual focus)

Zeiss Distagon 15mm f/2.8 ZE (manual focus)

Sigma 14mm f/2.8 "Art" DG HSM

Sigma 12-24mm f/4 "Art" DG HSM

Sigma 14-24mm f/2.8 "Art" DG HSM

Tamron 15-30mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2

Zeiss Distagon 18mm f/3.5 ZE (manual focus)

Rokinon (Samyang) SP 10mm f/3.5 (manual focus)

Venus Optics 12mm f/2.8 Zero-D (manual focus, manual aperture)

Sigma 20mm f/1.4 DG "Art" HSM

Sigma 8mm f/3.5 DG Circular Fisheye

IRIX 15mm f/2.4 Firefly ( (manual focus)

Rokinon (Samyang) 14mm f/2.8 IF ED (manual focus, manual aperture)

Rokinon (Samyang) 12mm f/2.8 ED IF Fisheye (manual focus, manual aperture)

To name a few! Those are just what's currently available new. There also are many legacy lenses, including at lot in other mounts that are easily adapted for use on EOS/EF.(Canon's own earlier FD/FL mount lenses ARE NOT easily adapted for use on EOS film cameras or DSLRs, but can be adapted for use on the mirrorless cameras.)

Each of the above lists is in order of cost... from the most expensive to the least expensive.

I've included some zooms above because many of those listed are quite high end, often with image quality that rivals primes. I'll leave it to you to research image quality and detailed reviews of any lenses that interest you. I recommend The-Digital-Picture.com as a very good source of info. Bryan's reviews are thorough and informative, plus he does lens tests and posts magnified samples from those that you can use to compare any two lenses side by side. You can probably find details there for most of the above. He specializes in Canon gear plus has reviews of most third party lenses in that mount.

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

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