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EF 17-40mm f/4L USM on EOS M50?

Skiple
Contributor

Hi I’m looking to buy a new lens for my camera? Does anyone have any idea if the Canom EF 17-40mm f/4L USM ultra wide angle lens will work with my eos m50? Would I just need it and an adapter or will it not work at all? If it won’t work at all what are some similar lens’ that would be compatible?

thanks

23 REPLIES 23

Tronhard
Elite
Elite

The canon EOS 17-40L will work with your camera, and you will need to use the EF-EFM adapter that is available.  What lens do you currently have and what is it not doing for you?

If you go with a native EF-M lens it will balance a lot better on the smaller and lighter M-series bodies, and the optics are designed for a crop-sensor body - which the FF lens such as the 17-40 will not.  I have several M-series bodies and all of the lenses except the 28mm macro unit.  I can personally recommend the EF-M 11-22 STM if you are looking for serious wide angle work.


cheers, TREVOR

"The Amount of Misery expands to fill the space available"
"All the variety, all the charm, all the beauty of life is made up of light and shadow", Leo Tolstoy;
"Skill in photography is acquired by practice and not by purchase" Percy W. Harris

I currently have the 15-45mm image stabilizer. I’m planning a trip to Scotland, and am wanting a lens for landscapes (far off cliffs and mountains). I read an article saying the EF 17-40mm ultra wide would be perfect for that (including the price). I have a Viltrox EF-EOS M Electronic AF Auto Focus Lens Mount Adapter (not sure if that’s the adapter I could use with it). 

Honestly, I have both and on your small-body camera the EF-M 11-22 will give you a wider field of view with a lot less bulk.  The EF-M 15-45 you have already has a wider coverage than the EF17-40, so you have that covered.  The main difference between what you have and the EF 17-40 is the wider constant aperture, but for landscapes you will not normally want to come down to f/4 - you will want depth of field and that means higher f/stop values.  However, in order to get that f/4 aperture, the 17-40 is much bigger and heavier, and BTW is not stabilized, while the 1EF-M 1-22 is.  If you are visiting Scotland and want to capture the insides of some of the old Kirks and castles, you will be very grateful for the extra width of view of the E F-M11-22.  The image below was taken, hand-held, in available light, with the EF-M 11-22 at 11mm, the EF 17-40 would not have got the shot in the cramped area inside.
Canon EOS M5, 11-22@ 11mm, f/4, 1/500sec, ISO-500Canon EOS M5, 11-22@ 11mm, f/4, 1/500sec, ISO-500

You can even get great close-up images with the 11-22, because of the massive depth of field afforded by the short focal length, as per this hand-held shot in a park:

Canon EOS M5, 11-22@21mm, f/5.6, 1/250sec, ISO-200Canon EOS M5, 11-22@21mm, f/5.6, 1/250sec, ISO-200

Finally a shot taken at a longer focal length with the EF-M 55-200, available light, hand-held

EOS M5, 55-200@55mm, f/6.3, 1/60sec, ISO-200EOS M5, 55-200@55mm, f/6.3, 1/60sec, ISO-200

If you had the 11-22, and the 15-45, I would add the EF-M 55-200 IS STM - which can also be useful for landscapes you cannot otherwise reach.  There is a common misconception that landscapes are best shot with wide-angle lenses.  Sure, they are used for that, but it is also an advantage to be able to reach across a valley and capture something further away, and then there is the wildlife, and taking portraits.

One thing you should consider taking is a small, light tripod for those occasions when you need a slower shutter speed - again, inside, but also for low light shots like sunsets and the blue hour after the sun has gone down.  With the lighter lenses of the EF-M series you can reduce the bulk of the tripod itself as the weight and balance of the camera will both be more suitable.

I don't know how you currently hold a camera, but the best and correct way to do so is as shown on the attached image.  Holding it to your eye and using the EVF will give you much more stable support than at arms length looking at the LCD.  There is a reason tripods have 3 legs and not 2.  The eye contact to the body of the camera gives you that 3rd point of support.  That will make your shots much steadier without using a tripod.

How_to_hold_a_camera.jpg

If you are not sure, rent the gear and see for yourself.  I assume a trip to Scotland is not a cheap or an experience you are likely to repeat soon.  So, getting the gear right before you go is definitely worth the effort.  Once you have bought  your gear, practise with the camera, lenses and control - especially the latter, so that you don't have to think about where they are, otherwise the camera will get in your way and slow you down.


cheers, TREVOR

"The Amount of Misery expands to fill the space available"
"All the variety, all the charm, all the beauty of life is made up of light and shadow", Leo Tolstoy;
"Skill in photography is acquired by practice and not by purchase" Percy W. Harris

Now the other question.. USM or STM for landscapes? Is the STM the better option?

USM and STM are different types of focus motors that Canon uses. STM lenses are better for video and are quieter. USM lenses are faster than STM lenses but are quite jerky when used for video.

  • AFD (Arc Form Drive original EOS AF Motor 1987 (no longer in use))
  • DC Motor (Direct Current AF Motor)
  • USM (Ultrasonic Motor 1989-Present)
  • Micro Motor 1992-Present
  • STM (Stepper Motor 2012)

-Demetrius

40D, 5D Mark IV, EF 16-35mm F/2.8L III USM, EF 24-70mm F/2.8L II USM, EF 28-135mm F/3.5-5.6 IS USM, EF 50 F/1.8 STM

430EX III-RT & 600EX II-RT


-Demetrius

Current Gear: EOS 5D Mark IV, EF F/2.8 Trinity, EF 50mm F/1.8 STM, EF 85mm F/1.8 USM, 470EX-AI & 600EX II-RT

Retired Gear: EOS 40D

I shoot with both. There are two generations of USM : USM and Nano-USM. 

For landscape use you can shoot USN, NANO- USM OR STM. It would make more of a difference for fast moving objects like nirds in flight. All EF-M lenses ate STM and that is perfectly fime for general travel.


cheers, TREVOR

"The Amount of Misery expands to fill the space available"
"All the variety, all the charm, all the beauty of life is made up of light and shadow", Leo Tolstoy;
"Skill in photography is acquired by practice and not by purchase" Percy W. Harris

Don't forget about Micro Motor USM too in two versions. The first version 1992 and the 2nd revised version in 2002. This AF motor is often used in cheaper consumer lenses.

-Demetrius

EF 16-35mm F/2.8L III USM, EF 24-70mm F/2.8L II USM, EF 28-135mm F/3.5-5.6 IS USM, EF 50 F/1.8 STM

EOS 40D & 5D Mark IV

430EX III-RT & 600EX II-RT


-Demetrius

Current Gear: EOS 5D Mark IV, EF F/2.8 Trinity, EF 50mm F/1.8 STM, EF 85mm F/1.8 USM, 470EX-AI & 600EX II-RT

Retired Gear: EOS 40D

 Does the OP need that level of complication complication?

They have an M50, they have a trip coming up and want lens recommendations for that.


cheers, TREVOR

"The Amount of Misery expands to fill the space available"
"All the variety, all the charm, all the beauty of life is made up of light and shadow", Leo Tolstoy;
"Skill in photography is acquired by practice and not by purchase" Percy W. Harris

In the opening post the OP mentioned an EF lens not EF-MI was thinking that OP wanted to adapt EF glass. Instead of using native EF-M glass.

-Demetrius

EF 16-35mm F/2.8L III USM, EF 24-70mm F/2.8L II USM, EF 28-135mm F/3.5-5.6 IS USM, EF 50 F/1.8 STM

EOS 40D & 5D Mark IV

430EX III-RT & 600EX II-RT


-Demetrius

Current Gear: EOS 5D Mark IV, EF F/2.8 Trinity, EF 50mm F/1.8 STM, EF 85mm F/1.8 USM, 470EX-AI & 600EX II-RT

Retired Gear: EOS 40D
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