EF Lens questions - Focal length recommendations, lens nomenclature

[Kenpoist7]

Hi, very new to photography, I will say (write) things using what I read on descriptions or using my own nomenclature.

Background:

I have a Canon 5d Mark II (limited knowledge of the controls), the lens I have is a Canon 24-70mm 1:2.8 L USM.

Questions

1 - Is there any data sheets that explain what lens focal lengths are best used for? i.e. sports, landscape...

2 - As I said my lens is "Canon 24-70mm 1:2.8 L USM", however there is no prefix before the II USM. Can I use all USM lenses regardless of the prefix?

3 - My lens also has an "L" in the details. Must I only use the lenses with the "L" designation.

Example: Tamron SP 70-200mm f2.8 Di VC USD G2 - Canon EF fit

Thanks for your time.

[deebatman316 · Accepted solution]

You can use any Canon EF lenses you want. They don't have to be L series lenses. Or you can use 3rd Party lenses with an EF Mount. But make sure they're full frame and NOT APS-C. Lenses with the pre fix EF-S, EF-M, RF & RF-S are NOT compatible with your camera. 

 

 

[Kenpoist7]

Thanks, at the prices of lenses this could have been a very unpleasant adventure not to mention costly.

Thanks again.

[Kenpoist7]

Hi, I'm actually looking at this lens used, but their description does not indicate "Full Frame" (Canon EF 500mm f/4 L is USM) is that designation hidden in the model number?

[deebatman316]

All Canon EF Mount lenses are Full Frame. Then all EF-S lenses are APS-C. If the prefix says EF then it is Full Frame. 3rd Party lenses will use different naming between APS-C and Full Frame. Also it's up to the 3rd Party when it comes to compatibility. Just because it mounts doesn't mean it's Fully compatible. 

[Kenpoist7]

Thanks for sharing your knowledge!

[deebatman316]

Here is Canon's lens naming conventions below. Here is the Canon 5D Mark II Manual to better assist you with learner your camera's controls and functions.

• EOS: Electro Optical System (What EOS stands for)
• EF: Electronic Focus: lens mount ALL EOS DSLRs & Film SLRs use (original EOS Mount) (Red Circle Mounting Index, 12 o’clock position)
• EF-S: A separate lens Mount designed for APS-C DSLRs NOT compatible and won’t mount to any Full Frame Digital, 35mm Film SLRs or APS-H DSLRs. Note this is a DSLR Crop Sensor ONLY Mount. (White Square Mounting Index, 1 o’clock position)
• EF-M: Lens Mount for EOS-M series Mirrorless cameras. Incompatible with DSLRs or EOS Film SLRs & EOS R Series. (White Circle Mounting Index, 11 o’clock position) (2012-2023, discontinued). 
• RF: Lens Mount for EOS R series Mirrorless cameras. Incompatible with EOS DSLRs or EOS Film SLRs. (Red Oval Mounting Index, 12 o’clock position)
• RF-S: Lens is optimized for EOS R series APS-C cameras. Can be used on EOS R series Full Frame cameras but the image is cropped to the APS-C image circle. Note this is NOT a separate lens mount.
• L: Canon's professional grade lenses only available in Full Frame lenses NO APS-C lenses.
• DO: Diffractive Optics uses Fresnel lenses
• I, II, III, IV, V: Some lenses have multiple revisions such as the EF 28-80 F/3.5-5.6 V USM (ONLY lens to have a Version V)
• Ring Type USM: AF motor type. Provides fast focusing stands for Ultrasonic Motor. Ring Type USM is the original USM AF motor. Shaped like a ring inside the lens. Allows Full Time Manual Focus either Focus by Wire or mechanical.
• Micro Motor USM: Cheaper and slower AF Motor doesn't allow Full Time Manual Focus. Lens uses gears to adjust focus. EXCEPT for the EF 50mm F/1.4 USM lens (refer to Ring Type USM Mechanical Focus override). (1993-2008 retired, replaced by Nano USM)
• Nano USM: Combines STM and USM technology for fast AF. Allows Full Time Manual Focus is Focus by wire. (2016- Present)
• STM: Stepper Motor for quiet AF. Allows Full Time Manual Focus which is Focus by Wire. RF 10-20mm F4L IS STM (First L series lens to use an STM AF Motor) (2012- Present)
• AFD: Arc-Form Drive original EOS AF motor. No longer in use was replaced by Micro Motor in 1993 for new lens designs. No Full Time Manual Focus (Retired 1987-1992)
• Micro Motor: Older least advanced AF motor slower AF used in cheaper lenses. No Full Time Manual Focus. (Retired, 1993-2012) Replaced by STM in 2012.
• IS: Image Stabilization available in the lens.
• IBIS: In Body Image Stabilization available in select EOS R Series cameras.
• Macro: A macro lens with 1:1 magnification
• Compact Macro: Lens is able to focus closer than a normal macro lens.
• MP-E: Manual Focus only electronic aperture control no focus to infinity.
• TS-E: Tilt Shift lens with electronic aperture control no Autofocus. 
• Soft Focus: Lens is designed to provide a creamy bokeh effect.
• PZ: Power Zoom lens. Only 1 lens released with this feature. Only the EF 35-80mm F/4-5.6 PZ lens used this. 
• TTL: Through The Lens Flash metering. Flash system relies on light reflected off the film. NOT compatible with EOS Digital cameras.
• A-TTL: Advanced Through The Lens Flash metering system in EOS film bodies released in 1986. Replaced by E-TTL in 1995. System uses a pre-flash measured by a sensor on the speedlite itself. NOT compatible with EOS Digital cameras. Uses EZ series speedlites
• E-TTL Version 1: Evaluative Through The lens Flash metering system. System uses a pre-flash measured by the camera body to calculate flash exposure. System also relies on AF point selection too. Compatible with EX or EL series speedlites. Replaced by E-TTL II in 2004.
• E-TTL II: Refer to E-TTL Version 1. System was released in 2004 and works similarly to the original E-TTL. But uses focus distance information from the lens. Via a distance encoder in the lens. E-TTL II doesn't rely on AF point selection. Note E-TTL II is IMPLEMENTED in the camera body NOT the speedlite.
• EOS M Series: A discontinued APS-C mirrorless lineup of cameras (2012-2023). Replaced by EOS R Series APS-C cameras in 2023. EF-M lenses CAN NOT BE ADAPTED to EOS DSLRs or EOS R cameras.
• EOS R Series: Originally released in 2018 with Full Frame cameras only. Later in 2023 with APS-C cameras. New APS-C lenses were released. 
• Z: Lens has an optional attachment to allow power zoom. Only the RF 24-105mm F/2.8L IS USM Z lens has this feature.
• Automatic Brightness Adjustment of LED AF Assist Beam: Feature IS NOT SUPPORTED on the R3, R7 & R10 camera bodies.

• AF Assist Beam: An AF Assist Lamp to aid the camera’s AF system in low light or low contrast situations.

• IR AF Assist Beam: A red grid pattern projected by the speedlite to aid an SLR/ DSLR camera’s AF system. Note this red grid pattern IS NOT Infrared. This AF Assist Beam type IS INCOMPATIBLE with mirrorless cameras.

• Intermittent Flash Firing AF Assist Beam: Camera rapidly pulses the speedlite for AF Assist. This AF Assist Beam type IS SUPPORTED ON ALL EX & EL speedlites when used on the EOS R Series. Note speedlites that have a PERSONAL FUNCTION for IR & Intermittent Flash Firing. Always use Intermittent Flash Firing on the EOS R series regardless of the projection method. When set to Intermittent Flash Firing. If a color filter or flash diffuser is used. The camera body emits an LED AF Assist Beam on the EOS R series. Intermittent Flash Firing is DISABLED when a color filter or flash diffuser is used. Speedlites without a PERSONAL FUNCTION between IR and Intermittent Flash Firing. The speedlite WILL use Intermittent Flash Firing on the EOS R series. Note depending on the ambient lighting an AF Assist Beam may be projected by the camera body instead of the speedlite on the EOS R series. This AF Assist Beam type ONLY works on cameras released from 2007-onward. 
• LED AF Assist Beam: Bright white light (on a speedlite) or orange LED light (on an EOS R series camera body) that aids the camera for AF Assist. This AF Assist Beam type ONLY works on cameras released from 2007-onward. 

[kvbarkley]

Kind of. All EF lenses are full frame, EF-S lenses are for APS-C cameras with the smaller sensor.

[Kenpoist7]

Thanks! another feather in my cap