After you’ve been shooting with your Canon APS-C-format DSLR and kit
lens for a while you’re likely to start hankering after another lens or
two. But with so many options available it can be hard to decide which
to choose. We’ve compiled a list of some of the best Canon lens options
for APS-C-format EOS cameras to help you extend your creative potential.
1. Best macro lens for Canon APS-C: Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM
Price: £379/$769
A macro lens is often high on the shopping list for many photographers. Although Canon makes two 100mm macro lenses, the Sigma 105mm produces better results and costs much less than the Canon L lens.While it’s designed for use on full-frame cameras it’s perfectly at home of APS-C format models. On a Canon APS-C format camera like the Canon 750D it delivers a focal length equivalent of 168mm, which means that you don’t have to be right on top of your subject to shoot life-size images.Consequently, you are less likely to cast shade on the subject and it’s easier to add extra light if need be.
2. Best standard zoom upgrade for Canon APS-C: Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM
Price: £532/$829
The standard 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 kit lens sold with many APS-C format cameras is a great starting point, offering a versatile focal length range that’s good for general shooting.
However, it’s not the best optically and the variable aperture means exposure settings change as you zoom from one focal length to another.
The Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM makes a great upgrade bringing better image quality, a slightly wider view (effective focal length of 27-88mm) and a fixed maximum aperture of f/2.8 which means exposure settings won’t change if you zoom in or out.
The larger aperture also allows you to blur backgrounds a little more to isolate your subject and you’ll be able to use faster shutter speeds than with your kit lens.
3. Best telephoto zoom for Canon APS-C: Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM
Price: £1,499/$2,099
This telephoto zoom is a firm favourite amongst professional and amateur photographers as it’s ideal for shooting sport and action as well as outdoor portraits.It’s designed for full-frame cameras, but can be used with APS-C format models giving a focal length range equivalent to 112-320mm.With a maximum aperture of f/2.8 it allows movement freezing shutter speeds even in quite low light and Canon’s image stabilisation system is built-in to help deal with any camera shake at low shutter speeds.It’s not a cheap optic, but it’s super-sharp and a great addition to any Canon photographer’s kit.
4. Best budget telephoto zoom for Canon APS-C: Tamron 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 Di VC USD
Price: £249/$449
While the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM is a great lens, it’s also very expensive. The Tamron 70-300mm f/.45-5.6 Di LD Macro is a more affordable alternative and it offers considerably more telephoto reach.The downside is that the maximum available aperture is f/4.5 at the widest point and this drops to f/5.6 at the longest end. This means you can’t get such fast shutter speeds without pushing sensitivity up, but Tamron’s excellent ‘Vibration Compensation’ image stabilisation system is on hand and the autofocusing is fast and quiet.
5. Best 50mm for Canon APS-C: Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM | A
Price: £699/$949
On a Canon APS-C format camera a 50mm lens, or Nifty Fifty, has an effective focal length of 80mm, which is ideal for shooting portraits. It gives you a nice working distance and produces flattering results.The Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM | A is bigger than the average 50mm lens, but then it is significantly better than the average 50mm lens.It is designed with superior image quality in mind and it delivers wonderfully sharp images with little distortion or chromatic aberration.
The large maximum aperture also enables movement-freezing shutter speeds in low light as when as background blur with attractive bokeh.If the size and price of this lens are a bit too much for you, take a look at the Canon EF 40mm STM (£129/$149), it’s not quite in the same league image quality-wise, but it’s no slouch either.
6. Best superzoom lens for Canon APS-C: Sigma 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM | C
Price: £399/$579
Superzoom lenses, those that offer a very wide focal length range, are very popular because of they provide a number of creative opportunities with just one optic. The wide end is designed for shooting landscapes while the telephoto end is perfect for framing more distant subjects.
Meanwhile the area in between is useful for shooting portraits and framing everyday scenes. All without having to swap lenses and risk getting dust on the sensor.
While image quality isn’t quite as good as when shooting with three shorter zoom lenses, or a collection of primes, the Sigma 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 DC delivers good results and has Sigma’s image stabilisation system built-in to extent the safe handholding shutter speed range.
7. Best wide angle zoom lens for Canon APS-C: Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5 EX DC HSM
Price: £399/$449
Because an APS-C sized sensor is smaller than a full-frame device there’s a focal length conversion factor (1.6x with Canon cameras) that means that even quite wide-angle lenses don’t capture quite as much of the scene as you might first think.
Thankfully this isn’t quite the drama it once was and there are quite a few very wide-angle lenses specifically designed for APS-C format cameras these days. The Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5 EX DC HSM is one of the best, giving an effective focal length range of 16-32mm which makes it ideal for shooting wide vistas or cramped interiors.
The maximum aperture is also fixed so exposure doesn’t change as you zoom from one focal length to another.
1. Best macro lens for Canon APS-C: Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM
Price: £379/$769
A macro lens is often high on the shopping list for many photographers. Although Canon makes two 100mm macro lenses, the Sigma 105mm produces better results and costs much less than the Canon L lens.While it’s designed for use on full-frame cameras it’s perfectly at home of APS-C format models. On a Canon APS-C format camera like the Canon 750D it delivers a focal length equivalent of 168mm, which means that you don’t have to be right on top of your subject to shoot life-size images.Consequently, you are less likely to cast shade on the subject and it’s easier to add extra light if need be.
2. Best standard zoom upgrade for Canon APS-C: Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM
Price: £532/$829
The standard 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 kit lens sold with many APS-C format cameras is a great starting point, offering a versatile focal length range that’s good for general shooting.
However, it’s not the best optically and the variable aperture means exposure settings change as you zoom from one focal length to another.
The Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM makes a great upgrade bringing better image quality, a slightly wider view (effective focal length of 27-88mm) and a fixed maximum aperture of f/2.8 which means exposure settings won’t change if you zoom in or out.
The larger aperture also allows you to blur backgrounds a little more to isolate your subject and you’ll be able to use faster shutter speeds than with your kit lens.
3. Best telephoto zoom for Canon APS-C: Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM
This telephoto zoom is a firm favourite amongst professional and amateur photographers as it’s ideal for shooting sport and action as well as outdoor portraits.It’s designed for full-frame cameras, but can be used with APS-C format models giving a focal length range equivalent to 112-320mm.With a maximum aperture of f/2.8 it allows movement freezing shutter speeds even in quite low light and Canon’s image stabilisation system is built-in to help deal with any camera shake at low shutter speeds.It’s not a cheap optic, but it’s super-sharp and a great addition to any Canon photographer’s kit.
4. Best budget telephoto zoom for Canon APS-C: Tamron 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 Di VC USD
While the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM is a great lens, it’s also very expensive. The Tamron 70-300mm f/.45-5.6 Di LD Macro is a more affordable alternative and it offers considerably more telephoto reach.The downside is that the maximum available aperture is f/4.5 at the widest point and this drops to f/5.6 at the longest end. This means you can’t get such fast shutter speeds without pushing sensitivity up, but Tamron’s excellent ‘Vibration Compensation’ image stabilisation system is on hand and the autofocusing is fast and quiet.
5. Best 50mm for Canon APS-C: Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM | A
Price: £699/$949
On a Canon APS-C format camera a 50mm lens, or Nifty Fifty, has an effective focal length of 80mm, which is ideal for shooting portraits. It gives you a nice working distance and produces flattering results.The Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM | A is bigger than the average 50mm lens, but then it is significantly better than the average 50mm lens.It is designed with superior image quality in mind and it delivers wonderfully sharp images with little distortion or chromatic aberration.
The large maximum aperture also enables movement-freezing shutter speeds in low light as when as background blur with attractive bokeh.If the size and price of this lens are a bit too much for you, take a look at the Canon EF 40mm STM (£129/$149), it’s not quite in the same league image quality-wise, but it’s no slouch either.
6. Best superzoom lens for Canon APS-C: Sigma 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM | C
Price: £399/$579
Superzoom lenses, those that offer a very wide focal length range, are very popular because of they provide a number of creative opportunities with just one optic. The wide end is designed for shooting landscapes while the telephoto end is perfect for framing more distant subjects.
Meanwhile the area in between is useful for shooting portraits and framing everyday scenes. All without having to swap lenses and risk getting dust on the sensor.
While image quality isn’t quite as good as when shooting with three shorter zoom lenses, or a collection of primes, the Sigma 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 DC delivers good results and has Sigma’s image stabilisation system built-in to extent the safe handholding shutter speed range.
7. Best wide angle zoom lens for Canon APS-C: Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5 EX DC HSM
Price: £399/$449
Because an APS-C sized sensor is smaller than a full-frame device there’s a focal length conversion factor (1.6x with Canon cameras) that means that even quite wide-angle lenses don’t capture quite as much of the scene as you might first think.
Thankfully this isn’t quite the drama it once was and there are quite a few very wide-angle lenses specifically designed for APS-C format cameras these days. The Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5 EX DC HSM is one of the best, giving an effective focal length range of 16-32mm which makes it ideal for shooting wide vistas or cramped interiors.
The maximum aperture is also fixed so exposure doesn’t change as you zoom from one focal length to another.
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