10 Best Canon Lenses Available Right Now (2018)

Don’t be fooled by this lens’ affordable price, it’s got great sharpness, good optics, and a range that allows for a lot of reach. It may lack image stabilization, but at $79, this lens is perfect for beginners and even more experienced photographers to get a grip on telephoto shooting. The build quality is great and the zooming is smooth. If one needs stabilization, it could be combined with a three-axis gimbal stabilizer for taking smooth shots and video. This lens isn’t the best money can buy, but its value is extremely hard to beat for such a low price.

This update to the classic “nifty fifty” adds improved optics, a quiet STM motor, and keeps the same amazing price. For those who are unacquainted with how great the optics are, this lens has much better quality than the much more expensive Canon 50mm f1.4. By DXOMark’s standard, the f1.8 is a much better lens than the f1.4(DXOMark).

Another advantage of the stepper motor is that this lens works much better for video shooter because it works with video autofocus. The fact that the motor is quieter helps too. If you don’t already own a nifty fifty, this lens is an absolute must. For users who already have the old version, it’s a solid update, but may not be worth your while unless you need video autofocus.

For those looking for a great wide-angle lens and who want to make their camera a bit smaller, the 24mm pancake lens is a top choice. At a mere $129, it boasts tight optical quality, a low weight, and on most APS-C cameras, the somewhat extreme width is a more reasonable 38mm. Users love its optics and ability to be used as a pseudo macro lens (can focus at a mere six inches).

Slightly more zoomed in than its wider brother, the 40mm f2.8 pancake offers users a nice, fast and decently tight lens. Boasting a quiet STM (stepper motor) and manual focusing, this is a solid lens for users looking for a light lens with a very usable focal length. That said, for those seeking better optical quality, the 50mm is better. However, if one prioritizes low weight, this will be a better choice.

This versatile lens is great for video given its large range and built-in image stabilization (up to four stops). The lens works with AF servo mode on Canon DSLRs meaning it’s great for video focusing. The worst anyone can say about it is that it’s a bit large, but the optical quality, versatility, image stabilization, build quality and full time manual make it a must for any user looking to add to their kit.

This is one of the best all-around lenses one could buy. It has exactly one shortcoming: f4.0 isn’t all that fast. Outside of this however, this lens has a versatile zoom range, tack sharp images, and the ability to zoom in and out during video. It’s often used by video shooters because of its fixed aperture (allowing one to maintain consistent lighting). It may not be the fastest lens out there, but it’s one of the most practical.

For those on the prowl for a wide angle and fisheye lens, this is about as good as it gets. Boasting a fixed f4 aperture and awesome optics, it doesn’t get better for Canon cameras at this focal length. While one can get cheaper fish eye lenses, due to the complexity of this kind of glass, cheaper lenses tend to look soft and GoPro like. This lens is sharp and the optics really pop. It’s great for things like real estate photography and any situation where one wants to stress the expansiveness of a property or place.

For low light or portrait photography, the f1.2 is simply the gold standard. For a lens that does only one focal length (aka a prime lens), many users are shocked at its large weight. Well, it’s a lot of glass for a lot of optical quality. It may be a “one-trick pony,” but the images are unbelievably sharp at f2.8. At f1.2, they have a dreamy, beautiful quality. Another perk of this lens is for cameras with small sensors (GH4 and GH5), f1.2 will be less soft and will allow in huge amounts of lights. This is a great lens for those who want to take superb portraits or capture the most amount of light possible with pristine optics.

Comparing to the 24-105mm f4, this lens takes away some of its reach, but steps down a full stop to 2.8. The result is that while one may not be able to see as far, this lens ends up being a better all around choice for some. F2.8 means portraiture is doable and this lens can handle low light shooting. It’s also much sharper than the f4. Users love its image quality and speed. The image stabilization is also top tier.

This is a world class lens. With a USM motor (ultrasonic), unreal optics, and fast aperture, this is a go-to choice for sports photographers and anyone seeking top optical quality from a distance. There are no real downsides to this lens beyond its high price and weight, but that’s to be expected for images of this quality. The image stabilization has a variety of modes and is good for up to four stops. In short, for people who need a lens with great reach and pro optics, this is the one.