Best Lens for Wildlife Photography
| Last Updated: July 17, 2018
Congratulations, you’ve invested in a Canon body. It came with a lens or a kit with a couple of lenses. You want to add a wide angle but you’re not sure which wide angle lens will work best with your Canon or what wide angle features to look for.
Think about those real estate shots that make the room appear large and slightly distorted in shape, even when it’s small in person. Or the wildlife shots where the small animals upfront look so much larger than the bigger ones clearly seen in the background. How about a portrait with the face in sharp focus against an indistinct backdrop?
Those are examples of wide angle at work. A wide angle lens provides you with a wider field of view in your pictures. It also allows you to be close to your subject while maintaining a clearer, wider view of their action.
Selecting a wide angle lens for your Canon is not a simple decision. It’s important to understand your choices in terms of functions before you pull out your wallet.
Top 12 Canon Wide Angle Prime Lenses
| Ranking | Lens | Mount type | Sensor type | Filter size | Image stabilization | Weight | Review | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8 III USM | EF | Full frame | 82mm | No | 1.4 lbs. | Jump to Review | See Price on Amazon |
| #2 | Canon EF 11-24mm f/4L USM | EF | Full frame | 3rd party adaptor | No | 2.6 lbs. | Jump to Review | See Price on Amazon |
| #3 | Canon EF 14mm f/2.8L II USM | EF | Full frame | 3rd party adaptor | No | 1.4 lbs. | Jump to Review | See Price on Amazon |
| #4 | Canon EF 24mm f/2.8 IS USM | EF | Full frame | 58mm | Yes | 0.6 lbs. | Jump to Review | See Price on Amazon |
| #5 | Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM | EF-S | APS-C | 67mm | Yes | 0.5 lbs. | Jump to Review | See Price on Amazon |
| #6 | Canon EF-S 24mm F/2.8 STM | EF-S | APS-C | 52mm | No | 0.3 lbs. | Jump to Review | See Price on Amazon |
| #7 | Sigma 24mm f/1.4 DG HSM A | EF | Full frame | 77mm | No | 1.7 lbs. | Jump to Review | See Price on Amazon |
| #8 | Sigma 12-24mm f/4 DG HSM A | EF | Full frame | 3rd party adaptor | No | 2.5 lbs. | Jump to Review | See Price on Amazon |
| #9 | Tamron SP 15-30mm F/2.8 Di VC USD | EF | Full frame; APS-C | 3rd party adaptor | Yes | 2.4 lbs. | Jump to Review | See Price on Amazon |
| #10 | Tamron 10-24mm F/3.5-4.5 Di II VC HLD | EF-S | APS-C | 77mm | No | 1.0 lbs. | Jump to Review | See Price on Amazon |
| #11 | Canon EF 8-15mm f/4L FISHEYE USM | EF | Full frame | Specialty (fisheye) | No | 1.2 lbs. | Jump to Review | See Price on Amazon |
| #12 | Canon EF 15mm f/2.8 FISHEYE | EF | Full frame | Specialty (fisheye) | No | 0.7 lbs. | Jump to Review | See Price on Amazon |
What you should know before buying a wide angle lens
You can go two routes – sticking with the brand or using a third-party lens. Canon wide-angle lenses are no small investment.
The good news about buying original Canon glass is that you are almost assured you can use it on any other Canon DSLR body you have (more on the almost part later).
Some third-party systems work seamlessly, and others require an adapter. That adapter may create distortions and operating limitations of its own. Third-party glass is often less expensive, but that alone should not drive your buying decision.
Making your selection should be based on several factors – the image you want to achieve, the camera body’s sensor size, the camera body’s mounting system for lenses, image stabilization, and autofocusing system among them.
To understand how to make your choices, it’s first important to understand how a wide angle lens works.
What is a wide angle lens?
A wide angle lens has a wider field of vision than the human eye. The lower the focal length (the number before the ‘mm’, like 55mm), the wider the field of view.
That’s the technical answer. In reality, many of us have wide angle capability in our first serious camera kit and don’t even realize it. That 18-55mm that came with your Canon kit works as a moderate wide-angle when used at the 18mm end of its range.
Another point to consider in wide angles is the f-stop, portrayed as f/# or f#, with the larger the number meaning a smaller opening. It’s best to think of f-stop as a fraction, such as f/2 equals one-half and f/8 equaling one-eighth. One-eighth is smaller than one-half and will therefore let in less light and will not work as well .
What images do you want to capture?
Wide-angle lenses excel when a photographer cannot move farther back to capture more of scene (real estate example) or wants to capture both the foreground and the background with depths of perspective in between (wildlife and portrait examples). You should care about this because the kind of shooting you plan to use this lens for translates into the kind you need.
While a longer lens like your telephoto apparently compresses distance between objects and creates a blurring softness, a wider lens magnifies that distance, while making things look sharp and clear. This can also create a distorted effect when your subject has repetitive patterns, though good shooting techniques and quality lens optics can overcome the worst of that.
On the other hand, this may be the look you want in your shots.
Are you shooting landscapes or cityscapes? Do you want artsy shots with distortion or true life representations? Is clarity in the depth of field important or not?
How does the sensor size impact lens choice?
Your Canon camera comes with a sensor to convert the image you see through the viewfinder or on the screen into the one your camera records. That sensor size differs based on the body. Here are some popular Canon bodies with their sensor size listed:
- 1D Mark II – Full frame
- 5D Mark IV – Full frame
- 80D – APS-C
- M6 – APS-C
- Rebel T7i – APS-C
An APS-C sensor is smaller than a Full Frame, which means it captures less light. For a Full Frame camera (modeled on the original 35mm film sizing), wide angle is considered a focal length of anything less than 35mm. For an APS-C camera, it’s 24mm.
Something it keep in mind is that historically, the size of wide angle was based on standards set at the time of 35mm film cameras. With the advent of digital technology came flexibility in sensor types, and now, the actual calculations are somewhat open to interpretation.
Generally, anything in the 24-35mm range is considered wide angle, and anything less than 24mm is ultra wide angle.
What does the lens mount have to do with lens selection?
Let’s revisit those five Canon bodies listed above, this time for their lens mounting system configuration:
- 1D Mark II – Canon EF
- 5D Mark IV – Canon EF
- 80D – Canon EF/EF-S
- M6 – Canon EF-M; EF with adapter
- T7i – Canon EF/EF-S
You’ll recall the earlier comment about Canon glass working on ‘almost’ any Canon body. That is due to the mount and the sensor type. EF is the standard Canon lens type with around 250 Canon-branded choices in all kinds of lenses.
EF-S (or EFS) is a newer mount type with less than 50 native lenses available. These lenses are only for APS-C sensor cameras.
Canon wisely decided to add an adapter to expand the selection for APS-C format cameras to the full list of EF lenses in addition to EF-S.
EF-M is yet another mounting type for mirrorless cameras only, with only around 15 native lenses available. Because of their small numbers and specific body use, they have not been included in this comparison.
What about third-party brand lenses?
All glass is not created equal. This is a case where the price point of the lens is probably a solid indicator of its quality. Quality in the lens is as important as the quality of the Canon body.
Some people like buying third-party lenses because they believe they are saving money. As with almost everything else we buy, it depends. Can this lens communicate with the electronics in the Canon body?
Since 1987, Canon has used an electronic optical system (Electro-Optical System or EOS) to communicate between the body of the camera and the lens. This allows autofocus to work.
Only Canon-branded lenses are certified to have these contacts in the correct positions – but that doesn’t mean other manufacturers haven’t figured out how to build things right, too.
Can I use other lens brands in place of Canon?
The short answer is yes, but there is no guarantee they will work for all features. For example, a third-party wide angle might not report the correct focal length or aperture settings to the body. This results in a poor quality image.
Some manufacturers have reverse-engineered enough Canon lenses to figure out how to make theirs reliable too. That also does not mean the quality of their optics will be as good as Canon. Canon has not approved or licensed any other manufacturers’ lenses to work effectively 100% of the time with a Canon body.
Why is image stabilization important in a lens?
Image stabilization happens in one of three ways – in the lens, in the camera body, or in an old fashioned method like a tripod. None of the Canon bodies we used as examples has Image Stabilization (IS) systems in the body.
That makes having IS in your lens something you need to think about depending on how and what you like to shoot.
Will you be in low light situations where you want to shoot at an extreme wide angle setting? Think a crowd scene at a concert, where you want to have the action of people reacting in the foreground and the musician and band clearly visible in the background. If you’re holding the camera in your hand, you risk blurring from camera shake if you don’t have either IS or a tripod, or better yet, both.
How about action scenes from the sidelines of a sporting event? You want to reveal the catch or kick right in front of you along with the reaction of the opposing team. Without IS plus a tripod, you might not be able to slow down the action to capture that depth of field.
Do I even need to buy a wide angle lens?
The answer could be no. If you already have a good quality kit lens of the 18-55mm variety and the 18mm setting has worked fine for the types of wide angle shots you want to take, you probably don’t need to buy another lens.
If, however, you want to capture an extreme panorama, shoot an image in a small space, or set your subject in sharp perspective against their fuzzy surroundings, you probably want a wide angle.
It might make sense to go as low as you can in the focal range of a new lens to make it as useful as possible on top of what you own. The lower the focal length number, the greater you can exaggerate this wide imaging. But that isn’t the only criteria you need to consider in your purchase.
Criteria to consider in buying your Wide Angle Lens
What’s the best wide angle lens for your Canon? Here are the criteria we chose for our analysis, based on the experiences of expert reviewers. These criteria were selected with the novice enthusiast to pro in mind.
Mount type
As we’ve already learned, not all EF mounts are the same. EF-S only works on APS-C cameras. EF works on almost all Canons, except you’ll need an adapter for EF-s type. Not all third-party brands are guaranteed to be fully functional across all EF types.
Sensor type
We talked before about sensors in the DSLR camera body and why understanding those is important. Some lenses in our list offer coverage for more than one sensor type. Newer APS-C bodies can use EF lenses when equipped with a special Canon branded adapter.
Fixed versus variable aperture
It has generally been believed that fixed or constant aperture lenses are of better quality and construction, perhaps an old-school idea with the advances in zoom glass production. The lower the f/number, the wider the aperture opening, allowing more light to reach the imaging system. Consider this if you like to work in low light settings or know you prefer aperture flexibility.
Fixed versus variable focal length
With a variable length lens, you have the advantage of multiple settings within the range of the lens. This means you have both ends of the range and everything in between to work with. The offset is sometimes a lack of flexibility if you also have a fixed aperture.
A variable focal length with a variable aperture ma give you too many options, causing focusing frustrations. It’s a matter of preference and skill/comfort more than science.
Filter size
Filters protect the lens from debris and UV and add special effects to alter the image. Not all lenses have the capability to thread on filters, and they are not all the same size filters. Knowing the size translates into knowing if you’ll need to buy more filters in addition to what you already own and tote around.
It is important to verify the filter thread size required for specific lenses you buy. Sometimes these vary between generations of the same lens. It pays to check your new acquisition before you invest in a filter set.
Autofocus motor
Even if they fit on the mount, not all lenses integrate with Canon body autofocusing (AF) systems. Not all AF systems resident within lenses are created equal either, even within the Canon brand. Canon is explained here; for Tamron and Sigma, explanations are provided in the lens descriptions.
For Canon, the two primary types listed in our comparison are ultrasonic and ring-type ultrasonic. Ultrasonic means the motor built into the lens will focus slightly faster than standard and is quieter, making it good for conditions where blending in is important. Ring-type ultrasonic is even faster and quieter.
Almost all lenses listed in this comparison also have full time manual focusing capability without stopping to switch modes. This means you can fine tune your shot manually once the autofocus motor has done its thing.
Image stabilization
Canon usually relies on image stabilization (IS) to come from the lens. Not all lenses, Canon included, have this capability. Consider your shooting style, such as common use of a tripod to determine how important lens IS is for you.
Weather sealing
While no lens is 100% weather-proof, knowing if your lens is weather-sealed means having a sense of confidence about exposing it to the elements. Resistance to dust and moisture under normal conditions of use is a nice feature to have if you shoot outdoors regularly.
Weight
People like to equate weight with the quality of construction and optics, but that’s not always true or a deal breaker. The light weight options are not always the worst glass. Sometimes a lighter weight is more important to avoid shake during hand-held shooting.
Understanding the naming conventions
For the most part, you can understand a lot about a lens’ capabilities by reviewing its full name. Typically, this includes a common set of features. We’ve noted the Canon versions below, and for third-party brands, they are explained in the lens descriptions.
Focal length is listed, the number or range before ‘mm’. A range is variable, and a single number is fixed.
The ‘f/’ is the aperture. A single number implies fixed and a range is variable. For Canon, the ‘L’ designation indicates its professional lenses line.
IS means the lens has internal image stabilization. USM means Ultra Sonic Motor, a small motor built into the lens that allows it to autofocus faster. STM stands for Stepper Motor, an ultra-quiet focusing system great for videography.
Be mindful of any Roman numerals in the lens name. Any number indicates a later generation of the lens. For example, ‘III’ is a more recent (newer) model than ‘II’, and they may not perform consistently or have the same specifications.
Let’s move on to our completely opinionated selections, no ranking implied. We’re beginning with Canon to highlight what you might want to know when you reach the other lens manufacturers. Two fisheyes are included at the end for those with art inclinations.
#1. Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L III USM
- Mount type: EF
- Sensor type: Full frame
- Fixed versus variable aperture: Fixed f/2.8
- Fixed versus variable focal length: Variable 16-35mm
- Filter size: 82mm
- Autofocus motor: Ring-type ultrasonic
- Image stabilization: No
- Weather sealing: Yes
- Weight: 1.4 lbs.
Reviewers’ Like:
This wide angle zoom lens ticks all boxes for many reviewers. It excels across many different low light shooting situations from night skies to indoor wedding photography. Image quality is consistent and great across its full focal range.
The lens shines at both the tele end of its focal range in lower light conditions and in higher light situations at the wide angle end of its range. This is due to the larger fixed aperture. It offers excellent sharpness across its full focal range.
Its professional-quality glass and construction make it a solid investment for the dollars. It offers internal optical image stabilization, making it function well at slower shutter speeds. Weather sealing offers the benefit of safety in outdoor conditions, matching its best functions as an outdoor lens.
Considerations:
The general big complaint is the price, almost double what you would spend for this lens’ f/4L sibling. The f/4L does not offer the same range of high-to-low light shooting range, however. If you primarily photograph panoramas, landscapes and big architecture in normal lighting conditions, that might not matter to you. For flexibility, though, the f/2.8L is unsurpassed.
#2. Canon EF 11-24mm f/4L USM
- Mount type: EF
- Sensor type: Full frame
- Fixed versus variable aperture: Fixed f/4
- Fixed versus variable focal length: Variable 11-24mm
- Filter size: None – third-party adapters
- Autofocus motor: Ultrasonic
- Image stabilization: No
- Weather sealing: Yes
- Weight: 2.6 lbs.
Reviewers Like:
This wide angle zoom lens is fast and bright in low light conditions at the tele end of its focal range due to its smaller fixed aperture. Its ultra wide viewing angle is the widest from Canon for full frame DSLRs. Some consider this an ‘extreme’ wide angle, a consistent best-in-class winner.
Chromatic aberration (color changes) are well controlled for the most part except for high contrast subjects. Distortion is also very well controlled. Reviewers mentioned some flaring if the sun or another very bright light source is in the frame, but the effect is minimal.
An integrated petal-shaped hood protects its bulbous front end, with a special cap for storage or transport. Weather sealing makes it an ideal lens for the place it loves best, the outdoors. It offers great image quality, which one would expect from a professional grade lens.
Considerations:
Get out the credit card, because this glass, being professional grade, will cost you. Also consider the weight, which is substantial. Using a tripod becomes a must.
Criticism is raised in wide angle shots when this lens is considered slow. Issues with color fringing and distortion have been reported by reviewers.
Filter systems for this lens rely on third-party adapters, some of which do not seat the filter well enough to avoid blurring at an image’s edges. That may be a significant negative, particularly in landscape, panorama or architectural photography settings.
#3. Canon EF 14mm f/2.8L II USM
- Mount type: EF
- Sensor type: Full frame
- Fixed versus variable aperture: Fixed f/2.8
- Fixed versus variable focal length: Fixed 14mm
- Filter size: None – third-party adapters
- Autofocus motor: Ultrasonic
- Image stabilization: No
- Weather sealing: Yes
- Weight: 1.4 lbs.
Reviewers Like:
Unlike the previous two lenses on this list, this is a prime wide angle. It is a fast lens, and for most photogs, it may be the only wide angle they need. Reviewers have been impressed with its high-quality optics and solid build construction.
There is little to no vignetting or color fringing. Minimal distortion can be adjusted by extending the focusing distance. Background blurring does best when the subject is up close with this lens.
Its weather sealing, coupled with a weather-sealed Canon body, will protect it in outdoor shooting conditions for clear panoramic images. It produces quality images in low light conditions too.
Considerations:
A significant argument against this lens is the price. It replaces an older model, so make sure you are buying the ‘II’ designation.
As with the previous lens, the integrated hood means no filters can be easily added. This system relies on gelatin filters that may allow dirt and particles to enter the housing during insertion and removal. Relying on third-party adapters may blur images.
#4. Canon EF 24mm f/2.8 IS USM
- Mount type: EF
- Sensor type: Full frame
- Fixed versus variable aperture: Fixed f/2.8
- Fixed versus variable focal length: Fixed 24mm
- Filter size: 58mm
- Autofocus motor: Ring-type ultrasonic
- Image stabilization: Yes
- Weather sealing: No
- Weight: 0.6 lbs.
Reviewers Like:
This prime lens is a fast wide angle shooter. Its image stabilization means you can minimize shake at slower shutter speeds. Coupled with its light weight and compact size, shooting will be easier in situations when using a tripod will interrupt the mood.
This budget-friendly lens works well across a versatile range of shooting situations. Many reviewers considered this the best Canon brand lens to buy if it’s your first foray into wide angle shooting. Filters are plentiful for its 58mm thread size, a big plus.
Reviewers comment that this lens is a good transitional purchase. If you have an APS-C body now but plan to upgrade to a full frame in the future, this lens will follow you across models.
Considerations:
This lens is not weather-sealed, so it is best used in indoor settings or outdoors when rain and dust are not issues. A hood is not supplied with this lens, but they are readily available for this standard thread size.
#5. Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM
- Mount type: EF-S
- Sensor type: APS-C
- Fixed versus variable aperture: Variable f/4.5-5.6
- Fixed versus variable focal length: Variable 10-18mm
- Filter size: 67mm
- Autofocus motor: Stepper motor
- Image stabilization: Yes
- Weather sealing: No
- Weight: 0.5 lbs.
Reviewers Like:
On the surface, you might wonder why anyone would limit themselves to a lens with a maximum sensor coverage of APS-C. One thought might be price, because, as reviewers say, this is a lot of lens for the money. The other could be performance, when attached to a body designed for use with this family of lenses.
The Stepper Motor (STM) autofocus is silent and efficient, making it the lens to beat for videography while offering generally fast AF for stills. Its focus ring is precise and operates smoothly. Solid image stabilization, not the norm in Canon brand wide angles, minimizes shake at slower shutter speeds.
The light weight and compact size make this an easy lens to include in your kit for travel photography. The images it produces are sharp and crisp at both ends of zoom, making it great for landscapes as well as large group interior shots where you can’t step back further.
At the long end, it meets the range of the standard kit lens included with most bodies, offering great range extension to your shooting repertoire.
Considerations:
Reviewers consider this lens slow at both ends of its range. This might not be such an issue when you consider its special positioning in the market – good for videos that would usually be well-lit and good for hand-held situations where shots may be more deliberate.
This lens is not weather-sealed, so it is not ideal in situations where dust or rain will be factors.
#6. Canon EF-S 24mm f/2.8 STM
- Mount type: EF-S
- Sensor type: APS-C
- Fixed versus variable aperture: Fixed f/2.8
- Fixed versus variable focal length: Fixed 24mm
- Filter size: 52mm
- Autofocus motor: Stepper motor
- Image stabilization: No
- Weather sealing: No
- Weight: 0.3 lbs.
Reviewers Like:
What’s in a name? In this case, a lot. This lens appears almost identical to a 24mm f/2.8 mentioned earlier, except it only works with APS-C sensors, lacks IS and has a different AF system.
This is a fast wide angle prime lens, great for night sky work or for daily trips around the neighborhood. Its light weight means adding it to a standard APS-C sensor-equipped body will make it a flexible and easily tote-able DSLR camera for daily use. The Stepper Motor silent autofocusing make it desirable in video imaging.
For those special effects, filters can easily be added at its standard thread size. This lens excels in a range of conditions, including night skies and street photos. It is a good choice for a prime lens under general purpose use.
Considerations:
This lens is not weather-sealed. No hood is supplied, though they are readily available on the market at its thread size.
#7. Sigma 24mm f/1.4 DG HSM A
- Mount type: EF
- Sensor type: Full frame
- Fixed versus variable aperture: Fixed f/1.4
- Fixed versus variable focal length: Fixed 24mm
- Filter size: 77mm
- Autofocus motor: Ultrasonic
- Image stabilization: No
- Weather sealing: No
- Weight: 1.7 lbs.
Reviewers Like:
Sigma comes with its own set of abbreviations to decipher. DG is its designation for full frame sensor capability. HSM refers to its ultrasonic autofocus motor. A is for the Art series, designed with the professional in mind by offering minimal distortion extreme wide angle settings.
There are always caveats when using a third-party lens on a name brand body, but Sigma seems to have satisfied the skeptics. This prime lens is very fast, with good focal range possibilities for many different shooting situations from low light to narrow fields of view.
Reviewers comment favorably on the compactness of this lens, as well as its construction. It has proven itself on APS-C bodies (with adapter) as well as its native full frame.
Considerations:
Very few reviewers quibble about anything with this lens. This lens is not weather-sealed, making it more challenging to use in dust or rain conditions. As it lacks image stabilization, use of a tripod is recommended.
#8. Sigma 12-24mm f/4 DG HSM A
- Mount type: EF
- Sensor type: Full frame
- Fixed versus variable aperture: Fixed f/4
- Fixed versus variable focal length: Variable 12-24mm
- Filter size: None – third-party adapter
- Autofocus motor: Ring-type ultrasonic
- Image stabilization: No
- Weather sealing: No
- Weight: 2.5 lbs.
Reviewers Like:
This wide angle zoom from Sigma offers a less pricey alternative to more expensive Canon glass. The ‘A’ in its name stands for ‘Art’, an overall quality upgrade line of lenses. It is considered fast at the telephoto end of its range.
In addition to better optics, its autofocusing capability has been improved with faster torque on the ring-type ultrasonic system. Image quality is sharp with little color fringing and minimized distortions. It is considered by many to be an excellent lens for landscape shots, nature and city photography.
Considerations:
This lens has a slow aperture at the wide end of its range. It is pricey (but not as bad as its Canon equivalents). You would need to rely on a third-party adapter for filters as this does not come with a filter thread.
Moreover, it is heavy, the heaviest in our comparison, and does not come equipped with image stabilization. It demands tripod use but does not come with its own tripod collar.
#9. Tamron SP 15-30mm f/2.8 Di VC USD
- Mount type: EF
- Sensor type: Full frame; APS-C
- Fixed versus variable aperture: Fixed f/2.8
- Fixed versus variable focal length: Variable 15-30mm
- Filter size: None – third-party adapter
- Autofocus motor: Ultrasonic
- Image stabilization: Yes – vibration compensation
- Weather sealing: No
- Weight: 2.4 lbs.
Reviewers Like:
‘Di’ in the Tamron lens name indicates the lens should cover both APS-C and full frame sensors, making it a good lens for those who think they might be upgrading their Canon body in the foreseeable future. VC means Vibration Compensation, the Tamron version of IS. SP designates their professional grade lenses.
The USD in its name is Tamron’s version of a silent motor system that focuses quietly and quickly. This makes the lens good for sports shots as well as videos. It is judged to be fast at both ends of its focal range.
Reviewers rate the quality of optics and overall construction as high. Color fringing is well controlled and image sharpness is maintained throughout the zoom range. This lens has been called a good balance between value and quality.
Considerations:
This is a large, heavy lens, demanding the use of a tripod to hold it steady. A tripod collar is not a feature. It is considered a pricier option by many.
#10. Tamron 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 Di II VC HLD
- Mount type: EF-S
- Sensor type: APS-C
- Fixed versus variable aperture: Variable f/3.5-4.5
- Fixed versus variable focal length: Variable 10-24mm
- Filter size: 77mm
- Autofocus motor: High/low torque modulated drive
- Image stabilization: No
- Weather sealing: Yes
- Weight: 1.0 lbs.
Reviewers Like:
This wide angle zoom lens offers another option to those committed to their APS-C sensor format bodies. Its extensive focal range with a low low-end might make it the only wide angle you need across a variety of shooting situations.
It is weather-sealed, making it a good lens for those outdoors shots under challenging conditions.
Tamron’s High/Low Torque Modulated Drive (HLD) offers higher torque for focusing on stills and smoother and quieter video focusing. Reviewers find the autofocusing system to be highly effective, quicker and quieter with Canon bodies than the original version of this lens. It is fast at the wide end, which is where most of us want to have flexibility in this class of lenses.
The price on this glass is affordable, with upgraded optics as Tamron improved the quality of the construction with this second generation release. Images stay sharp and crisp across the range, with minimal distortions and color fringing.
Considerations:
While this lens is fast at the wide angle, it is slow at the tele end of its range. It extends in the focusing process. Some reviewers commented that the HLD focusing during videos did create residual noise obvious during playbacks. However, it is not clear if they were working with the original version or this second generation model.
#11. Canon EF 8-15mm f/4L Fisheye USM
- Mount type: EF
- Sensor type: Full frame
- Fixed versus variable aperture: Fixed f/4
- Fixed versus variable focal length: Variable 8-15mm
- Filter size: Yes – specialty
- Autofocus motor: Ring-type ultrasonic
- Image stabilization: No
- Weather sealing: Yes
- Weight: 1.2 lbs.
Reviewers Like:
This specialty wide angle zoom fisheye is included precisely because it is a fisheye – and sometimes, we all need to see the world with the hard edges softened. While originally used to render the night sky or weather patterns in a more real-life (curved) pattern, they are now used to create artistic, fun photos in both panoramas and close shots.
Reviewers also commented that when used with an APS-C format camera, the full corner to corner (full 180 degrees) angle of view works well.
A fisheye with the zoom capability gives you the opportunity to move from a big format to those funny portraits, the kind you would see in a funhouse mirror.
This lens is fast and bright on its tele end.
It is weather-sealed, making it a perfect companion to a weather-sealed body for outdoor shooting situations.
Considerations:
The rear drop-in gelatin filter holder uses thin pre-cut sheets of filter materials. While they are light in weight, the risk is dust and particles entering the lens when the filter is being inserted or removed. Gelatin filters can also distort image clarity and cause too much color saturation.
This lens is slow on the wide end, limiting its capability in low light, extreme wide shooting situations. It is considered pricey for what it offers by some reviewers.
#12. Canon EF 15mm f/2.8 Fisheye
- Mount type: EF
- Sensor type: Full frame
- Fixed versus variable aperture: Fixed f/2.8
- Fixed versus variable focal length: Fixed 15mm
- Filter size: Yes – specialty
- Autofocus motor: Micromotor
- Image stabilization: No
- Weather sealing: No
- Weight: 0.7 lbs.
Reviewers Like:
This wide angle fisheye prime lens has a lot going for it, from its fast speed to its low weight. It offers the artist options not available with standard wide angle prime lenses, and with its ultra wide focal length, it can provide extreme effects under the right shooting conditions.
Reviewers comment that this lens is one of two intentionally distorted Canon lenses.
While this special effect could be corrected in post-production, for most photogs, the distortion is the reason to own this lens. Its affordability makes it a great special use lens for unique perspective art shots.
Considerations:
This is the only lens in our comparison that does not offer full time manual focusing. This means you will have to switch modes when you want to use manual focusing in any form. Its micromotor AF technology is slightly louder than ultrasonic systems.
This lens is not weather-sealed. It uses a rear drop-in gelatin filter holder, raising the same issues as the previous fisheye for dust, clarity and off colors.
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