Best Canon 80D Lenses

Best Standard Zoom: Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L I USM II

• Best For: General purpose, portraits, photojournalism, travel
• Equivalent Focal Range: 38-168mm
• Aperture: f/4
• Minimum Focus Distance: 18 in.
• Image stabilization: Yes
• Weight: 1.8 lbs.

For an all-around choice that bridges the wide to medium tele range of shooting possibilities, this standard zoom covers your bases. The constant f/4 aperture is slow at the wide end, but it is fast and bright at the tele end. It is weather-sealed, a good match for your weather-sealed body.

The lens extends when zooming and image stabilization (IS) will compensate for camera shake, a nice feature since the camera does not include IS. Professional grade glass and optics make this a high-performance selection of pros and serious enthusiasts. If you want a zoom that covers a healthy range of what you’ll probably shoot regularly, begin with this 24-105mm to get the job done.

Best Standard Prime: Sigma 30mm f/1.4 Art DC HSM

• Best For: General purpose, photojournalism, travel
• Equivalent Focal Range: 48mm
• Aperture: f/1.4
• Minimum Focus Distance: 12 in.
• Image stabilization: No
• Weight: 1 lbs.

For solid performance as a ‘Nifty-Fifty’ that most closely mimics human sight, you need this standard prime lens with its fast aperture. Sigma has become the go-to manufacturer for non-brand Canon lenses that fit the big players due to accurate optical quality and consistent manufacturing standards. Users note that despite the weight, this lens excels in every shooting situation they’ve tested.

Built-in ultrasonic autofocusing is fast, and full-time manual focusing allows you to fine-tune your composition once the mechanicals have done their thing. In low light settings, it can really show you what it can do. If you need a great walk-around lens for candid work, invest in this Sigma lens to improve your image quality.

Best Wide-Angle Zoom: Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM

• Best For: Interiors, architecture, videos
• Equivalent Focal Range: 16-29mm
• Aperture: f/4.5-5.6
• Minimum Focus Distance: 10 in.
• Image stabilization: Yes
• Weight: .5 lbs.

Most of us want the Canon wide-angle for close-up work, and if you also want something quiet for videography, this lens will meet your needs.

Its equivalent zoom focal range fits within the wide-angle world with ease, with fast silent autofocusing. It is lightweight, and its minimum focus distance allows you to zero in on insects or faces without startling them.

This is a slow lens, so users do not recommend it for vlogging. For all other wide-angle purposes, though, it satisfies most needs and then some. For those shooting real estate or other indoors shots, know that there’s very light distortion at the edges and decent low light performance for those videos.

Best Wide-Angle Prime: Canon EF-S 24mm f/2.8 STM

• Best For: Interiors, architecture, landscapes
• Equivalent Focal Range: 38mm
• Aperture: f/2.8
• Minimum Focus Distance: 6 in.
• Image stabilization: No
• Weight: .3 lbs.

If wide-angle to you means getting very close, the half a foot minimum distance for this lens will please you. Reviewers remark that it stays crystal clear even that close, and it is a fast lens with good light capture. The stepper motor lets you autofocus without scaring away the butterflies in front of you.

In wider expanses such as real estate work, it maintains its crisp corners without major distortion. This is an EF-S lens, made for the 80D’s crop sensor, so if you think you might buy a full frame Canon someday, this lens will not work on it. Users love its compact size and light weight, and the quality of images it produces can’t be beat.

Best Short-to-Medium Telephoto: Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM

• Best For: Closer range sports and action
• Equivalent Focal Range: 112-320mm
• Aperture: f/2.8
• Minimum Focus Distance: 5 ft.
• Image stabilization: No
• Weight: 2.9 lbs.

This lens features professional grade optics, and for that, there is a price. The advantage is that this lens will be all you really need for what most of us consider the best tele work, plus you can add extenders (compatible with the 1.4x II and 2.0x II) to get even greater range. The clear, sharp images it produces benefit from the fixed fast aperture as well.

You will be using this beast with a travel tripod (tripod collar included) because it is heavy, and it does not have IS, so you want to avoid camera shake. While it is not weather-sealed for outdoor sports work, it has everything else you’ll need to bring in the distance and produce a nice bokeh effect around your subject. It even works well in low light and for portraits, adding even more options to your shooting repertoire.

Best Super Telephoto Zoom: Sigma 150-500mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM

• Best For: Distant wildlife, action, sports
• Equivalent Focal Range: 240-800mm
• Aperture: f/5-6.3
• Minimum Focus Distance: 7 ft.
• Image stabilization: Yes
• Weight: 3.9 lbs.

It’s hard to imagine bringing something a mile away in so it looks like you’re standing mere feet from it, but the range on this Sigma superzoom lens will allow you to do that. It rivals the best brand-dedicated super-tele lenses on the market in terms of quality at a fraction of those prices. It is not a particularly fast lens, but at that distance, it matters a whole lot less.

Reviewers love the IS built into this lens, though it is meant to use with a tripod (tripod collar included). Users praise its durability and consistency, even after prolonged shooting. It is quiet, produces images with very little distortion even when zoomed out, and is compact in size for its focal range, making it a great pick for super-tele work.

Best Short Telephoto Prime:

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• Best For: Portraits, candids, photojournalism
• Equivalent Focal Range: 80mm
• Aperture: f/1.2
• Minimum Focus Distance: 18 in.
• Image stabilization: No
• Weight: 1.3 lbs.

If your photojournalism career is taking off and you need a lens that’s perfect for now and the future, this 50mm will cover your range. It is a super-fast lens that fits the short tele range for the 80D as well as the Nifty-Fifty for any full frame Canon you buy later. It is not weather-sealed.

Users comment on the color sharpness from this lens, as well as the crisp clarity of their results. It is truly a professional’s choice because it has few flaws. This lens will encourage you to upgrade your skills to match its high-quality capabilities.

Best Medium Telephoto Prime: Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM

• Best For: Distant stills, portraits
• Equivalent Focal Range: 136mm
• Aperture: f/1.8
• Minimum Focus Distance: 2.8 ft.
• Image stabilization: No
• Weight: .9 lbs.

Thousands of satisfied users give this lens 5-star reviews, so it’s no surprise that it’s a bestseller and top pick on many lists. While this functions as a short tele on full frame cameras, its medium tele range for our crop sensor 80D makes it a great choice for any kind of middle distance work. It is fast and sharp, producing high quality results no matter what you’re shooting.

This lens is designed to create soft background blurs around your subject and autofocus quickly. Users note this Canon lens takes great portrait shots too, a nice addition to a photog’s bag of tricks. You might be disappointed if you try it for action, but for product and deliberate bokeh work, it’s a consistent winner.

Best Super Telephoto Prime: Canon EF 400mm f/5.6L USM

• Best For: Wildlife, nature, extremes
• Equivalent Focal Range: 640mm
• Aperture: f/5.6
• Minimum Focus Distance: 1 ft.
• Image stabilization: No
• Weight: 2.8 lbs.

This is a slow lens, but you’ll be happy with the results it produces at a distance despite this. This range brings the wildlife in close, and many people consider it the go-to lens for outdoors nature work. It is not weather-sealed, nor does it have image stabilization.

Photogs note it works well as a handheld despite its size and weight, though it also comes with a tripod collar. Its professional camera grade optics produce sharp, crisp images. For specialty work at a distance, it’s worth the investment and can be used across all Canon EOS EF and EF-S bodies.

Best Macro Prime: Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM

• Best For: Close-up of small subjects
• Equivalent Focal Range: 160mm
• Aperture: f/2.8
• Minimum Focus Distance: 12 in.
• Image stabilization: Yes
• Weight: 1.4 lbs.

Macro lenses bring small subjects into larger than life size, allowing you to explode an insect so it looks like the largest dinosaur or make the interior of a flower appear to rival a redwood.

This distance is a bit trickier with a crop sensor since the magnification of the lens may work, but you’ll need to be at a further distance to compose the shot as you’d like. Those aren’t reasons to turn away from this Macro 100mm lens with an equivalent of 160mm on your camera.

This professional glass takes outstanding photos, with 1x magnification helping you to fill the screen with your subject. It’s a solid choice for full body portraits or group shots, too.

Users have so few complaints about the lens itself that we can’t help but recommend it for those situations where you want to seem like you’re close to the subject even when you can’t be.

Best Tilt-Shift: Canon TS-E 45mm f/2.8

• Best For: Controlling perspective
• Equivalent Focal Range: 72mm
• Aperture: f/2.8
• Minimum Focus Distance: 16 in.
• Image stabilization: No
• Weight: 1.4 lbs.

If you want to shoot architecture but don’t want the lines to appear to approach each other or vanish into oblivion, you need a tilt-shift (aka perspective control) lens. We like this model because it gives you the equivalent focal length you need for big composition work, like a building, with a fast aperture to match.

Perspective control lenses are completely manual, allowing you to adjust the wide-angle to keep lines parallel (tilt), then move your frame to where you need it (shift).

It is an expensive lens because of what it does and the quality of images it produces. In addition to buildings, it works well for smaller products or food to shrink your depth of field. Users note that there is a steep learning curve to apply its capabilities correctly, but if you have these kinds of projects on the schedule, it’s a choice that can’t be beat.

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