Best Lenses for Canon T6i DSLR Camera

#1. Rokinon 50mm F1.4 Standard Prime

• Type: Standard Prime Lens
• Aperture: f/1.4
• Weight: 19.2 oz.
• Focal Length: 50mm
• Filter: 77mm
• The high points: Fast aperture, 8 blade diaphragm, Ultra Multi-Coating, Internal Focusing (IF)
• The not-so: Weighty, not a budget-priced third party lens

Samyang/Rokinon may not be a name everyone’s familiar with. And the cost of this lens is comparable with a Sigma (not ART) and Canon 50mm equivalent. Try not to let that put you off.

I chose the Rokinon 50mm f1.4 standard prime for a number of reasons. It’s a great value all-round lens for astrophotography, portraits, and landscape photography. It’s also well-built and made-to-last.

There’s a manual aperture ring that’s easy to use. Heck, you can even see the aperture blades inside the glass. After some experimenting I found it to be at its ultimate performance around f4 and higher.

This is an all-manual focus lens which is something that will appeal to you or it won’t. Not having electronics and automation means it has to stand out with image quality and build. I think it does.

What this lens lacks on features it makes up for in design, construction, image quality, and value.

What Reviewers Say

Most written reviews for the Rokinon 50mm f1.4 standard prime lens are favorable. A lot of shared reviewers report how they got more than they could have hoped for with a lens at this price range.

For some, this is the first all-manual lens they’ve ever owned. Almost everyone agrees that it’s no big deal once you get used to it. That’s something I tend to agree with, but then I started out all-manual.

The gripes get lost between the compliments about ease-of-use, sharp images, and impressive video, etc. Some find the included lens cap awkward but that’s a high-class problem and easy to resolve.

A few folks have written about the lens weight saying how it’s on the heavy side. At 19 oz. they’ve got a point considering the 50mm focal length. Even so, it’s not something that would put most people off.

What’s Good

The Rokinon 50mm has a fast f/1.4 aperture which is great news for low-light photographers. It’s also good for creating wonderful creamy out-of-focus backgrounds and handheld photography.

The circular bokeh effect is enhanced thanks to the curved 8-blade diaphragm. It’s an improvement on older lenses that have six non-rounded blades. They just can’t produce the same beautiful results.

This lens also sports a specialized Ultra Multi-Coating (UMC). The UMC does a pretty good job of improving light transmission. It helps to reduce the dreaded lens flare and ghosting too.

The Internal Focusing or IF provides close focus up to 17.7″. It also means there’s no change in the lens’ length or rotation. It’s a welcome feature for orientation-sensitive filters like polarizers.

What Could Be Better

At 19 oz., the Rokinon 50mm F1.4 is quite heavy for a fixed standard prime lens. To put that into some perspective the native Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM lens is just over 10 oz.

Weight is an issue for photographers who go on long shoots. The positive side is that heavier lenses often mean superior build quality compared to lighter ones. The build of this product is very good.

Despite being a third-party lens the price tag for the Rokinon 50mm F1.4 is comparable to the Canon. And remember, there’s no autofocus either. It’s still a worthy competitor but it won’t sway everyone.

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#2. Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L IS USM Macro

• Type: Prime Macro
• Aperture: f/2.8
• Weight: 22 oz.
• Focal Length: 100mm
• Filter: 67mm
• The high points: Superb image quality, quiet motor, Image Stabilization, weather-sealed
• The not-so: Hunts a bit in low-light, heavy, price tag

The razor-sharp images and beautiful bokeh impressed me, but then this is a Canon lens after all. It’s an excellent choice for your Canon T6i if you do lots of macro work but it’s a good all-rounder as well.

However, if you want a portrait lens first and a macro second there are better choices. In this case look to the 85mm f/1.2L II or maybe even the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS.

I did some testing with close-up jewelry shots with the EF 100mm f/2.8L IS. The results blew me away. It produced beautifully focused shots with depth of field (DOF) control exactly as I needed it.

The EF 100mm also sports Canon’s latest hybrid IS or Image Stabilization (more on that shortly). I like the way this lens feels too which is similar to all products in the L series.

I always look out for those unavoidable flaws. They include vignetting, chromatic aberration, and distortion. I’m pleased to report all these things are minimal with this quality prime macro lens.

What Reviewers Say

There are lots of people with plenty to say about the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L IS USM Macro. Most of what reviewers write is over 90% in favor of the lens. There’s one major gripe that I’ll get to shortly.

What the majority of reviewers share in common is how this is the perfect walk-around lens. And although it has multipurpose use it comes into its own as a quality portrait and macro lens.

People who take a lot of photos in all kinds of situations love it. They praise this macro/medium telephoto prime lens for its quality build and versatility.

A few find it a little heavy. Still, that’s the price we have pay for exceptional build-quality, weather sealing, and IS, etc. Another “major” frustration is how the autofocus tends to hunt at times.

What’s Good

The image quality is superb. You won’t find many photographers who disagree with the crisp sharp results. And although the autofocus can be a little slow its motor is still smooth and quiet.

A silent motor is a must-have when shooting ultra-close-up macro shots of living things like insects.

The image stabilization (IS) is effective and thus invaluable. It allows you to shoot without a tripod or other support and maintain sharp focus using shallower depths of field (DOF).

Despite the demand for IS a lot of lenses don’t have it. It’s one way to keep costs down. It’s the same with other ‘extra’ features on lenses like dust proofing and weather sealing.

The Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro has weather sealing and IS. I wasn’t brave enough to take my borrowed lens out into the pouring rain so I’ll give Canon the benefit of the doubt for now.

What Could Be Better

The AF on this lens has a tendency to hunt to find its focus. Hunting is something that irks photographers who just want to get on with the business of taking photos. It’s worse in low light.

The 22 oz. weight is not untypical for a lens in this category but some still complain it’s hefty. I found it well-balanced on the Canon T6i. It’s probably more of a problem mounted on other models.

Lens weight is also contingent on the photographer’s physical build and hand size. It’s also more of an issue for handheld photographers who go on long shoots.

The final gripe is the cost. I think it offers excellent value all things considered but some budding amateurs disagree. The premium price tag is a steal for more experienced photographers, though.

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#3. Samyang SY14M-C 14mm F2.8 Ultra Wide Fixed

• Type: Ultra-Wide-Angle Prime
• Aperture: f/2.8
• Weight: 19.2 oz.
• Focal Length: 14mm
• Filter: N/A
• The high points: 0.9 ft. minimum focus, tack sharp images, solid build, excellent value
• The not-so: Manual-only lens, long distance turn from minimum focus to infinity

For less than $300 the Samyang 14mm f/2.8 ultra-wide angle lens is a real bargain and works great with your Canon T6i. It’s not perfect compared to costlier alternatives but it’s perfect for what you pay.

A lot of modern photographers are not familiar with manual lenses. I can promise you it doesn’t take long to get used to them. Manual lenses also put you in full control and that’s a good thing.

The absence of electronics doesn’t bother photographers who are into astrophotography and the like. Needless to say, this 14mm F2.8 ultra-wide lens is a winner with folks shooting at the stars.

The manual focus ring is smooth to the touch; in fact, the entire lens has a quality feel to it. As for the image quality, there’s a little vignetting at wider apertures but photos are generally clear and sharp.

There’s no major chromatic aberration to worry about. And the lens’ multi-layer coating does a great job at reducing distortion, ghosting, and flares. It really takes some beating for a budget option.

What Reviewers Say

Reviewers tend to love this ultra-wide-angle lens which is one of the reasons it made my list. There’s a lot of praise for the overall image quality. It’s a particular favorite with nightscape photographers.

There’s more to this lens than its astrophotography benefits. It’s a beautiful piece of glass for taking those amazing wide-angle landscapes too. And it produces tack sharp results across all apertures.

Although this is a manual focus lens there are very few complaints. It’s easy to use and the manual focus ring is gentle and smooth.

There are some gripes about awkward focusing. These tend to be from those who are used to auto features and have perhaps written their reviews in haste. At least that’s the impression I got.

What most people agree on is the amazing price tag. For just under 300 bucks (at the time of writing) the Samyang 14mm f/2.8 ultra-wide-angle lens exceeds most reviewers expectations.

What’s Good

This lens has a Minimum Focus Distance (MFD) of just 0.9 ft. The MFD lets you produce truly creative 115° angle close-up shots with dramatic results.

Images are tack sharp for a lens at this price. And only a very critical eye would notice the five stops of vignetting in the far corners from f2.8. It’s not overly noticeable to most others.

Another noteworthy point is the lens’ design and build. The actual barrel is quite small but with a big front element. Then there’s the even bigger fixed—and rather beautiful—hood.

It’s a good looking ultra-wide angle lens despite its basic exterior construction. It has a good weight for its size and a nice quality feel in the hand.

I looked at a lot of lenses in this category during my research and the Samyang easily offered the best value of any of its rivals—in my opinion.

What Could Be Better

We live in a world where many photographers demand auto features. This means the all-manual Samyang 14mm f/2.8 ultra-wide lens loses some brownie points with a few photographers.

Staying with the “manual” point, it feels like a long way (turn) from minimum focus to infinity. It’s one of those niggling things for people who shoot a lot of photos at varying focal ranges.

And finally, expect a little flare and ghosting to occur. Still, this is something to expect with a lot of wide-angle lenses that have large front optical elements.

My closing thought on this lens is that you gain a lot more than you lose.

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#4. Canon EF 70-300mm F/4-5.6 Telephoto Zoom

• Type: Telephoto Zoom
• Aperture: F/4-5.6
• Weight: 22 oz.
• Focal Length: 70-300mm
• Filter: 58mm
• The high points: Sharp images, solid build, IS, fast AF, Super Spectra & Fluorine coatings
• The not-so: Noisy USM, AF sometimes hunts, lens covers pop off

The Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS II USM is a good choice for anyone who needs a quality telephoto zoom for everyday photography. This one replaces the older EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 USM IS, another great all around Canon lens.

I found the performance throughout the zoom range impressive. I didn’t detect any significant drop in image quality at 300mm either. We can’t say the same for a lot of consumer lenses in this class.

The minimal CA and light fall-off are no cause for concern. The max aperture is somewhat limiting though. That’s too bad if you want that all-out blur effect that’s so popular in close-up portraiture.

I like the build quality but as an all-season photographer, I’d like to have seen a seal around the lens mount. Weather-proofing and other types of protection are crucial features for some of us.

The above point is no minor detail for anyone who likes to get out and about in all weathers. Putting that aside, the lens is still an excellent contribution to Canon’s mid-range DSLRs, including our T6i.

What Reviewers Say

The EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM lens is another quality optic from the giant Canon. It sells well too, and that means there are plenty of user reviews to chew over.

You’ll find lots of write-ups that congratulate Canon on this general purpose zoom lens. They’re right too. Photographers, beginner and experienced, love most of what this lens offers for a product in its category and price range.

Let’s not forget that no one forces buyers to write anything online. But with this puppy people can’t help but shout about the sharp images, quality build, ease-of-use, and value for money.

I’m serious—some of these reviews are as long as featured articles. The only gripes I came across were a little AF hunting, a noisy Ultra Sonic Motor (USM), and occasional trouble locking the focus.

What’s Good

The Canon EF 70-300mm is incredibly sharp across its focal range. It’s not total perfection but it’s pretty darn good for a telephoto zoom. It certainly meets the expectations of most shutterbugs.

This weather-sealed lens has a pro-grade build quality and sits nicely in the hand. The focus ring is silky smooth and the lens is smaller and lighter when compared to Canon’s 100-400 L.

At 22 oz. this is no lightweight. However, the 3-stop image stabilization means you don’t have to reach for the tripod each time you take a shot. It’s not the quietest system but it’s not too noisy either.

The autofocus is also fast thanks to the Ultrasonic Motor (USM). AF speed is an important buying factor for a lot of photographers. The USM isn’t perfect, though, as I point out in the next section.

The lens comes with Super Spectra and Fluorine coatings. These prove particularly useful in the field if there’s a lot of dirt and dust around. They’re no substitute for a decent microfiber cloth though.

What Could Be Better

There’s no such thing as the perfect lens for all photographers but there are perfect lenses for individuals. This one checks a lot of boxes but it has some notable drawbacks. A noisy USM is one.

Another issue—not uncommon to Cannon EF-lenses—is that the AF has a tendency to hunt. It’s doesn’t do it all the time but it’s particularly annoying in low light situations and with low contrast images.

The last gripe is a minor one that I came across quite a lot. The lens cover is on the cheap side and tends to pop off when you least expect it. My advice would be to simply buy a quality replacement.

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#5. Sigma 150-600mm f/5 DG OS HSM Superzoom

• Type: Superzoom
• Aperture: f/5
• Weight: 22 oz.
• Focal Length: 150-600mm
• Filter: 95mm
• The high points: Sharp images, optical stabilization, lens coatings, tripod collar
• The not-so: Weighty, some chromatic aberration

The Sigma 150-600mm f/5 DG OS HSM is a great choice for an up-close-and-personal superzoom. The price is attractive and the quality is impressive. It’s not too heavy for a superzoom either.

I think this is a great piece of glass for sports photography and wildlife in particular. The physical and optical performance is consistent and impressive for a lens in its class.

The range of focal lengths makes it a great all-around product for all kinds of modern photographic uses. You won’t get much better than this at the budget-friendly end of super telephotos.

Okay, so it can’t compete with a prime 600mm f/4 lenses at the optical level. But then Sigma doesn’t promote it that way. No one can argue the phenomenal value when considering all factors though.

What Reviewers Say

This superzoom by Sigma sells well and receives a lot of positive user comments. You know when reviewers are happy because they always upload a few photos to support their glowing feedback.

You’ll find a lot of nightscapes and wildlife shots online and they look just fab. And although some users find the lens a little weighty no one knocks points off for its 22 oz.

There’s praise for pretty much everything the lens claims on the box. With hundreds of reviews, however, some folks have issues with the Sigma 150-600mm f/5.

New users have the most problems. It’s with things like using the dock and figuring out the lens’ focusing potential. The size and weight also surprise those who are used to lighter optics.

What’s Good

This lens is tack sharp for a third-party Superzoom. Note the point “for a third-party superzoom”. It doesn’t rival native alternatives or prime lenses but it’s still a very capable piece of glass.

The two Optical Stabilization (OS) switches provide a fast and dependable system. It’s particularly handy for things like shooting birds in flight with a reasonable ISO at sunrise or sunset.

Protection of the front lens element is made easy thanks to the oil and water-repellant coatings. The lens hood is a welcome extra as is the included padded case and quality lens strap.

Another nice touch is the lens’ tripod collar. The optical stabilization allows for plenty of handheld shooting but it’s nice to know the tripod collar is there if you need the extra support.

What Could Be Better

I’m not sure a zoom lens like this could be much lighter. It’s down as a con because there’s some moaning about its heft. My guess is that most criticism comes from first-time superzoom users.

The camera body will also make a difference. I didn’t find it a problem with the Canon T6i. Maybe the weight—or the balance of lens-to-camera—feels different on Nikon F and Sigma SA Cameras.

Finally, there’s some chromatic aberration but we’d expect that with higher contrast scenes. There’s some moderate pincushion distortion too. Neither of these things results in major distractions.

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#6. Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM

• Type: All-In-One
• Aperture: f/3.5-5.6
• Weight: 16.9 oz.
• Focal Length: 18-135mm
• Filter: 67mm
• The high points: Sharp, quite fast AF, excellent build, 4-stops IS, full-time manual focus
• The not-so: Big and somewhat bulky, low-light AF could be better, not weather sealed

Sometimes we just need an all-in-one lens to make shooting more about photography and less about equipment. My choice in this category for the EOS Rebel T6i is the versatile EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6.

There will always be compromises with a lens in this class but this one checks a lot of the right boxes. There’s image stabilization, built-in AF, internal focusing, and zoom lock among other features.

For an Auto Focus (AF) Superzoom, this one exceeds a lot of expectations but it’s not all good. I found the focus ring to be a little insensitive. That could have just been my hire lens, I’m not sure.

I could nitpick but I won’t. After all, this is an all-in-one lens and that means compromises on most fronts. The important thing is that it does what it says on the box and produces nice results.

The EF-S 18-135mm is heavier than a lot of smaller lenses but lighter than some telephotos. On the whole picture quality is nice—really nice—and the lens is smooth, quiet, and a joy to work with.

What Reviewers Say

Canon’s EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS gets a lot of user feedback. Most who write comments understand that it’s an all-in-one product and so expect it to fall short on prime lenses.

Reviewers like this one as it goes wider and reaches further than some other walk-around options. The image stabilization is another popular feature thus making it a great traveler’s choice.

Outdoor photographers love the range as it saves them from hauling around a separate wide-angle and telephoto. That’s the real appeal of a lens in this category. There are a few negative reviews though.

You won’t find too many moans on the quality front but some all-day shooters find the lens a little heavy. Another common gripe is the slow AF especially when light levels fall.

What’s Good

This lens delivers sharp focus across its optical range, especially in the central frame. The autofocus is fast, quiet, and smooth which is particularly reassuring when shooting video with your Canon T6i.

You won’t come across many complaints about the build. The plastics are good quality and there’s a snug-fitting metal mount. The lens is robust too and will stand up to moderate bumps and bangs.

The 4-stop IS or internal stabilizing works great. This adds further to the lens’ walk-around appeal. And there’s a nice wide focusing ring to assist the full-time manual focus when you need it.

Also worth a mention is the bokeh effect which is surprisingly good for an all-in-one lens like this.

What Could Be Better

No lens is without a few weaknesses and that includes native optics. The size and weight of this one cause some issues for inexperienced photographers who are not used to larger lenses.

Another common flaw is how the AF lags somewhat in low light situations. Sadly, this is not an unusual problem with many AF mechanisms across a range of otherwise high-quality lenses.

The Canon EF-S 18-135mm f3.5-5.6 IS STM doesn’t have any weather sealing. That’s a real shame considering its popularity among outdoor photographers.

And finally there’s a little CA and vignetting at 18mm but not enough to sway buying decisions. Stopping down tends to clear any of these issues up quite nicely.

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