In this article, we will see which are the best telephoto lenses for Canon reflex cameras based on their quality/price ratio.
If you are thinking of buying a telephoto lens, you are in the right place. In today’s article, I am going to present the best telephoto lenses for Canon cameras that you can find for your SLR camera. Of course, we are talking about lenses for beginners and amateurs, because if you are not professionally dedicated to long-distance photography, you do not need to take out a mortgage to pay for a lens. As you will see, there are two types: those more affordable for beginners and those with tighter pockets. And another slightly higher-end group for more demanding fans with a larger budget. First of all, you should know what you are looking for and what budget you have. Are you already clear? Well, we continue!
What are the best Canon telephoto lenses on the market?
The passion for photography is more and more widespread, even though many are content to shoot using a mobile phone and then share the images on Facebook or Instagram. If you are one of those who believe that photographing is an art form and do not move without having their digital SLR with them, then the purchase of a telephoto zoom lens is indispensable. Among the reference brands in the industry, there is undoubtedly Canon. Below, we offer you our ranking of the five best lenses from the Japanese company, which we have compared to help you make a choice.
Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM Medium Telephoto Lens for SLR Cameras
If you are looking for a good telephoto lens to capture good photographs, this Canon 85mm fixed lens will give you quality and sharpness in your images, making it a great choice for portrait photos.
Because it has a fast focal aperture of f/1.8, you can control how much light you want to add to your photos or if you just want to add a depth of field effect to them. This will depend on your skills as a photographer.
With a fast focus speed, thanks to the USM focus motor, you can focus your photos with precision. Its Super Spectra coating significantly reduces stray lights and optical veils.
This lens has dimensions of 7.5 x 7.15 centimeters and an approximate weight of 425 grams, so you can handle it without any inconvenience. It is also noted that it is compatible with Canon EOS cameras and is a component for SLR camera models.
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Sigma 150-500MM F/5-6.3 DG APO HSM OS
This is a telephoto lens that offers one of the highest maximum focal lengths. It is as popular as it is affordable (for the positive rating it has). It has a good stabilizer and offers excellent sharpness up to 300mm and good up to 500mm.
Its drawbacks are that it shows excessive vignetting throughout the focal range and that it is very difficult (or impossible) to focus in automatic mode in low-light situations.
You can see some images taken with this telephoto lens on this page.
Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III Telephoto Zoom Lens
This is another of the best telephoto lenses for Canon reflex cameras to buy. Compatible with all DSLR models with motorization in the body, such as the Canon 60D, it is proposed as one of the telephoto lenses with the best balance between quality and price, designed to meet the needs of amateur photographers who want to approach the world of canvas. Equipped with a 4x zoom lens with a focal length of 300 meters, it guarantees good-quality shots, especially in full sunlight.
It is not equipped with a stabilizer, so to retract the most distant subjects, it is advisable to use a tripod, in particular in the case of shooting with less than optimal lighting. The integrated AF motor ensures rapid automatic focusing, while the electromagnetic diaphragm ensures precise control of the opening position.
Proposed at an extremely aggressive price, this Canon telephoto lens stands out for its excellent workmanship and the steel coupling bayonet, a choice that elevates it from the competition of products in the same price range, which often have it in plastic.
The great quality of the product in question has led us to include it in the guide to choosing the best Canon telephoto lens.
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Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4.0-5.6 IS II
Compact and affordable, this model is, in our opinion, given the many goodies offered by the Japanese company, the best among Canon lenses sold online. It is, in fact, a telephoto lens with zoom, characterized by a focal length equivalent to 88–400 mm in 35 mm format. It allows you to get bright images in suboptimal lighting conditions, but the best of it is outdoors with good lighting.
The lens is equipped with an image stabilizer to counteract the effects of camera shake and achieve blur-free shots. In addition, automatic panning detection guarantees amazing images, even of moving subjects. The circular aperture diaphragm allows you to blur the backgrounds to make the main protagonist of the shot stand out even more.
In addition to the excellent performance, we point out the low weight that facilitates its use for an extended period and the excellent sales price.
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Tamron SP 70-200mm F/2.8 Di VC G2
telephoto lenses for Canon reflex cameras to buy. This is a Tamron lens, but it is compatible with all Canon camera models. This great telephoto lens is for more baggy pockets and more demanding photographers in love with nature photography, sports, fashion, or journalism. High performance and with a construction that has nothing to envy from the first brands, sealed against dust and splash. Very bright, with a very fast focus and a good image stabilizer. Compatible with full-format cameras, it is also available for Nikon and Sony (for the latter, it is called the SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di USD since it does not have the VC stabilizer).
The inconvenience most important is that af / 2.8 has a very noticeable vignetting, and that begins to decrease af / 4 until disappearing completely.
In summary, the price-quality ratio is very competitive with other premium brands and high-end objectives.
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Sigma 150-600mm 5-6.3 Contemporary DG OS HSM Lens for Canon
This long telephoto lens allows a 150mm–600mm focal length with a somewhat low but effective luminosity of f: 5 / 6.3, perfect for capturing images of nature and birds, action, or sports. It comes equipped with Canon cameras, although it is also available for Nikon models.
It offers an image stabilizer and has a good autofocus motor that is very fast and silent.
Bear in mind that this telephoto lens for Canon has a weight of 3.86 kg. and a good finish prepared to withstand inclement weather. It is perfect to mount it on a monopod and thus work comfortably with it.
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Some basic notes
You cannot launch into adventure with your brand-new toy without first investigating a little about the best way to take advantage of it. Although enthusiasm and practice are 50% of an image, preparation, technique, and material are the other half. So here are some basic notes to take into account before going for a walk with your brand-new super-telephoto lens.
- You will need a tripod, and a really good one. Very robust, with a rotating swivel. For this type of lens with such long focal lengths, the ideal is to fix them through a ring to the tripod to give them extra stability.
- Self-timer: because any vibration working with fields that are so close can mean an erroneous photo.
- Ideally, you should check if your camera can block the mirror to prevent it from rising and contributing to the trepidation of the image.
- Work with the greatest possible light, that is, with generous openings, to be able to use good shutter speeds.
Conclusion: Telephoto lenses for Canon reflex cameras
That’s all for now, friends. These are some of the best telephoto lenses for Canon reflex cameras on the market. But these are not the only options. There are many other telephoto lenses for Canon reflex cameras on the market. Do you know others worthy of being recommended? Leave their name in the comments!
Last, but not least, would you encourage yourself to share this article to see if anyone else is interested in it? Thank you very much, and see you next time.