I have been taking pictures since 2005 and have tried many lenses. Here are my recommendations for Canon prime lenses!
Quick overview of my top recommendations for the respective connection:
Canon EF-M 32mm f / 1.4 STM (For Canon EF-M system cameras):
- 32 mm focal length
- Normal focal length
- Bright
- Fast STM engine
Canon EF 50mm F / 1.8 STM (For Canon SLR cameras):
- 50 mm focal length
- Normal focal length
- Bright
- Small and light
Canon RF 50mm F1.2L USM (For Canon RF system cameras):
- 50 mm focal length
- Normal focal length
- Very bright
- Canon L quality
Table of Contents
- Why do prime lenses help you improve your photography?
- What do prime lenses do better than zoom lenses? Why is a prime lens worth it?
- My recommendations for Canon prime lenses
- Fixed focal lengths for Canon SLR cameras
- Recommendation # 1: Canon EF 50mm F / 1.8 STM
- Recommendation # 2: Canon EF 85mm 1.8 USM
- Recommendation # 3: Sigma 35 mm 1.4 DG HSM Art
- Recommendation # 4: Sigma 50mm 1.4 DG HSM Art
- Recommendation # 5: Canon EF 135mm 2.0 L USM
- Fixed focal lengths for mirrorless Canon Crop system cameras with EF-M connection
- Recommendation # 1: Canon EF-M 32mm f / 1.4 STM
- Recommendation # 2: Canon EF-M 22mm f / 2 STM
- Fixed focal lengths for mirrorless Canon full format system cameras with RF connection
- Recommendation # 1: Canon RF 50mm F1.2L USM
- Recommendation # 2: Canon RF 85mm F2 Macro IS STM
Why do prime lenses help you improve your photography?
Photography with prime lenses is a great way to develop yourself photographically . In contrast to working with a zoom lens, you automatically worry more about your composition . If you want to change your image section, you cannot zoom, you have to move. That alone creates a completely different approach to photography.
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| Canon prime lens |
What do prime lenses do better than zoom lenses? Why is a prime lens worth it?
Fixed focal lengths have two major advantages over zoom lenses.
- They are usually sharper because the construction is less complex. So the image quality is better than most zoom lenses.
- They are usually more powerful than zoom lenses, so they let more light into the camera through a larger aperture.
This allows you to take photos without a tripod even in less light and the background becomes more blurred.
Fixed focal lengths are sometimes also lighter than zoom lenses. Are you looking for recommendations and tests on other Canon lenses? On my page on Canon lenses , I've listed all of the articles I've written about them.
My recommendations for Canon prime lenses
Fixed focal lengths for Canon SLR cameras
Below are my top 5 recommendations for Canon prime lenses. These lenses work on all Canon EOS cameras, whether crop or full format . The first recommendation is the ideal and at the same time cheapest entry into this world of photography.
Recommendation # 1: Canon EF 50mm F / 1.8 STM
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| Canon EF 50mm F / 1.8 STM |
If you want to start with a Canon prime lens , take the Canon EF 50mm F / 1.8 STM . It is small, light, sharp and bright. On a crop camera like my Canon EOS 700D, it is particularly suitable for portraits. On a full frame camera like the Canon EOS 5D IV, it is a normal focal length. One of the best arguments for this lens is the price. At around 120 euros, it is absolutely affordable and offers a great price-performance ratio .
Recommendation # 2: Canon EF 85mm 1.8 USM
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| Canon EF 85mm 1.8 USM |
The Canon EF 85mm 1.8 USM also has a very good price-performance ratio. It is well suited to crop (APS-C) and full-frame cameras, especially for portraits . With an initial aperture of 1.8 it is very bright and, in contrast to the 1.4 and 1.2 of the Canon 85mm lenses, it is also very light. The autofocus is fast and accurate thanks to the ultrasonic motor (USM). If you shoot portraits, you will love the Canon EF 85mm 1.8 USM.
Recommendation # 3: Sigma 35 mm 1.4 DG HSM Art
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Sigma 35 mm 1.4 DG HSM Art |
When we talk about prime lenses, then after a 50mm and an 85mm there must be a 35mm prime lens. Some photographers only use these three prime lenses. Canon also has a 35mm 1.4 lens, but I think the Sigma 35mm 1.4 DG HSM Art is even better. It is extremely sharp and very bright . But it also has a certain weight. Lately there have been more and more photographers in my circle of friends who only use a 35mm lens. Often it is just the sigma.
Recommendation # 4: Sigma 50mm 1.4 DG HSM Art
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| Sigma 50mm 1.4 DG HSM Art |
If you ever want to upgrade your Canon 50mm 1.8 STM, then I recommend the Sigma 50mm 1.4 DG HSM Art . It is very sharp even with an open aperture. The lens is particularly popular for its soft bokeh , which blurs the background. Like the 35mm, it is also very bright with a start aperture of 1.4 . The Sigma 50mm 1.4 DG HSM Art is not exactly a lightweight at 815 grams. But it's worth it.
Recommendation # 5: Canon EF 135mm 2.0 L USM
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| Canon EF 135mm 2.0 L USM |
The Canon EF 135mm 2.0 L USM belongs to the premier class of Canon fixed focal lengths. It is one of the sharpest lenses that Canon has ever made. For this light telephoto lens, the initial aperture of 2.0 is considerable. At 750 grams it is not lightweight either, but quality has to be worn. The Canon EF 135mm 2.0 L USM is a great prime lens for portraits, but also for event photography. The 135 mm is sealed for work in demanding environments. This protects it against dust and splash water.
Fixed focal lengths for mirrorless Canon Crop system cameras with EF-M connection
Below you will find my recommendations for the Canon system cameras with crop sensors . These lenses are suitable for all Canon EOS M cameras
with EF-M connection . These are, for example,
the EOS M6, M6 Mark II, M5, M50, M200 and M100 .
Recommendation # 1: Canon EF-M 32mm f / 1.4 STM
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| Canon EF-M 32mm F1.4 STM |
Fortunately, Canon has made a good selection when offering the new lenses for the EOS M system. Analogous to the field of view of a 50 mm lens on a full-frame camera, the Canon EF-M 32mm f / 1.4 STM is available for EF-M . It's sharp, relatively small and has an STM engine. So you can also use it for video , because this motor is hardly audible at all if you refocus during the video.
The highlight of this lens is the aperture of 1.4 . It is therefore considered to be very bright. With such a large aperture, you can blur the background in pictures well . This is a great thing for portraits, for example. In addition, with the Canon EF-M 32mm f / 1.4 STM, the focus can be set to the entire range or from 0.5 meters to infinity using a switch. This has the advantage
that with the second setting you have an
even faster autofocus because the camera only checks this area.
Recommendation # 2: Canon EF-M 22mm f / 2 STM
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| Canon EF-M 22mm F2 STM pancake |
If you want it to be even smaller, then the Canon EF-M 22mm f / 2 STM is worth a look. Mirrorless cameras are usually smaller than single-lens reflex cameras anyway. A small lens like this 22 mm pancake goes very well with this. The name pancake comes from the flat construction. A quick and quiet STM motor is also installed here. Despite its extremely compact size , this lens is
pleasantly bright and sharp with an initial aperture of 2.0 .
The Canon EF-M 22mm f / 2 STM is a good choice for you if the 32mm of my first recommendation is too long for you. This focal length is mainly used by reportage photographers . The viewer of the pictures feels right in the middle of the action. Nevertheless, your camera-lens combination remains small and light. Another argument in favor of this lens: it is very affordable.
Fixed focal lengths for mirrorless Canon full format system cameras with RF connection
Below you will find my recommendations for Canon system cameras with full-frame sensors. These lenses are suitable for all Canon EOS R cameras with an RF connection. These are, for example, the EOS R5, R6, R, Ra and RP .
Recommendation # 1: Canon RF 50mm F1.2L USM
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| Canon RF 50mm F1.2L USM |
The Canon RF 50mm F1.2L USM has its price, but it is currently the only 50mm lens for the Canon EOS R cameras. It is extremely bright with an initial aperture of 1.2 . In combination with the full frame sensor of your EOS R camera, you can completely blur the background of your subject.
A ring USM motor , which works quickly and quietly, is used for focusing . You can see from the L in the lens name that this lens belongs to the Canon L series . It is thus sealed and insensitive to dust and splash water. So you can use it in more demanding environments without any problems.
Recommendation # 2: Canon RF 85mm F2 Macro IS STM
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| Canon RF 85mm F2 - Macro is STM |
Canon has three 85 mm lenses for the RF connection in its range? Of these, the Canon RF 85mm F2 Macro IS STM is the most universal and cheapest. With an initial aperture, it is bright and also offers an image stabilizer. This stabilizer catches a full 5 apertures, which would have been unthinkable 10 years ago.
In addition to these features, the lens has a close focus limit of just 35 cm. So it is also macro-suitable. So you can get very close to small subjects. The STM motor works quickly and quietly and can therefore also be used for videos.
The Canon RF 85mm F2 Macro IS STM is my recommendation for portraits.
Which Canon prime lenses do you particularly like? Which ones would you definitely recommend? Write to me in the comments!
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