- Choosing the best wide-angle lens for your Canon camera
-
There’s a lot to consider when choosing a new lens – It can be quite daunting especially if you are new to the photography scene evaluating between the many lenses to choose from.
Wide-angle lenses allow photographers to capture a wider perspective and are a crowd favourite by videographers to create a wide cinematic view. In certain scenarios, you may find with a standard lens it’s often difficult to fit everything into your frame, especially if you’re in a constrained space. Wide angle lenses allow you to capture more of the scene in your image, making these types of lenses suitable for architecture, large crowds and landscape to give a ‘wow’ perspective on the scenery.
A wide-angle lens has two main purposes:
1. To fit your subject into your frame – think vast landscapes, tall buildings, or interior shots
2. Get your viewer into your shot i.e., Sports action, documentary.
Fun Fact: It also allows you to emphasise foreground elements in your shot, and to distort perspective to tell a powerful story
A wide-angle lens has a focal length of 35mm or shorter, which gives you a wide field of view. The wider your field of view, the more you'll be able to see in the frame. Common wide-angle lenses for a full-frame camera are 35mm, 28mm, and 24mm - shorter focal lengths such as 16mm would be considered as ultra wide angle.
Understanding how to read a lens name can be helpful when trying to decide which lens is best suited for your photography needs. There are different components which break down the compatibility to specifications:
E.g., RF 15-35mm f/2.8 L IS USM
RF - Mount system
15-35mm - Focal length
f/2.8 - Aperture
IS - Stabilization
USM - Motor type
In this video we compare the different RF wide-angle lenses in our EOS R series range, to help you find your perfect match.
Choose this lens for great next step from your standard kit lens for landscape. Versatile as you can also take macro shots on manual focus mode, also great portability weighing only 390g.
✓ Versatile focal range
✓ Lightweight
✓ Affordable
This is one of the best wide-angle lenses for cinematic landscapes. The wide f/2.8 aperture is particularly helpful when shooting outdoors at dusk or in inclement weather. Nano USM also makes it great for video and shooting fast moving subjects like animals or kids.
✓ Great low light performance
✓ Premium L series construction
✓ Nano USM great for video
This lightweight and affordable wide-angle lens is perfect for getting bright, panoramic landscapes to fun portraits and videos. Weighing 165g and only 40.2mm long, it's a great addition to your kit while travelling, allowing you to capture scenic landscapes to large group shots and selfies.
✓ Compact
✓ Affordable
Choose this lens for ultra-wide landscapes. The wide field of view and Nano USM are also great for vlogging and video creation.
✓ Versatile focal range
✓ Premium L series construction
✓ Nano USM great for video
Explore a wider angle of view with the EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM, perfect for entry level DSLR users wanting to expand into landscape photography. Equipped with Image Stabilization and built in STM for smooth focus and sharp image quality, the EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM is a great travel lens for entry level landscape photographers.
✓ Ultra-wide zoom lens
✓ Broad landscapes
✓ Compact and lightweight
Watch Patty Lagera shooting some wide-angle photography with Canon EOS 90D DSLR with EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM
Full-time photographer and content creator, Wil Calabio, shares his travel must-haves and how he takes care of his camera gear while on the road.
Canon Photographer Jay Collier has been working as a wildlife photographer in Africa since 2004. In this insightful guide Jay shares his favourite photography locations in Madagascar, along with advice on how to master the art of wildlife photography. Learn all about the 'Great Red Island' and its abundance of rare and beautifully bizarre wildlife.
Elaine shares her favourite photography locations in Helsinki and Lapland. From snow-white fields to ethereal pine forests, Finland sure has a lot to offer.