One of the major benefits of being a Canon user, whether you are any type of content creator, is the incredible lens selection available for Canon cameras. In my opinion, while Canon may fall behind here and there in the “race” of features compared to companies like Sony and Nikon, their lens selection is something to brag about. (If I were that type of person, which I’m not!) In this article, we’ll talk about the best Canon prime lenses, for both beginners and pros alike.
Many professional and hobbyist photographers and videographers, from influencers to commercial pros, swear by Canon “glass” as being the best in the business. And in many instances, they’re not wrong! If you’re wondering which prime lenses you should invest in first, this article is for you! We’ll organize our list of the best canon prime lenses into the following categories:
Best Canon Prime Lenses for Beginners
When starting out in photography, there’s so much to learn: rules of composition, the exposure triangle, how to use and modify light, how to pose a portrait subject, etc. Additionally, there’s the whole discussion of equipment that can make you go cross eyed! Learning which lenses you should buy and how you should use them can take a lot of time. Thankfully, in this post you’ll learn what prime lenses you should buy for your Canon camera when starting out.
Over the years, when many aspiring artists get started in photography, their first camera was likely a Canon Rebel DSLR with a kit lens, or in recent years, a Canon mirrorless (RF-S) rebel-like camera. While the 18-55mm kit lens that comes with many beginner cameras is very versatile, and just fine for getting started, you will quickly learn that in order to take the kinds of dreamy, eye-catching photos you see on social media, it will probably all come down to getting some better lenses.
In that mindset, I’ll start by recommending the prime lenses I think every Canon shooter should consider buying either with, or instead of, a “kit” zoom . In fact, these lenses are so great that they’ll even take you to a truly professional level if you wish, and without breaking your bank!
The Nifty 50 – Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM ($199)
[Related Reading: The Ultimate Portrait Kit For Canon | Must Have Lenses for Portrait Photography]
The classic Canon 50mm f/1.8 is an idea that has been around for decades. Often referred to as “the nifty 50” for a good reason, it’s the best all-around lens you can buy for such a small budget! ($199)
It takes beautiful images of almost any subject with its “normal” angle of view, and captures plenty of sharpness and enough bokeh (background blur) to make you feel like a professional photographer. Of course, the build quality isn’t that great, but you’re just getting started so I wouldn’t worry about that; just don’t drop the lens and you’ll enjoy many years of use.
If you’ve never taken photos with a prime lens that offers a significantly wider aperture than most kit zooms and their f/3.5 or even f/4.5 fastest aperture, then once you try this lens, you’re never going to go back. More light, more bokeh, more sharpness, more fun!
Unfortunately, if you ever decide to upgrade to the next-best thing, Canon’s professional RF 50mm f/1.2 is a staggeringly expensive ~$2.2K. We’ll get to it later, but here’s the bottom line: although the pro upgrade is an impressive offering, this modest 50mm f/1.8 is more than enough for almost all photographers.
Pros:
- Beautiful images, lovely bokeh (smooth background blur)
- Great price
- Ultra-lightweight
- Ultra-compact
- Quick, near-silent auto-focus
Cons:
- Not as durable as professional options
- Not as much shallow depth or brightness as the f/1.2 upgrade
Canon RF 35mm f/1.8 Macro IS STM ($599)
The Canon RF 35mm f/1.8 Macro IS STM is a very similar Canon prime lens to the 50mm, but with a little more to offer for a slightly higher price. Whereas the 50mm is a “middle of the road” focal length, this 35mm, on a full-frame mirrorless camera, offers a pleasantly wide-angle alternative. Still not in “ultra-wide” territory, the angle of view will feel natural and realistic for anyone who likes to get up-close with their subjects, or simply wants to capture a slightly bigger scene, though not necessarily a whole landscape.
On a crop-sensor camera, by the way, this 35mm lens also offers a very similar angle of view to the classic 50mm. So, for anyone who is currently using a Canon RF-S (APSC sensor) camera yet may expect to one day upgrade to a full-frame RF camera, this could be the absolute best Canon prime lens for you!
Additionally, Canon has added optical stabilization to this lens, (IS) so you can expect sharp, detailed imagery from any camera, even one without sensor-based stabilization.
Aside from the angle of view, the Canon RF 35mm f/2 lens offers one additional nifty feature that makes it extra-versatile: the ability to do close-up macro imagery! At a respectable 1:2 reproduction ratio, it’s not a true 1:1 macro lens, but it’s more than enough for almost any kind of close-up photography.
Pros:
- Very versatile focal length and other features
- Sharp enough for the highest-megapixel cameras
- Great price
- Macro for close up imagery
- Stabilization for low-light sharpness & shake-free video
- Solid build quality, for the price
- Ultra-lightweight
- Ultra-compact
- Quick, near-silent auto-focus
Cons:
- Not as “indestructibly rugged” as professional options
Canon RF 85mm f/2 Macro IS STM ($599)
[Related Reading: Top 5 Must Have Fujifilm X Lenses]
The Canon 85mm f/2 is another all-time favorite lens of many photographers. Oppositely from the 35mm, the 85mm focal length provides a nice “moderate telephoto” angle of view that is perfect for things like beautiful portraits, or any close-up photos where you want to “zoom in” on a detail. (Note of course that this is a prime lens!)
At only $599, this thing is a steal for the quality of the images it produces. It’s so good, once again we honestly believe that most photographers will never need its uber-expensive $2.6K big sibling with an f/1.2 aperture.
Also similar to the 35mm, this Canon RF 85mm offers IS stabilization and a 1:2 macro capability, making it equally versatile for many different types of photography. In fact, for those who can afford the investment, we honestly believe that pairing this 85mm with the 35mm is a highly optimal pair of Canon primes for almost any kind of photography.
Pros:
- Gorgeous bokeh, perfect for portraits of 1-3 subjects
- Very sharp!
- Great price / value
- Solid build quality, for the price
- Macro for close up imagery
- Stabilization for low-light sharpness & shake-free video
- Quick, near-silent auto-focus
Cons:
- “Only” 1.8 aperture.
- Not as “indestructibly rugged” as professional options
Canon RF 24mm f/1.8 Macro IS STM ($599)
For the photographers who are curious about landscapes, nightscapes, or any type of photography that requires a substantial wide-angle and a fast aperture, the Canon RF 24mm f/1.8 is a relatively lunique gem of a prime lens.
There is (currently) no professional version of this incredibly affordable lens, and there almost doesn’t need to be! This lens is ultra-sharp, and relatively durable. The balance of the fast aperture and compact, lightweight portability are perfectly suited to its unique specialty. In other words, you may not reach for this lens all the time, (unless you’re an astro-landscape photographer!) …but when you do, you’ll be absolutely thrilled that you brought it with you.
The 24mm angle of view is substantially wider than the Canon 35mm, and the f/1.8 aperture offers wide-open sharpness that is usually only found on professional lenses. For the nightscape photographers who are wondering: Yes, even in the corners this thing delivers excellent image quality!
Pros:Â
- Excellent image quality, even in the corners and wide-open
- Truly stunning image quality when stopped down to f/2.8
- Great price / value
- Solid build quality, for the price
- Macro for close up imagery
- Quick, near-silent auto-focus
Cons:Â
- Not as “indestructibly rugged” as professional options
Canon RF 16mm f/2.8 STM ($299)
If you want to go “ultrawide”, Canon has an even more unique, one-of-a-kind offering that literally no other lens maker or camera mount (presently) offers: A, ultra-compact 16mm f/2.8 prime. Shockingly, it is the exact same size as the 50mm f/1.8, yet offers an impressively ultra-wide-angle focal length and a relatively fast f/2.8 aperture. If you’re looking for a unique, eye-grabbing perspective for dramatic adventures and travels, this is the most portable, most affordable option on the market.
The image quality is a slight compromise, of course, considering how downright tiny it is compared to the professional options that offer the same focal length and aperture. If you pixel-peep the corners, you will notice a loss of image quality when using f/2.8 or f/4, both in terms of sharpness and in overall brightness. The built-in profile correction can handle things like vignetting and distortion, however, doing so comes at the expense of sharp detail in those corners. Still, for its portability we absolutely recommend considering it.
[Read our in-depth Canon RF 16mm f/2.8 review here!]
Each of these lenses would provide an excellent foundation for a burgeoning Canon photographer. But remember that a camera and lens isn’t going to create great photos for you. They’re tools, not visionaries. When I started out, I got a few affordable lenses and spent most of my money on great educational resources from SLR Lounge. To learn more about how to take and edit amazing photos, check out our educational resources.
With that being said, we have to admit that one of the main reasons why photographers and videographers alike choose Canon: their professional “glass” is truly superb. So, let’s talk about those Canon prime lenses next!
Best Canon Prime Lenses for Pros
Now, I’ll provide my recommendations for the best Canon prime lenses you should get if you’re a burgeoning professional photographer or videographer looking to create incredible imagery with some of the best lenses ever made. Simply put, Canon cameras are amazing, but it’s the lenses you attach to them that produce standout images…
Canon RF 50mm f/1.2 L ($2,199)
The Canon 50mm 1.2 L is a gold standard for professionals, and one of the first pro prime lenses that many photographers and videographers fall in love with. Forever on lists such as the “Best Lenses for Wedding Photography,” this 50mm “normal” lens is staggeringly sharp wide open, unlike its DSLR predecessors.
It doesn’t have image stabilization, nor macro capability. What it does have though is a unique characteristic that only an f/1.2 aperture (and a ton of glass to go with it) can offer. Simply put, with the aperture wide open or even stopped down to f/2-2.8, the bokeh from this lens is sublime. The look of images taken with this lens is also really pleasing to the eye. It’s hard to describe but you can see it in photos. One of the best features of this lens is the quality of its lens flare. As you can see in the image below, it has been a Canon tradition to offer unique, beautiful results from their professional L-series 50mm primes…
Pros:
- Gorgeous bokeh
- Unique character
- Rock-solid build quality, fully weather-sealed
- Quiet autofocus
- Beautiful lens flare
Cons:
- Large & heavy
- Significantly more expensive than value-oriented options
Canon RF 85mm f/1.2 L ($2,599)
The Canon RF 85mm f/1.2 L is one of this most incredible lenses I’ve ever used. If you like bokeh, this lens is the undisputed champion of smooth, buttery, (incredibly shallow!) bokeh. Or, if you want to completely obliterate all background detail, the alternative version of this lens with a special (even softer aperture) Canon RF 85mm f/1.2 L USM DS.
I love almost every photo I’ve taken with this lens. It’s stunningly sharp wide open, and yet the plane of focus is razor-thin, and you have to be very careful to nail focus on the key details of your subject, because literally everything else will be out of focus!
The images this lens produces are also incredibly unique. For portraits, you’d be hard pressed to find a better lens. The auto focus can be a bit slow, because it is just so much glass for the AF motors to push back and forth, but again the AF speed and reliability is worlds better than this legendary Canon L lens’ predecessor.
but it’s as quiet as a whisper and very accurate. But for all the goodness of this lens, you’re going to pay a hefty price ($1899). Is it worth it? That depends what your budget is, and how badly you want the absolute best. If you can’t afford this lens, you could settle for something like the Canon EF 85 1.8, a lens I still use and love.
Pros:
- Unreal bokeh
- Sharp
- Quiet auto focus
- Unique look
- Solid build quality
Cons:
- Slow auto focus compared to other lenses
- Expensive
- Telephoto zoom alternatives much more versatile & practical (Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8 & f/4 L IS)
Canon RF 135mm f/1.8 L IS ($2,099)
Surprisingly, this “even more ultimate” portrait lens is actually a touch more affordable than its f/1.2 siblings, despite (in my opinion) being even more exotic and uniuqe. With a 135mm focal length, it is not an all-around portrait lens like a 50mm or 85mm portrait lens. Practically, you can only expect to put this lens to good use with one or two portrait subjects, and you’ll have to be quite a distance away from them to “fit them into the frame”.
For headshots, fashion portraits, or anything where subject isolation and background compression are your goals, the 135mm prime is another long-standing legend of Canon L glass.
Pros:
- Impressive bokeh
- Impeccably sharp
- Quiet auto focus
- Truly unique appearance of bokeh & background compression
- Solid build quality
Cons:
- Relatively expensive
- Telephoto zoom alternatives much more versatile & practical (Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8 & f/4 L IS)
Conclusion
With each of these lenses you get something different to add to your creative toolbox. If you’re getting started doing professional work, and you shoot Canon, these are the prime lenses I’d recommend starting with. Of course there are so many other options out there. If you haven’t shot with any professional prime lenses yet, I’d recommend that you rent a few and give them a whirl. The lenses I recommended above can help you open the door to creative possibilities. But of course, without the skills to unlock the potential of these lenses, they are just tools in the box. The most important thing you can do is educate yourself! For that, I shamelessly recommend the SLR Lounge Workshops.
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