If you are a serious wildlife or sports photographer, then having an telephoto lens is a must.
telephoto lens allows you to see more subtle details in the distance and take clear images. This means that when shooting wild animals, you don’t have to be too close to the subject, not scare the animal away, and avoid putting yourself in danger.
Likewise, if you are a sports photographer and you often need to stay in a designated area, you need a telephoto lens to help you capture sports photos, even if you are on the other side of the track or the court.
So how to choose the lens that suits you? Canon has some excellent original lenses, but there are also many sub-factory lenses that are equally good in quality and inexpensive. If you are not struggling with the original lens, then Tamron or Sigma is also worth considering. Take the Canon EF 70-200 f/2.8L IS III as an example, it is the top professional-grade lens for SLR photographers, but it costs more than 12,000 yuan, while Tamron's SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2 is not only lighter, but it is also priced at about half the price of Canon.
below is the best telephoto lens for Canon. To meet a variety of needs and budgets, this list includes smaller compact zoom lenses and powerful ultra-telephoto lenses.
Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS II USM
mount: Canon EF
full-frame compatible:
autofocus type: Nano USM
anti-shake: with
Minimum focus distance: 1.2m
Filter diameter: 67mm
Size: 80x146mm
Weight: 710g
Advantages:
- Excellent focus and anti-shake
- Smart LCD information display
Disadvantages:
- does not contain a light hood, you need to buy it yourself
- without three-proof
Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS II USM has a very fast Nano USM autofocus system, which is almost silent. In addition to the fast focus speed, it is also particularly suitable for video shooting.
It combines the best ultrasonic motor and stepper motor systems, and the focus ring does not rotate when autofocus. The anti-shake capability has also been greatly improved, with 4-speed anti-shake, making the image clearer.
Another nice thing about
is that there is an LCD screen and a button on the lens that can switch between various display modes, including focal length and depth of field, equivalent focal length in APS-C format, and the current vibration level.
But the hood of this lens is sold separately.
Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM
mount: Canon EF-S
full-frame compatible: No
autofocus type: stepper motor
anti-shake: with
minimum focus distance: 0.85m
filter size: 58mm
size: 70x111mm
Weight: 375g
Advantages
- Very compact and lightweight
- Almost silent autofocus system
Disadvantages
- Plastic butt
- does not contain a hood, you need to buy it yourself
Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM is one of the lightest telephoto lenses, only 375g. This is partly because it uses a plastic coating instead of metal coating , but it is also very small and is designed specifically for APS-C Canon cameras. But that also means it doesn't have a full-frame camera.
Its low price is another selling point of this lens, but the hood needs to be purchased separately.
Tamron SP 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di VC USD
bayonet: Canon EF
full-frame compatible:
autofocus type: ring ultrasonic motor
anti-shake:
minimum focus distance: 1.5m
filter size: 62mm
size: 82x143mm
Weight: 765g
Advantages
- Fast autofocus and good stability
- has focus distance ruler
Disadvantages
- does not have three-proof function
This is not the cheapest 70-300mm lens on the market, because Sigma and Tamron both have cheaper non-stable options. However, it adds fast and efficient ring ultrasonic autofocus and features anti-shake, both of which are not available in previous 70-300mm lenses.
Although it does not have a three-defense function, Tamron is very suitable for cheap lenses.It also offers very good image quality, impressive clarity and contrast. Unlike Canon's lenses at the same price, Tamron includes a light shield.
Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM | S
mount: Canon EF
Full-frame compatible:
Autofocus type: ring ultrasonic motor
anti-shake:
minimum focus distance: 1.2m
filter size: 82mm
size: 94x203mm
Weight: 1805g
Advantages
- Performance and image quality
- Customizable button
Disadvantages
- Very heavy
- tripod bracket cannot be completely removed
Sigma is ahead of the design of this fast, constant aperture zoom lens. From the Universal Vision lenses in the "Sports" series, it does a good job in speed and performance, but the physical size is a bit too large. Autofocus is provided by a fast ring ultrasonic motor and comes with a focus/hold button on the mirror, and the behavior of the button can be customized in the camera.
The sharpness of this lens when the aperture is fully opened is very high. The bigger disadvantage is that this lens is large and heavy, and only the tripod mounting feet are removable rather than a complete tripod ring.
Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS II USM
bayonet: Canon EF
full-frame compatible: is
autofocus type: ultrasonic ring motor
anti-shake: has
minimum focus distance: 1m
filter size: 72mm
size: 80x176mm
weight: 780g
advantages
- solid but lighter
- excellent autofocus and anti-shake
disadvantages
- than the sub-factory 70-200mm f/2.8 expensive
- tripod stand is more expensive
second generation 70-200 benefit from the upgraded optical design and has better image quality. A more refined lens coating and new lens make ghosting and flare less noticeable. The fluorine coating on the front and back of the lens helps to resist moisture and grease, making the lens easier to clean. It has 5-speed optical anti-shake and 3 control modes.
Its image quality is excellent. Most importantly, it weighs about half the weight of most 70-200mm f/2.8 lenses. The biggest drawback of this lens is that it does not include a tripod mounting ring, which is a very important tool for bird or wildlife photography. While you can choose a relatively cheap third-party tripod ring, Canon's official tripod ring is quite expensive.
Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM
bayonet: Canon R
full-frame compatible:
autofocus type: dual nanometer USM
anti-shake:
minimum focus distance: 0.7m
filter size: 77mm
size: 90x146mm
Weight: 1070g
Advantages
- Ultra-fast, ultra-quiet autofocus
- 5-speed optical anti-shake
Disadvantages:
- External zoom: The lens barrel will extend out of a long time in full zoom
- Very expensive
Unlike most constant aperture 70-200mm zoom lenses, the lens inner barrel of this Canon EOS R series camera will extend when zooming, which increases the possibility that dust is sucked into the lens. On the plus side, it can provide particularly small storage sizes for this type of lens, and it is also relatively light. It's expensive, but its appeal includes ultra-fast and silent dual-nanometer USM autofocus, 5-speed optical anti-shake, customizable control rings and professional L-class red ring head quality. The lens has excellent imaging quality, excellent clarity and very small distortions.
Canon RF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM
bayonet: Canon R
full-frame compatible:
autofocus type: dual nanometer USM
anti-shake:
minimum focus distance: 0.6m
filter size: 77mm
size: 83.5x119mm
Weight: 695g
Advantages
- The shortest full frame 70-200mm
- The center sharpness is very high
Disadvantages
- does not support telephoto timestick
- As an f/4 aperture lens, the expensive
Canon's RF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM is the shortest and lightest 70-200mm f/4L in the world. When the lens is completely retracted, it is only slightly larger than a coke can, and is shorter and lighter than the f/2.8 version above.It is not compromised in performance and provides 7.5-speed anti-shake (EOS R6 or R5) for a variety of shooting scenes. The optical quality and center sharpness are also good, even at 200mm, but the edge sharpness may be a bit disappointing. However, this lens does not support telephoto magnification lenses, and it is very expensive compared to the EF version. But this is still an excellent shot.
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2
mount: Canon EF
full-frame compatible:
autofocus type: ultrasonic ring motor
anti-shake:
minimum focus distance: 0.95m
filter size: 77mm
size: 88x194mm
Weight: 1500g
Advantages
- High-speed automatic focus system
- Excellent anti-shake function
- Excellent performance
Disadvantages
- switch is easily touched by mistake
Tamron's SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2 (2nd generation) is a larger update compared to the first generation. The dual-microprocessor-based autofocus system is very fast, it also has 5-speed anti-shake and has two additional modes of operation. This makes it easier to track irregularly moving objects. Unlike previous versions of the lenses, the G2 is also compatible with Tamron's new telephoto adapter.
Tamron 100-400mm f/4.5-6.3 Di VC USD
bayonet: Canon EF
full-frame compatible:
autofocus type: ultrasonic ring motor
anti-shake:
minimum focus distance: 1.5m
filter size: 67mm
size: 86x199mm
Weight: 1135g
Advantages
- 400mm telephoto
- Price is reasonable, the mirror body is lighter
Disadvantages
- 400mm end has only a f/6.3
- tripod ring sold separately
Tamron 100-400mm f/4.5-6.3 Di VC USD weighs only two-thirds of most 70-200mm f/2.8 lenses, but the telephoto reaches 400mm.
is a particularly attractive option for photographers who switch from APS-C to full-frame cameras, as the full-frame body no longer has the "extra" focal length that comes with a 1.6x crop factor. This lens is well-made, has a strong feel and features a weatherproof seal.
This lens has super fast autofocus, four-speed dual-mode anti-shake, and has an autofocus limit switch that can lock the focus range. Its image quality is very good and can match Canon's 100-400mm lens.
Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM
bayonet: Canon RF
full-frame compatible:
autofocus type: ultrasonic ring motor
anti-shake: with
minimum focus distance: 0.9-1.2m
filter size: 77mm
size: 93.8 x 207.6mm
Weight: 1530g
Advantages
- Excellent imaging quality
Disadvantages
- Smallest maximum aperture
- Poor focus effect on Canon R and RP
This lens is an important supplement when the lens group of Canon RF mounts is rapidly expanded. It has the quality and optical properties of a Canon red ring head. But one problem is that to truly get the best results from the autofocus system, this lens needs to be used with the Canon EOS R5 or the Canon EOS R6. When used on Canon EOS R or RP, autofocus will be significantly slower.
11. Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS II USM
bayonet: Canon EF
full-frame compatible:
autofocus type: ultrasonic ring motor
anti-shake:
minimum focus distance: 0.98m
filter size: 77mm
size: 94x193mm
Weight: 1640g
Advantages
- Complete professional work and processing
- Very good all-round performance
Disadvantages
- large, heavy
- expensive
This is the favorite of professional photographers and wildlife photographers. Its price is twice as expensive as the Sigma and Tamron 100-400mm lenses, and its weight is about 50%. This lens has the working and weatherproof sealing performance of Canon's typical red ring head. It abandons the trombone-style push-pull zoom mechanism and adopts the more traditional zoom ring . It contains fluorite and ultra-low dispersion lenses to reduce ghosting and glare. It has four-speed anti-shake and has very fast autofocus. Anyway, this lens is good in every way.
Sigma 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM | C
bayonet: Canon EF
full-frame compatible:
autofocus type: ultrasonic ring motor
anti-shake:
minimum focus distance: 1.6m
filter size: 67mm
size: 86x182mm
Weight: 1,160g
Advantages
- Small and light
Disadvantages
- Pedestal ring is not the standard
- Three-proof performance weak
Sigma 100-400mm zoom lens is smaller and lighter than competitor Tamron lens, much compact than Canon lens, but very good workmanship. Zoom and focus ring work smoothly, push-pull zoom. The provided lens cover is designed specifically for this purpose.
The high-quality optical system includes four SLD (special low dispersion) lenses, extremely fast ring ultrasonic autofocus and three switchable focus modes, which can prioritize automatic or full-time manual focus, and pure manual focus mode.
Sigma has a slightly lower sharpness than its competitor Tamron 100-400mm, but the gap is very small.
