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Three Canon prime (that is, non-zoom) lenses are almost 'must-haves' for the starting Canon shooter.
As prime lenses, they are able to be designed for optimum quality at just one focal length, unlike the affordable Canon zoom lenses discussed in other guides.
These lenses are the EF 50mm f/1.8 Mark II, the EF 35mm f/2.0, and the EF 28mm f/2.8. They range from about $100 up to about $200 in price, and sometimes can be found for much less on eBay. These lenses are fixed focal length. When you want to zoom in on something, you do it like the old days by getting closer to the subject (sneaker-zoom). Despite their very low prices, however, these are Canon's gift to their loyal users--they are also all of very high image quality (IQ).
On full-frame Canon cameras like the 35mm film cameras, or the 5D or the EOS-1Ds Mark III, these lenses cover from moderate wide-angle (28mm and the 35mm) to normal (50mm, roughly the diagonal of the image, supposed to be similar to what the eye sees). Since 35mm dominated photography for so long, focal lengths for what is considered "normal," etc., are typically given by multiplying the actual focal length to tell you what it would be equivalent to mounted on a 35mm camera.
On the APS-C sized sensors (22.2 x 14.8mm) of the 20D to 40D, the XTi/400D, and the XT/350D the effective range of these in equivalents to the full-size 35mm image cameras is from a normal lens for the 28 and 35mm lenses, and a short telephoto or portrait lens equivalent for the 50mm. The equivalent focal length is obtained by multiplying the actual focal length by 1.6 for these cameras. Thus the 50mm lens mounted on these cameras would have a coverage in the final image that would be like that of a 80mm lens on a 35mm camera (a 'portrait' focal length).
The EOS-1D Mark III is unique in the current Canon models in having an APS-H-sized sensor (28.1 x 18.7mm) or a 1.3X equivalent focal length.
The prime lenses discussed here and all other lenses marked EF will work on all EOS cameras, large and small. Only their "effective" or "equivalent" focal length will appear to change with each different-sized sensor.
EF 50mm f/1.8 -- The "Plastic Fantastic" (aka "The Nifty Fifty")
This is an update of an earlier, more expensively constructed normal lens (the EF 50mm f/1.8 Mark I) that had a metal mount. This version has a cheaper plastic mount, hence its nickname as the "plastic fantastic". Every Canon user should buy this lens as either a normal lens or as a short telephoto or portrait lens on the APS-C sized sensor cameras. Why? Because it sells on eBay for around US$80 new, and as little as $50 used. At this price for a lens with high image quality, it is, at the least, a good lens to use when you need a good low-light shooter and want as light a camera lens combination as you can get. Of course, you can buy faster (f/1.4 or even f/1.2) lenses, but will have to pay much more for the extra f/ stop or so. The older, more rugged Mark I version of this lens goes for much higher prices.
Despite the plastic mount, in actual use the Mark II seems to hold up pretty well. If you break it a new one will cost less than the repair to any lens.
EF 35mm f/2.0 (the "Thrifty Thirty-five"?)
This is an in-between lens. It is not nearly so cheap as the 50mm, selling for between $190 new to $150 used on eBay. It has more rugged construction. 35mm used to be the "standard" wide angle lens back in the early days of 35mm photography, and the common "full set" of lenses would have a 35mm, a 50mm 'normal' lens, a 85mm portrait lens, and a 135mm telephoto. This lens is still serviceable in its original use on full-sensor Canons, where it is a bargain for its quality. On the reduced sensor cameras, however, it is roughly equivalent to 55mm, a focal length that many preferred to the more usual 50mm lens for 'normal' use.
EF 28mm f2.8
This lens serves as an nearly ideal 'normal' equivalent prime lens on a reduced size sensor camera. It is essentially equivalent to a 45mm lens, which is very close to the actual diagonal of the 35mm film format, thus giving a close approximation of what the human eye takes in. It is durably constructed, with very good image quality, and only costs between $125 to $95 new or used. Most may wish to choose between this and the 35mm above--the one is cheaper and is only f/2.8 (still fast for digital, though), while the other is more expensive but has a faster f/2.0 aperture. In general, a few millimeters difference in focal length means more relative difference in wide angle lenses than in, say, telephotos. In any case, these lenses are superb prime 'normal equivalent' lenses for the APS-C-sized sensor cameras.
The other prime lenses in Canon's regular lineup sell on eBay in the range between $150 to $300, except for the EF 400mm DO IS, a diffraction optics lens that sells for ca $5000. Other prime lenses made by Canon are those in the L (Luxus, I think) group that sell for quite a bit more and are among the finest lenses ever made by any company. If you can afford the L lenses, buy them by all means; but the ordinary primes (and zoom lenses too, for that matter) are almost all really great lenses in their own right.
As prime lenses, they are able to be designed for optimum quality at just one focal length, unlike the affordable Canon zoom lenses discussed in other guides.
These lenses are the EF 50mm f/1.8 Mark II, the EF 35mm f/2.0, and the EF 28mm f/2.8. They range from about $100 up to about $200 in price, and sometimes can be found for much less on eBay. These lenses are fixed focal length. When you want to zoom in on something, you do it like the old days by getting closer to the subject (sneaker-zoom). Despite their very low prices, however, these are Canon's gift to their loyal users--they are also all of very high image quality (IQ).
On full-frame Canon cameras like the 35mm film cameras, or the 5D or the EOS-1Ds Mark III, these lenses cover from moderate wide-angle (28mm and the 35mm) to normal (50mm, roughly the diagonal of the image, supposed to be similar to what the eye sees). Since 35mm dominated photography for so long, focal lengths for what is considered "normal," etc., are typically given by multiplying the actual focal length to tell you what it would be equivalent to mounted on a 35mm camera.
On the APS-C sized sensors (22.2 x 14.8mm) of the 20D to 40D, the XTi/400D, and the XT/350D the effective range of these in equivalents to the full-size 35mm image cameras is from a normal lens for the 28 and 35mm lenses, and a short telephoto or portrait lens equivalent for the 50mm. The equivalent focal length is obtained by multiplying the actual focal length by 1.6 for these cameras. Thus the 50mm lens mounted on these cameras would have a coverage in the final image that would be like that of a 80mm lens on a 35mm camera (a 'portrait' focal length).
The EOS-1D Mark III is unique in the current Canon models in having an APS-H-sized sensor (28.1 x 18.7mm) or a 1.3X equivalent focal length.
The prime lenses discussed here and all other lenses marked EF will work on all EOS cameras, large and small. Only their "effective" or "equivalent" focal length will appear to change with each different-sized sensor.
EF 50mm f/1.8 -- The "Plastic Fantastic" (aka "The Nifty Fifty")
This is an update of an earlier, more expensively constructed normal lens (the EF 50mm f/1.8 Mark I) that had a metal mount. This version has a cheaper plastic mount, hence its nickname as the "plastic fantastic". Every Canon user should buy this lens as either a normal lens or as a short telephoto or portrait lens on the APS-C sized sensor cameras. Why? Because it sells on eBay for around US$80 new, and as little as $50 used. At this price for a lens with high image quality, it is, at the least, a good lens to use when you need a good low-light shooter and want as light a camera lens combination as you can get. Of course, you can buy faster (f/1.4 or even f/1.2) lenses, but will have to pay much more for the extra f/ stop or so. The older, more rugged Mark I version of this lens goes for much higher prices.
Despite the plastic mount, in actual use the Mark II seems to hold up pretty well. If you break it a new one will cost less than the repair to any lens.
EF 35mm f/2.0 (the "Thrifty Thirty-five"?)
This is an in-between lens. It is not nearly so cheap as the 50mm, selling for between $190 new to $150 used on eBay. It has more rugged construction. 35mm used to be the "standard" wide angle lens back in the early days of 35mm photography, and the common "full set" of lenses would have a 35mm, a 50mm 'normal' lens, a 85mm portrait lens, and a 135mm telephoto. This lens is still serviceable in its original use on full-sensor Canons, where it is a bargain for its quality. On the reduced sensor cameras, however, it is roughly equivalent to 55mm, a focal length that many preferred to the more usual 50mm lens for 'normal' use.
EF 28mm f2.8
This lens serves as an nearly ideal 'normal' equivalent prime lens on a reduced size sensor camera. It is essentially equivalent to a 45mm lens, which is very close to the actual diagonal of the 35mm film format, thus giving a close approximation of what the human eye takes in. It is durably constructed, with very good image quality, and only costs between $125 to $95 new or used. Most may wish to choose between this and the 35mm above--the one is cheaper and is only f/2.8 (still fast for digital, though), while the other is more expensive but has a faster f/2.0 aperture. In general, a few millimeters difference in focal length means more relative difference in wide angle lenses than in, say, telephotos. In any case, these lenses are superb prime 'normal equivalent' lenses for the APS-C-sized sensor cameras.
The other prime lenses in Canon's regular lineup sell on eBay in the range between $150 to $300, except for the EF 400mm DO IS, a diffraction optics lens that sells for ca $5000. Other prime lenses made by Canon are those in the L (Luxus, I think) group that sell for quite a bit more and are among the finest lenses ever made by any company. If you can afford the L lenses, buy them by all means; but the ordinary primes (and zoom lenses too, for that matter) are almost all really great lenses in their own right.
Guide created: 10/08/07 (updated 06/07/09)
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