Canon EOS 40D - Full Review
Canon EOS 40D Review - Lenses for the EOS 40D
Lenses for the EOS 40D (and other EOS DSLRs)
The inevitable question is "I've just bought a new Canon EOS 40D. What lenses should I get?". Well, that's a difficult question to answer because it depends on which lenses you already own (if any) and what type of photography you want to do. Obviously a landscape photographer, a portrait photographer and a wildlife photographer would have different needs and requirements.
The most general case would be someone with no lenses who wanted to cover as much focal length range as possible, while still keeping the budget fairly reasonable. By "fairly reasonable" I'm talking about $2000 worth of lenses for a $1300 camera. That's not cheap of course, but you could spend a lot more. I'm focusing here on lenses under around $1000 each and including a number of excellent EF-S lenses which can't be used with full frame cameras. I'm not covering super expensive "L" series lenses. It almost goes without saying that if you can afford them and you don't mind carrying their size and weight, they are all excellent choices.
A super wideangle lens
The lens of choice here is the Canon EF-S 10-22/3.5-4.5 USM. It's wider than any alternative except for the Sigma 10-20/4-5.6 and it's slightly faster, has a wider zoom range, is better built and it has a ring USM motor with full time manual focus. It's more expensive than the similar 3rd party lenses, but I think it's worth it. [Price around $670]
A wide to short telephoto zoom
Here you have maybe 4 or 5 good choices. The best and most expensive is the Canon EF-S 17-55/2.8 IS USM. This is a great lens with a useful range from wide to short telephoto. It's fast at f2.8, very sharp and has image stabilization and a ring USM motor. The only downside is the cost. [Price around $990]
Choice #2 is the Canon EF-S 17-85/4-5.6 IS USM. It's a bit cheaper than the 17-55/2.8 and it covers a wider zoom range. It is slower though. If you don't need the f2.8 and you like the extra range, it's a good buy. It covers the same range as a 28-135mm lens on a full frame camera, so for some people it may be the only lens they need, covering everything from wideangle ato short telephoto. It's the lens I use if I'm just walking around somewhere as a tourist and I'm not exactly sure what I'll be shooting.[Price around $500]
Choice #3 is the EF 28-135/3.5-5.6IS USM. It's not so wide, but if you have the EF-S 10-22 suggested above, then you may not miss the 23-27mm range. It has the advantage of being even less expensive and providing a true telephoto view (equivalent to a 216mm lens on a full frame camera). [Price around $385].If you go this route you'll save quite a bit of money by buying the EOS 40D with the 28-135IS as a kit [Price around $1499]. This lens, being an EF series lens, will also work on all full frame EOS SLRs and DSLRs.
Choice #4 is the very highly rated Tamron 17-50/2.8 Di-II. It lacks the Image Stabilization and USM motor of the Canon 17-55/2.8IS, but it's just as fast and the optical quality is very good. Since it's 1/2 the price of the Canon lens it allows you to have a fast lens without breaking the bank - if you're prepared to give up IS...[Price around $410]
Choice #5 is the Canon EF 24-105/4L IS USM. It's a very sharp lens, "L" series of course, and it has full frame coverage. This means it's not small or light - or cheap! It would be best teamed with something like the EF-S 10-22 if you want wideangle coverage because 24mm isn't very wide on an APS-C DSLR (it's equivalent to about a 38mm lens on a full frame camera). [Price around $1060]
A telephoto zoom
Again you have quite a few choices. The first is the Canon EF 70-300/4-5.6 IS USM. This is an excellent lens with a very wide coverage and long zoom. 300mm on the 40D has the same effective reach (field of view) as a 480mm lens would have on a full frame camera. It has image stabilization and it's not too expensive. Though it's a USM lens, it doesn't have a ring USM motor, so it lacks full time manual focus and focus isn't as fast or as silent as a lens with a true ring USM motor would be. However I own one and find it a very useful lens indeed.[Price around $560]
The second choice is the excellent Canon EF 70-200/4L USM. This is an "L" series lens (the least expensive one!) and has a true ring USM motor, so focus is fast and silent. The optics are very good indeed. However it lacks Image Stabilization, so if you plan to hand hold it at 200mm, you'll want to be using shutter speeds of 1/350s and faster [Price around $580]. If you want IS then....
The third choice is the Canon EF70-200/4L IS USM. It' similar to choce #2, but has updated optics and is even sharper, plus it has Image Stabilization. Unfortunately these added features have almost doubled the price, but if you can afford it and 200mm is long enough for you, it's the lens to get. {Price around $1060]
Both the EF70-200/4L and 70-200/4L IS accept Canon's 1.4x TC and retain AF with the EOS 40D, so that would give you a 280mm f5.6 lens if you need a little more focal length. They will also accept the Canon 2x TC, but in that case you will have to use manual focus unless you have a 1D series body or an EOS-3 which can AF at f8.
If you don't mind spending over $1000 and don't mind size and weight, the EF 100-400/4.5-5.6L IS USM, EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM and EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM are all good lenses.
A fast lens for portraits
The Canon EF 50/1.8 II makes a super portrait lens on an EOS 40D, with a field of view equivalent to an 80mm f1.8 lens on a full frame camera. This is a classic portrait lens focal length and speed. Even better is the price, which is around $80. Yes, it's mostly plastic, but the optics are glass and it's good. Get one, you won't regret it. Even if you do you only spent $80 and you could easily sell it again for $60!
The EF 50/1.4 USM will blur backgrounds a little more and is better built than the 50/1.8 II. Though it's a USM lens, it doesn't have a ring USM motor. It does have full time manual focus though. It's significantly more expensive then the 50/1.8, but some people think it's worth the extra cost and it does give you about 2/3 stop more speed which can be useful when shooting in low light.[Price around $315]
The EF 85/1.8 USM also makes an excellent long portrait lens on the EOS 40D. It's equivalent to about a 136mm lens on a full frame camera. It will blur distant backgrounds more than the 50/1.8 or 50/1.4, but you have to stand further back from your subject. For shooting indoor portraits, the 50mm lens may be more suitable unless you have a large studio. [Price around $350]
What do I use?
In case you are wondering, I mostly use the following lenses on my EOS 20D (and now EOS 40D):
- Canon EF-S 10-22/3.5-4.5 USM
- Canon EF-S 17-85/4-5.6 IS USM
- EF 50/1.8 - same optics as the Canon EF 50/1.8 II
- Canon EF 70-300/4-5.6 IS USM
- EF 300/4L ( now available with IS) (+ Canon 1.4x TC)
I also use a Canon EF 24/2.8 when I need a fairly fast, small, light semi-wide lens.
If you don't like those suggestions...
Below is data from my other website "Lensplay.com". That's a site where you can look up data on a lens and provide a rating on it if you own it. There are two tables. The first is the top 20 lenses regardless of price. These are the best lenses for EOS bodies, but some cost $7000, so beware!
The second table is the top 20 lenses costing under $500. If you are on a budget and want the best value, take a look at the lenses in this table.
Note that you may not see all of the lenses I have recommended here because some of then cost over $500, but they aren't as good as the lenses costing $2000 and up. If I had a list of the best lenses under $750 or $1100, many of them would then be listed!
For example the Canon EF-S 10-22/3.5-4.5 gets a rating of 9.1. The EF70-300/4-5.6IS gets an 8.8 and the EF-S 17-55/2.8IS gets a 9.3, easily high enough scores to put them on a "top lens" list.
NOTE: These links will take you to the LensPlay website pages. Just click on your browser's "BACK" button to return to this page.
| Lens (click on link for full data) | Average User Rating |
# of User Ratings |
| 1 - Canon EF 200/1.8L USM | 9.9 | 59 |
| 2 - Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L USM | 9.8 | 45 |
| 3 - Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM | 9.8 | 63 |
| 4 - Canon TS-E 90mm f/2.8 | 9.8 | 30 |
| 5 - Canon EF 500mm f/4.0L IS USM | 9.8 | 45 |
| 6 - Canon EF 16-35mm f2.8L II USM | 9.8 | 11 |
| 7 - Canon EF 135mm f/2.0L USM | 9.8 | 137 |
| 8 - Canon EF 85mm f1.2L USM Mark II | 9.8 | 36 |
| 9 - Canon MP-E 65mm f/2.8 1-5x | 9.7 | 23 |
| 10 - Canon EF 200mm f/2.8L II USM | 9.7 | 75 |
| 11 - Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L IS USM | 9.7 | 18 |
| 12 - Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L USM | 9.7 | 70 |
| 13 - Canon EF 70-200mm f4.0L IS USM | 9.7 | 53 |
| 14 - Canon EF 600mm f/4.0L IS USM | 9.6 | 25 |
| 15 - Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro | 9.5 | 143 |
| 16 - Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM | 9.5 | 177 |
| 17 - Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 USM Macro | 9.4 | 100 |
| 18 - Canon EF 100mm f/2.0 USM | 9.4 | 36 |
| 19 - Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f2.8 XR Di-II LD IF | 9.4 | 67 |
| 20 - Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM | 9.4 | 92 |
| Lens (click on link for full data) | Average User Rating |
# of User Ratings |
Price |
| 1 - Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro | 9.5 | 143 | 470 |
| 2 - Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 USM Macro | 9.4 | 100 | 370 |
| 3 - Canon EF 100mm f/2.0 USM | 9.4 | 36 | 390 |
| 4 - Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f2.8 XR Di-II LD Asph. IF | 9.4 | 67 | 450 |
| 5 - Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM | 9.2 | 125 | 350 |
| 6 - Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro | 9.2 | 35 | 489 |
| 7 - Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM | 9.1 | 192 | 320 |
| 8 - Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro | 9 | 47 | 399 |
| 9 - Canon EF 100mm f2.8 Macro | 9 | 23 | 325 |
| 10 - Tokina AF 12-24mm f/4 AT-X 124AF Pro DX | 8.9 | 59 | 490 |
| 11 - Canon EF 35mm f/2.0 | 8.9 | 46 | 230 |
| 12 - Canon EF 50mm f/2.5 Macro | 8.8 | 42 | 240 |
| 13 - Sigma 50mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro | 8.7 | 31 | 269 |
| 14 - Canon EF 20-35mm f2.8L | 8.7 | 15 | 500 |
| 15 - Sigma 17-70mm F2.8-4.5 DC Macro | 8.7 | 110 | 340 |
| 16 - Canon EF 50mm f1.8 | 8.7 | 62 | 125 |
| 17 - Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM | 8.6 | 91 | 450 |
| 18 - Canon EF 28mm f/2.8 | 8.6 | 27 | 170 |
| 19 - Tamron AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di LD Aspherical IF | 8.6 | 114 | 390 |
| 20 - Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM | 8.5 | 60 | 449 |
Return to Canon EOS 40D Review
