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Lens Guide: Best Lenses for Canon 6D

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The Canon 6D is presented as Canon’s top DSLR in the mid-range full-frame category. The 6D is a smart choice for photographers that are looking to get a full frame DSLR, without breaking the bank. In this post, we will discuss some of the best lenses for Canon 6D.

While the 6D obviously lacks the impressive specifications of the popular 5D Mark III, it still comes packed with powerful features that will surely elevate your photography skills to the next level. Designed nearly to perfection, the Canon 6D carries a large sensor in its low-weight body with compact dimensions, making it the ideal camera to bring anywhere.

To ensure that you get the maximum quality out of your 6D, of course you need to be sure that you’re getting the right lenses. The Canon 6D usually comes with a 24-105mm f/4 lens, which is considered a top all-around lens, but given the various shooting scenarios, you will still need other kinds of lenses.

Choosing the best lens that will fit impeccably with your camera can be quite tricky and with a camera like the Canon 6D, it will be a shame to pair it with a mediocre lens. This article will help you narrow down your choices from a few select lenses we believe will complement the Canon 6D in the best way possible. These are in, our opinion, the best lenses for Canon 6D.

Best Lenses for Canon 6D: An Overview

Best ‘All-in-one’ lenses (Standard Zoom)

Canon 24-105mm f/4 IS USM

Engineered and designed to meet the serious photographers’ standards for travel, portraiture and event photography, this lightweight and easy to manoeuvre kit lens delivers the goods albeit with minimal picture quality compromise.

This model completes Canon’s impressive f4L-series zoom lens range. The Canon 24-105mm f/4 IS USM provides good camera-shake reduction and an image stabilizer that allows shutter speeds of up to three stops slower. Dust and moisture-resistant, it is fairly sized at 4.2 inches long with 3.3 inches in diameter. Known to produce sharp images it comes without a knack on its performance.The only flaw: those with a keen eye for detail will notice occurrence of small barrel distortion at the wide end.

Pros:

  • Above average walk-around lens
  • Sharp throughout its zoom range
  • Favorable focal length range
  • Accurate and fast autofocus
  • Reliable image stabilization

 

Cons:

  • Maximum aperture of f/4 is lacking on low-light
  • Minimal barrel distortion at both ends

 

Canon 24-70mm f/2.8 L II USM

A bit pricey but justifiable by its powerful features and performance that has earned raved reviews from many photographers. An almost perfect lens that comes with quick and accurate autofocus and flare resistance.

It is protected to all sorts of earthly elements by its solid weather sealing. The only low-downs are the lack of image stabilization and the inability to retain sharpness and image quality at close focus distances.

Pros:

  • Remarkable flare resistance
  • Fast, accurate and silent autofocus
  • Almost perfect optics
  • Outstanding weather-sealing

 

Cons:

  • Not recommended for close focus distances
  • Lack of Image stabilization

 

Tamron SP 24-70mm F2.8 Di VC USD

If optical image stabilization is a must for you, the Tamron SP 24-70mm is a great alternative to its Canon counterpart. It dishes a roster of amazing features that includes state of the art image stabilization, a dependable autofocus, remarkable optics and a drip-proof design.

These impressive features give Tamron a real shot at competing with the lenses from Nikon, Sony and Canon. The only slight drawback is the marginally less auto-focus as compared to other lenses.

Pros:

  • Amazing Optics
  • Great flare resistance
  • Dependable image stabilization
  • Accurate and Quiet Auto-focus
  • Good build with weather-sealing
  • Cheaper than competing brand’s equivalent lenses

 

Cons:

  • Very slight vignetting occurrence at f2.8 and at the end of telephoto
  • Slower autofocus compared to competitor’s equivalent lenses

 

Best Telephoto lenses  

Canon 70-200mm f/4 L IS

This lens probably has the most technologically advanced image stabilization driver with unbelievable 4-stop stabilization. Using this lens almost guarantees you fewer occurrences of blurred subjects. The image quality gets sharper to almost perfection.

A lot of photographers also rave about the sheer sharpness of the image quality produced by this lens which is considered as among the best in the 70-200mm range. Ideal for outdoor photography, the image quality tapers off when used indoor or in low-light conditions or on high-action scenes.

Side note: If you’re going to use this lens in low light conditions (and have a larger budget), than you might want to consider the pricier Canon 70-200 f/2.8

Pros:

  • Very impressive 4-stop image stabilization
  • Produces sharp images
  • Ideal for travel and outdoor photography

 

Cons:

  • Quality suffers indoors and in low-light conditions

 

Canon 70-300mm f/4-5.6 L IS

Engineered to produce ultra-high quality and sharp images, the Canon 70-300 f4-5.6 L IS is an attractive zoom lens for the 6D

Designed on the principles of lightning quick operation, this lens from Canon delivers a very impressive range. Featuring two (UD) Ultra Low Dispersion elements for better image quality and lesser chromatic aberration, it integrates a floating focusing method to produce sharper images from close distance focus to infinity.

It is a bit heavy for a 70-300 lens and does not come with a tripod mounting ring. This makes it a little difficult for photographers to maneuver around when shooting outdoors.

Pros:

  • Perfect for outdoor photography
  • Sharp throughout the focal range
  • Excellent over-all build quality

 

Cons:

  • Heavier the most and without a tripod mount ring
  • Bigger size than most lenses in its range

 

Best Wide angle lenses

Canon 17-40mm f/4 L

With its cheaper price compared to other wide angle lens, this 70-40mm f/4 L from Canon is a steal for most photographers looking for a walk-around lens perfect for architecture, travel, indoor and outdoor shooting situations.

The best part about this wide angle lens is the convincing and impactful colors it produces. Light enough to carry around and versatile enough to please most of your needs. Minimal distortion though, occurs on shorter focal lengths.

Pros:

  • Produces deep, impactful and convincing colors
  • Versatile wide-angle lens
  • Lightweight and easy to carry around

 

Cons:

  • Minimal distortion on shorter focal lengths

  

Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L ll USM

Helping you expand your shooting viewpoint, the Canon EF 16-35 mm ultra-wide-angle zoom lens vastly improves edge-to-edge picture quality that satisfies the stringent desires of professional photographers, when shooting subjects that requires a wide angle perspective.

Featuring three high-precision aspherical lens elements; replica, GMo and ground – that produces higher quality images than its predecessor models, this lens produces a natural background blur and beautiful images when you shoot your subjects at a wide aperture.

This lens is not without a tiny imperfection, as corner softness and a decrease in light occurs at the wide end or at the f/2.8 aperture.

Pros:

  • Features a ring-type ultra-sonic monitor (USM)
  • New AF algorithms for quick and silent autofocus
  • Three high-precision aspherical lens elements
  • Produces great quality images

 

Cons:

  • Corner softness occurs at wide end

 

Best Portrait lenses (Fast Primes)

Canon 35mm f/1.4 L

A wonderful choice for both professional and casual photographers, the Canon 35mm f/1.4L solves the challenges presented by shooting on low-light conditions by producing high quality images.

Living up to the high standard set by Canon’s L-series, this prime lens is armed with an aspherical lens element that instantly corrects aberrations and increases sharpness and contrast. It also features a floating focusing system that allows you to enjoy crisp and clear images throughout the lens’ entire focus range.

A few downsides include; just average anti-flare systems and light a slight light fall-off at wide open aperture. Otherwise, this model is one of the best lenses for canon 6D.

Pros:

  • Perfect for low-light conditions
  • Includes a ring Ultra Sonic Monitor (USM)
  • Fast and Silent Auto-focusing
  • Features a floating focusing system


Cons:

  • Does not have the best anti-flare system

 

Sigma 50mm F1.4 DG HSM

Re-engineered and re-designed to improve on its earlier version, the Sigma 50mm F/1.4 DG HSM sets a high standard for the prime lens line.

Ideal for travel, landscape, portrait, street and studio photography, the large 1.4 aperture delivers crystal clarity and sharp images. A Hyper Sonic Motor (HSM) guarantees silent, fast and accurate auto-focusing while partnered with an SLD (Special Low Dispersion) glass and Super Multi-Layer coating.

A truly high performance prime lens, it comes with almost no dent on its performance except only for slight chromatic aberrations and vignetting. 

Pros:

  • A leader in the prime lens class
  • Ideal for all sorts of photography situations
  • Fast and silent autofocus

 

Cons:

  • Very slight chromatic aberrations and vignetting

 

Canon 50mm f/1.4

This prime lens has its trademark strengths and is ideal for photographers fond of lightweight and small prime lens that is great for active use in the outdoors. In the prime category, this is probably one of the best lenses for Canon 6D.

An excellent companion for your full-frame DSLRs such as the Canon 6D. Accurate and fast producing high quality images, it comes with a few drawbacks such as bokeh chromatic aberrations and vignetting at wide apertures.

Pros:

  • Excellent picture quality when stopped down
  • No lateral chromatic aberration
  • Accurate and quick AF with manual override


Cons:

  • Instances of Bokeh chromatic aberration
  • Vignetting at wider apertures

 

Best Macro lens 

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L IS USM Macro Lens

There is no question that this Macro lens from Canon is one of the best we’ve seen. Optically advanced and well-engineered, it operates with a positive and quick autofocus with a very effective image stabilization system.

The high maintenance built, highlighted by its splash and dust proofing, makes this Macro lens as the one lens you will ever need to satisfy your macro photography fix. An over-all superbly designed macro lens but still not perfect as its hybrid IS system, while great to use on normal mode, can suffer when used for close-up macro photography.

Pros:

  • Over-all satisfying results
  • Built to last with dust and splash-proofing
  • One of the best Macro Lenses in the market today
  • Effective image stabilization system
  • Quick and quiet autofocus

 

Cons:

  • Hybrid Image Stabilization not very effective at macro distances
  • Slightly tricky manual focus in “portrait”

 

Video: Review of the Canon 6D

Watch this video to get some more information about the Canon 6D and its lens possibilities