Do all Canon lenses fit my camera?

Simon R

Simon R

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Simon
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Hello everyone,

I bought a 550D a few months ago and I am very pleased with it.
It came with the standard bundle namely 18-55 and a 75 - 200.

Since then, I have bought a 18 - 200 IS (EF- s) and a 50 mm EF.

I realise that my camera takes EF and EF S as it has both the white square and the red dot on the body.

Does this mean my camera takes all types on Canon lenses?

Many thanks for your help in advance.

Simon.
 
Yes your camera will take both EF and EF-s lenses.. You have a cropped frame now - and can use both..

If ever you change to full frame - you can only use EF lenses...

EF lenses now though will have a longer 35mm equivalent focal length because of the cropped sensor..

EF-S will be the 'right' length as per their given range... (ie your 18-55 is actually 18-55 - whereas your 50mm EF is more like an 80mm roughly - does it make sense?)
 
No your camera will not take all Canon lenses.
It will take all Canon EF and EF-S lenses and lenses made by other manufacturers (Tamron, Sigma) that are intended for Canon DSLRs (they make different versions of the same lens for different lens mounts).
It will not take EF-M or any older manual focus lens mounts like FD.
 
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Also be aware that not all third party EF mount lenses will work on the 550D - some of the older Sigma lenses give an error on newer (than the lens) bodies and need to be 're-chipped' to get them to work (though I understand that they might work fully open - I couldn't get mine to ;)). I'm not so sure that re-chipping is still available.

In all honesty, I think it is unlikely that you'll come across such a lens but it is worth bearing in mind if it is a particularly old Sigma (typically 'film-era') EF mount lens.
 
cymruchris said:
Yes your camera will take both EF and EF-s lenses.. You have a cropped frame now - and can use both..

If ever you change to full frame - you can only use EF lenses...

EF lenses now though will have a longer 35mm equivalent focal length because of the cropped sensor..

EF-S will be the 'right' length as per their given range... (ie your 18-55 is actually 18-55 - whereas your 50mm EF is more like an 80mm roughly - does it make sense?)
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No, not put like that. Focal length is focal length.

If the OP sets their 18-55 lens to 50mm, the field of view will be exactly the same as the fixed 50mm lens.
 
cymruchris said:
EF-S will be the 'right' length as per their given range... (ie your 18-55 is actually 18-55 - whereas your 50mm EF is more like an 80mm roughly - does it make sense?)
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The focal length is given the same on EF or EF-S lenses, as it would be on full frame, even though EF-S don't fit full frame bodies. As such on a 1.6x crop body such as the OP's 550D a 18-55 gives the same field of view as a 28.8 - 88mm lens on full frame.
 
weybourne said:
In all honesty, I think it is unlikely that you'll come across such a lens but it is worth bearing in mind if it is a particularly old Sigma (typically 'film-era') EF mount lens.
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There are quite a few on eBay that look like a good buy until you realise it's one of those ones. A lot sellers are up front about it but some either aren't or don't know about it themselves.
 
ramyad said:
The main difference between the EF and EF-S is the image circle. The EF-S is designed for the crop sensor size and so has a smaller image circle. As stated by others, the focal lengths are the same so the "crop factor" still applies on both the EF and EF-S.
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Please excuse my ignorance but what do you mean by "image circle"?
 
shaylou said:
Please excuse my ignorance but what do you mean by "image circle"?
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The image projected by a lens, because it's round, is known as the image circle. Check it out by holding a lens up to the light, with a piece of white paper behind it. At 44mm from the lens mount (Canon's rear lens registration distance) the image will be sharp, round, and also upside-down and reversed left/right.

The larger it is, the larger the sensor area that it can cover, eg full-frame. The smaller it is, the smaller the lens can be made, particularly at shorter focal lengths, eg EF-S, and the better correction of aberrations is possible for the designer.
 
Apart from the latest lens (Ef-M) you also wont be able to fit FD/FL lenses either, unless you use a converter/adaptor (hardly worth the effort really). They are old manual focus lenses used prior to the EF mount, good lenses in their day, long in the tooth now though and require all sorts of "tricks" to get them working on ef/ef-s bodies.

Matt
 
I'v physically converted afew FD lenses to EF but its pretty difficult, did a few vids of the procedure on youtube, simple answer is stick to Canon EF/EFs or Tamrons and Sigmas but check online if they are ok for your exact camera
 
funky_sam said:
I'v physically converted afew FD lenses to EF but its pretty difficult,
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a much easier option is to use a converter

that said given that FD lenses are manual focus only, unless you already own a load of them, or pick up a very special one cheap, i'm not sure theres much point
 
Using a converter makes them either macro only or degrades quality so mich that you might as well not bother
 
nah , rubbish - it's no different to using a tc, there's a far higher chance of making them unuseable hacking arround with the lens mount folowing a youtube video
 
Thankyou to you all for your help. You all have some great tips and information! I believe it is time to go shopping!
 
big soft moose said:
nah , rubbish - it's no different to using a tc, there's a far higher chance of making them unuseable hacking arround with the lens mount folowing a youtube video
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Aspecially if they follow mine... That would be asking for trouble
 
cymruchris said:
Yes your camera will take both EF and EF-s lenses.. You have a cropped frame now - and can use both..

If ever you change to full frame - you can only use EF lenses...
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+1


and that is why i would never buy a ef-s lens as if/ when u get a FF you'll need to replace them..
 
Surrey Weddings said:
and that is why i would never buy a ef-s lens...
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Each to their own, however it depends on the situation, if you have a crop body and maybe possibly could go full frame in a year or 2 then it would be good idea to get an EFs now and sell it.

You wouldnt lose out much cash either, a second hand 17-85mm EFs is around £170 and will drop maybe £20-30 in a year.
A 17-55 2.8 brand new is £600 and second hand around £550 so in a years time if it sells for £500 thats still not a huge amount for a years use.

Although if money isnt a huge problem then a 17-40, 24-70 2.8 and 70-200 2.8 ISii .... Is what I would like for xmas
 
Surrey Weddings said:
+1


and that is why i would never buy a ef-s lens as if/ when u get a FF you'll need to replace them..
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What Sam said really, if you need the best crop sensor gear then a 17-55 IS is a no brainer, there's no alternative.

The gear is for taking photo's today, not for planning what you might shoot in a couple of years time.
 
Phil V said:
What Sam said really, if you need the best crop sensor gear then a 17-55 IS is a no brainer, there's no alternative.

The gear is for taking photo's today, not for planning what you might shoot in a couple of years time.
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+ one.

I will be going full frame next year and hate to give up me 17-55. I use it more then any other lens I have.
 
I had a 40D for a while, but always knew that I would go full frame, so the only EF-S lens I have is the kit lens that came with the 40D.

For anyone who intends to stay with a crop camera, there really are some nice EF-S lenses out there that you can consider using.
 
shaylou said:
+ one.

I will be going full frame next year and hate to give up me 17-55. I use it more then any other lens I have.
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Swap the 17-55 2.8 for a 24-105L 4 and you'll be happy.

17-55 translates to the same field of view as 27-88mm on full frame. In terms of DoF, f/2.8 converts to f/4.5. And in terms of exposure, you should get at least one stop better ISO performance from full-frame.

So you gain a bit everywhere by moving to 24-105mmm f/4 on full frame :thumbs:
 
HoppyUK said:
Swap the 17-55 2.8 for a 24-105L 4 and you'll be happy.

17-55 translates to the same field of view as 27-88mm on full frame. In terms of DoF, f/2.8 converts to f/4.5. And in terms of exposure, you should get at least one stop better ISO performance from full-frame.

So you gain a bit everywhere by moving to 24-105mmm f/4 on full frame :thumbs:
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Except the bank balance:exit:
 
HoppyUK said:
Swap the 17-55 2.8 for a 24-105L 4 and you'll be happy.

17-55 translates to the same field of view as 27-88mm on full frame. In terms of DoF, f/2.8 converts to f/4.5. And in terms of exposure, you should get at least one stop better ISO performance from full-frame.

So you gain a bit everywhere by moving to 24-105mmm f/4 on full frame :thumbs:
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Actually I was moving towards the new canon 24-70 mrk2 and possibly a 16-35 down the road. I have the 70-200 mrk2 now so the only other lens I might want to add to that is the 8-16 fisheye or the 24mm 1.4. Come on lotto!! Lol
 
I have a related question. EF-S lenses are designed so they physically won't fit on FF cameras to prevent the mirror hitting the lens. But some third-party lenses designed for crop cameras have EF mounts. Vignetting issues aside, are all such lenses guaranteed safe on FF cameras?
 
gridlock said:
I have a related question. EF-S lenses are designed so they physically won't fit on FF cameras to prevent the mirror hitting the lens. But some third-party lenses designed for crop cameras have EF mounts. Vignetting issues aside, are all such lenses guaranteed safe on FF cameras?
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Yes
 
SixToes said:
Not sure that's correct. One of the Sigma lenses I owned caused the EOS500 I tried it on to jam. I think in was the 10-20mm but might have been the 30mm, I can't remember now.
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define 'jam'?
No 3rd part lenses will physically inhibit the mirror of a FF camera the way that an EFS lens could.
You appear to be talking about an APSC camera and an 'issue' caused by a crop lens, I'm not sure how that's relevant to a question about fitting 3rd party APSC lenses to FF cameras.
 
Phil V said:
define 'jam'?
No 3rd part lenses will physically inhibit the mirror of a FF camera the way that an EFS lens could.
You appear to be talking about an APSC camera and an 'issue' caused by a crop lens, I'm not sure how that's relevant to a question about fitting 3rd party APSC lenses to FF cameras.
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It's relevant. EOS500 is a 35mm film camera so full frame. Both lenses I mentioned are Sigma DC so designed for APS-C. I didn't pay that much attentions at the time but the camera was unable to fully recycle ready to take the next frame, I think it was the mirror that got stuck. Could have been something else but either way there was a definite compatibility issue.
 
SixToes said:
It's relevant. EOS500 is a 35mm film camera so full frame. Both lenses I mentioned are Sigma DC so designed for APS-C. I didn't pay that much attentions at the time but the camera was unable to fully recycle ready to take the next frame, I think it was the mirror that got stuck. Could have been something else but either way there was a definite compatibility issue.
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Sorry, didn't realise it was the film camera you were talking about. It's still not a physical limitation. which is how I'd read the question. Although I suppose 'guaranteed safe' was a big ask and the answer is obviously No*.

Incompatibilities between generations of Sigma lenses and Canon bodies are common, old camera / new body appears to cause more issues though.

*Although Canon will not guarantee that any 3rd party lens will work with any of their cameras, or 3rd part flashguns or battery grips or straps. So what is 'guaranteed safe':thinking:
 
Phil V said:
Sorry, didn't realise it was the film camera you were talking about. It's still not a physical limitation. which is how I'd read the question. Although I suppose 'guaranteed safe' was a big ask and the answer is obviously No*.

Incompatibilities between generations of Sigma lenses and Canon bodies are common, old camera / new body appears to cause more issues though.

*Although Canon will not guarantee that any 3rd party lens will work with any of their cameras, or 3rd part flashguns or battery grips or straps. So what is 'guaranteed safe':thinking:
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No worries. Like you say it could well have been a firmware thing rather than a physical limitation. I didn't have a full frame digital at the time, and now I don't have the lenses to test with. :lol:
 
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