Canon's best all-purpose lenses

I’m back today with a very different article than usual. I often focus on a particular type of photography, such as landscape, portrait or macro. This time, however, I’ve prepared a shorter article in which I’ll give you my advice on Canon’s best all-round lenses (in my opinion). I’m going to talk about Canon’s RF (mirrorless) lenses because the EF (DSLR) mount, although still around, is at the end of its life, as Canon has announced the end of production of these lenses. In fact, you can see all the available Canon RF mount lenses right here. You’ll find lenses for both full-frame and APS-C (RF-S) bodies.

As I said, I’m not going to spend too much time on this, because the aim is really to help you find a versatile lens that can ‘do a bit of everything’, if you can put it that way, ahah. Of course, there are limits. It’s not for nothing that manufacturers offer lenses dedicated to different types of photography, with different focal lengths, but also lenses with wider or narrower apertures.

On this subject, I’d like to remind you that we’ve already written guides on :

• Best RF wide angle lenses (for landscapes)
• Best Canon RF macro lenses
• Best Canon lenses for sports (SLR and mirrorless cameras)

As I said, I’m only going to cover a few lenses in this article because the RF mount is still relatively new and the number of versatile lenses I can recommend is rather limited.

So, let’s face it, you won’t get the same image quality from a general purpose lens as you would from lenses dedicated to different types of photography. But you’ll still be able to get great results and have fun (which is all that matters!). Let me reassure you now: I won’t be recommending overpriced lenses in this article.

For a Canon RF full-frame mirrorless camera, and without breaking the bank, here are a few versatile Canon lenses that I recommend. You can click on the respective lens to go directly to the detailed presentations:

• Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM
• Canon RF 24-105mm f/4-7.1 IS STM
• Canon RF 24-240mm f/4-6.3 IS

Released in 2020, the Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM is a versatile lens for street or portrait photography, though it won’t stop you from shooting landscapes (you won’t get the wide-angle effect of a dedicated lens). In fact, its 50mm focal length is close to what the human eye sees. Its compact size and light weight make it perfect for bodies such as the EOS R5 and R6.

This lens is neither tropicalised nor stabilised, but its build is solid. It’s a durable lens. Optically, its sharpness is very good from f/5.6 in the centre, although it lacks homogeneity at the edges.

As for imperfections, vignetting is visible at full aperture, but can be easily corrected in-camera or in post-production. Chromatic aberrations and distortions are well under control. The autofocus is also good, although not very quiet (which is not very handy for video). Finally, the bright aperture combined with the bokeh produces creative images.

In conclusion, the Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM is versatile, lightweight and affordable: it would be a shame to do without it. It’s not a top-of-the-range lens, but it’s an excellent first prime lens for Canon EOS R bodies. Of course, with a fixed focal length, you’ll have to move around to adjust your framing.

Introduced in 2020, the Canon RF 24-105mm f/4-7.1 IS STM is considered a trans-standard lens, going from the limit of a wide-angle lens (24mm) to a small telephoto lens. This is quite different from the 50mm focal length of the previous lens. The shortest focal length corresponds to 24 mm, which is already quite a wide angle for a full-frame lens. To put it simply, you’ll be able to shoot landscapes, even with a wide-angle effect (not like an 11-12mm lens, of course). This lens also has a 50mm focal length, which means you can do a bit of portraiture, although the smaller aperture means that the subject stands out less than with an f/1.8 (in practical terms, you’ll see less blur in the background).

Its reasonable size and weight make it a compact, light and easy to carry lens. It is stabilised (a very good point), but not tropicalised. So I’d advise you to be careful about the conditions in which you use it. Its variable aperture from f/4 to f/7.1 offers decent brightness at 24mm, but remains limited in low light. As a result, you often have to increase the ISO to compensate, which is rarely a problem with a full-frame camera.

Optical performance is acceptable for everyday use. Sharpness is good in the centre, but deteriorates towards the edges. Flaws such as vignetting, chromatic aberration and distortion are visible, but can always be corrected in post-production.

In conclusion, this lens is perfect for beginners or amateur photographers looking for a versatile and affordable lens. That’s why I decided to tell you all about it. For the record, there is another (much better) fixed aperture lens, the Canon RF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM, which is also much more expensive.

Available from September 2019, the Canon RF 24-240mm f/4-6.3 IS USM is a zoom lens compatible with Canon’s full-frame mirrorless cameras. It covers a wide range of focal lengths, from 24 to 240mm. I don’t usually recommend this type of zoom lens, because with such a wide focal range, the overall image quality is often average. However, it has to be said that this is a lens that stands out for its versatility. Compared to the previous lens, you’ll get the same benefits, but with a much wider range. Roughly speaking, you’ll be able to reach 240mm, which means you’ll be able to shoot wildlife or sports, although this is limited by the small aperture.

With a maximum aperture of f/4 to f/6.3, this lens is stabilised and has a fast, silent autofocus. Its build construction is of good quality and ergonomic. However, it is not tropicalised, which may limit its use in harsh conditions.

As regards performance, this lens tends to perform average. At 24mm, distortion and vignetting are noticeable, although they can be corrected on the body or in post-production. Chromatic aberrations are also noticeable. In terms of sharpness, performance is decent at 24mm and 90mm, but deteriorates beyond 175mm, especially at full aperture. Of course, you can always close the aperture slightly to improve sharpness.

All in all, the Canon RF 24-240mm f/4-6.3 IS USM is a versatile lens. You can shoot landscapes, portraits, street photography, wildlife and sports. In other words, it’s a real Swiss army knife. On the other hand, it’s not cheap (around €1,000). But if you want to do a bit of everything, this is definitely a lens to consider.

As usual, I’ve prepared a table comparing the main characteristics of the 3 lenses mentioned above. I find that after such detailed presentations, a visual summary is always a plus!

Other versatile alternatives? It’s possible! See all my recommendations:

• Canon RF 28-70mm f/2.8 IS STM: A really interesting lens that’s perfectly suited to several types of situation, all with a fixed f/2.8 maximum aperture and good image stabilisation.
• Canon RF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM: I personally like this type of lens because it covers a wide range of situations: portraits, wildlife and even sports. It’s also Canon’s cheapest option (so it’s worth it!).
• Canon RF 100-400mm f/5.6-8 IS USM: This lens is less versatile and more focused on sports, wildlife and distant details. However, it’s still great for portraits. It’s also a good telephoto lens at a very affordable price (under €750). I’d definitely recommend it!

Here’s a new table summarising the main technical features of these three versatile lenses. Without getting too far ahead of myself, I think it should help you!

Let me warn you right away: for the Canon RF-S mount, i.e. for Canon RF-S APS-C cameras, the choice is still very limited right now. However, I’d like to introduce you to the following two lenses:

• Canon RF-S 18-150mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM
• Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary RF-S

The Canon RF-S 18-150mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM is a versatile zoom lens for Canon’s APS-C range of mirrorless cameras. It’s the equivalent of a 30-240mm full-frame lens. So it’s very similar to the lens shown above (Canon RF 24-240mm f/4-6.3 IS). Despite its medium aperture, you’ll be able to shoot landscapes, portraits, sports and wildlife.

The lens is compact and lightweight, with good image stabilisation and quiet, efficient autofocus. On the other hand, the aperture quickly reaches f/6.3 from 62mm, which means high ISO settings in low light.

In terms of optical performance, this lens offers good image quality with sharp details. In terms of optical flaws, vignetting is correct and can be corrected in post-production. Chromatic aberrations are visible but correctable. Finally, the bokeh is satisfactory for close-ups.

In conclusion, the Canon RF-S 18-150mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM is an all-in-one option for photographers and travellers looking for a compact, versatile lens. Although it’s not a premium lens, its optical performance is good considering its price (€550). In my opinion, it’s a great deal!

The Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary is an interesting lens for those looking for a bright, compact lens. With a maximum aperture of f/1.4, this lens is ideal for shooting in low light or creating strong blurring effects.

In terms of build construction, the metal body is solid and of good quality. Its light weight and compact dimensions make it a lightweight lens that’s easy to carry. The optical performance is remarkable. There is very little distortion or vignetting.

Sharpness is excellent from f/1.4, although chromatic aberrations can be visible. However, the lens does a good job of controlling flare and ghosting, producing images with good contrast. Bokeh is smooth and pleasant, perfect for creative renderings.
In terms of use, this lens is ideal for street photography, portraits and indoor scenes. The autofocus and minimum focusing distance of 30 cm make for interesting close-ups. However, it is not tropicalised, which limits its use outdoors in difficult conditions.

As you can see, I’ve decided to add the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary to this list because it’s very close to a full-frame 50mm. As already mentioned, it’s a very interesting focal length for street and portrait photography, thanks to the large f/1.4 aperture. What’s more, I think the price is more than right (under €400). I’d even go so far as to say that it’s a good investment for shooting in a variety of situations, including low light.

Here’s a table showing the characteristics of these last two lenses. I hope it helps you make your choice!

This article on Canon’s versatile lenses is coming to an end. I hope it helped you make your choice. Don’t hesitate to give me your opinion in the comments, and I’ll see you soon for a new article!

In the meantime, check out our article on the best Canon RF lenses currently available!

See you soon for new photography guides,

Written by Sylvain PONS

I've been passionate about photography since 2010, learning as I went along. Today, I dedicate myself to guiding others in their choice of camera gear and sharing a variety of tips to improve their photography skills.

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