If you are a Canon shooter looking to broaden your horizons and take the next step towards becoming a professional, you need gear that can go the extra reach. You need a quality Canon telephoto or super-telephoto lens that can expand what you can capture and photograph.
A fast, reliable telephoto or super-telephoto lens allows you to photograph wildlife, sports, landscape, events, and more. It enables you to capture a powerful perspective and scale through compression, not possible without a long lens. Simply put, having a long lens in your camera bag will expand not only your reach but also your ability. If you’re on the fence, it’s time to invest in your passion or career. Here are the top Canon telephoto and super-telephoto lenses you can buy in 2020.
6 Best Canon Telephoto & Super Telephoto Lenses
- EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS III USM
- EF 70–200mm f/4L IS II USM
- EF 100-400mm F4.5-5.6L IS II USM
- EF 400mm f/2.8L IS III USM
- Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM
- Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1 L IS USM
EF Series Lenses
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS III USM Lens
The Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS III USM is a legend and part of the Canon EF series trinity of lenses for a reason. This lens is one of the most powerful and versatile on the market and is a favorite of professionals.
The lens’s flat f/2.8 maximum aperture allows for faster shutter speeds, beautiful background blur, and high performance in lower lighting conditions. Its autofocusing ability is fantastic. With Canon’s “Ultrasonic Motor” (USM), and a minimum focusing distance of 3.9 feet or 1.2 meters, you capture images quickly.
However, like most lenses on this list, the EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS III USM is all about the details. The “IS” in the lens’s name stands for image stabilization, which adds much more control and stability, even at slower shutter speeds while shooting handheld. This lens is also coated with Canon’s Air Sphere Coating (ASC), which protects against lens flares and ghosting, especially when your subject is backlit.
Finally, Canon weather-sealed this lens and added fluorine coating on the front and rear elements. This protects the lens from dust, water, oil, and any surface residue that could interfere with image clarity or quality.
Canon EF 70–200mm f/4L IS II USM
Imagine having most of all the features of the powerful Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS III USM but in a much lighter package. That’s what the Canon EF 70–200mm f/4L IS II USM provides photographers.
If you travel a lot or prefer a lighter lens that still packs a punch, this lens is for you. Its flat f/4 maximum aperture is still bright enough to perform in most lighting conditions, but it sheds the weight of the additional elements found in the EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS III USM model.
Autofocusing ability is still incredibly fast, and it features image stabilization, Air Sphere Coating (ASC), and fluorine coating that make this lens incredibly dependable in the field.
If you want to save on weight, but not sacrifice on performance, the Canon EF 70–200mm f/4L IS II USM is a fantastic choice for any professional Canon shooter.
Canon EF 100-400mm F4.5-5.6L IS II USM
Another incredibly versatile lens is the Canon EF 100-400mm F4.5-5.6L IS II USM. It’s built for those who want to go even further. With a fantastic focal range of 100-400mm and minimum focusing distance of 3.2 feet, you can shoot everything from portraits to wildlife, sports, or landscapes.
The EF 100-400mm F4.5-5.6L IS II USM is also built with the incredible features you see in most Canon telephoto lenses, like image stabilization, Canon’s Ultrasonic Motor for blazing autofocus, and Air Sphere Coating (ASC) to guard against ghosting and lens flares.
The EF 100-400mm F4.5-5.6L IS II USM is one of the most versatile lenses Canon makes. You should seriously consider this lens, especially if you photographer subjects from farther away.
Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L IS III USM
If you’re a professional wildlife or sports photographer, this lens is the holy grail of long lenses. Yes, it’s an investment, which means it’s often a pick for serious professionals. It’s not only incredibly fast and tack-sharp, with a bright, flat aperture of f/2.8 that allows for beautiful bokeh in your images, but it is incredibly lightweight, due to it’s fixed focal length.
The EF 400mm f/2.8L IS III USM features image stabilization up to 5-stops and Canon’s Ultrasonic Motor. Also, it has a fluorine coating on the front and rear elements, and superb weather-sealing.
However, what sets this lens apart are the additional features that make it incredibly reliable in the field. Along with Air Sphere Coating (ASC), the EF 400mm f/2.8L IS III USM features a Super Spectra Coating (SSC). This even further reduces unwanted flare and ghosting, while providing deeper contrast and increasing image quality and color fidelity.
Finally, the EF 400mm f/2.8L IS III USM was built with advanced heat-rejecting paint, which allows the photographer to shoot longer, even under extreme temperatures.
RF Series Lenses
Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM
Imagine having all the performance, reliability, and durability of the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS III USM, in a much smaller, portable, and travel-friendly package. That is what the Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM Lens offers Canon shooters who have switched to Canon’s innovative and groundbreaking full-frame mirrorless EOS R and RF series lineup.
The RF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM lens offers similar features to its EF series counterpart, like up to 5 stops of image stabilization and superior weather-sealing and lens coating. However, it improves its minimum focusing distance, at 2.3 feet or 0.7 meters. This close focus capability is possible, due to the new Dual Nano USM focus motors — a first for any Canon autofocus lens. The result is a much quieter, efficient, and high-speed experience when using the RF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM lens.
Finally, the RF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM lens shares the same 12-pin communication system built into all RF series lenses. This improves the communication between camera and lens, allowing for a better and faster lens experience, overall.
if you are a Canon shooter who has recently switched over to the new EOS R full-frame mirrorless system, then this is a lens that is a must-have for your professional kit. It’s powerful, fast, and compact enough to go anywhere where your work takes you.
Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1 L IS USM
Last, but not certainly not least, we have the RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1 L IS USM Lens. It’s one of the latest and most exciting RF series releases from Canon.
This lens is one of the most versatile long lenses that Canon has ever made. It give you the ability to carry a lens that provides a 100-500mm focal range. All the while, it has a compact, travel-friendly weight and size is truly remarkable. You can take this in the field, and no matter if you’re shooting wildlife, landscapes, or sports, feel confident you will capture the shot every time.
The RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1 L IS USM lens features Canon’s powerful weather-sealing and fluorine coating. It also features the same 12-pin communication system and Dual Nano USM as the RF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM, which provides optimum speed and performance.
However, one unique feature of this lens are its image stabilization capabilities. Not only does it offer up to 5 stops of stabilization, but also three different image stabilization modes. You have standard, panning, and during exposure only, for maximum creative versatility and control.
The RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1 L IS USM Lens is a versatile powerhouse of a telephoto lens. Its addition to the RF series lineup further strengthens Canon’s full frame mirrorless camera capabilities. If you love wildlife, sports, or want to capture subjects from far away, then this lens is for you.
Feature photo by Mael BALLAND on Unsplash
