By Tati Taylor 21 days ago, Cameras & Lenses
What is the best cheap Сanon lens for video?
If you are a happy owner of the best Canon camera for video, it is better to purchase a decent lens for an efficient shooting system. I recommended considering cinematic lenses for Canon since this company sells models for various purposes and budgets. Thanks to the brand’s original technologies, more and more shooters choose their lenses.
Such lenses are compatible with most Canon cameras and some third party ones optimized for filmmaking, for instance, the Panasonic Lumix GH5. They can be used with a lens mount adapter. What is more, I have added some videos I shot using these cinematic lenses for Canon, so that you can assess the quality and decide which option to purchase.
Mount: EF | Diaphragm blades: 9 | Autofocus: yes | Min focus distance: 0.35 m | Max magnification: 0,21x | Filter thread: 49mm | Dimensions (WxL): 69.2 x 39.3mm | Weight: 159g
⊕ Sharp at f/1.8
⊕ Lightweight
⊕ Silent, smooth video focus
⊕ Budget option
⊖ Slight barrel distortion
⊖ Slow focus
⊖ Flares
⊖ Some fall-off at wide aperture
Thanks to its wide f/1.8 aperture, this Canon lens for video lets in more than 8x the amount of light in comparison with a standard zoom lens that comes with your EOS. It produces sharper images with less motion blur. You don’t need to use flash in poor lighting conditions, as it allows you to take photos of a low-light environment.
It is the best Canon lens for video to capture fleeting moments thanks to its fast and virtually silent STM focusing. If you want to create high-quality movies, it is recommended to use STM since it provides steady and quiet continuous focusing. It results in a great sound without any noise of the focusing motor.
Mount: EF | Diaphragm blades: 9 | Autofocus: yes | Min focus distance: 0.38m | Max magnification: 0,21x | Filter thread: 82mm | Dimensions (WxL): 88.5 mm diameter x 113 mm length | Weight: 805 g
⊕ Premium optics
⊕ Excellent flare resistance
⊕ Silent and accurate autofocus
⊕ Impressive build quality
⊖ Unpleasant vignetting at f/2.8
⊖ Poor image quality at close focus distances
⊖ No image stabilization
⊖ High price
This Canon lens for filming is a very expensive model. The EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM features the latest advances in optical lens design, utilizes 1 Super UD lens element and 2 UD lens elements. Thanks to this, chromatic aberration and color blurring around the edges are minimized. The lens has a circular 9-blade aperture enabling to create beautiful, soft backgrounds.
A ring-type USM and high-speed CPU with optimized AF algorithms account for silent and fast autofocusing. In addition, this Canon lens for video has a water-sealed and dust-resistant durable body. Front and rare lens surfaces are covered with fluorine coatings to reduce soiling, smears and fingerprints.
Mount: EF | Diaphragm blades: 7 | Autofocus: yes | Min focus distance: 0.15 m| Max magnification: 0,3x | Filter thread: 55mm | Dimensions (WxL): 60.9 x 58.2 mm | Weight: 220 g
⊕ Compact design
⊕ Reliable body
⊕ Crisp from edge to edge
⊕ Image stabilization
⊖ Vignetting when shooting Raw
⊖ Some distortion
⊖ No lens hood
This Canon lens for video covers a wide field of view combining compactness, sharpness and affordability. Thanks to the rear focus system and built-in stepping motor, you get smooth and continuous autofocus when recording movies.
What is more, it is a perfect tool to shoot while walking since it delivers a wide image stabilization correction range. It features two aspheric lens elements and one UD lens element that guarantee excellent image quality across the frame.
A circular aperture enables it to create beautiful, soft backgrounds. If you decided to test a mirrorless system, start with this Canon lens for cinematography. It is a compact lens with low distortion that can be easily corrected with image editing tools.
Mount: EF | Diaphragm blades: 7 | Autofocus: yes | Min focus distance: 1.5m | Max magnification: 0,25x | Filter thread: 58mm | Dimensions (WxL): 71 x 122 mm | Weight: 480 g
⊕ Lightweight
⊕ Compact
⊕ Seven-bladed diaphragm for nice bokeh
⊕ Precise and fast autofocus
⊖ Doesn’t have image stabilization
⊖ Softness in the center and at the edges
⊖ No weather sealing
The Canon EF 75-300mm f/4.0-5.6 III is the best lens in terms of compatibility. This compact and lightweight Canon lens for video can be also used for other purposes, like sports photography, shooting portraits, capturing wildlife, etc.
It can be mounted on all Canon full-frame and APS-C format DSLRs. This lens has an excellent optical system and solid construction. Having chosen this lens, you will enjoy the impressive performance Canon is known for.
Mount: EF | Diaphragm blades: 9 | Autofocus: yes | Min focus distance: 1.2 m | Max magnification: 0,25x | Filter thread: 67mm | Dimensions (WxL): 80.01 x 145.54 mm | Weight: 710 g
⊕ Extremely sharp
⊕ Low CA
⊕ Well-controlled distortion
⊖ No weather sealing
⊖ Comes without a hood
The EF 70–300mm f/4–5.6 IS II USM is equipped with a UD element enabling it to create high-contrast videos and reduce chromatic aberrations.
This Canon lens for filming is almost silent so your videos are free from any unwanted noise. For better control, you can use a manual focus and adjust it while shooting to create a dramatic effect.
In addition, it comes with a new Lens Information Display that provides the info on the focal length, focus distance or depth of field. Even if you don’t have a tripod, a built-in image stabilization system will help you get clear images.
Mount: EF | Diaphragm blades: 9 | Autofocus: yes | Min focus distance: 1.2 m | Max magnification: 0,21x | Filter thread: 77mm | Dimensions (WxL): 88.8 x 199 mm | Weight: 1480 g
⊕ Extremely sharp from edge to edge
⊕ Durable body
⊕ Dust and moisture protection
⊕ Fluorine lens coating
⊖ Very similar to the previous version
⊖ Some distortion
⊖ Modest vignette
It is a bright zoom lens with an f/2.8 max aperture staying constant throughout the zoom range. Thanks to an 8-blade circular aperture, you will get dramatic images with a gorgeous background blur.
This Canon lens for video has an almost silent AF system. It has an inner focusing ring USM system that works in combination with a high-speed CPU and AF algorithms providing precise, fast performance. There is also a full-time manual focus.
Thanks to its durable body, you can use it in the most extreme conditions. It’s also dust-proof and water-resistant with seals around the mount, switches, zoom ring, etc. Thanks to the shake reduction for up to 3.5 shutter speed stops, you get really sharp results.
| Image | Name | Features | |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8
Our Choice |
CHECK PRICE → | |
 |
Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L
Professional |
CHECK PRICE → | |
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Canon EF-M 11-22mm f/4-5.6
Budget |
CHECK PRICE → |
I have described what makes a Canon lens for video so different to help you understand what model you need.
To capture moments in a split second, AF should be extremely fast. The travel moment between minimum focus and infinity on a photo lens is rather short.
Unlike other models, Canon video camera lenses should feature longer throws because a movie scene lasts long and the focus is changing within the shot. Videographers rely on distance marks with ample spacing on the lens to transition from one mark to another. It allows them to create an artistic effect.
Breathing produces slight angle-of-view shifts going from one focus point to another. It is most visible when you make small adjustments and your subject shifts in an unusual way.
This effect doesn’t cause any inconvenience for photographers, so photo lens manufacturers don’t bother about it. A Canon lens for cinematography reduces the breathing effect.
Parfocal lenses hold the focus on your subject as you zoom. It is not essential for photographers who capture particular moments but it is crucial for filmmakers. As a rule, still-photo lenses are often varifocal, so their focus changes together with the focal length.
There are also “de-clicked” lenses. It means that the lens’ f-stop doesn’t open and close in predetermined physical increments.
When the aperture stops down or opens up, the change is really smooth. This feature is very important when you need to record subjects in variable lighting conditions. However, it is not essential for photography lenses.
Having tested dozens of lenses, I believe that the EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM is the best all-purpose Canon lens for full-frame cameras. It is a great option with a consistent f/2.8 aperture through all zoom lengths.
If you want to capture some of the background or don’t have a large space to work in, I recommend using Canon video camera lenses with focal lengths ranging between 35mm and 50mm.
Wide-angle lenses are the most popular options among vloggers. It is a perfect choice if you film yourself holding your camera in your hand or if your room is small.
If you are involved in recording interviews, choose 24-85mm lenses. It is better to work with a lens featuring a low aperture, like f/3.5. In such a way, you will get more flexibility with your depth-of-field, which will help you separate your subject from the background.
