The 8 Best Canon Rebel T5i Lenses
This is a list of the best lenses for the Canon EOS Rebel T5i. A wide selection of focal lengths for several types of photography are mentioned. In addition to the recommended lenses, each choice will have other alternatives for higher or lower price ranges.
There are plenty of options available that every photographer should be able to discover something they’d want in their camera bag.
Best Canon Rebel T5i Lenses:
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- Best All-Around Zoom: Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM
- Best Telephoto Zoom: Sigma 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 DC OS
- Best Prime Lens: Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM
- Best Lens for Video: Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM
- Best Lens for Portraits: Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM
- Best Lens for Sports & Wildlife: Tamron SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2
- Best Lens for Landscapes: Canon EF 20mm f/2.8 USM
- Best Lens for Macro: Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM
Best All-Around Zoom Lenses
Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM: The lens was built for APS-C sensors which can use the EF-S mount and has the construction quality almost like Canon’s L-series. It is a big step up from the standard zoom lens sold as a kit with the EOS Rebel T5i.
The large maximum aperture is continuous through the full zoom range allowing for a shallow depth of field and spectacular background blur. The built-in image stabilization helps to counteract camera shake and increases image sharpness.
If out of all the Canon lenses offered, you could only select just one, this would be the best pick.
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Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 EX DC OS HSM FLD: By having built-in optical image stabilization, razor sharp photos can be shot at shutter speeds up to 4 stops lower than without using stabilization. With the fast aperture and good zoom range, the lens is appropriate for all types of photography from portraits to landscapes.
Based on glowing customer reviews, people fall in love with this lens. It could end up permanently mounted to your camera.
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Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM: With a comparable zoom range of 24-136mm in full frame format, it is a great pick for general everyday photography. Additionally it is one of the ideal selections for a single lens to take with you when traveling.
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Best Telephoto Zooms
Sigma 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 DC OS: This is similar to having two or three zoom lenses packed into one. The 16.6x zoom ratio means all focal lengths from telephoto to wide angle are covered. Developed with 13 groups containing 17 elements, four of which are FLD and 1 SLD element, makes it possible to take high-quality, sharp crisp photographs, without having to worry about chromatic aberrations.
The enormous zoom span will have the expense of it being somewhat heavy and large. There are many choices that may be much more comfortable to dedicate a day lugging around with the Canon EOS Rebel T5i.
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Canon EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS: Here’s a lightweight and small lens that is still equipped with a good zoom range. With Four stops of image stabilization it is a solution that supplies excellent overall performance at a very affordable price. This is a fantastic choice to avoid exorbitant weight and size.
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Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III: Lighter weight and smaller sized than the lenses previously mentioned, than can be an advantage if you do not want to haul around a hefty kit. The focal length is equivalent to 120-to-480mm on every EOS Rebel camera as they have Canon APS-C sensors.
It is also very budget friendly, because of the absence of built-in image stabilization. This is one of the best lenses to use outside with plenty of ambient light.
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Best Prime Lenses
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM: Excellent image level of quality in a lightweight and compact package that is one of the best lenses developed by Canon. A standard focal length that provides a large f/1.8 aperture means that this is a terrific choice for shooting in low light. The lens has a role in every kit and is invaluable for practically all photographers.
Do not buy the old version seeing as the focusing motor is noisy and sluggish. You might not be fond of the outcome of wanting to save a lttle bit of money. This is especially applicable if you are intending to shoot video with the camera.
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Canon EF-S 24mm f/2.8 STM: The smallest and slimmest lens designed for the EF-S mount. A true “pancake” lens that helps it be the perfect choice for travel photography as the size is unbeatable. The minimum focus distance photos can be captured at is 6 inches (16cm).
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Sigma 35mm F1.4 Art DG HSM: A really good creation showing what modern optical engineering is able to produce. Shot wide open, images are razor sharp, across the entire image. The HSM (hyper-sonic motor) enables accurate, quite, and fast autofocus.
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Best Lenses for Video & Vlogging
Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM: Out of all the lenses for Canon, this is the most appropriate choice for capturing video. Having the ultra-wide-angle zoom range is great for vlogging and creating videos. A stepping motor (STM) facilitates smooth accurate autofocus that isn’t going to create any noises which can negatively impact audio. Furthermore, it’s compact and light enough to not become tiresome to handle when on the Canon EOS Rebel T5i.
You may also get it bundled with the Canon 50mm f/1.8 STM in the Canon portrait and travel two-lens kit. The combination is a great choice if you want to purchase 2 of the best lenses for Canon, while at the same time saving some money.
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Tokina AT-X 116 PRO DX-II 11-16mm f/2.8: It is simple and easy to quickly switch from MF to AF without needing to remove your hand from the focus ring since there is the one-touch focus clutch mechanism. With a fast f/2.8 constant aperture this lens also can be a very good way to get into astrophotography.
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Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5 EX DC HSM ELD SLD: Here’s another wide angle zoom that is full of optical engineering. Internal focusing means a petal-type hood that can do a substantially better job of preventing flare than a round hood. Quiet functionality is ensured by a hyper sonic motor.
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Best Portrait Photography Lenses
Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM: Many people would consider this lens the most popular lens for portraits manufactured by Canon. The large f/1.8 aperture works well for working in low light and is able to create a shallow depth of field, with beautiful bokeh, to draw attention to the subject. This is an important lens for wedding photographers.
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Sigma 50mm F1.4 Art DG HSM: A true pro level lens that’s a good pick for portrait photography along with street, landscape, and studio work. There’s minimal vignetting or distortion and it is very sharp from corner to corner, even wide open.
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Canon EF 100mm f/2 USM: Close to the Canon 85mm f/1.8, but was designed with a marginally narrower field of view. Like the other two lenses mentioned, it is excellent for low-light photography in a small body that is easy to handle.
This lens is not currently being manufactured, so finding one in stock might be challenging. Many used copies are still obtainable. Check a few sites to obtain the most competitive price.
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Best Sports & Wildlife Lenses
Tamron SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2: Tamron made a large improvement with the production of this 2nd generation lens. Image quality has become better throughout the complete zoom range and still offering a superior construction quality. Exceptionally accurate and fast autofocus system is powered by an ultrasonic silent drive motor. With this mounted on your camera, you will experience no difficulties getting terrific action or wildlife pictures.
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Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Contemporary DG OS HSM: The Sigma is built with a streamlined and lightweight build for a hyper-telephoto zoom lens. In addition to that, the hyper sonic motor and optical stabilizer, there’s a built-in accelerometer which can improve photos when panning. As an additional bonus, there is quite often a promotional deal that is a bundle of additional accessories along with free shipping when you buy the lens. That’s great since free camera gear is very hard to turn down.
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Canon EF 100-400mm F4.5-5.6L IS II USM: This is no doubt, this lens has superior photo performance than the others. Unfortunately, that high performance is attached to a big price tag that is much bigger than that of the camera. One of the several fantastic features this lens has is a rotation-type zoom ring that has configurable torque control allowing the lens to be set up to your personal liking.
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Best Lenses for Landscape Photography
Canon EF 20mm f/2.8 USM: This lens is a wide focal length that remains compact and light, weighing only 14.3oz (405g). There is a full-time manual focus override, even when the lens is set to autofocus, which makes it easier to nail focus. If you plan on taking the Rebel T5i on hikes, this is an excellent solution as it is going to fit into practically every camera bag.
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Samyang 14mm f/2.8 IF ED UMC: Here is a inexpensive ultra-wide-angle lens with an integrated petal-type lens hood. An excellent pick for not only landscape photography but as well as for astrophotography and real estate. Images can be shot as close as 10.8 inches (14 cm), but the results will have noticeable distortion.
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Sigma 20mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art: The widest lens in the Sigma Art series lineup, the 20mm f/1.4 provides a professional build. Featuring 15 elements in 11 groups with a 5 Special Low Disperson and a Low Dispersion glass element, spherical aberration, field curvature, and axial chromatic aberration are nearly entirely gone.
It is a somewhat big and heavy hunk of glass. You shouldn’t expect it to be well balanced mounted on the camera.
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Best Canon Macro Lenses
Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM: The first to be specifically built by Canon for the EF-S mount, it is a actual macro lens, capable of reaching 1x magnification. During focusing, the front element doesn’t move, as the lens was designed with internal focusing. You’re going to enjoy the razor sharp photographs made by this lens. It is a great pick to use with the EOS Rebel T5i due to the small size and reasonable price being hard to match.
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Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM: With optical stabilization and an internal focusing system, it’s plain to see why this is a top of the line pro L-series lens. It is a great choice to take out into the field because it is weather sealed. Invest in this lens and you will not need to go looking for another solution.
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Tamron AF 90mm f/2.8 Di SP A/M 1:1 Macro: With a recessed front element and a great working distance, you will likely never want to make use of the lens hood. However, it doesn’t have an internal focusing system, as a result the lens will extend when focusing.
One other potential limitation if you would like to use it as a portrait lens is that it doesn’t have integrated optical stabilization. Working with a flash will prevent that from being an issue.
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