Canon EF Lens Mount: Everything You Need to Know
- Nathaniel Stephan
- September 19, 2025
Table of Contents
In 1987, Canon released the EOS EF mount. It became the best selling camera mount of all time. Canon sold more than 140 million EF lenses. Many other companies also made lenses for this mount.
Between 1987 and 2018, Canon released 162 EF lenses. A few lenses and cameras are still being sold today, like the Canon 5D Mark IV and the Canon Rebel T7.
The newer RF mount has replaced the EF mount. The RF mount is for mirrorless cameras. Canon does not allow other companies to make full frame autofocus lenses for the RF mount.
Canon EF-S lenses are made for smaller APS-C cameras. They cannot be used on cameras with a full frame EF mount.
Canon EF DSLR Cameras
Full Frame Cameras
These cameras have a sensor the same size as a frame of 35mm film.
| Camera Model | Year | Sensor Size | Target Audience |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canon EOS-1Ds | 2002 | Full-frame | Flagship |
| Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II | 2004 | Full-frame | Flagship |
| Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III | 2007 | Full-frame | Flagship |
| Canon EOS-1D X | 2012 | Full-frame | Professional |
| Canon EOS-1D X Mark II | 2016 | Full-frame | Professional |
| Canon EOS-1D X Mark III | 2020 | Full-frame | Professional |
| Canon EOS 5D | 2005 | Full-frame | Professional |
| Canon EOS 5D Mark II | 2008 | Full-frame | Professional |
| Canon EOS 5D Mark III | 2012 | Full-frame | Professional |
| Canon EOS 5D Mark IV | 2016 | Full-frame | Professional |
| Canon EOS 6D | 2012 | Full-frame | Advanced |
| Canon EOS 6D Mark II | 2017 | Full-frame | Advanced |
| Canon EOS 5DS/5DS R | 2015 | Full-frame | Professional |
APS-H Cameras
APS-H sensors measure 27.90mm x 18.60mm. They have a 1.3x crop factor. That means they are bigger than APS-C sensors but smaller than full frame sensors.
| Camera Model | Year | Sensor Size | Target Audience |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canon EOS-1D | 2001 | APS-H | Professional |
| Canon EOS-1D Mark II | 2003 | APS-H | Professional |
| Canon EOS-1D Mark III | 2007 | APS-H | Professional |
| Canon EOS-1D Mark IV | 2009 | APS-H | Professional |
APS-C Mid-Range and Advanced Cameras
APS-C sensors are smaller than full frame sensors. They have a 1.6x crop factor on Canon cameras.
| Camera Model | Year | Sensor Size | Target Audience |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canon EOS 20D | 2004 | APS-C | Mid-range |
| Canon EOS 30D | 2006 | APS-C | Mid-range |
| Canon EOS 40D | 2007 | APS-C | Mid-range |
| Canon EOS 50D | 2008 | APS-C | Mid-range |
| Canon EOS 60D | 2010 | APS-C | Mid-range |
| Canon EOS 70D | 2013 | APS-C | Mid-range |
| Canon EOS 80D | 2016 | APS-C | Mid-range |
| Canon EOS 90D | 2019 | APS-C | Mid-range |
| Canon EOS 7D | 2009 | APS-C | Advanced |
| Canon EOS 7D Mark II | 2014 | APS-C | Advanced |
APS-C Entry-Level Cameras
| Camera Model | Year | Sensor Size | Target Audience |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canon EOS 77D | 2017 | APS-C | Entry-level |
| Canon EOS 800D | 2017 | APS-C | Entry-level |
| Canon EOS 850D | 2020 | APS-C | Entry-level |
| Canon EOS 300D | 2003 | APS-C | Entry-level |
| Canon EOS 350D | 2005 | APS-C | Entry-level |
| Canon EOS 400D | 2006 | APS-C | Entry-level |
| Canon EOS 450D | 2008 | APS-C | Entry-level |
| Canon EOS 500D | 2009 | APS-C | Entry-level |
| Canon EOS 550D | 2010 | APS-C | Entry-level |
| Canon EOS 600D | 2011 | APS-C | Entry-level |
| Canon EOS 650D | 2012 | APS-C | Entry-level |
| Canon EOS 700D | 2013 | APS-C | Entry-level |
| Canon EOS 750D | 2015 | APS-C | Entry-level |
| Canon EOS 4000D | 2018 | APS-C | Value |
Canon EF 35mm Film Cameras
Canon also made many film cameras that used EF lenses. Here is the full list:
| Camera Name | Year Released |
|---|---|
| EOS REBEL T2 | 2004 |
| EOS ELAN 7NE / EOS ELAN 7N | 2004 |
| EOS REBEL K2 | 2003 |
| EOS Rebel Ti | 2002 |
| EOS Rebel XS N DATE | 2002 |
| EOS Kiss III L | 2001 |
| EOS ELAN 7E / 7 | 2000 |
| EOS-1V | 2000 |
| EOS REBEL 2000/QD | 1999 |
| EOS 3000 / EOS 88 (Asia) | 1999 |
| EOS-3 | 1998 |
| EOS IX Lite | 1998 |
| EOS IX | 1996 |
| EOS REBEL G | 1996 |
| EOS ELAN II / EOS ELAN IIE | 1995 |
| EOS-1N RS | 1995 |
| EOS 5000 / EOS 888 (Asia) | 1995 |
| EOS-1N DP | 1994 |
| EOS-1N HS | 1994 |
| EOS-1N | 1994 |
| EOS REBEL X | 1993 |
| EOS REBEL XS | 1993 |
| EOS A2 / EOS A2E | 1992 |
| EOS REBEL SII QD | 1992 |
| EOS ELAN | 1991 |
| EOS 10 Commemorative Kit (60M Units) | 1991 |
| EOS1000F QD | 1990 |
| EOS700 | 1990 |
| EOS 10 S | 1990 |
| EOS RT | 1989 |
| EOS-1 HS | 1989 |
| EOS-1 | 1989 |
| EOS 630 | 1989 |
| EOS 850 / EOS 850 QD | 1988 |
| EOS750 QD | 1988 |
| EOS620 | 1987 |
| EOS 650 / EOS 650 QD | 1987 |
Canon Camera Museum EOS Film Cameras
EF Lenses
There are 192 EF lenses, 20 EF-S lenses, and 8 EF-M lenses. EF lenses give you a lot of quality for the price. Canon stopped releasing new EF lenses and cameras in 2018. Since then, Canon has focused on the newer RF mount for mirrorless cameras.
The Canon Museum EF Lens Wing lists every lens with specs and background information.
EF-S and EF-M lenses cannot be used on full frame EF mount cameras. EF lenses can be used on newer RF cameras with a lens adapter.
What the Lens Acronyms Mean
The most important feature to look for is image stabilization.
If you want to shoot video, look for lenses with an STM motor. They are quieter, so focusing sounds will not be as noticeable in your videos.
- EF stands for “Electro-Focus.” It means the lens has autofocus. Canon created it in 1987 as their answer to the Minolta A-mount, which was the first popular autofocus system released in 1985.
- EF-S lenses are made for APS-C cameras. These lenses have a white square on the mount for lining up correctly.
- EF-M lenses were made for APS-C mirrorless cameras. Those cameras have been discontinued.
- EOS stands for “Electro-Optical System.” All connections between the lens and camera are electronic.
- IS stands for Image Stabilization. This helps reduce blurry photos caused by a shaky hand.
- IF stands for Internal Focus. The lens does not move in or out when focusing.
- L stands for Luxury. These lenses have a red ring around the front. They are the highest quality lenses and are made for professional use.
- USM means the lens has an UltraSonic Motor for fast and quiet autofocus.
- STM means the lens has a Stepper Motor. It is quieter than a USM lens, which makes it better for video.
- I, II, or III tells you which version of the lens it is.
EF vs EF-S Lenses
Cameras with a full frame EF mount cannot use EF-S lenses. The lens will not physically attach to the camera.
Cameras with an EF-S mount can use full frame EF lenses. That is because APS-C sensors are smaller. The image circle from an EF-S lens is too small to cover a full frame sensor.
Nikon and Sony handle this differently. Their cameras switch to a “crop mode” when a smaller lens is used. This uses only part of the sensor. The downside is that your photos will have less detail because you are using fewer pixels.
Using Adapters with EF Lenses
The Canon EF mount has a flange focal distance of 44mm. This is the distance between the back of the lens and the camera sensor.
The older Canon FD mount has a flange distance of only 42mm. Because of this, there is no room for an adapter. If you tried to use an FD lens on an EF camera, it would be too far from the sensor. It would behave like a macro extension tube, meaning it could no longer focus on faraway objects.
You can use M42 screw mount lenses on EF cameras with an adapter. Make sure to get one with electronic contacts. A “dandelion” chip is needed for the camera to confirm focus.
EF lenses can easily be adapted to Canon RF cameras and mirrorless cameras from other brands. Because mirrorless cameras do not have a mirror inside, there is extra space for an adapter to fit.
