Finding the right lenses for Canon EOS R mirrorless camera

Finding the right lenses for your camera is often a game of trying and trying again. That, unfortunately, can cost you money - either from purchasing or renting the wrong lenses while trying to figure out the best one for your camera and for you.

So let us save you some time and money. Let's take a look at the five solid lenses for the Canon EOS R, a full-frame mirrorless camera that's extremely popular with photographers and for good reasons. It's a terrific, reliable camera.

The EOS R features

• a 30.3MP full-frame CMOS sensor

• a powerful DIGIC 8 Image Processor

• ability to shoot Canon Log, 12 stops of dynamic range  

• ultra-high-definition 4K (3840x2160p) videos at 30fps 

• a wide ISO sensitivity range of up to 40000

• highly-detailed 30MP still images, up to 8 frames per second

It might have all that, but you're still going to need at least one lens for it! Luckily, it's compatible with all of the existing EF, EF-S, TS-E, and MP-E lenses with mount adapters.

Below are some of the best native full-frame RF-Mount lenses for the Canon EOS R mirrorless camera, broken down by category. 

Best Portrait Lenses

CANON RF 85MM F/1.2L USM

The Canon RF 85mm F1.2 L USM lens is ideal for weddings, portraits, fashion, and more thanks to its 85mm focal length and wide f/1.2 maximum aperture.  

• Offers 13 elements in nine groups 

• A nine-blade aperture system

• Compatibility with Eye Detection AF for beautiful background blur

• A minimum focusing distance of 2.79 ft./0.85m 

• Maximum magnification of approx. 0.12x delivers consistently for portraits and close-ups.

All-in-one Lens for Canon EOS R

CANON RF 24-240MM F/4-6.3 IS USM

The RF 24–240mm F4-6.3 IS USM is a versatile and highly adaptable lens you can use for any number of situations. It features:

• A high-magnification of 10x optical zoom

• Coverage from 24mm wide-angle to 240mm telephoto  

• 10x zoom range with an Optical Image Stabilizer (compensates up to five stops of camera shake) 

• Video recording that counterbalances for motion like walking or moving 

Best Macro Lenses

CANON RF 35MM F/1.8 IS MACRO STM

This is a great lightweight and compact with a wide-angle prime that delivers the versatility of a wide lens and the specialty of a 1:2 macro optic lens. It offers:

• A f/1.8 maximum aperture with enhanced control over depth of field

• Focus down to 6.7″ at half life-size, making it ideal for close-ups

• A dedicated control ring for quick exposure adjustments

• An integrated Dual Sensing IS with 5-stop image stabilization for less camera shake

• STM motor ensures silent focusing

Best Wide-Angle Prime Lenses

ROKINON AF 14MM F/2.8 RF LENS

This Rokinon AF 14mm f/2.8 RF compact lens offers a super-wide field of view and autofocus design. 

• Excellent, accurate and quick autofocus

• It has 113.9 degrees of broad angle of view.

• A f/2.8 maximum aperture for low-light conditions

• Its optical design has three aspherical and two low dispersion elements. 

• An Ultra Multi-Coating across individual elements helps reduce flare and ghosting. 

Best Standard Prime Lens

CANON RF 50MM F/1.2L USM

The Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L USM lens, with its maximum aperture of f/1.2, delivers stunning bokeh and sharp images even in low-lighting. Here's what it features:

• A tactile control ring near the front of the lens means easy adjustments

• A ring-type USM AF system for ultra-precise, fast focusing 

• Delivers great clarity and terrific detail across an image.

• A minimum focusing distance of approximately 15 inches makes it ideal for street photography, portraits, and fine art photography.

Best Standard Zoom Lens

CANON RF 24-70MM F/2.8L IS USM

The Canon RF 24-70mm F2.8 L IS USM lens is designed to deliver stunning, crisp images capable of great background blur. It's ideal for landscapes, portraits, and more, even in low-lighting conditions.

• A constant f/2.8 maximum aperture 

• 21 elements in 15 groups and a 9-blade aperture system 

• NANO USM technology means precise and silent AF operation- combined with reduced focus breathing for seamless focus transitions

• A large-diameter RF mount

• A short back focus design

Best Wide-angle Zoom

CANON RF 15-35MM F/2.8L IS USM

The Canon RF 15-35mm f/2.8L IS USM lens is ideal for architectural, landscape, and other wide-angle photography. It features:

• A f/2.8 maximum aperture

• IS for full-frame with a CIPA standard of five stops

• Three aspheric lenses for high image quality from center to corner

• 15-35mm focal length

• Smooth image stabilization

• Two UD lenses to reduce aberrations while delivering sharp images with reduced distortion. 

• Up to 5 stops of stabilization

• Great for both still images and videos

Best Telephoto Zoom Lens

CANON RF 70-200MM F/2.8L IS USM

The Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM lens is considered a versatile, reliable workhorse of the telephoto zooms. It's ideal for sports, wildlife, and weddings, but highly capable of other telephoto zoom needs. 

• Featuring a large and bright f/2.8 aperture

• 70-200mm focal zoom ranges 

• Two Nano USM motors better high-speed autofocus for shooting stills

• Quiet and smooth autofocus for shooting videos 

• A floating focus control drives two lens groups individually while using Nano USM motors mentioned above.