An updated version, with the addition to all the camera models that included given lenses as a kit option. The main idea was to give some love to the forgotten EF zoom lenses that still can be used on digital SLR-s. None of the presented lenses can't match the L-series lens and modern designs, but these are still versatile, light and incredibly affordable. With some patience, you can find them for the price of a sandwitch. The third version of this presentation, or, let's use Canon's terminology, Mk. III, includes the additional measurements of EF lenses on APS-C bodies in order to better understand the differences in sharpness for cheap and L-series lenses in the central region of the image.

1. A complete guide to
affordable
Canon EF Zoom Lenses
May 2020
Ver. 3.0, added tests for the chosen lenses, on APS-C cameras (sharpness in the center)
Ver. 2.0, added camera bodies that used given lens as a kit option

2. Price guide
• 5-10 EUR, dusty and dirty
camera + 1 lens
• 20-30 EUR, mint
camera + 1 lens + maybe a nice bag
• 40-50 EUR, mint
camera + 2 lenses + maybe a bag, flash, filter

3. A Logic behind the buying advices
• L-series lenses are great, but expensive,
300+ EUR per piece
• In order to cover all focal lengths,
one must have: wide zoom, normal zoom,
maybe travel zoom, portrait tele-zoom, and
maybe a wildlife zoom
• In total, it would be an investment of more
than 1000 EUR

4. Adapting oldgems, FD, M42, MC/MD…
• Difficult, due to flange distance (*start thinking about R, RP…)
• Requires multiple adapters, with some optical
element that will degrade the image
• There were basically no zooms back then
• Incredibly massive, heavy, tank-like metal
behemoths, perfect for capturing
Battle at Kursk
• Poor condition, dust, scratches, fungi,
delamination, oily apertures, stuck apertures…

5. Fortunately, there is a cheap solution – old EF lenses
• Often in mint condition
• No adapter needed
• Very light, made of plastic
• All of them with autofocus, not the best, but
at least existing
• P.S.: Be aware of old Sigma EF lenses!
Most of them will not have a functional electronic aperture

6. Where to find them?
• Not on metal bodies, those are FL or FD, not EF

7. Where to find them?
• On plastic-ky bodies, black, silver, boxy or curved

8. • Super light, 178 g
• Ø 58 mm filter thread
• 5 blades diaphragm i
• 35 cm close focus n
• Poor sharpness on FF corners,
strong flares
• 58 mm thread is good,
you can reverse it for macro
• You can find them
on EOS IX

9. • 380 gr
• 6 blades i
• 50 cm n
• Ø 67 mm
• 1996 – 2007
• Strong distortion,
± 4 %, zero %
only at 28 mm
• You can find them
on EOS IX

10. 9/10 groups/elements
5 blades i
39 cm n
Ø 52 mm
300 g 285 g

11. 10/10 groups/elements (I, II, IV and V) 9/9 (III)
5 blades i
38 cm n
Ø 58 mm
200 g
Canon Elan

12. 9/10 groups/elements vs 9/9
5 blades i
50 cm n vs 38 cm n
Ø 58 mm
330 g vs 200 g
Canon Elan

13. 8/10 groups/ elements
5 blades i
38 cmn
Ø 58 mm
180 g

14. 12/15 groups/elements
5, 6? blades i vs 7 blades i
50 cm n
Ø 58 mm
375 g
1992 – 2000 vs 2000 – 2010
IQ similar to 24-85

15. 8/9 groups/elements
5 blades i
39 cm n
Ø 52 mm
245 gr

16. 8/8 groups/elements (I to IV) vs 7/7
5 blades i
37 cm n vs 50 cm n
Ø 52 mm
180 g vs 205 g

17. • 11/14 groups/elements
• 5 blades i
• 85 cm n
• Ø 58 mm
• 400 g

18. • 12/13 groups/elements
• 5 blades i
• 85 cm n
• Ø 58 mm
• 280 g

19. • 12/14 groups/elements
• 5 blades i
• 75 cm n
• Ø 58 mm
• 425 g

20. • 6/6 groups/elements
• 5 blades i
• 58 cm n
• Ø 52 mm
• 155 g

21. • 13/13 groups/elements
• 6 blades i
• 120 cm n
• Ø 52 mm
• 310 g

22. • 8/11 groups/elements
• 8 blades i
• 120 cm n
• Ø 58 cm
• 605 g

23. 9/12 groups/elements 9/13 (II, III, IV, V, VI)
7 blades i
150 cm n
Ø 58 mm
500 g (I and IV) 480 g (II, III, V, VI)

24. 7/10 groups/elements
5 blades i
150 cm n
Ø 52 mm
275 gr vs 250 gr vs 260 gr

25. 9/13 groups/elements
7 blades i
150 cm n
Ø 58 mm
420 g

26. • 7/10 groups/elements
• 8 blades i
• 190 cm n
• Ø 58 mm
• 520 g

27. • 10/13 groups/elements
• 8 blades i
• 150 cm n
• Ø 58 mm
• 540 g

28. • 9/15 groups/elements
• 8 blades i
• 200 cm n
• Ø 58 mm
• 685 g

29. Logic behind the decision
• Purpose is the most important, focal lengths
• Overall sharpness will be compared on currently
the best-buy full-frame Canon body, 6D, and APS-C
equivalent, 760D
• Sharpness in the central region will be tested
using EF lenses on APS-C cameras
• 6D + cheap lens vs 6D with L-series lens vs
760D with the equivalent EF-S lens
• APS-C + cheap lens vs APS-C + L-lens

30. My Choice

31. Competitors
• Wide-zoom: 22-55 mm, f/4-5.6
the widest, incredibly light, Ø 58 mm thread
• Normal zoom: 24-85 mm, f/3.5-4.5
24 mm is better than 28 mm, however, Ø 67 mm
• Travel zoom: 28-105 mm, f/3.5-4.5
Ø 58 mm thread, still light, 50 cm macro distance
• Wildlife zoom: 75-300 mm, f/4-5.6, III
new optical formula, sharp,
beats every APS-C combination, thread: Ø 58 mm

32. How terrible these lenses are?

33. vs EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM, 6D
(~400 – 450 EUR)

34. vs EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM, 760D
(~400 – 450 EUR)
Surprisingly good!

35. vs APS-C solution

36. How terrible these lenses are?

37. vs EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM, 6D
(~300 – 350 EUR)

38. vs EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM, 760D
(~300 – 350 EUR)
A bit problematic at longer focal lengths

39. vs APS-C solution

40. How terrible these lenses are?

41. vs Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM, 6D
(~300 – 350 EUR)

42. vs Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM, 760D
(~300 – 350 EUR)
Is it worth zooming to 200 mm?! 70-200mm, f/4 is simply too good

43. How terrible these lenses are?

44. vs EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM, 6D
(~800 EUR)

45. vs EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM, 760D
(~800 EUR)
At least, much better than 55-200mm

46. What about wildlife?
• Can APS-C cameras with 200 something mm lens
beat 6D with 75-300 mm?
• The test was done for Canon, Sony and Nikon solutions
• 6D + 75-300 mm are winning the combination
for amateur shooters
• Old M42 primes are lagging behind modern zooms,
thus this could be the best budget combination

48. Thank you!
Have fun and make some
great photos
Find new toys,
and enhance your creativity
Share and Like, if you liked it…
There will be new presentations

49. References
• Canon Camera Museum: https://global.canon/en/c-museum/
• DxoMark, scientific grade testing: https://www.dxomark.com/
• OpticalLimits , scientific grade testing: https://www.opticallimits.com
• TheDigitalPicture, reviews: https://www.the-digital-picture.com
• Ken Rockwell, reviews : https://www.kenrockwell.com
• DpReview, no explanation needed: https://www.dpreview.com/
• MIR, a fantastic resource for Canon gear: https://www.mir.com.my
• AllPhotoLenses, a comprehensive database: http://allphotolenses.com/
• LeBonCoin for the prices: https://www.leboncoin.fr/
• A bit of Wiki and general Google images
• I apologize if I violated any copyrights, I find this to be a fair use,
very positive to Canon products, very transparent to those who provided reviews
and hopefully useful for general public
Aleksandar Savic,
PhD in Physical Chemistry, April 2020