Best Canon 80D Lenses

This is a guide to the best lens for the Canon 80D here in 2023.

Released back in 2016, the Canon 80D is a hugely popular DSLR camera with a 24.3 megapixel dual-pixel CMOS sensor, 45 cross-type AF points, and a DIGIC 6 processor.

Hailed as one of the best cameras for Youtubers, the 80D is also an excellent choice for semi-pro and enthusiast photographers.

We’ve written about the best Canon lenses before, but in this guide, we want to concentrate on the best lenses for the Canon 80D.

Being an APS-C sensor camera, Canon EF-S lenses are best suited for the 80D – not to mention more affordable than their full-frame counterparts.

That said, we’ll throw in one great value Canon EF lens too ;-)

So what are the best lenses for the Canon 80D? Let’s take a closer look at the recommendations.

Best Lenses for Canon 80D in 2023

Image	Product	Features
	Canon 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 OUR #1 CHOICE	Razor Sharp Compact Lightweight Fast Focusing	View Price →
	Canon 17-55mm f/2.8 TOP RATED	Beautiful Bokeh Great in Low Light Robust Build Ultra Sharp	View Price →
	Canon 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 GREAT VALUE	Versatile Focal Length Fast Focusing Razor Sharp Great Value for Money	View Price →
	Canon 50mm f/1.8	Lightweight Ultra Compact Beautiful Bokeh Amazing in Low Light	View Price →
	Canon 55-250mm f/4-5.6	Ultra Sharp Versatile Focal Length Robust Build Great Image stabilisation	View Price →

 

1. Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM

One of the best lenses you can use with the Canon EOS 80D DSLR camera body is the Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM.

This ultra-wide-angle zoom lens is ideal for use with the Canon 80D because it can capture the widest range of view possible.

It’s for this reason that wide-angle lenses are so great to have in your kit: they can capture many more elements in a single image than any other lens.

The only disadvantage is that these lenses produce a distinctive perspective distortion that is unique to all ultra-wide-angle lenses. If you’re shooting buildings, for example, the buildings will curve on the edges due to this distortion.

One of the many reasons why we recommend using this particular lens with this particular camera body is because the aberration correction data of the Canon 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 is registered in the Canon 80D.

This means that you can turn on the distortion aberration correction function to correct straight line distortion.

Keep in mind that turning on the distortion aberration correction function will narrow your image slightly.

If you don’t want to sacrifice the edges of your shot, back up a few feet or make other appropriate accommodations to retain the integrity of your image framing.

You should always check your image previews after turning on this feature, and we suggest going into your settings and changing the preview time to 8 seconds or longer so that you can take a good look at all the details and make sure the effect isn’t sacrificing any important elements.

You won’t be able to make up for the edges that get corrected out of the frame if you shoot too close. Don’t forget that you can always crop your image later!

You can also use this distortion to your creative advantage. Ultra wide-angle perspective distortion is a type that you can have fun with and try to incorporate in your image or video as a unique, additional element.

The Canon 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 has notable speed and smooth focusing abilities that make it the ultimate budget wide angle for both videography and photography.

These qualities are especially important for getting sharply focused, spontaneous shots.

Fast, quiet autofocus is a key component in this lens.

This lens has a minimum shooting distance of 22cm. A close shooting distance like that means that in addition to being a great ultra wide-angle zoom lens, this 10-18mm from Canon also has impressive wide macro shooting abilities.

For photographers and videographers alike, the powerful, four-stop optical image stabilizer of this lens is an impressive feature that is ideal for slower shutter speeds and shooting in Live View mode.

An image stabilizer is especially present in low-light conditions, so this lens really works to help you get clear well-focused pictures.

One of the best things about this lens is its price. For only a few hundred dollars – less if you buy a used one – you are getting an extremely impressive lens that will work to its full capacity and range of view with your Canon EOS 80D body.

The Canon 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 is compact and lightweight, and will easily take your wide-angle and macro photography to the next level. It’s for these reasons that we highly recommend it as one of the best Canon IS lenses.

2. Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM

The Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM is a beautiful lens.

This wide-angle zoom lens has wider aperture capabilities, which will give you more options for shooting and will produce clearer, sharper images. Having a lens with a wider aperture is fantastic in dim light.

From the shallow depth of f/2.8 to the deeper depth of field at f/22, you can expect to use the full range of apertures when pairing this glass with the Canon EOS 80D body.

This lens is considered one of the best to use with Canon crop-sensor bodies because of all the ways and situations in which you can use it.

Using the Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8, you’ll notice that focusing is made much easier. The narrow focus ring and ultra-sonic motor (USM) technology make the autofocus of this model much faster and quieter than other lenses.

Speed and silence are important qualities. You can track quick movements and capture sharp action shots, or stay under the radar if you’re trying to be discreet.

Quieter focusing helps when photographing people because it can help detract attention from your camera and allow them to relax in front of the camera. The closest focusing distance that you can achieve with this lens is 1.15 feet away.

This lens is fantastically versatile and is recommended for both landscapes and portraiture because of its unique qualities. It controls chromatic aberrations very well.

The Canon 17-55mm f/2.8 produces minimal distortion – quite the feat for a wide angle lens, and an incredibly important factor for portraits.

The last thing you want is for your model’s face to become disfigured from the lens distortion! The ability to shoot with a shallow depth of field can also help you to create beautiful bokeh effects in your backgrounds, all while maintaining a crystal clear focus on your subject.

Those qualities are only part of why it makes for such a great portrait lens.

This wide-angle zoom lens also performs extremely well in low-light conditions, aided especially by its maximum aperture of f/2.8.

You can count on consistently sharp images, thanks to a powerful image stabilizer that constantly works to counteract image shake in even the darkest situations.

Image stabilization ensures your images are as sharp as possible and of the highest quality. It will also help a lot when you’re using slower shutter speeds, so you can count on keeping your subject clearly focused.

Good low-light performance is recommended for any lens you invest in and is one of the key features of this multi-functional piece of gear.

This is another factor that puts the Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM on the list of the best lenses for Canon 80D.

As for the spend – you can look forward to always having this lens in your camera bag, so it’s definitely worth the price tag. From portraits to landscapes to anything else you’re interested in photographing, you will absolutely get plenty of use out of this fast glass.

3. Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

Canon’s EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM is a fantastic EF-S telephoto lens to use with the Canon EOS 80D body.

A telephoto lens is a long-focus lens used for photography and videography, categorized as such because the length of the lens is shorter than its focal length.

A telephoto lens, as opposed to a zoom, generally has a narrower field of view – which is why it’s used for shooting subjects that are further away.

Focal length is usually measured in mm. To get a better understanding of this concept, just think of it like this: the longer the focal length, the narrower the field of view; the shorter the focal length, the wider the view.

Once you’ve wrapped your head around this, you’ll be able to find new lenses more easily based on what you’re hoping to shoot.

This particular lens features a new NANO ultra-sonic motor (USM) technology. NANO USM increases the autofocus speed so you can track and capture even the tiniest of movements.

High-speed AF is ideal for shooting video and using Live View mode.

This lens is 4.3 times faster at the telephoto end and 2.5 times faster at its wide-angle end than the previous model – an impressive upgrade.

Since the Canon EOS 80D is already automated for capturing action shots and quick movements, this match is made for speed.

The Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 can shoot anything, from sports to portraits to landscapes.

The speed, silence, and smooth focus transitions that characterize this lens make this an essential for the camera bag of anyone with an APS-C sensor (like the Canon 80D).

This Image Stabilization USM lens also features a four-stop image stabilizer, which as we know from the above product reviews is quite important – especially in low-light or for slow shutter speeds.

Image stabilization is most present in situations where you’re shooting handheld video or using a wide-angle lens. This lens’s Dynamic IS system helps stabilize all movements at any given time to deliver tack-sharp photos and video.

The Canon EOS 80D camera body is a popular mid-range model that pairs excellently with its mid-range counterpart. The Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 currently sells for just under US$600, which is actually a very good price for the quality of the glass that you’re getting.

Remember that lenses are an investment. High-quality lenses aren’t always thousands and thousands of dollars (although, if you can afford it, there are definitely some pretty amazing lenses you can get in that price range), but it’s most important to choose what will work best for your needs and your budget.

4. Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM

The Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM is one of my favourite prime lenses. It’s compact, lightweight nature makes it a highly transportable item.

This lens is ideal for short or long-term travel due to its small size and weight. It’s so easy to carry around or pack into a bag without much fuss, and it’s a versatile lens to keep in your camera bag as a helpful go-to for any given situation.

Now, you may have noticed that this is a Canon EF 50mm lens and not an EF-S like all the others on this list. Take note – this is important!

When you put an EF lens on a crop sensor camera body like the Canon EOS 80D, the focal length changes by multiplying 1:6 for Canon lenses.

This is called the crop factor. It happens whenever you’re putting a full-frame lens on a crop-sensor body, so be very mindful of how that focal length change is going to affect your photography.

So, when you put the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM lens on a crop-sensor body like the Canon EOS 80D, it gives you a field of view more akin to an 80mm lens.

It’s important to be aware that, while you CAN use full-frame lenses on crop-sensor bodies, you CANNOT use crop-sensor lenses on full-frame bodies. Full-frame cameras should only use full-frame lenses.

This is because a crop-sensor body like that of the Canon 80D has a sensor sized at 24mm, while a full-frame sensor is normally 35mm. A full frame-sensor lens can fit onto a crop sensor camera, but the opposite does not work and is not recommended.

If you can remember that and the crop factor (1:6 for Canon), you now have the ability to choose between both EF and EF-S lenses for your Canon 80D.

A fast prime lens like the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM is considered an essential by many. “Fast glass” means you have a shallower maximum aperture and can use that to shoot in darker conditions or to create cool effects like bokeh.

An f/1.8 lens with an 80mm field of view is amazing for portraiture. But since primes often have faster AF abilities, this lens can also be used for high-speed action shots, for example.

For only a few hundred dollars, this incredible little lens can fit nearly any budget or bag, and be used in nearly every scenario – from low-light conditions to action to portraiture.

With excellent image quality, fast AF, and a lightweight body, this prime lens ranks easily among the best lenses for Canon 80D.

5. Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM

The Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM is an incredible telephoto zoom lens. It’s portable and has a reasonably low price tag for what it offers.

The faster, quiet autofocus is a feature we’ve seen to be a must with all great lenses but the compact, lightweight nature of this lens is what makes it particularly appealing.

You can shoot handheld from a far distance without it feeling overly heavy of awkward, which is why it makes for a great travel option.

The amazing optical image stabilizer further supports its handheld capabilities. It can stabilize up to 3.5 stops, though beyond 1/40-1/60 shutter speeds, it does not perform quite as well.

You can counteract this by setting the image stabilization strength to “Faster” in the settings.

You can also use this 55-250mm f/4-5.6 lens for telephoto macro photography. It’s always nice to keep multifunctional lenses and gear on-hand because you can shoot more creatively without carrying as much equipment and weight around.

As a seasoned photographer, it’s definitely a priority to travel lightly to save your back.

The zoom ratio and ultra-telephoto abilities of the Canon 55-250mm f/4-5.6 are especially helpful features.

Canon’s STM stepping motor is almost completely silent, so you’re not limited as to what you can shoot. It’s also a big help when shooting video.

It also allows you to transition from large bokeh to clear quite quickly, which is especially helpful in cinematography.

The rear-focusing system of the Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 allows you to achieve the closest shooting distance of 85cm.

We suggest this lens for those with a lower budget and desire for a versatile, portable lens to keep in their camera bag.

It can shoot nearly anything and is one of the best, affordable lenses that you can pair with the Canon 80D.

• What lenses are compatible with Canon 80D?

All Canon EF and EF-S lenses are compatible with the Canon 80D. You can even find EF mount adapters and use a non-Canon lens.

The EF-M lenses, on the other hand, won’t work.

Final Words

If you’re in the early days of your photography journey, you’re probably interested in upgrading from your kit lens to something a little meatier.

And even if you’re a seasoned pro with a Canon 60D floating around in your kit – having the right lenses still makes all the difference.

In this list, we’ve covered off on a number of zoom and prime lenses for the EOS 80D that will surely prove worthwhile investments – and that will no doubt help to improve your photography game. Enjoy!