Last updated on June 1st, 2022
Have a Canon camera and planning to travel soon? Wherever you’re going, you need the right lenses to capture those subtle memories or epic moments. In this post, we cover the best Canon travel lenses to make sure you get that shot right the first time.
Different lenses suit different genres or situations of photography. For example, wide-angle lenses are great for landscapes and cityscapes, while telephoto lenses are better for wildlife photography. For more information, read our beginner’s guide to buying a camera lens.
Editor’s Pick: Best Canon Travel Lens Kit
Canon EOS 6D Mark II EF 24-105mm f/4L IS II USM Kit
Why you’ll like it:
- Full-frame image sensor for excellent image quality
- Camera body and lens are both weather-sealed
- L-Series lenses are Canon’s flagship lenses
- Lens is great for landscapes and mid-range zooming
- Built-in GPS allows image location tagging on Lightroom’s Map Module
Best Canon Full-Frame DSLR EF Travel Lenses
1. Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS II USM
The Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS II USM lens provides an excellent optical performance that goes well with full-frame Canon DSLR cameras. It’s durable and compact, and you can expect superb results with this.
It has a zoom range of 24mm wide-angle to 105mm mid-telephoto and contains a constant f/4 aperture. This lens is perfect for several shooting scenarios. For sports, landscapes, portraits, and many more.
It features Air Sphere Coatings (ASC) that help reduce ghosting, flare, and reflections. It also has a 10-blade, circular aperture that provides excellent control over background blur, generating meaningful photos.
This lens can handle the harshest conditions. The lens mount, switch panel, and zoom and focus rings are dust and water-resistant, which helps prevent interruptions during operations.
It comes with an improved Image Stabilizer system that provides a shake reduction of up to 4 stops of shutter speeds, improving handheld performance and better detail in challenging light or with lower ISOs.
With the new IS system, this minimizes the need to use a tripod.
Pros
- Has Air Sphere Coatings to reduce flare, ghosting, and reflections
- An impressive Image Stabilization
- A constant f/4 aperture
Cons
- Visible distortion
- Lowered sharpness at longer lengths
2. Tamron 35-150mm f/2.8-4 Di VC OSD
The Tamron 35-150mm f/2.8-4 Di VC OSD allows you to focus on various portrait compositions without changing your lenses. It’s equipped with vibration compensation (VC) to reduce camera shake and is equivalent to 5 stops, and this is useful when shooting in places with inadequate lights without using flash.
The lens has a zoom ratio of 4.3x. It has a focal length that ranges from 35mm at the wide end to 150mm at the telephoto end, offering an f/2.8 and f/4 aperture, respectively. Tamron provides a balanced MTF performance across the zoom range to achieve optimal performance.
It is moisture-resistant and has a fluorine coating to provide extra protection, mainly when used outside. It also has a Broad-Band Anti-Reflection that significantly reduces flare and ghosting that may happen under backlight conditions.
Pros
- Protects against harsh weather
- VC prevents camera shake
- Fluorine coating for easier cleaning
Cons
- Widest zoom is not that wide
- Uses an older AF technology
3. Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM
The Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM is the latest addition to the L-Series of EF optics. It raises the bar of professional zoom lenses with the help of its high-end performance, durability, and optics.
It comes with a standard zoom lens and showcases a maximum f/2.8 aperture along its focal length. It uses 1 Super UD and 2 UD lens elements to help with chromatic aberration and reduce color blurring along with the subject.
There are two types of aspherical lenses that reduce spherical aberration over the image and the entire zoom range. It made use of lens coating to provide a remarkable color balance while reducing ghosting. The lens has a circular 9-blade diaphragm that provides a beautiful background for your photos.
The lens has a fluorine coating to prevent dirt on the surface and comes with improved dust sealing and water resistance. A zoom lock lever holds the zoom position while you are on the move.
Pros
- Constant f/2.8 aperture
- Easy to use
- Reduced aberrations
Cons
- No image stabilization
4. Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2
The Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2 intends to maximize the capability of the new high-pixel-density cameras while maintaining the best quality of the images.
It has an eBAND (Extended Bandwidth & Angular-Dependency) Coating, along with Tamron’s BBAR (BroadBand Anti-Reflection), that counters ghosting and flare, making it ideal for backlit photography. The Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2 provides the highest vibration compensation available for its level.
The lens contains:
• Seventeen glass elements in twelve groups, including 2 XR (Extra Refractive Index) preventing optical aberrations
• 3 LD (Low Dispersion) to reduce axial chromatic aberrations and chromatic aberrations
• 3 GM (Glass-molded) aspherical elements
• One hybrid aspherical lens that overcomes spherical aberrations and distortions to achieve an excellent image quality
This is a perfect choice for outdoor travel photography as it is coated with fluorine and is moisture-resistant. There is also a built-in lock in the lens hood to provide additional protection.
Pros
- Reduces ghosting and flare
- Fluorine coating and is moisture-resistant
- Versatile camera lens
Cons
- Edge sharpness lowers at 70mm
5. Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM Art
This lens offers functions and features that help photographers in several fields of photography. It includes a dynamic optical stabilizer function, a build that is dust- and splash-proof equipped with rubber sealing, hypersonic motor (HSM) for autofocus, etc. It also features SIGMA’s latest software and its most advanced mechanical systems.
SIGMA showcases its lens into three product lines: Art, Contemporary, and Sports. The Art lens helps portray a unique artistic expression through a high-standard rendering, ideal for landscapes, portraits, casual shots, and many more. It also features a lens specializing in exacting detail for those who choose consistent resolution with a maximum f/2.8 aperture.
The Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM Art sports a large-diameter standard zoom perfect for ultra-high-megapixel Canon cameras. It also has a 9-blade rounded diaphragm that generates a blur on the unfocused areas of the image.
The lens, coated with Sigma’s Super Multi-Layer, helps reduce flare and ghosting to produce beautiful images even in backlit conditions.
Pros
- Quick autofocus feature
- Super Multi-Layer to prevent flare and ghosting
- Image stabilization
Cons
- Does not have any form of weather resistance
Best Canon APS-C EF-S Travel Lenses
1. Tamron 18-400mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC HLD
The Tamron 18-400mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC HLD is the world’s first ultra-telephoto all-in-one zoom lens in the APS-C format. It made an impact on the industry by creating something lightweight and compact for day-to-day use.
It comes with a focal range of 18-400mm and 22.2x zoom, from wide-angle to ultra-telephoto. It has an ultra-telephoto range of 620mm in the 35mm format and makes it easy for the user to photograph people playing sports and animals. It also provides perspective-flattening effects while bringing your subjects nearer. It gives the user a maximum magnification ratio of 1:2.9, which lets the user enjoy tele-macro photography.
The Tamron 18-400mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC HLD is moisture-resistant, making it easy to take photos while traveling near bodies of water. It allows users to quickly shoot landscapes, intricate details of animals, cities, flowers, people, and many more with just a single lens.
Pros
- Impressive focal range
- All-in-one Canon APS-C travel lens
- Moisture-resistant
Cons
- Light intensity decreases when zooming in
- Barrel distortion is prominent at the lowest focal length
2. Tamron 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC
The Tamron 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC is made especially for capturing everyday life. It’s a lightweight but high-quality lens and is perfect for beginners, or anyone interested in upgrading their travel lens gear.
The lens weighs 14.1oz, and it is the world’s lightest zoom less in its class. This lens covers focal lengths from 18 to 200mm, allowing users to take excellent shots in various situations. It’s equipped with the zoom range necessary for your everyday images, showing its flexibility when taking group photos or making faraway things appear closer.
The Tamron 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC showcases features like vibration compensation (VC) that prevents camera shake and stabilizes your photos, and has a high-performance autofocus (AF) drive module that gives faster and more precise shots.
It has a moisture-resistant construction for outdoor shots. This build would help protect the lens even in harsh weather, but you cannot use it underwater or in heavy rain.
Pros
- Convenient to use
- Moisture-resistant
- Impressive autofocus system
Cons
- Variable aperture
- Prone to ghosting and flare
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 an entirely ideal lens for creative photography. It contains advanced technology that is beneficial to its flexible zoom range. It has an autofocus system that offers smooth AF transitions and delivers high-speed AF. It also has a full-time manual focus feature when using one-shot AF.
The camera lens can focus quickly, which can be advantageous for action photography and travel photography. It can concentrate 2.5 times faster at the wide end and 4.3 times quicker at the telephoto end.
Its image stabilizer has been improved from 3.5 stops to 4 stops, resulting in more incredible performance under challenging conditions.
Whether in a low-light area or any other challenging situation, the lens has an IS that promises to produce clear and sharp results. Its dynamic IS reduces camera shake when recording, even when it’s in motion.
Pros
- Quick autofocus system
- Image stabilization
- Zoom range is flexible
Cons
- A bit of distortion is visible
Best Canon RF Travel Lenses
1. Canon RF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM Lens
The Canon RF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM is a flexible lens accompanied by its zoom range containing wide-angle, standard, and telephoto with a sleek design. It’s helpful in various travel situations as its versatility shows with a turn of the zoom ring.
It contains a constant maximum aperture of f/4. There is a 9-blade circular that provides beautiful backgrounds for your photos. It also offers 5 stops for its image stabilization. The first L series lens features a speedy NANO USM, making it easy to capture images as it minimizes camera shake and allows full-time manual focus when in AF mode.
The Canon RF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM comes with a weather-resistant coat to protect itself against moisture and dust, especially in harsh weather. There is also a Super Spectra coating on the lens to suppress ghosting and flare to improve images under challenging lighting conditions.
Pros
- Built with a consistent f/4 aperture
- Weather-resistant coat
- Image stabilization up to 5 stops
- Super Spectra coating to reduce ghosting and flare
Cons
- Shows considerable distortion
- Heavy vignette
2. Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS USM
The Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM is an all-around wide-angle to portrait-length lens known for its advanced design. It has a fixed f/2.8 maximum aperture across its focal length, which sustains a steady illumination throughout its zoom range, making it ideal in low-light situations and offering selective focus techniques by enabling more control over the depth of field.
It utilizes an Air Sphere Coating to minimize ghosting and flare when under solid lighting and contains a 9-blade circular diaphragm for beautiful image backgrounds.
The Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS USM has a protective fluorine coating on the front and rear lens areas to minimize fingerprints and smudges, making it a whole lot easier to clean the lens. It also sports a weather-resistant design to protect itself against dust and moisture, especially in harsh weather. The zoom lock lever keeps the zoom position at the wide end in place to ensure it’s safe while traveling.
Pros
- Maintains a constant f/2.8 aperture
- An all-around camera lens
- Air Sphere Coating to combat ghosting and flare
- Image Stabilization
Cons
- Expensive
3. Canon RF 24-240mm f/4-6.3 IS USM
The Canon RF 24-240mm f/4-6.3 IS USM is a lens that is perfect for almost any situation, from everyday photography to travel photography, at a low price compared to Canon L lenses.
It accommodates a 10x zoom range combined with an Optical Image Stabilizer that offers up to five stops that effectively reduces camera shake for sharper and more precise shots. It also has a focal range of 24-240mm that covers subjects at admirable degrees.
The lens has a minimum focusing distance of 1.64 ft for the wide-angle and 2.56 ft for the telephoto. It has a maximum magnification of 0.26x that allows detailed shots at any distance.
The RF 24-240mm f/4-6.3 IS USM is Canon’s first lens built with a dynamic image stabilizer. This system is a big help when recording videos as it provides more stability while moving. It also has a Nano USM system that provides a silent and accurate focus to suit the shots. This system also has a full-time manual focus option when working in the one-shot AF mode.
Pros
- A flexible camera lens for any situation
- Has a lot of zoom power
- Easy to travel with
Cons
- Doesn’t include a lens hood for protection and flaring
- Slower autofocus performance compared to pricier lenses
4. Canon RF 24-105mm f/4-7.1 IS STM
The Canon RF 24-105mm F4-7.1 IS STM lens is an all-around camera lens with an impressive zoom range that handles wide-angle to short telephoto focal lengths that aid several shooting conditions. It produces high-quality images, allowing photographers to enjoy creative shooting with this lens alone.
It consists of a maximum magnification ratio of 0.5x that utilizes Center Macro Focus, letting users take photos of subjects as close as an inch away. The lens contains an aperture range from f/4 to f/7.1 and an Optical Image Stabilizer that minimizes the camera shake of up to 5 stops and produces clear images.
The RF 24-105mm f/4-7.1 IS STM lens contains an STM motor that gives smooth autofocus and full-time manual focus, perfect for still shots and video recordings. Together with a high-speed Dual Pixel autofocus system, it can record subjects that are moving at high speed with impressive accuracy.
Pros
- Provides plenty of range
- Macro feature that lets you capture near subjects
- Optical image stabilizer up to 5 stops
Cons
- Does not include a lens hood
- No weather sealing
Best Canon EF-M Travel Lens – Canon 18-150mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM
The Canon EF-M 18-150mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM is a handy travel lens that provides many features. It is known as the all-in-one lens for Canon EOS M cameras.
It has an equivalent focal length range of 28.8-240mm that covers from wide-angle to telephoto and provides an 8.3x optical zoom. It also has a maximum magnification of 0.31x with a minimum focusing distance of 9.8″.
This camera lens has an Image Stabilizer with up to 4 stops, which reduces the development of a camera shake. Suppose you are using this with the EOS M5 camera. In that case, you can opt to use Combination IS, which utilizes camera-based and lens-based IS to improve stabilization when shooting your videos.
An STM stepping AF motor is applied to ensure smooth and near-silent performance when taking videos. A panning feature is also available with the EOS M5 camera for more stability when taking photos of moving subjects.
Pros
- Ideal travel lens for every occasion
- Keeps your photos and videos smooth and steady with the STM system
- Allows near-silent recording for your videos
Cons
- Light intensity decreases when zooming in as it doesn’t have a fixed aperture
Conclusion
There are many lenses available for travel photography. Some are niche-specific, while other lenses offer an almost all-in-one solution. Likely, with a high market share, several Canon lenses for travel are available, including reputable, third-party brands like Sigma and Tamron that can keep your costs down.
Generally, you don’t want to travel with more than 2 lenses because your journey will become cumbersome with gear. That’s why an all-in-one travel lens is beneficial, but it comes at the cost of zoom range or quality glass.
And of course, if you’re a professional travel photographer, then you may have to bring more lenses on your travels.
Whatever type of travel photography you are doing, you can’t go wrong with our list of the best Canon travel lenses.
