The Best Lenses for Canon Rebel T6 to Breathe a New Life into the Camera
There is a common misconception in the camera industry that just because you have spent money on an affordable camera, you will have to pair it with an affordable lens, and using anything will not get the job done. That is not true, at all.
You see, an affordable camera like the Canon Rebel T6 can be a beast of a camera when you combine it with the right lens and you will be able to take professional-level pictures without spending money on professional equipment.
With that said, the best lens for Canon Rebel T6 would be my personal favorite Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8. Why? Well, aside from the fact that it is made specifically for crop sensors, the zoom capabilities and fixed f/1.8 aperture makes it one of the best lenses for videos, portrait, and even landscape photography. This is the one lens to rule them all whenever you are looking at affordable options.
Best Lenses For Canon Rebel T6
Sigma 18-35mm – The Best Overall Lens
The Sigma 18-35mm remains one of the best lenses for all APS-C cameras and is an excellent all rounder.
It will be honest here, the reason why this lens is included in this round-up is simple. I wanted to be sure that you are getting a lens that delivers the sharpness and aperture of a prime lens but without being a prime lens. Yes, it does sound strange but hears me out.
Sigma’s Art series of lenses have always been amazing and the 18-35mm is no different either. This is specifically made for APS-C cameras and while you can use this lens on full-frame cameras as well, you will have to put the camera in the crop mode and that is not fun.
With that said, the great thing about this lens is that it remains sharp across the range and that is honestly one of my favorite things about this lens. But wait, there is more. For starters, you are getting one of the widest apertures in a zoom lens, and that makes taking pictures and videos so much fun.
Sigma has done a great job with the pricing on this lens, too. Sure, it started as an expensive, high-end lens but over the years, the price adjusted and now you can easily pick it up. Another thing that I love about this lens is that it uses an internal zoom mechanism. This means that the lens body does not physically move when you are zooming in or out.
Although I would go out on a limb and call this lens, there are a few things that I believe people need to know. The lens is on the larger side, and while it is not as big as some of the other zoom lenses, it does carry a substantial to itself and I have noticed that to get the perfect autofocusing, you need to calibrate this lens using the Sigma dock.
Overall, the Sigma 18-35mm is a prime example of how if a company wants to innovate and truly build something unique, it can. It is safe to say that I love this lens and that is why I have also featured it when I was reviewing the best walk-around lenses for Canon cameras.
Canon 24mm – Best Lens for Wide-Angle Photography
If you want a good lens for wide-angle photography, the Canon 24mm is a great lens that gets the job done.
One of the things that I love about Canon and have talked about it before is that they are very versatile with their lenses. The company happily supports other cameras in their lineup and often releases lenses that are specifically for them.
The Canon 24mm f/2.8 is just that, a lens that is made for Canon’s EF-S lens mount system and allows you to have a great overall experience. Granted, on crop sensor cameras, the effective focal length of this lens will be 38.4mm but even that is still really good for taking wide-angle pictures.
With that said, the lens remains sharp but that should not come in the way. The native Canon prime lenses have always been amazing with their sharpness and most of the time, it is not even about the price, to begin with. The f/2.8 aperture also helps with the overall sharpness of the lens, so it’s a good thing.
Now, the lens itself is super compact and small, so much so that you can put it in your jacket’s pocket as well. I am saying this because I have tried. I would just advise that you cover the front and the mount of the lens so there is no damage done, either.
You are also getting a really beautiful wide-angle field of view, making this lens suitable for the majority of photography jobs. I can even go out on a limb and say that you can shoot videos with this lens, so if you have some vlogging fever, go ahead with it.
Have a look at best Nikon lenses for video that I reviewed in the previous post.
Last but not the least, the silent STM motor is perhaps one of my favorite things on this lens. I first witnessed the motor on the Canon 50mm and ever since that, I have been a fan of this. It is quiet, fast, and just gets the work done.
The only problem here is that the manual focusing on this lens is not as good and while that is not going to cause issues for a lot of people since they use autofocus if you do want manual focusing, you will have to fiddle around to perfect it.
In conclusion, Canon knocks it out of the park with the Canon 24mm f/2.8. It is sharp, compact, and one of the most affordable prime lenses in the market. Not to mention, it is built specifically for your APS-C cameras, so the results are always going to be amazing.
Canon 50mm f/1.4 – The Best Lens for Canon Rebel T6 for Portraits
The Canon 50mm f/1.4 works really well for portraits as well as every other tasks that you might need to get done.
We all are familiar with Canon’s nifty fifty, the 50mm f/1.8 lens as that is one of the most popular, or maybe the most popular Canon lenses in the market. But what people often forget is that Canon has an elder sibling to that lens is, it follows the same focal length but delivers an f/1.4 aperture, making it even brighter.
The Canon 50mm f/1.4 is a great lens in every way. But before you go ahead and pick it up for your Rebel T6, I have to tell you that on an APS-C camera, this lens will have a focal length of 80mm. Which is close to the telephoto beast 85mm lens that Canon also sells.
While the added focal length due to the crop factor is not a problem, you just won’t be as flexible as the distance because 80mm is very up close and personal. Still, that does not take away from what an amazing lens this is.
For starters, you are getting one of the sharpest lenses at f/1.4, and I understand that going higher than f/1.4 will result in even sharper pictures and I have tried. I took a picture of one of my watches at f/16 and that remains one of the sharpest pictures I have ever taken.
Another good thing here is that the lens offers an internal focus motor, so the body does not move either. The wide aperture also lets a ton of light in and while it might not be ideal for everyone, I believe having a wide aperture is always better since you can always be versatile and change the settings based on your requirements.
Last but not the least, this is still one of the more affordable lenses in the market, and I do understand that a lot of people would feel differently but when you compare the prices with the competition, things are going to become a lot more apparent.
My only issue here is that there is no vibration reduction and considering the price of the lens, having vibration reduction would have only helped, to be honest.
Overall, I would say that the Canon 50mm f/1.4 is one of the best lenses that you can get in the market. Regardless of the shooting conditions you are facing, the lens is going to work well, and the best part is that there are no complications that are going to come in the way, either.
Sigma 30mm – Best Lens for Landscape Photography
The Sigma 30mm is a great wide-angle lens that can be used for portraits, landscapes, and other photography types.
I do not think there ever needs to be a doubt that Sigma lenses are excellent in every single way. Sure, the company may have a history where they produced some lenses that were not as good but optically, the lenses have always delivered and we are all aware of that.
Now, the good news is that the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 is one of the best lenses in the market, and more importantly, it is from Sigma’s highly revered art series of lenses, and we are all aware of how good these lenses are, to begin with. But I am not just going to call it the best lens for canon rebel t6 for portraits and call it a day as there is more to it.
For starters, you are looking at one of the more compact lenses available in the market. This is always a big issue for most photographers, especially when you just want to be out in the open taking your best shots.
The lens also has a bright f/1.4 aperture that allows for some beautiful pictures to be taken and it becomes sharp when you stop down the aperture, which is always a good thing. The lens also offers a 0.3-meter close focus distance, and that just gives you the chance to get up close and personal with your subject.
The overall build quality of this lens is excellent, to say the least. Sigma has put proper thought into designing this lens and I am glad that it went that way.
There are a few apparent issues with the lens, though. For starters, there is some edge softness when you are looking at wider apertures, and some barrel distortion but nothing that will make your photography experience worse.
Overall, if you are looking for a good lens, I would wholeheartedly endorse the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 lens. I understand that for a lot of photographers, this lens would do the job just fine and will give some of the best results in terms of photography, as well.
Canon 50mm f/1.8 – Must-Have Prime Lens for Canon Cameras
The Canon 50mm f/1.8 is a quintessential prime lens that everyone should have as it is an exceptional lens overall and delivers great quality.
You did not think we would make a list of the best Canon lenses and exclude the nifty fifty or the fantastic plastic. The Canon 50mm f/1.8 might as well be the most popular lenses in Canon’s lineup and for all the right reasons. It is one of the cheapest prime lenses that they are making.
However, here, being cheap does not mean that you are going to have to compromise on the build quality of the lens or the optical quality, for that matter. Canon, through some magic, has made sure that this lens does not fall in both those categories.
Sure, the lens is mostly made out of plastic but it now has some nice upgrades such as a metal mount, as well as the STM focusing motor, which has become my favorite thing. However, there is so much more to love about this lens than just the visual changes.
For starters, you are looking at one of the sharpest lenses in the market at f/1.8, it is also one of the lightest lenses and compact, too. So, you can carry it wherever you want. You are also looking at a silent and smooth video focus, allowing you to easily shoot videos with this lens if you wish to.
The one thing that makes this lens so much better is the fact that it is one of the most affordable lenses available in the market. So, if you are just starting, getting your hands on this lens is the right thing to do as you will not be let down at all and the results are fantastic across the board.
With a lot to love about this lens, there are a few downsides that you will have to encounter, as well. For starters, the barrel distortion is there but at a modest rate, and in some cases, the focus can be slower.
However, I realized that after using this lens for some time that there is nothing wrong with the lens because as I have mentioned before, it is the cheapest lens available in the market, and you are going to get a good overall experience, too. The Canon 50mm f/1.8 is one of my top picks for a good lens.
Canon 85mm f/1.8 – The Best Telephoto Lens
The Canon 85mm works wonders when used the right way, and can take some stunning portraits.
If I tell you that this lens is older than I am, you might have a hard time believing it but that is true. Canon first introduced this lens back in 1992, a year before I was born, and ever since that, this lens has been a staple in their lineup and for all the right reasons.
You see, the 85mm focal length is considered to be one of the classic focal lengths for anyone who is looking to take portraits. Sure, you can take some nice portraits with a 50mm lens as well but it is the 85mm lens where things get really good as the lens allows you to get up close and personal with your subject.
So, what’s so good about this lens? Well, you are looking at one of the best portrait/telephoto lenses in the market, as well. Whether you are a photojournalist or a wedding photographer, or even someone who just likes to take pictures. This lens is for you.
Now, a lot of people asked me why I would suggest this lens for a crop sensor camera. You see, putting this lens on a crop sensor camera, you are getting a focal length of over 100mm, which is excellent for sports photography, as well as wildlife photography. Sure, you do not have to zoom capabilities but this lens nails in terms of the picture quality.
You are getting incredible sharpness through this lens and this lens has one of the best optical qualities, as well. This means that regardless of the type of pictures you are trying to take, this lens is not going to disappoint you at all.
My only downside is that this lens sometimes has a hard time fitting in. Especially with all the modern lenses and how they have been dominating the market.
But overall, I can happily tell you that the Canon 85mm f/1.8 is one of my favorite lenses that you can buy in the market. Sure, it looks old by today’s standards, but if you are after amazing-looking pictures and great optical quality, this best portrait lens for canon rebel t6 can be your best friend in no time.
Canon 24-70mm – Best Zoom Lens
The Canon 24-70mm is a great overall lens for standard zoom lens, it is sharp, works really well and delivers stunning results.
The 24-70mm focal length is the one focal length that is going to be included every time someone mentions the best lenses regardless of the camera manufacturer or the lens manufacturer, for that matter. That is why there are so many companies making this lens and for all the right reasons, too.
With that said, the Canon 24-70mm is one of my all-time favorites, and yes, I do understand that it is a standard zoom lens, and it has 38.4-112mm equivalent focal length on Canon APS-C cameras. However, that does not take away from the fact that it is incredibly versatile lenses that get nearly every job done and does so with great finesse as well.
However, this lens is not just good specifications as it has one of the best performances that you can think of in any lens. The optical quality is near to flawless on this lens, and it has one of the best flare resistances as well. You are also looking at fast, silent, and accurate autofocus, making this lens an excellent offering.
The lens is built like a tank, as well. It brings a good heft, and more importantly, it also offers pretty great weather-sealing, so you know that you are buying something that is actually worth the money, as well.
Sure, there are a few downsides like lack of image stabilization but overall, I would say that Canon has done an impressive job making this lens. This might as well be one of the more enthusiast-grade lenses but do not let that come in the way of how good it performs.
Canon 16-35mm – Best Lens for Urban and Street Photography
For urban photography, the Canon 16-35mm lens works wonders and does not hinder the experience at all.
We are finally on the last lens in this list and we are talking about another one of my favorite lenses from Canon. The 16-35mm and for me, this is where everyone should start whenever they are looking to get started with a good lens and a camera because this focal range gives you the taste of street and urban photography.
Sure, if you have something else in mind like going for something along the lines of portrait photography then we have you covered on that front, as well. With that said, there is a lot to love about the Canon 16-35mm and we are going to take a look at what makes this lens so good.
The lens is tack sharp across the entire field. You are getting excellent color correction that allows your pictures to look as good as you intended, and the autofocus on this lens is one of the best, too. It is fast and it is accurate every single time.
After spending some time with this lens, I have come to realize how important this lens is in any lineup and that is what makes this such an amazing option. You will not be let down whenever you have access to this lens as the results are amazing, to say the least.
I do not have a lot against this lens, to be honest. My only issue here is that the lens is on the heavier side and while that never bothered me, personally. I can tell you that a lot of people are not going to like the added heft of this lens. Overall, the great news is that if you are looking at a good Canon lens, the 15-35mm is a great lens that you can buy. It will deliver exceptional performance across the board, and the best part is that the lens does not create a lot of other issues for you in terms of performance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Conclusion
The Canon Rebel T6 is undoubtedly a hot camera in the market. Sure, it is one of the more affordable offerings but that does not take away from the fact that the camera is capable of delivering some pretty impressive pictures, and is not going to cost you a lot of money, either.
Pair this bad boy with a nice lens and you are all good to go. That is why in this list, we explored the best lenses that you can get for your Canon Rebel T6 and sate your inner shutterbug with some amazing pictures.