Canon lens deciphering

Jon0807

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Ok here's my noob question. I realize that EF is the type of mount for canon, but what does the "S" mean in EF-S and what does the L mean. Primarily what's the difference between EF, EF-S and L other than price? IS and USM was easy to decipher but I'm having trouble with this :scratch:
 
From what I understand, you're right it does have to do with the mount. The standard canon mount is the EF mount and the EF-S is an extension of that. The EF-S lenses only work with a 1.6X smaller sensor. I can't use it on my canon 5D, but I can use the EF. And "L" stands for Luxury lens! Hope that is helpful.
 
From what I understand, you're right it does have to do with the mount. The standard canon mount is the EF mount and the EF-S is an extension of that. The EF-S lenses only work with a 1.6X smaller sensor. I can't use it on my canon 5D, but I can use the EF. And "L" stands for Luxury lens! Hope that is helpful.

Yeppers, you are correct. EF-S lenses are made for the smaller APS sized sensors, whereas the EF lenses are made for both APS sized and also normal sized sensors and film. L stands for Luxury which are the professional series of lenses from Canon.
 
Wow very interesting! So my 40D is compatible with both EF and EF-S and has the ASP-C sensor. And if I ever decide to upgrade my body I won't be able to use my EF-S lens? Good to know. I do have 1 EF-S lens but I"ll be sure to stick with EF and L's from now on.
 
Wow very interesting! So my 40D is compatible with both EF and EF-S and has the ASP-C sensor. And if I ever decide to upgrade my body I won't be able to use my EF-S lens? Good to know. I do have 1 EF-S lens but I"ll be sure to stick with EF and L's from now on.

Be careful with L lenses, they tend to be addicting! ;)
 
at $1800+ each I don't think I'd be able to feed that addiction lol
 
I dont know much about this(nikonian here) but my friend just upgraded from an Xti to a Mark1 (i think), it has 4.1 megapixels and shoots 8 fps and is pretty old. He got it off another forum for like 650. Anyways, he was sayin that he cant use all of his lenses he used with his rebel with this new camera for the same EF/Ef-S thing.
 
I thought L stood for low dispersion glass...

Luxury, by the way would be something you do not need, and which you only buy to show off or since you can afford it.

L lenses however have many useful features, and for some, even crucial features. so I would not call them luxury.
 
I thought L stood for low dispersion glass...

Luxury, by the way would be something you do not need, and which you only buy to show off or since you can afford it.

L lenses however have many useful features, and for some, even crucial features. so I would not call them luxury.

the-digital-picture.com said:
Some say L stands for "Low Distortion" - achieved by the UD lens elements found in these lenses. But, the true answer is probably the one in Canon's Lens Work III Book - "L" is for "Luxury".

:)
 

I feel so sorry for the-digital-picture.com ;) ...
UD even stands for ultra-low dispersion ...reducing CA. Some L glass has quite a lot distortion still, at least some of the zooms ;)
 
I would expect it on the zooms, but how much it is controlled is the key. I think it is much more controlled than in non-L glass. We all know the beauty of primes, but for the convenience of zooms we tend to give a little slack. :)
 
who operates the-digital-picture.com anyway? i always seemed to be a strange site to me.
 
who operates the-digital-picture.com anyway? i always seemed to be a strange site to me.

I don't know. Their reviews always matched up with others like photozone.de for the most part, and when I shot Canon I always found it more appealing. Maybe it just someone who compiles reviews from the net or something. I don't go there nearly as much now since I don't shoot Canon anymore.
 

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