Canon® EOS-1Ds Mark III Digital Field Guide

Chapter 5. Making Smart Lens Choices

In This Chapter

• Canon lens system and terminology

• Prime versus zoom lenses

• L lenses versus standard lenses

• My ideal lens list

• Specialty lenses and accessories

Utilizing the improved 21.1 megapixel sensor, the Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III allows you to experience just how good, or not so good, various Canon lenses are. As has always been the case since the beginning of photography, the lens is as important an aspect of image quality as every other system component, if not more so. It's never just about the sensor and processors, or film stock, for that matter. For photographers using the EOS-1Ds Mark III, it's more important than ever to know which lenses work for you, as well as your clients, and to test them out before using them on a job or personal project.

Canon Lens System and Terminology

Canon currently manufactures and markets 56 full frame lenses, including two EF extenders. EF is short for Electronic Focus and signifies any lens with autofocus that fits in the EF mount introduced by Canon in 1987. Of those lenses, 26 are L (for luxury) lenses, the professional line. Depending on their particular discipline, I'd guess that photographers typically own three or more lenses. I currently own six L lenses and three EF lenses, and am also considering three more Ls. It never ends, unless you do only one type of shot or framing, which occasionally happens. Certainly the more types of jobs you do, the more lenses you'll find that you need.

Lens choices

There ...