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If you happen to still own a Canon T3i camera, it’s likely that you’re using the standard 18-55IS II and the 55-250IS II Kit lenses that were provided with it.
Now, if you’re in the market for compatible lenses for your T3i, it’s probably because you want to expand your photography capabilities. You might be interested in taking super close-up macro shots, capturing wide landscapes, or achieving things that your current lenses simply can’t do.
Even if you’re unsure about whether upgrading from your kit lenses is worth it, let me assure you that it definitely is.
To curate a list of the best lenses for Canon T3i, I embarked on a comprehensive evaluation of numerous lenses, categorizing them based on their specialties.
| Image | Product Name | Editor's Rating | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 | Check Price | |
 | Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L | Check Price | |
 | Canon EF-S 24mm f/2.8 | Check Price | |
 | Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 | Check Price | |
 | Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 | Check Price |
Best Lens for Canon T3i Reviews
Through extensive research and consideration of feedback from professional photographers, I’ve handpicked the finest lens for each category. All of these lenses excel in their respective fields and have proven themselves to be outstanding performers without any significant drawbacks.
1. Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8
The Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM lens represents a notable upgrade over the standard EF-S zoom lens.
One of its key features is the wider aperture range, which is compatible with select Canon models, including the Rebel T3i.
Durability and shock absorption are standout qualities of the Canon 17-55mm lens.
Moreover, it is designed for ease of use, with a perfect length and well-placed buttons that make handling a breeze. No more stretching your fingers or struggling to change focus.
The lens boasts quick and efficient autofocus, allowing you to effortlessly focus on moving subjects without any issues in shifting focus.
One particularly appealing aspect is the ability to manually adjust focus using the ring even while the lens is set to autofocus mode.
When it comes to image quality, the Canon 17-55mm lens significantly outperforms the lower variant, the 18-55mm.
Thanks to its image stabilization (IS), it effectively minimizes jerks and bounces, resulting in sharper and more professional-looking images.
The star of the show is its impressive f/2.8 aperture, which produces excellent bokeh and background blur, adding a touch of artistry to your shots.
An added benefit is that the aperture remains constant even at the highest 55mm focal length, providing a significant advantage.
The image quality is nothing short of spellbinding, making this lens a fantastic option for commercial use as well.
Its versatility allows you to capture images at different focal lengths and angles, making it an ideal choice for professionals seeking a versatile lens for portraits, real estate, and landscape photography.
For those who already own the standard 18-55mm kit lens that comes with the camera, the 17-55mm lens is a significant upgrade in terms of depth and image quality.
With its better aperture range and sharper performance, it’s especially useful for professionals looking to replace their 18-55mm lens. However, for those who are content with the 18-55mm lens, it remains a solid option.
2. Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L
The Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM Ultra Wide Angle Zoom Lens is a high-quality lens designed for Canon SLR Cameras. Its 17-40mm focal length range and f/4 maximum aperture make it an excellent choice for those seeking an ultra-wide-angle zoom capability. With a diagonal angle of view spanning from 104° to 57° 30′, this lens is perfect for capturing expansive landscapes and creative perspectives.
The lens incorporates advanced optical elements, including three aspherical lens elements and a super UD glass element, resulting in superior image quality across various shooting conditions. It performs exceptionally well in minimizing distortion and aberrations, ensuring crisp and clear images.
One of its standout features is the powerful ring-type Ultrasonic Monitor (USM) autofocus system, delivering fast and silent autofocusing performance. This allows photographers to capture quick-moving subjects with ease. Additionally, the lens boasts a close focusing distance of 0.9 feet, making it versatile for close-up shots.
The EF 17-40mm f/4L USM lens supports 77mm screw-in filters or up to three gel filters, enhancing creative possibilities and allowing photographers to experiment with different visual effects.
Its rugged and weather-resistant construction adds to its appeal, making it suitable for various shooting environments, including wedding and nature photography where unpredictable weather conditions may arise.
Measuring just 3.3 inches in diameter, the lens is relatively compact and easy to carry around, providing convenience for on-the-go photographers.
To further sweeten the deal, Canon offers a 1-year warranty for this product, giving users peace of mind regarding its durability and performance.
For those looking to protect their investment, purchasing the lens between May 1, 2016, and July 30, 2016, offers an additional benefit of 13 months of free damage protection from Canon, provided the product is registered within 30 days of purchase.
In summary, the Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM Ultra Wide Angle Zoom Lens is a reliable and versatile option for photographers seeking stunning wide-angle shots and exceptional image quality in a variety of shooting scenarios. Its combination of excellent optics, silent autofocus, and weather-resistant construction makes it a worthy addition to any photographer’s kit.
3. Canon EF-S 24mm f/2.8
The Canon EF-S 24mm f/2.8 STM lens is an impressively lightweight pancake lens, weighing in at just 125 grams, and offers a convenient 38mm focal length, making it an ideal match for Canon’s APS-C DSLRs.
Its slim and sleek design enhances the overall experience of using this fixed lens, and being the lightest lens in Canon’s lineup, it’s incredibly easy to handle. The rubberized ring adds to its comfort and usability.
However, it’s worth noting that due to its wider angle, this lens tends to focus more on subjects closer to the camera rather than the background. This can result in certain distortions, especially evident when capturing headshots at close range, where the subject’s nose may appear larger compared to the rest of their face.
If you’re primarily looking for the best Canon Rebel T3i lenses for portraits, particularly to capture headshots, you might want to consider other options.
The lens does offer autofocus functionality, which is quick and accurate, even in varying lighting conditions. Fortunately, there were no noticeable issues with ghosting or chromatic aberration in my testing.
For portrait photographers seeking a different perspective to experiment with, the Canon 24mm f/2.8 STM lens does provide some valuable advantages.
However, it does have a few downsides, such as a narrow focusing ring that can be frustrating to use, particularly when trying to set the focus at infinity. The lack of hard stops at both ends of the focusing range contributes to this issue.
Despite these drawbacks, the Canon EF-S 24mm f/2.8 STM lens remains a great value for money, offering significant advantages for portrait photography. It can be a worthwhile addition to your kit, especially if you’re interested in exploring different perspectives and creative compositions in your portrait work.
4. Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6
The EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM lens is a high-performance option designed for professional use, particularly ideal for Canon EOS DSLR cameras.
With its easy-to-carry design, this lens offers great portability without compromising on sturdiness and build quality. It has a retro look, complete with focusing indices to aid in achieving better shots.
The Canon 28-135mm lens features a firm grip and a pleasing design, contributing to its overall performance.
The autofocus works flawlessly, both in manual and auto mode, thanks to the advanced ultrasonic motor, which enables high-speed focusing, making it capable of capturing precise images of fast-moving subjects.
However, it’s worth noting that at the higher ends of the focal length (100-135mm), some distortion issues may be observed, requiring correction during post-production.
The lens comes equipped with an image stabilizer, effectively minimizing camera shake in handheld photography, allowing for sharp images even in low-light conditions.
The image quality of the Canon EF 28-135mm is reasonably sharp, with effective vignette control at the mid-level. Additionally, it produces a wonderful bokeh effect, enhancing the aesthetics of the images.
On the downside, there is slight chromatic aberration at the ends of the focal length, which might require some post-processing correction.
Despite its flaws, the Canon 28-135mm lens is an excellent choice for its versatility and zooming capabilities. It proves to be a one-stop solution for various photography genres, including portraits, weddings, sports, and events.
If you’re a professional photographer seeking a lens that offers a wide range of options at an attractive price point, the EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM lens is one of the best choices available for the Canon Rebel T3i, meeting your diverse photography needs with remarkable performance and versatility.
5. Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5
The Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM SLR Lens is a remarkable wide-angle zoom lens designed specifically for EOS digital SLR cameras. With its 10-22mm focal length range and f/3.5-4.5 maximum aperture, this lens is perfect for capturing breathtaking wide-angle shots, making it an excellent choice for landscape, architecture, and interior photography.
One of its standout features is the superior autofocus performance and speed, ensuring quick and precise focusing, while the full-time manual focus option allows for precise adjustments with a simple turn of the ring.
The lens offers close focusing capabilities, allowing you to capture subjects as small as 3.6 x 5.4 inches, filling the frame with incredible detail and providing a fresh perspective to your photography.
The circular aperture design of the lens produces natural and pleasing highlights in the out-of-focus areas, contributing to the overall aesthetic appeal of your images.
Constructed with high-quality materials, the Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM SLR Lens is built to last and withstand the demands of professional use. Its compact and lightweight design adds to its portability, making it a great companion for travel and outdoor photography.
Additionally, Canon backs this lens with a 1-year warranty, providing peace of mind regarding its performance and durability.
In summary, the Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM SLR Lens is a highly capable and versatile option for EOS digital SLR cameras. Its impressive wide-angle range, superior autofocus, and close focusing abilities make it a perfect choice for photographers seeking to capture stunning landscapes and dynamic interior shots. Whether you’re a professional or an enthusiast, this lens is sure to elevate your photography to new heights with its exceptional performance and creative possibilities.
Final Verdict
In conclusion, investing in a good variety of lenses can significantly enhance the versatility of your Canon Rebel T3i. With different lenses at your disposal, you can explore various approaches to composition, lighting, mood, field-of-view, and more, allowing you to capture a wide range of subjects with creative flair.
Now that you’ve come this far and gained insights into the different lens options available, you should have a clearer idea of which lens or lenses suit your specific photography needs.
I trust that this information has helped clarify any confusion you might have had, and you are now well-equipped to choose the best lens for your Canon T3i.
If you ever wish to explore other camera options or delve into various photography topics, there are plenty of articles on this website offering valuable insights and recommendations.
So, feel free to explore further and expand your photography knowledge. With the right lenses and a passion for capturing the world through your lens, you’re bound to take your photography to new heights. Happy shooting!