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Pairing your Canon camera with the right lens allows you to shoot photos without additional adapters and vignette issues. The following EF-S vs EF lens guide helps you understand the differences between these mounts and which mount suits your camera best.
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Generally, Canon cameras come in two sensor sizes, the APS-C and the full-frame. The full-frame sensor measures 34mm x 36mm, like the traditional 35mm film, while the Canon APS-C sensor measures 22.3mm x 14.9mm.
Since the lens needs to be physically attached to the camera to allow light to reach the camera sensor, there are lenses designed for full-frame cameras and others for crop-factor cameras. Canon refers to lenses with a mount for crop-factor cameras as EF-S and lenses for full-frame cameras as EF lenses.
EF-S is an abbreviation for Electro-Focus short back focus, a lens mount launched by Canon in 2003. The image circle of Canon EF-S lens is designed to cover an APS-C sensor.
EF is an abbreviation for Electronic Focus, a lens mount launched by Canon in 1987. The image circle of an EF lens is designed to pair with a 35mm full-frame sensor.
Keeping in mind that both EF-S and EF lenses are high-quality lenses constructed by Canon for their DSLR cameras lineup, they are closely related with the following performance and versatility similarities and differences.
Although the difference in image circles between EF and EF-S makes them have weight and compatibility differences, both are high-quality lenses with the following design and performance similarities.
Keeping in mind that the two lenses are designed for different sensor sizes, they have the following size, construction quality, and compatibility differences.
Focal length is the distance between the camera sensor's center and the lens's center. The focal length determines the magnification, which is how large the elements in your photo are, and the angle of view (AOV), which is how much of a scene the camera can capture at a given time.
Since an EF-S lens is physically smaller than an EF lens, it captures a smaller scene than an EF lens at a given subject distance. The narrower field of view of the EF-S lens makes it have a higher magnification ratio, making the individual elements in the photo look larger.
For instance, if you're capturing an exterior photo of a real estate property from the backyard, you might capture the entire building with a zoomed-out effect using an EF lens and only a portion of the building with more zoomed-in details using an EF-S lens.
Zooming generally means changing the AOV to make it wider or narrower by adjusting the lens's focal length. Although both lenses might have the same zoom range, such as 18-140mm, EF lenses offer more zooming flexibility.
Typically, this is because the crop factor of an APS-C sensor in a Canon camera creates a magnification ratio of around 1.6x. That means if you have 18-140mm EF and EF-S units, the focal length of the EF-S lens will remain the same when paired with the crop-factor camera.
On the other hand, the EF lens will have a focal length range of 18-140mm when paired with a full-frame camera and an equivalent focal length range of 28.8-224mm when paired with a crop factor camera, offering better zoom flexibility depending on sensor size.
The weight of a lens is an important feature to consider, especially if you are shooting handheld. Although the weight of the lens might differ depending on the construction materials, the weight generally depends on the overall size.
Keeping in mind that the EF-S lens is designed to pair with the smaller crop factor sensor, it is generally smaller than an EF lens.
As a result, EF-S lenses are compact and lightweight, which enhances their portability. On the other hand, the larger image circle of an EF lens makes it larger and heavier.
Although both EF-S and EF units are well-constructed, EF lenses are mainly designed for professional photographers using full-frame cameras. As a result, most EF lenses are under the Canon L-series. Usually, these lenses feature super UD glass elements, synthetic fluorite coatings, and specialized optical materials.
As a result, most EF optics come with weather sealing that makes them resistant to dust and moisture. This makes them more sturdy, durable, and reliable for use in harsh conditions than their EF-S counterparts.
Although the two lenses might seem to capture the same image quality when using the same aperture, ISO, and shutter speed settings, the image quality of an EF unit is generally higher at a given AOV.
For instance, if you are capturing an exterior photo of a real estate property at a given subject distance using an EF lens with a full-frame unit, you need to move several feet back to capture the same AOV with an EF-S lens.
Usually, this moving back means the subject's distance is larger, and the lens can't capture clear details. The image might also appear darker, especially when shooting in bad lighting.
The major distinguishing factor between EF and EF-S is compatibility. Since the diameter of an EF lens is physically larger, it can fit both full-frame and crop-factor cameras. This makes an EF unit function like the EF-S optic when paired with an APS-C camera, from autofocus to image stabilization.
On the other hand, the amount of an EF-S unit is smaller and can’t physically fit in a full-frame DSLR. However, you can mount them on full-frame cameras using an adapter.
Considering that EF-S lenses are smaller and lightweight, they are the best Canon lenses to use in the following situations.
Since EF Canon lenses are compatible with both APS-C and full-frame cameras, they are the best lenses to use under the following circumstances.
An Canon EF lens is better due to its better construction quality, such as UD elements and fluorite coating that allows it to shoot in backlit conditions with minimal flares and ghosting and harsh weather conditions with minimal chances of moisture or dust damage.
The EF unit is also more versatile as it’s compatible with crop-factor and full-frame cameras without an adapter.
The above EF-S vs EF lens guide helps you understand the versatility and better construction quality of the EF lenses and the lightweight design of the EF-S units. EF units are heavier and more expensive than EF-S units and might be suitable for professional photographers using a tripod setup.
