7 Best Lenses for Canon EOS 70D in (2024) [Highly Compatible]

Canon EOS 70D was one of the most capable cameras of its time.

Although it has a cropped sensor, the 20.2MP CMOS running with the help of the DIGIC 5+ image processor is a good combination for enthusiast-level photography.

However, you still need suitable lenses for Canon 70D to improve your overall experience with it.

Teenagers and amateurs widely use it to shoot good-quality photos and crispy 1080p videos.

However, to further improve its capabilities, you must get some good Canon 70D compatible lenses.

To ensure the list I have curated is powerful enough, I have personally tested them for my photography projects.

But before you get to the list, I want to make sure you’ve enough idea of what to look for in a lens, if you don’t, feel free to read the below-listed points:

• Zoom Factor: There is nothing like a large telephoto with a 5X zoom factor for taking photos of a lighthouse two miles away. You have to remember that the more the zoom, the less the maximum aperture you will get with most lenses. More expensive lenses like the Sigma 70-200mm F2.8 Sports DG OS HSM provide constant low aperture.
• Lens Diameter: Commonly, lenses have a diameter between 49mm and 72mm. A Macro lens has a larger diameter due to its large aperture. For every diameter of the lens in your kit, you need to buy a different size filter set.
• Elements and Groups: Each lens inside the barrel is known as an element. A combination of two or more lenses is a group. For example, the Canon 70-200mm f/4L IS, has 20 lenses arranged in 15 groups. As a rule of thumb, more elements are better, but more elements may also cause distortion. So the actual results may vary, and you have to look at sample photos on the net carefully before choosing one combination over another.

Best Canon EOS 70D Lenses in (2024)

To make full use of its advanced features, you would need a couple of good lenses.

There are so many lenses in the market that it is easy to throw one’s hands up and buy whatever the local camera store owner suggests.

Fear not as I have prepared a list of recommended lenses for the Canon EOS 70D.

1. Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM UD

Exclusively built for Canon Digital SLR Cameras, this lens comes with a wide-open aperture and delivers top-notch image quality.

Composed of top-grade plastic, it has a solid feel to it.

The Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 has a generous zoom range, and it comes with phenomenal scratch-resistant finishing to ensure that there is no compromise on looks.

I tested the lens in low-lit surroundings, and it produced beautiful sharp pictures owing to its four-stop image stabilization system. 

The seven-bladed aperture of the lens facilitates the capturing of images with a smooth transition and eye-catching bokeh.

It comes with an ultrasonic motor that offers quiet focus control along with a full-time manual override.

The focus ring remains stationary and does not move when shooting in autofocus mode. 

This lens comes with optimized coatings that significantly reduces overall ghosting and flare.

With a focal length ranging from 24-136mm, this lens has 3 aspherical elements and 1 UD glass element.

The aperture range of the lens is not that great, but it works well for most purposes. 

The filter thread of this lens is sized at 72mm.

Weighing 20.3 oz (575g), it can be difficult for many people to carry this lens around.

But it is undoubtedly a good size for general travel.

Overall, it’s the best lens for Canon 70D for portraits and everyday photography.

2. Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM

I would call the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM as one of the best full-frame compatible lenses available at present.

It performed impressively in terms of image quality as well as autofocus (AF) speed and accuracy in my tests.

There is no doubt that the Canon 70D wide angle lens was engineered with perfection in mind as I discovered that it focuses quite fast.

The closest focusing distance I obtained was 0.38 meters (1.25 feet).

Across the frame, it features remarkable contrast even when shot at f/2.8, which is a notable feature of this lens.

A striking difference that can be pointed out is that the lens features its zoom ring on the rear.

I also found that the lens offers excellent weather sealing, making it one of the most suitable lenses to do time-lapse photography even if you are not a professional.

In terms of construction, it has coatings of fluorine on its front and rear areas, which helps keep the lens safe from grease and moisture.

I noticed that this made the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II easy to clean.

It has a hood that helps in keeping out unwanted sunlight and in successfully reducing flare.

3. Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM

The Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM is undoubtedly one of the best wide angle lenses for Canon 70D that is remarkably sharp.

I concluded that the overall performance of the lens is quite impressive.

The lens successfully delivers image sharpness at a high level.

The accuracy, as well as autofocus (AF) speed, matched the prime-grade sharpness feature.

The image stabilization (IS) of this lens comprises a system that left us mind-blown with its stellar execution.

The design of the lens is quite sophisticated and the f/4 aperture helps it to be distinguished from other lenses.

Its construction showcases elements that minimize spherical aberrations by controlling distortion.

Color fringing along with chromatic aberrations are reduced to a great extent by two ultra-low dispersion components.

I also discovered that all this helps in achieving color accuracy and fantastic clarity throughout the entire zoom range of the lens. 

Through the tests I conducted, I inferred that the ring-type Ultrasonic motor (USM) allowed the lens to boost its autofocus performance and enabled full-time manual (FTM) focus override.

In addition to these features, the lens is also weather-sealed.

A fluorine coating has been applied to the exposed parts of the lens, enabling it to be used in harsh environmental conditions as well.

4. Tamron SP 70-200mm F/2.8 Di VC G2

The Tamron SP 70-200mm F/2.8 Di VC G2 telephoto lens comes with high-end optical performance, improved vibration compensation, and high AF speed.

If this was not enough, it also has minimum object distance capabilities. 

The Canon 70D telephoto lens is highly durable.

You will surely get the best image quality and the desired bokeh effect for your photos.

A step ahead in its genre, it has an eBAND coating, is moisture-proof, and resistant to dust intrusion.

It is also compatible with teleconverters.

The optic scene consists of the XLD element and five LD elements that reduce color fringing and chromatic aberrations.

The flaring and ghosting of images are taken care of by BBAR and eBAND coatings.

This 70-200mm F/2.8 is also equipped with a ring-like Ultrasonic Silent Drive autofocus motor.

It gives the best performance and is pretty responsive.

It can be paired with a rotating tripod or with an Arca-type compatible base for a great shooting experience.

This lens pairs well with FX-format Nikon DSLRs as well as DX models.

The aperture is well equipped to handle low light conditions.

VC Image Stabilization allows the minimization of camera shake by five stops.

There are separate VC modes for general shooting, panning movements, and stabilizing without a viewfinder image.

5. ZEISS Milvus 21mm f/2.8 ZE

This wide-angle lens from Zeiss sports a great optical design that controls the distortion of images.

The images are sharp, vivid, and neat.

The lens has been made on the lines of the Distagon concept and a floating elements system.

It gives perfect, distortion-free images with zero ghosting.

The ZEISS Milvus 21mm f/2.8 ZE gives consistent performance.

An aperture of f/2.8 is well suited for average and low light conditions and particularly suitable for astrophotography.

The lens is also equipped with five anomalous partial dispersion elements which help in controlling chromatic aberrations.

It gives good clarity and bright coloration.

The lens also comes with a Zeiss T anti-reflective coating that starts working low light conditions.

Look-wise, Milvus lenses are quite durable with a frosted, anodized metal barrel.

You can hear the metal sound if you tap on it.

It has a weather-resistant design with zero seepage.

The lens has a large rotation angle that allows you to focus correctly.

I found out that it fully utilizes high-resolution camera systems.

It can also be used on the APS-C model camera that will provide a 33.6 mm focal length.

The lens boasts a minimum focus of 22cm.

It also has a limited 2-year warranty.

6. Canon EF-S 24mm f/2.8 STM

Ever fascinated by the sharp-looking images of stunning landscapes and wondered if you could create the same?

Then you must try the Canon EF-S 24mm f/2.8 STM to capture these stunning photos.

I understand that for amateur photographers or travelers, carrying a lot of camera equipment can be cumbersome.

This lens will give you a gamut of excellent photographs ranging from landscapes to wide-angle shots to close-up shots of flowers and bugs.

The lens is worth the price given the compact size 0.91 x 2.68 x 2.68 in that it can sit snugly in your backpack.

It is incredibly fast and comes with advanced AF and superior optics that result in professional-looking images.

Additionally, the lens comes with specialized coatings that effectively cut out all the glare and ghosting of images.

When shooting indoors, the lens offers excellent bokeh and sharp images and gives out high-quality in low light.

Also, the circular aperture comes fitted with seven blades that give beautiful soft backgrounds making it an excellent choice for street photography as well as portraits.

It comes with a micro-stepping drive that keeps aperture changes silent.

If you love gazing at the moon and stars, this lens is ideal for capturing the brilliant night sky.

The strong focus on this lens makes it a cakewalk to click portraits too.

Since this weighs only 4.41ounces, your camera weight drops significantly, making it optimal for functions and parties.

7. Sigma 70-200mm F2.8 Sports DG OS HSM

The Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM is an extremely flexible telephoto zoom lens.

It is characterized by its sophisticated and bright design.

One of the greatest qualities of this lens is its fast and constant maximum aperture of f/2.8, which facilitates shooting in difficult lighting conditions.

It also offers high control over the depth of field for isolating subjects.

This lens is an ever-evolving lens and meets the most stringent needs of professional and passionate photographers.

It is now available in the Sports line within Sigma’s Global Vision series and has all the features required by anyone pursuing photography professionally.

This lens has incorporated 10 exclusive low-dispersion glass – One Special Low Dispersion (SLD) and nine F Low Dispersion (FLD) elements to reduce color fringing as well as chromatic aberrations for color accuracy and retaining clarity in the images.

The intelligent OS system in the lens minimizes the appearance of camera shaking and, as a result, creates sharper results while shooting handheld shots.

Features such as excellent optical performance, speed make this sigma lens for Canon 70D an ideal choice for action, wildlife, and sports photography.

Its rounded 11-blade diaphragm facilitates pleasing and smooth bokeh photography.

The integrated Hyper Sonic Motor (HSM) helps in quick and quiet AF and full-time manual focus control by rotating the focus ring smoothly as per requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Verdict

I hope, by now, you might have already found a perfect lens for your Canon 70D.

But in case you’re still confused, let me make it easy by quick recommendations from my end:

• Though it is really heavy in terms of weight, the Tamron SP 70-200mm F/2.8 Di VC G2 is worth its weight. Really sharp and with excellent low-light performance, it is surprisingly refined. In my test photos, I found very little vignetting and barrel distortion. It is expensive but worth every cent.
• The runner choice would be the nifty Canon EF 24-70mm F/2.8L II USM. It has excellent optical specifications and cannot be outperformed easily. Easy to carry, it is a truly perfect all-day lens for your 70D.
• Lastly, if you want a good video lens for Canon 70D, the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM is an excellent choice. It’s a 50mm prime lens that comes at an affordable price.