EF vs. EF-S

I'm new to digital photography so pardon me if this has been addressed before. Aside from the EF-S being designed for a digital camera, what is the real difference between an EF lens and an EF-S lense? Pros and cons? Longevity of EF-S lenses? What would you buy if you were considering the purchase of a 30D?

Thank you

Don

Don,

Both EF and EF-S lenses will fit digital. The difference in the EF-S is that they will only fit: 20D, 350D, 300D, 30D and 400D. The S is for short back-focus and all this means is the lens sticks further into the camera which is why you can only use it on the above bodies. If you put it on a 10D, or 5D you will smash the mirrors.

There is no real benefit in the EF-S lenses, and I personally only buy lenses that will fit all my kit, not just some of it. I suppose its a question of what body slr you have and whether you think you may upgrade in the future. If you stick to EF lenses they will fit any Canon EOS, film or digital.
Hope this helps,
Trudy

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canon_EF-S_lens

You may be new to digital cameras, but what camera and lenses are you using now? How do you plan to use the 30D?

--
http://www.pbase.com/arshutterbug/

I have a 30D and 5D. I have two EF-S lenses, the 17-55/2.8 IS and 10-22. The 30D is backup to 5D or if I'm shooting with both cameras, or going to air shows, using my 100-400L.

brianric said:

I have a 30D and 5D. I have two EF-S lenses, the 17-55/2.8 IS and
10-22. The 30D is backup to 5D or if I'm shooting with both
cameras, or going to air shows, using my 100-400L.

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--Aren't most (all ?) of the new Canons designed to handle the EF-S lenses as well as the EF ?

carolyn
Ranger a.k.a chammett
http://www.pbase.com/chammett

'elegance is simplicity'

No only the xxxD and xxD are EF-S compatible (except for the 10D). 5D and 1D are not EF-S compatible as they have full 35mm size sensor so the EF-S lens cannot image over the entire sensor. In addition as mentioned before the EF-S sticks deeper into the body so may crash on the 5D, 1D and 1Ds etc.

Some people start off with APS-C size sesnor SLR like 400D and 30D but may want to upgrade to full frame so they will not buy EF-S. Personally I buy both and buy the one that suit my needs.

The EF-S would not work on any full frame (24 x 36 mm sensor size) digital or film cameras. It would only work on digital cameras with the smaller sensor like 20D, 30D, and the rebel series.

In simple words EF-S mount camera can use all EF and EF-s lenses. EF mount cameras could only be used with EF lenses.

--

Same here. I buy the best lens for my current camera(s). I'm not going to worry about what my potential future camera will be. Can't blame anyone who think that way but I believe buy lens for future actually carries a bigger risk.

BTW only xxxD and xxD are EF-S compatible but those cameras cover 90+ of Canon's dslr market.

gavin said:

No only the xxxD and xxD are EF-S compatible (except for the 10D).
5D and 1D are not EF-S compatible as they have full 35mm size
sensor so the EF-S lens cannot image over the entire sensor. In
addition as mentioned before the EF-S sticks deeper into the body
so may crash on the 5D, 1D and 1Ds etc.
Some people start off with APS-C size sesnor SLR like 400D and 30D
but may want to upgrade to full frame so they will not buy EF-S.
Personally I buy both and buy the one that suit my needs.

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Despite what Trivets says, there is a benefit to EF-S lenses. You can get ultra wide angle zooms for a 1.6x crop body like the 30D, EF mount lenses don't come wide enough. The widest EF zoom is the 16-35 f2.8L, the widest EF-S zoom is the 10-22 f3.5-4.5, which will give you the same field of view on a 30D that the 16-35 does on full frame. There is also the 17-55 f2.8L IS in EF-S, which gives the same field of view as a 28-90 on full frame, the rough equal of the 24-70 f2.8L, but with IS, which the "L" lens lacks. So there are good things about the EF-S lenses.
--
Skip M
http://www.shadowcatcherimagery.com
http://www.pbase.com/skipm

Correction!
That is what I said, actually!

The Canon 17-40 or 16-35 on a full frame is equally as wide as your suggestion.

Oops, see what you mean! Well, it is 5 in the morning!

DConvery said:

I'm new to digital photography so pardon me if this has been
addressed before. Aside from the EF-S being designed for a digital
camera, what is the real difference between an EF lens and an EF-S
lense?

Click to expand...

The most important difference is that EF-S lenses won't work on non-EF-S mounted bodies (like 5D, 1D, 1Ds). EF lenses work on both. This is because the image circle cast by EF lenses is larger than EF-S.

So, if you might want to get a ff sensored camera later, you'll be out of luck.

Longevity of EF-S lenses is an interesting point. They have not been around long enough for many to die of old age so their build quality cannot be confirmed. However there is no reason to suspect they will physically last any less time than any other lens. If you are talking about whether Canon will always make bodies to mount them on, then that's another matter entirely and is quite debatable especially without a specific time-frame. In the short term, there is little doubt that cropped DSLRs on which to mount EF-S lenses will remain for a while. Forever? No. 10 years? Maybe. Maybe not.

Pros and cons? Longevity of EF-S lenses? What would you

DConvery said:

buy if you were considering the purchase of a 30D?

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If I were considering a 30D, i'd wither get the Xti instead, a used 20D (same camera for less money - 30D just has bigger LCD and firmware update). The Xti won't be replaced as soon and is equal or better in most areas at a lower price. 20D is equal in every way that matters and has already depreciated.

If you want a little more than the Xti in terms of interface, I'd get the Xti and make do until August. If a new xxD comes out, you can swap via the miracle of eBay and its hordes of insane noobs that will bid more than you paid new if you shop around.

Hope this helps.

DConvery said:

Thank you

Don

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--
Keep photography wild.

Get the lens that best suits your shooting style, your budget, and any size/weight/color/weather sealing requirements. Generally speaking EF-S lenses may be smaller and lighter due to the reduced image circle.

Don't worry about longevity: Canon's FD mount was introduced in 1971, EF introduced in 1987 and obviously doing well today. Botton line is that mounts last for many years, and Canon will not anger the many people who invested in expensive EF-S glass such as 17-55/2.8 IS, 10-22 - these are great customers. BTW - the FD to EF switch did anger many customers (and many of those jumped ship to Nikon, Olympus or Minolta), but was dictated by a real need to go to an autofocus system.

The mass DSLR market will not go to full frame since FF sensors will always be at least 2.5x more expensive (1.6*1.6) than crop sensors, and even crop sensors are relatively expensive devices. Since Canon's competition is offering crop sensors only, Canon must stay price competitive and offer a solid crop line as well. EF-S is safe for many years - well at least as safe as Nikon DX, Olympus 4/3, Pentax DA, and Sony DT.

DConvery said:

I'm new to digital photography so pardon me if this has been
addressed before. Aside from the EF-S being designed for a digital
camera, what is the real difference between an EF lens and an EF-S
lense? Pros and cons? Longevity of EF-S lenses? What would you
buy if you were considering the purchase of a 30D?

Thank you

Don

Click to expand...

With the exception of my 85L, the 17-55/2.8 IS is my sharpest lens, beating out the remaining five L series lenses that I own.

carlk said:

Same here. I buy the best lens for my current camera(s). I'm not
going to worry about what my potential future camera will be.
Can't blame anyone who think that way but I believe buy lens for
future actually carries a bigger risk.

BTW only xxxD and xxD are EF-S compatible but those cameras cover
90+ of Canon's dslr market.

Click to expand...

I'm a Canon fanboy, but to Nikon credit, they did make most of their DSLRs backward compactable with their older lenses.

Mokes said:

BTW - the FD to EF
switch did anger many customers (and many of those jumped ship to
Nikon, Olympus or Minolta), but was dictated by a real need to go
to an autofocus system.

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Well, Nikon's original screw AF system is much worse - Canon decided to bite the bullet in one jump to lens motors, which was a very bold move. BTW Nikon is also now slowly changing things with the D40. IMHO bodies with the screw motor will be phased out in the next couple of years to reduce body size & weight, making all these lenses manual focus only... Also note that Canon's faster USM made them #1 in sports shooting...

brianric said:

Mokes said:

BTW - the FD to EF
switch did anger many customers (and many of those jumped ship to
Nikon, Olympus or Minolta), but was dictated by a real need to go
to an autofocus system.

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I disagree. If Canon were to repeat the process with today's EOS mount and make it obsolete, I think you would see permanent damage to Canon's lead in the high end DSLR market.

Mokes said:

brianric said:

Mokes said:

BTW - the FD to EF
switch did anger many customers (and many of those jumped ship to
Nikon, Olympus or Minolta), but was dictated by a real need to go
to an autofocus system.

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Thanks guys for the clarification. I think I knew that the bigger ff cameras don't accept the EF-S lenses, but since I have no interest in one, it kind of slipped through the cracks of my brain. I don't want to deal with the extra weight and bulk of the ff cameras, so like you, I buy what works for my current cameras / camera interests and let the chips fall where they may as to future developments..

carolyn
--
Ranger a.k.a chammett
http://www.pbase.com/chammett

'elegance is simplicity'

I didn't say Canon will obsolete EF - I said Nikon is obsoleting the screw motor.... No need for Canon to obsolete EF since EF-S bodies accept EF lenses. But no way in hell that EF-S will be obsoleted any time soon...

brianric said:

Mokes said:

brianric said:

Mokes said:

BTW - the FD to EF
switch did anger many customers (and many of those jumped ship to
Nikon, Olympus or Minolta), but was dictated by a real need to go
to an autofocus system.

Click to expand...

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