For photographers returning to Canon or exploring new lens options for their Canon R6, understanding lens compatibility is crucial. While the Canon R6 is known for its adaptability, not all lenses perform equally well. This guide provides insights into Canon EF and third-party lens compatibility, helping you make informed decisions.
Canon EF Lenses on the R6
Most Canon EF lenses will work on your R6, which is the main reason why there is no such list. All EF mount lenses will mount to the RF bodies and function with the apparent exception of a few lenses on the R100. To that end I wondered if there was a site that covered not just Canon (as in the great resource here), but also third parties. That's the main reason why there is not such list.
Third-Party Lenses: Sigma and Tamron
Compatibility with third-party lenses, such as those from Sigma and Tamron, can vary. With Sigma and Tamron, I would recommend to search before you buy any. Most of the most new version works well. But I have also read that certain 3rd party lenses work poorly and especially some lenses that are not software updatable can’t be made to work well.
Sigma Lenses
Some Sigma lenses may exhibit issues such as autofocus hunting or failure to focus initially. I also have that Sigma lens, and just did some testing with the R6 and R7. This was a fabulous lens on the Canon 7DII, but I haven't used it much on the R6 so I figured I'd provide some samples. The lens hunts a lot with AF, and seems to have trouble getting focus. In fact, when I first mounted the lens it wouldn't auto-focus at all for the first minute or so.
However, some users have reported positive experiences with specific Sigma lenses. I only have one Sigma lens, the 105mm F2.8 EX Macro DG OS HSM, and it works perfectly with my EOS R. I am lucky that my lens doesn't hunt focus at all on my EOS R. When I rented an R5 a while back, this lens seemed to work perfectly well on it as well. I guess Canon changed something with the R6 that doesn't like this lens. I am curious, is your lens the newer version with image stabilization (OS) or the older non stabilized version?
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Tamron Lenses
Tamron lenses that can be used with a Tamron Dock can have their firmware updated as needed. Tamron lenses are the same, if the lens can be used with a Tamron Dock, then its firmware can be updated if needed. Some Tamron lenses that aren't compatible with the Dock can also be sent back to Tamron for a firmware update. I did this with two old Tamron lenses, a 24-70 G1 lens as well as a 70-200 G1 lens. They both worked flawlessly with my R.
Here's a quick overview of compatibility and update options:
| Lens Brand | Compatibility Notes | Firmware Update Options |
|---|---|---|
| Canon EF | Generally compatible | N/A |
| Sigma | Varies; some may have autofocus issues | Via Sigma software or service |
| Tamron | Generally compatible | Via Tamron Dock or service |
Resources and Recommendations
Finding a comprehensive list of compatible lenses can be challenging. I don’t know that anyone is keeping a list of this, but if you look at lens sample image threads you will be able to see what works well and probably find some comments about cases that don’t work well. This is the closest thing I've found to a list of EF lenses, but it's specifically for the R7's higher megapixel sensor.
Before purchasing a lens, especially from third-party manufacturers like Sigma and Tamron, research user experiences and check for firmware updates. Maybe you will be the list maker that everyone in the future refers to!
RF or EF? Which Lens is BEST for Your Camera? | Ask David Bergman
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tags: #canon #r6 #lens #compatibility