What is the Best Budget-Friendly Canon Prime Telephoto Lens?
- A Good Budget-Friendly Canon Prime Telephoto Lens
- A Better Budget-Friendly Canon Prime Telephoto Lens
- The Best Budget-Friendly Canon Prime Telephoto Lens
- Final Thoughts on Canon Telephoto Lenses
- Lens Type: Canon prime telephoto lens
- Camera System: Full-Frame DSLR
- Lens Mount: Canon EF Mount
- Focal Length: 100 mm
- Maximum Aperture: f/2
- Minimum Aperture: f/22
- Minimum Focusing Distance: 90 cm
- Filter Size: 58 mm
- Focusing system: Autofocus & Manual Focus
- Maximum Magnification: 0.14x
- Size/Weight: 75 x 73.5 mm / 460 grams
- Optical Image Stabilization: No
- Pre-Owned Price: $224 - $284
- Lens Type: Canon prime telephoto lens
- Camera System: Full-Frame DSLR
- Lens Mount: Canon EF Mount
- Focal Length: 400 mm
- Maximum Aperture: f/5.6
- Minimum Aperture: f/32
- Minimum Focusing Distance: 3.5 m
- Filter Size: 77 mm
- Focusing system: Autofocus & Manual Focus
- Maximum Magnification: 0.12x
- Size/Weight: 90 x 256.5 mm / 1250 grams
- Optical Image Stabilization: No
- Pre-Owned Price: $474 - $714
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- Lens Type: Canon prime telephoto lens
- Camera System: Full-Frame DSLR
- Lens Mount: Canon EF Mount
- Focal Length: 300 mm
- Maximum Aperture: f/4
- Minimum Aperture: f/32
- Minimum Focusing Distance: 1.5 m
- Filter Size: 77 mm
- Focusing system: Autofocus & Manual Focus
- Maximum Magnification: 0.24x
- Size/Weight: 90 x 221 mm / 1190 grams
- Optical Image Stabilization: Yes
- Pre-Owned Price: $544 - $649
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Photo by Zbynek Pospisil via iStock
If you are searching for new Canon lenses, you’re in the right place! In this Canon lens guide, we’ll review three excellent (and affordable) Canon prime telephoto lenses available today. For each one, we’ll share a lens overview, what types of photography it’s best suited for, its key specs/features, and more.
Additionally, thanks to innovative websites like MPB, buying a used Canon prime telephoto lens has never been cheaper and easier. One important thing to note is that while it’s possible to find great deals on Canon mirrorless lenses, this guide focuses on Canon DSLR lenses. That said, we’ll also recommend a few Canon RF and Canon M lenses at the end of the article.
Who is MPB? It is a trustworthy and reliable online platform selling pre-owned photography and videography gear at unbeatable prices. Better yet, all of its cameras and lenses are hand-inspected by professional product specialists with years of experience and backed by six-month warranties, allowing you to make your purchases confidently and worry-free.
We love MPB because, over the years, we have saved thousands of dollars buying, selling, and trading in photography equipment on their one-of-a-kind online marketplace. You can start saving, too, by visiting their website today. Now, let’s determine which budget-friendly Canon prime telephoto lens is right for you and your needs!
Check out the video above by Budget Guru to learn more about the best cheap Canon prime telephoto lenses on sale today.
Table of Contents
A Good Budget-Friendly Canon Prime Telephoto Lens
The Canon EF 100mm f/2 USM is the ultimate budget Canon prime telephoto lens. It checks in at under $300, and although it doesn’t have as much reach as the other lenses covered below, it makes up for it with gorgeous bokeh effects and superb low-light performance. Both are directly linked to the lens's f/2 maximum aperture.
Another strength of this telephoto lens is its compact and portable size. It’s small enough to carry in a backpack or purse and weighs less than half of a typical Canon prime telephoto lens. This makes it compatible with small travel tripods and ideal for adventure and travel photography.
Other situations where this versatile lens excels are portrait photography, studio photography, and sunrise/sunset photography. If you have an APS-C camera like the Canon EOS Rebel T8i, the equivalent focal length jumps to 160mm.
Now, here’s an in-depth look at the key features and specs of the Canon EF 100mm f/2 USM:
A Better Budget-Friendly Canon Prime Telephoto Lens
Next, there’s the Canon EF 400mm f/5.6 L USM. It provides unmatched reach for a lens in its price range, meaning you can capture stunning images of far-off subjects. Moreover, at 1250 grams, it’s shockingly light for a lens of its focal length. For comparison, the Canon EF 400mm f/2.8 L IS USM weighs a hefty 5370 grams.
Due to its rather low maximum aperture of f/5.6, it doesn’t perform particularly well in low-light conditions. A way to compensate for this is by shooting long-exposure photography, which is perfect for static subjects like landscapes and cityscapes. Its weather-sealed body is another reason to choose this Canon prime telephoto lens for nature photography.
On APS-C camera systems, it produces a mindblowing 640mm equivalent focal length, giving you significantly more reach than most other telephoto lenses.
Now, here’s an in-depth look at the key features and specs of the Canon EF 400mm f/5.6 L USM:
Learn More:
The Best Budget-Friendly Canon Prime Telephoto Lens
Finally, we have the amazing Canon EF 300mm f/4 L IS USM. It’s the newest Canon prime telephoto lens on this list, and because of that, it boasts a handful of advanced features the others don't.
Chief among them is the lens's optical image stabilization, which adds up to two stops of exposure to your photos and videos. This enhances low-light photography and reduces camera shake. The stabilization system makes a huge difference during video capture and when shooting fast-moving subjects.
Other outstanding features include a detachable tripod collar, an environmentally sealed construction, and a fast/quiet autofocus motor. While all photographers will see fantastic results with this Canon prime telephoto lens, it’s especially good for sports, action, and wildlife photography. It has an equivalent focal length of 480mm on APS-C cameras.
Now, here’s an in-depth look at the key features and specs of the Canon EF 300mm f/4 L IS USM:
Final Thoughts on Canon Telephoto Lenses
Photo by MmeEmil via iStock
As you can see, many Canon prime telephoto lens options exist regardless of your budget or what you like to shoot. Don’t own a Canon DSLR? No Worries! Check out the lists below of Canon telephoto prime lenses for Canon EOS R and Canon EOS M mirrorless camera systems.
Canon RF Lenses
Canon M Lenses
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