Mr.Ft Loc: Central New Jersey

I was out shooting some ducks yesterday, I was using my 70D with my 70-200 F4 L lens. Another guy was also shooting around me and we started talking. He was telling me that I should not be using an EF lens on my crop sensor camera. He said I would get much better shots using EFs lens. Is this true? if so why? I always thought the L lens were the best. What am I missing here?
Thanks
Tom

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

You are right - he is wrong - you are not missing anything !

Rongnongno Loc: FL

You are not missing anything. You are dealing with a guy you did not know the day before.

Dick Z. Loc: Downers Grove IL

Mr.Ft, whoever told you that was completely wrong. Canon's (L) lenses are the best there is. The main reason they cost more is the quality of glass, Metal and electronic parts plus weather sealing. All (L) series are designed full frame cameras. that's what they are designed for.

ken_stern Loc: Yorba Linda, Ca

Love it - but must add --- "You are not missing anything. You are dealing with a guy you did not know the day before" and will not remember tomorrow

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

I shoot FX lenses on my DX Nikon and have found the lenses just as good or better. I also have the option of buying an FX body and having lenses that I can use without vignetted images. Your fellow shooter was like many other "photographers"; I'll be nice and say he had a preconceived idea that was, at best, erroneous.

jaimeblackwell Loc: Lewiston, Maine

I think what this fellow was trying to say is if you shoot a picture with a full frame lens on a crop sensor body you are not getting the full frame the lens has to offer. i shoot Nikon so I'll explain from that point. I shoot full frame lenses also on a d7200 1.5 crop sensor, that means that for instance, The sensor is designed to shoot at 1.5 mm of a full frame lens. example. On my camera, my 50mm f2 becomes a 75mm because of the crop sensor. my 135 mm prime becomes roughly a 202mm lens due to the crop. A 300 mm lens becomes 400mm and so on. So I think he may have been trying to say that you are not getting the full potential out of your lens. in order for you to get a full frame shot you have to stand back further in order to compensate for the cropped image. I believe the cannon is a 1.4mm crop sensor. somebody, please correct me if I'm mistaken. the lens does not loose any quality or cause an inferior image. it is just a smaller frame in view. That all there really is to it.

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

True! A 100mm lens is 100mm in focal length whether used on a 110 camera or a 4X5. By the way, the Canon crop factor is 1.6.

Blurryeyed Loc: NC Mountains.

Although there are a hand full of EF-S lenses that are quite good, there is nothing in the 70-200 range that is strictly EF-S other than the 18-200 which does not approach the quality of the 70-200 f/4, that was for years rumored to be Canon's sharpest zoom lens.

Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.

As others have said, no, he is wrong. However, there are some nuances. I use a Canon APS-C camera, but would only buy EF lenses for anything in the longer range. I use EF-S for fisheye, wide angle etc, but once I get to around 50mm or so switch to EF lenses. I would not buy an EF-S zoom with a lowest focal length around 70mm or more, even if they made them. The EF-S 55 -250mm is a decent enough inexpensive zoom, but no match for your 70-200 F/4 L.

At the shorter range, the EF-S 18-135 is good and convenient, and the EF-S 10-22 is outstanding. At the shorter range the EF lenses cost a lot more. For longer lenses, EF is really the best way to go.

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

Jaime, Most people (I hope!) know what you mean, but I've seen newbies here read this misinformation as gospel instead of....."alternate fact".
A lens does NOT become a different focal length because you put it on a smaller-sensored camera.
The focal length does not change. The 50 is still a 50, the 135 is still a 135.
You are missing the words: "full frame equivalent" (angle of view).
ie: The 50mm gives you a full frame equivalent of a 75mm, etc.
I've seen it written several ways but "becomes" alone is not correct. Becomes like...would be better.
It's important to make the distinction.


All Canon APS-C sesored cameras have a 1.6 factor. A common misconception is thinking that you get the same photo if you move to compensate for a different focal length. It's more complicated than that. You may get the same subject size in the frame, but everything else changes...the background and foreground will be different because you've changed the distance/perspective. The photo will not look the same.
Cheers!

jaimeblackwell Loc: Lewiston, Maine

I'm sorry Might we count on you to proofread everything we write on here before we post so we don't forget to use big words?
I talk in laymen's terms. So effectively what I said is EFFECTIVELY true. on a crop sensor for Nikon a 50 mm full frame Effectively becomes the EQUIVALENT of a 75mm lens. Nuances and other things don't have anything to do with focal length. As far as distance/perspective, that changes with ISO/ASA, f stops and exposure adjustments. Since you assume most everyone understood what i said, then why do you feel you have to correct me for the way I describe things. Just because it's not how you would describe it? I've been shooting photos since 1966. portraits and weddings since 1970. To tell someone "it's more complicated than that is an insult and also that you feel you know more that most here. If it's complicated than maybe you just need to try harder to understand photography! Normally i would not talk this way but, normally the people on this forum don't act like they have to correct the way people taLk especially by starting saying "Most people (I hope} understand what your saying".... That's just condescending. if you feel you have to correct someone next time in this manner then please check yourself first!!

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

Now you've got it!
Because it was incorrect. Words matter. As I wrote, I've seen multiple instances of newbies thinking that the focal length actually changes.

I wrote there are several ways to do it and gave two examples. There are other options. "Becomes", used by itself is not one of them.
No insult intended in any of this to anyone, just clarification for the newbies.
I've been a full-time pro myself for over 40 years and understand photography quite well.
I even learn some things here on the Hog.
Cheers!

Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.

Ahem! We get protracted and repeated discussions on this topic, frequently with misinformation or at least insufficient understanding from various contributors, new or otherwise. Remember on a forum such as this, nobody can tell what you meant to write, just what you actually wrote before you clicked send, or had enough time to edit and correct.

We are all individually responsible for proofreading our own stuff. If you feel that your nose it out of joint it may be because you tripped over your own feet and did a face plant. I fully agree with Goofy that your initial post was potentially misleading to some. If you have the experience and the chops that you claim, you will put your big girl panties on and take it like a man and do better next time.

From what you posted initially, Goofy's comment that "It's more complicated than that" is entirely appropriate for what you actually posted.

As they say in certain parts of the USA, "Ya'll can do better than that, Jamie." Goofy didn't insult you, that was a self inflicted wound.

We all get criticized on this forum, and the standards vary depending upon what is posted. This is a kitchen, so we need to be able to stand the heat.

jaimeblackwell Loc: Lewiston, Maine

Now I've got it? Again you come across as condescending. Again you feel the need to correct someone. Just because something seems "incorrect" to you doesn't mean that you need to correct people over because it's not your opinion. Dont speak just to hear yourself talk. You interrupt a thread just to show how much you know by acting like if you don't clarify something, everyone else will not be able to reach their own conclusion. I don't need a translator. If someone has questions they will ask. then you can amaze them with your keen sense of crop sensors. In the mean time please don't comment on my posts again if you feel the need to clarify my statements. YOU DON'T.