I have bought a Canon 5D Mark III and am confused about lens compatibility?

Question

I have read that Canon EF-S lenses are incompatible but I can hardly see any EF lenses available online, definitely haven't come across an 18-55mm. Are EF lenses harder to find than EF-S lenses and am I right in thinking I can't use an EF-S lens with the 5D Mark III?

Answer 1

I don't know where on Earth you are looking online. You should be finding MORE EF lenses than EF-S.



B-H is one of the best places to buy equipment. Here are the EF lenses:



https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?atclk=Lens+Format+Coverage_Full+Frame+Lenses&ci=274&N=4288584247+4291570227+4108103537



One other thing. If you are only planning to put the cheapest lenses you can find on the 5D MkIII, you will really be defeating the purpose of the camera. You will not get the image quality that body is capable of with low level lenses.

Answer 2

Any lens with an EF lens mount will work on any Canon SLR or full-frame DSLR. You cannot use EF-S lenses.

That's really the only thing you need to worry about. Just as long as the lens has an EF lens mount, it'll work with your camera.

Answer 3

There are many more EF lenses currently available than EF-S lenses. You are right in that the EF-S cannot be used on your camera.



Canon's current line-up:



57 EF lenses.

15 EF-S lenses.

7 EF-M lenses

4 TS-E lenses.

1 MP-E lens.



In the standard zoom section of the line-up, 11 of 17 are EF-S lenses, because these lenses are most popular with amateur photographers that own crop-sensor cameras.

Answer 4

its a Full frame camera, and many lenses for lower end are not full frame. Read This blog to understand why you should not even try an EF-S lens on a 5D mk III https://community.usa.canon.com/t5/Lenses/I-just-bought-a-5D-mark-III-Am-I-correct-that-EF-s-Lenses-will/td-p/6567 Also, if you read ken rockwell's review of it, he has lots of advice and has tried lots of lenses on it. the specs say

Type



Digital, AF/AE single-lens reflex, camera

Recording Media



CF Cards (Type I); Compatible with UDMA CF cards; SD, SDHC, and SDXC Memory Cards

Image Format



Approx. 36 mm x 24mm (35mm Full-frame)

Compatible Lenses



Canon EF Lenses (excluding EF-S Lenses)

Lens Mount



Canon EF mount