Canon Astrophotography Lenses
To learn more about what to look for when buying the best milky way lens for you, please watch this video.
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Milky Way - Wide Angle
(Mirrorless, Full Frame: RF Mount)
These lenses can be used without a tracker on Canon R-Series cameras with a full frame sensor.
***COMPATIBILITY***
These lenses CANNOT be used on regular DSLRs.
If you want to use a lens that is not an RF-mount on a Mirrorless camera purchase the adapter below.
CANON MOUNT ADAPTER EF-EOS R
ROKINON 14MM F2.8 UMC SUPER WIDE ANGLE
This lens is manual focus.
This is generally the first astrophotography lens people buy. It is a perfect starting lens. This is the RF series version.
ROKINON 14MM F2.8 FULL FRAME SUPER WIDE ANGLE.
This lens is the autofocus version of the previous one listed here.
CANON RF 15-35MM F/2.8L IS USM LENS
These are the Canon L-Series lenses, I don’t have first hand experience with these or reviews in terms of their aberrations yet as they are relatively new lenses.
CANON RF 24-70MM F/2.8L IS USM LENS
These are the Canon L-Series lenses, I don’t have first hand experience with these or reviews in terms of their aberrations yet as they are relatively new lenses.
CANON RF 28-70MM F/2L USM LENS
These are the Canon L-Series lenses, I don’t have first hand experience with these or reviews in terms of their aberrations yet as they are relatively new lenses.
Milky Way - Wide Angle
(Mirrorless, APS-C: EF-M Mount)
These lenses can be used without a tracker on Canon M-Series cameras with an APS-C sensor.
***COMPATIBILITY***
These lenses CANNOT be used on regular DSLRs. If you want to use a lens that is not a EF-M -mount on a Mirrorless camera purchase the adapter below.
CANON EF-M LENS ADAPTER KIT FOR CANON EF / EF-S LENSES
ROKINON 10MM F/2.8 ED AS NCS CS LENS
This lens is manual focus.
This is generally the first astrophotography lens people buy for APS-C. It is a perfect starting lens. This is the EF-M series version.
ROKINON 12MM F/2.0 NCS CS LENS
This lens is manual focus.
ROKINON 14MM F/2.8 SERIES II LENS
This lens is manual focus. It is more popular for full frame than it is APS-C.
CANON EF-M 22MM F/2 STM LENS
What a teensy tinsy lens! This is a perfect compact package for your mirrorless camera, and it’s pretty fast to boot.
Milky Way - Wide Angle
(DSLR, APS-C & Full Frame: EF Mount)
These lenses can be used without a tracker on Canon DSLR cameras with an APS-C and full frame sensor.
***COMPATIBILITY***
These lenses can be used on Mirrorless cameras with the correct adapter (above).
SAMYANG XP 14MM F/2.4 LENS
This lens is a little bit faster than the Rokinon 14m f2.8. It is a manual focus lens.
I haven’t used it but it has a lot of great reviews.
ROKINON 14MM F/2.8 IF ED UMC SUPER WIDE ANGLE
This lens is manual focus.
This is generally the first astrophotography lens people buy. It is a perfect starting lens.
ROKINON 14MM F2.8 AF WIDE ANGLE FULL FRAME
This is the autofocus version of the previous lens.
SIGMA 14MM F/1.8 DG HSM ART
This is an autofocus lens. You will not want to shoot this at F1.8 for Milky Way photography, it needs to be stopped down to F2.8. Which means you could buy the much cheaper Rokinon.
But if you want to have autofocus and use this for other low light images it will be worth it.
ROKINON 24MM F/1.4 ED AS UMC
Is it ok to have a favourite lens? Well, if not don’t tell all my other lenses. This is my favourite!
I personally shoot with this lens (Nikon version) on my full frame cameras, it is a fantastic focal length to photograph the Milky Way.
It is manual focus, but it is better corrected for aberrations than any other lens in this focal length category.
SIGMA 35MM F/1.4 DG HSM ART LENS
I use this lens (Nikon version) and am very happy with it.
There is some aberration at the corners, but not very much.
Actually this is one case where the Sigma outperforms the Rokinon in this focal length range.
TAMRON SP 15-30MM F/2.8 DI VC USD G2
TAMRON SP 45MM F/1.8 DI VC USD LENS FOR CANON EF MOUNT
I ultimately chose the Rokinon 50mm, but many people use and love this lens.
ROKINON 50MM F1.4 LENS
I love this lens for a bigger Milky Way! I used this a lot to take vertical panos and get a big, beautiful Milky Way in my frame!
For best results use on a tracker, but can be used un-tracked.
This is a manual focus lens.
Milky Way - Wide Angle
(DSLR, APS-C: EF-S Mount)
These lenses can be used without a tracker on Canon DSLR cameras with an APS-C sensor only.
***COMPATIBILITY***
These lenses can be used on Mirrorless cameras without the correct adapter (above). These are not compatible with full frame.
ROKINON 10MM F/2.8 ED AS NCS CS LENS, MANUAL FOCUS
ROKINON 16MM F/2.0 ED AS UMC CS
This is a manual focus lens specifically made for APS-C sensors.
This is my favourite effective focal length (24mm on full frame)
TOKINA ATX-I 11-20MM CF F/2.8
This is an autofocus lens.
It is optically quite good with only a little aberrations.
The build quality is generally not as good as name brand or Sigma Art lenses, so make sure not to be rough with it and it will last you a long time.
Milky Way - Mid-Range
(DSLR, APS-C & Full Frame: EF Mount)
These lenses can be used without a tracker on Canon DSLR cameras with an APS-C and full frame sensor.
***COMPATIBILITY***
These lenses can be used on Mirrorless cameras without the correct adapter (above).
SIGMA 135MM F/1.8 DG HSM ART LENS FOR CANON EF
ROKINON 135MM F/2.0 ED UMC LENS (CANON EF)
Milky Way - Mid-Range
(DSLR, APS-C: EF-S Mount)
These lenses can be used without a tracker on Canon DSLR cameras with an APS-C sensor only.
***COMPATIBILITY***
These lenses can be used on Mirrorless cameras without the correct adapter (above). These are not compatible with full frame.
SIGMA 50-100MM F/1.8 DC HSM ART LENS FOR CANON EF
Deep Space Objects - Telephoto
(Mirrorless, Full Frame: RF Mount)
These lenses can be used without a tracker on Canon R-Series cameras with a full frame sensor.
***COMPATIBILITY***
These lenses CANNOT be used on regular DSLRs. If you want to use a lens that is not an RF-mount on a Mirrorless camera purchase the adapter below.
CANON RF 70-200MM F/2.8L IS USM LENS
CANON RF 100-400MM F/5.6-8 IS USM LENS
CANON RF 100-500MM F/4.5-7.1L IS USM LENS
Deep Space Objects - Telephoto
(DSLR, APS-C & Full Frame: EF Mount)
These lenses can be used without a tracker on Canon DSLR cameras with an APS-C and full frame sensor.
***COMPATIBILITY***
These lenses can be used on Mirrorless cameras without the correct adapter (above).
CANON EF 70-200MM F/2.8L IS III USM LENS
I have zero experience with all of these long lenses. However, I know many people who have used and loved this lens.
