Canon 60D Lenses

Canon EF-S 18-135mm IS Lens

The Canon 60D accepts all Canon EF and EF-S mount lenses, which are electronic autofocusing lenses.

Canon EF-S lenses were introduced with compact digital SLRs (or DSLRs) like the Canon Rebel series and the Canon 20D, which as a predecessor of the 60D. EF-S lenses are smaller and lighter than their EF counterparts because they take advantage of the smaller image sensor inside Canon DSLRs like the 60D.

Canon EF lenses have been around for decades and were originally used with film cameras. EF lenses are compatible with smaller Canon DSLRs like the 60D, as well as “full frame” DSLRs with 35mm format sensors, like the Canon 5D Mark II. As a result, Canon 60D owners get the best of both worlds by being able to use all EF lenses in Canon’s line up, as well as newer EF-S lenses, which are specifically tailored to the 60D’s image sensor.

Below, you will find a list of current Canon EF and EF-S lenses compatible with the Canon 60D.

A brief overview of lens acronyms and designations:

f/ number – This number is used to designate the lens aperture, which affects the amount of light that can come in through the lens and the ability to blur the background for flattering portraits. The lower the number, the brighter the lens. Lower is generally better. Zoom lenses can have a range for the f-stop, which changes depending on the focal length.

IS – Image Stabilizer – The lens senses shake or vibrations and moves the glasses elements inside in order to compensate for the camera shake and produce sharper images.

L – Designation for Canon’s professional line of lenses. While more expensive than consumer-grade lenses,

MM – millimeter – The focal length of lenses is measured in millimeters. Zoom lenses are designated with a range of millimeters, such as 18-55mm.

Macro – Macro lenses are great for shooting close-ups of small objects like bugs and flowers with incredible magnification power.

USM – Ultrasonic Motor – The inclusion of an ultrasonic motor makes the lens focusing fast and quiet.

Canon EF-S Lenses

Canon EF Consumer Lenses

Canon EF Professional Lenses

In addition to Canon lenses, there are a number of third-party manufacturers which make compatible lenses for the Canon 60D. The most popular of these manufacturers are Sigma, Tamron and Tokina.

Sigma Lenses Compatible With Canon 60D

Sigma 70-300mm DG OS

Sigma offers a very large range of compatible lenses for the 60D, which are listed below. Like Canon, Sigma has a number of lens designations and acronyms, which are briefly explained below as well.

ASP - Aspherical lenses have a reduced number of lens components, which helps keep the size down and reduce distortion on wide angle lenses.

APO - Uses special low-dispersion glass designed to minimize color abberation.

OS - Optical Stabilizer – Like Canon’s IS system, Sigma uses the OS designation to indicate a lens that senses shake or vibrations and moves the glasses elements inside in order to compensate for the camera shake and produce sharper images.

EX - The exterior of these lenses are EX-finished to denote the superior build and optical quality, and to enhance their appearance.

HSM - Hyper-Sonic Motor – This lens uses a motor driven by ultrasonic waves to provide a quiet, highspeed AF.

IF - Inner Focus – To ensure stability in focusing, these lenses moves the inner lens group or groups without changing the lenses’ physical length. With IF lenses, there is no movement on the end filter ring of the camera when focusing.

RF - Rear Focus – These lenses are equipped with a system that moves the rear lens group for high speed , silent focusing. RF designations are generally seen on large (and expensive) lenses.

DG - Sigma’s DG line of lenses are suitable for use on smaller sensor cameras like the Canon 60D, as well as use on “full frame” cameras like the 5D Mark II. In terms of size, the DG line is comparable to Canon EF lenses.

DC - Sigma’s DC line of lenses are specifically designed for use with smaller sensor cameras like the 60D. The DC lenses are comparable Canon’s EF-S line.

Other designations like f/ numbers, “macro” and “mm” serve the same purpose as they do on other lenses.

Sigma DC Lenses

Sigma DG Lenses

Tamron Lenses Compatible With 60D

Tamron 17-50mm Di II Lens

Tamron offers a several compatible lenses for the 60D, which are listed below. Tamron’s lens designations and acronyms are briefly explained below as well.

IF - Internal Focusing

ASL - Aspherical

LD - Low Dispersion – Type of glass element inside the lens designed to minimize color abberation.

AD - Anomalous Dispersion – Type of glass element inside the lens designed to reduce chromatic aberrations.

XR - Extra Refractive Index Glass – This glass allows the lenses to be physically smaller because of the way it bends light.

Di - Tamron’s Di line of lenses are suitable for use on smaller sensor cameras like the Canon 60D, as well as use on “full frame” cameras like the 5D Mark II. In terms of size, the Di line is comparable to Canon EF and Sigma DG lenses.

Di II - Tamron’s Di II line of lenses are specifically designed for use with smaller sensor cameras like the Canon 60D . The Di II lenses are comparable Canon’s EF-S line.

ADH - AD-Hybrid Aspherical

SP - High-performance specifications

FEC - Filter Effect Control

LAH - LD-Hybrid Aspherical

ZL - Zoom-Lock Mechanism – Prevents lens creep when hanging from your neck.

A/M – AF/MF Switchover Mechanism – Allows you to slide the focus ring back and forth to switch between auto and manual focus.

VC - Vibration Compensation – Like Canon’s IS system, Tamron uses the VC designation to indicate a lens that senses shake or vibrations and moves the glasses elements inside in order to compensate for the camera shake and produce sharper images.

Other designations like f/ numbers, “macro” and “mm” serve the same purpose as they do on other lenses.

Tamron Di-II Lenses

Tamron Di Lenses

Tokina Lenses Compatible With 60D

Tokina offers a few compatible lenses for the Canon 60D, which are listed below. All are designed for use with smaller sensor DSLRs like the 60D.

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