Canon 1300D: STAND-OUT STARTER SLR

The best lens for a Canon 1300D out of 75 lens tests for a Canon APS-C SLR

The Canon 1300D is an ideal choice for starting photographers looking for their first camera with interchangeable lenses, or who just do not want to spend too much money on their equipment. The 1300D is light and inexpensive, but at the same time it offers a lot of quality. The 18-megapixel sensor has been a trusted choice in Canon cameras for years and offers good image quality. Compared to its predecessors, the 1300D has been expanded with Wi-Fi and NFC, so that photos can be shared easily. Of course, all lenses with an EF or EF-S mount fit on the 1300D. With all the non-maker brands, the choice is enormous. We have now done 75 lens reviews for lenses that you can use on a Canon 1300D. And there are some really great ones that are good and affordable and still light. These are our favorites for the Canon 1300D.

GOOD AND AFFORDABLE LENSES FOR CANON 1300D:

HOW DO WE CHOOSE?

With a camera in the price range of the 1300D, price is of course one of the first things we look at for lenses. Many 1300D owners rarely buy more than one extra lens besides the kit lens that is often included with the camera. That’s a shame, because with some extra lenses the capabilities of the 1300D become so much more. And for the price, you really do not have to skip it. For example, for less than € 100.00, you have a great lens with which you can shoot far better portraits than with any other zoom, and it’s very well-suited for low-light photography.

HOW ARE THE BEST LENSES FOR THE CANON EOS 1300D SELECTED?

For the recommendations, we only look at lenses we have tested thoroughly. The lenses were tested on the best cameras available at the time of testing. If the lenses perform well on those cameras, they will certainly meet your expectations on the 1300D. In general, we have chosen lenses with a Canon EF-S mount. These are lenses specially made for Canon cameras with an APS-C sensor, like the 1300D, but also, for example, for the much more expensive EOS 7D Mark II. Lenses with an EF-S array are generally smaller, lighter and less expensive than EF-mount lenses. Lenses with an EF mount are namely also suitable for the larger full-frame cameras such as the EOS 5D series and the EOS 1DX. The EF-S lenses do not fit on those.

Use the overview of test results per focal length as an introduction to almost 100 lens reviews. Beginners and many other photographers mainly use jpg files from the camera, which usually have multiple lens corrections applied. With the lens recommendations for starters and amateurs, we take that into account by basing our advice on the test results for jpg files.

THe best 130D kit lens?

Standard zoom: EF-S 18-55 in USM, STM or USM 2: The Canon kit lenses have become really good in recent years and nothing to turn your nose up at. In combination with a camera, you get them almost for free, and the price-quality ratio is therefore unbeatable. If you do not yet have 18-55mm, make sure when purchasing that you have one of the more recent versions with image stabilization (IS). Those really are better than all the old ones. Then you have a real all-round lens that is ideal if you only want to take along one lens.

MACROPHOTOGRAPHY WITH A Canon 1300D: OUR CHOICE IS SIMPLE: Canon EF-S 60 mm f/2.8 Macro USM

Macro lenses are specialized lenses that have to delivery high image quality at very short setting distances. That makes them by definition more expensive than ordinary standard lenses. The Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro is one of Canon’s more affordable options. The lens offers great image quality over the entire range, from infinity to macro, and the working distance from the lens to the subject is still quite reasonable even at 1: 1. This is a lens with which you can get the maximum quality from your sensor. And thanks to its 60mm focal point, you can also use it very well for portraits.

Standard: Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 STM

As explained above, we mainly choose EF-S lenses for the Canon EOS 1300D. The Canon 40mm f/2.8 STM is one of those exceptions to the rule. This lens is actually designed as a pancake for the full-frame cameras. The image quality is extraordinarily good for such a compact lens, and on the 1300D you only use the best part of the image, namely the middle. Put this lens on the lightweight and compact 1300D body, and you have nearly a compact camera that you can always take with you. All you need to keep in mind is the slightly smaller field of view you get on a 1300D compared to a full-frame camera and the slightly lower brightness due to its compact design. If you want a bit wider angle, there is also an EF-S 24mm f/2.8 pancake for the 1300D. Its image quality is slightly less than that of the 40mm.

ULTRA-WIDE ANGLE: Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/45-5.6 IS STM

This lens is almost laughingly good and inexpensive. Canon already had a good wide-angle zoom with the EF-S 10-22mm. The EF-S 10-18mm is pretty much just as good, but a good bit lighter, smaller and less expensive than the 10-22mm. And that makes it is the ideal choice for the 1300D. The four millimeters you lose in range relative to the 10-22mm are more than worth it. The STM stepper motor provides virtually silent autofocus that also works better for video recordings.

PORTRAIT, LOW LIGHT & BOKEH: Yongnuo 50mm f/1.8

A good portrait lens is bright (f/2.8 or lower) and has a focal length between 85mm and 135mm. That is, on a camera with a full-frame sensor. On a camera with an APS-C sensor, like the Canon 1300D, you’re good with a bright (f/1.8) lens with a focal length of around 60mm. Like the Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 STM, the Yongnuo is a lens that you can use on Canon full-frame cameras. It looks like a twin of the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8, which has been dubbed on the internet as the ‘plastic fantastic’. The Canon 50mm f/1.8 was beloved as the only Canon lens with exceptional image quality and a price tag of less than one hundred euros. The Yongnuo performs just as well and is even cheaper. Don’t think about it, just buy.

TelePHOTO zoom: Tamron 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di VC USD SP AF

The Tamron 70-300 is a good and inexpensive telephoto zoom that delivers good performance. Image stabilization is called VC by Tamron, standing for Vibration Control. There is also a version without VC. That one is even cheaper than the version with it, and you sometimes see them in sets with dirt-cheap prices. However, without VC, it’s almost impossible to get sharp pictures by hand at 300mm, certainly with a light camera like the 1300D. So do yourself a favor and pay attention to those two letters.

VACATION ZOOM? Tamron 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD AF

The Tamron 18-270 is good, inexpensive and light. Do not expect the highest image quality from any all-in-one zoom. These kinds of lenses are always a compromise for photographers who do not want to or cannot change lenses. But as a compromise, this Tamron is the best we’ve reviewed so far. Its successor, the new Tamron 18-400, is in our lab now. And that’s also a great choice for photographers who are looking for a bit more range.