If you're thinking of getting a new lens for your DSLR or mirrorless camera,
you might be wondering what type of lens you should get.
One concern might be whether camera lenses are universal.
So by that, do they fit any camera body or are they brand specific?
In this video, I'll look at interchangeable lenses.
Are they universal?
Why you would want to use interchangeable lenses
and how to find out what lens mount your camera uses.
The reality is that although many camera lenses are interchangeable,
they're not necessarily universal
across all camera brands and possibly
not even across all cameras from the same manufacturer.
Let me explain This canon RF 35mm lens
will fit any Canon R series camera body
because they all use the canon RF lens mount system.
But the RF lens won't fit on to other brands of camera.
So for instance, I can't use this RF
lens on a Sony E-Mount camera or a Nikon F mount camera.
The connections just won't match.
Even if you stick
to the same brand of camera, there can still be issues.
In theory, Nikon cameras have been using the F mount
since it was introduced in about 1959.
But some things have changed over the years.
With Sony, although you can swap between E and FE mount lenses,
there are some good reasons why you might not want to do so.
Then there's canon.
Do all Canon lenses fit all Canon cameras?
Not necessarily.
Currently you can buy new canon lenses that have RF,
EF, EF-S, and EF-M lens mounts.
Although EF lenses will fit cameras that use EF-S
lenses, generally you can't mix these lens mounts.
Although you can adapt EF and EF-S lenses
onto mirrorless cameras that use the RF mount.
Despite this overall incompatibility, if you stay within the same lens
mount ecosystem, you can swap lenses on your camera.
And here are some reasons why you might want to do so First,
using interchangeable lenses offers you flexibility.
Different lenses have specific characteristics
such as focal length, aperture and zoom capabilities.
By being able to switch lenses, you can choose the one that's right
for you.
It also lets you choose the quality, performance and cost.
If you need a high quality performance,
you can choose from the manufacturer's professional range.
But if you don't need the best possible image quality
and performance and cost is more important to you,
then there's a range of lenses that will suit you.
Creative control is another consideration.
Each lens has its own optical properties that can affect the depth
of field, perspective, and overall look of the image.
If you're shooting a portrait, you can fit something
like a fast 85mm prime lens.
But if you then go out to capture some landscape shots,
you'll probably want to use a wide angle zoom and possibly a telephoto.
But for wildlife photography, you'll want to use a super telephoto lens.
Finally using a camera with interchangeable lenses
provides a level of future proofing as camera technology advances.
Lens optics is well understood, so manufacturers
can make almost any type of lens and make it really good.
However, the technology in the camera body advances very quickly.
There are improved image sensors coming along, autofocus systems,
more powerful processors, and the introduction of AI
that will leverage more from your already great lenses.
So in ten years time, I could still be using this RF 100
to 500 millimeter lens, but on newer camera bodies
that will help me get more from the same lens.
So if interchangeable lenses are not universal,
what do you do if you are investing in a new lens for your camera
and want to make sure that the lens is compatible?
Well, first, identify the lens mount used by your camera.
The body will probably have the make and model on it
You can use that information to check the lens mount on the manufacturer's website.
On my Canon EOS R and R6 cameras,
there's a link in the menu to the camera's manual and software downloads.
If I go into the last tab of the Yellow wrench or Setup menu,
there's a camera manual/software URL.
When I tap on that, there's a QR code
and URL link to the camera's web page.
I can use that to open the camera's manual.
And on the specification page I can see that the cameras use
Canon's RF mount, but it also shows that
if I use an EF to EOS R adapter I can also fit
Canon's EF and EF-S lenses.
With that information I can now look at buying a lens
that has the correct lens mount for my camera
or a lens that's compatible with an adapter.
Talking of adapting lenses, I have a video that explains how to use EF-S lenses
on Canon full frame mirrorless cameras and I'll put a link up there.
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