The right tool for the right job. In this case, the right lens for the right camera.
This is a guide covering the best lenses for the Canon Rebel T6, a great starter APS-C format camera with a Canon EF/EF-S lens mount.
I know how exciting, yet difficult it can be to find the perfect lens for your camera especially since it can be an investment.
So make sure to review all the lens options for the Canon Rebel T6.
That way you can make the best decision for you!
In a hurry? Here’s the quick rundown:
Click/tap on the lens name to jump to that section to read my summary of the product. At the end of each section, there is a “→ Jump Back to Table” link to bring you back here!
| Lenses | Benefits |
|---|---|
| ⭐ Best Overall Lens Canon EF 50mm f/1.8  | – Offers excellent low-light performance – Compact and lightweight design makes it a versatile and portable – Provides beautiful background blur (bokeh) and sharp subject focus, enhancing portraits |
| 👩 Best Portrait Lens Sigma 85mm f/1.4  | – Ideal choice for professional portraits and low-light photography – Exceptional image quality – Build quality and optical performance make it a top choice |
| 🌐 Best Wide-Angle Lens Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5  | – Versatile wide-angle to moderate zoom capabilities, making it perfect for capturing landscapes – Ultra-wide focal range – compact and lightweight design makes it a convenient addition for travel and everyday photos |
| 🔭 Best Telephoto Lens Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L  | – Extensive zoom range for Canon Rebel T6 users interested in wildlife, sports, and distant subjects – L-series build and optical quality ensure sharp and high-contrast images – Features image stabilization, reducing the impact of camera shake |
Tamron SP 70-200mm F/2.8 | – Versatile zoom range and a wide f/2.8 aperture, making it an exceptional choice -excels in low-light conditions and offers excellent subject isolation for portraits, sports, and events – Advanced optics and image stabilization contribute to its image quality and versatility |
Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 | – Ultra-compact and lightweight prime lens – Wide f/2.8 aperture allows for creative depth of field effects and performs well in low-light situations – Discreet design and sharp image quality make it excellent for street photography and everyday |
Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 | – Ultra-wide-angle zoom range, making it ideal for landscapes and creative perspectives – Lightweight and compact design – Affordable price point, this lens is an accessible option |
| 🌹 Best Macro Lens Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4  | – Versatile zoom range and a wide aperture, making it an excellent all-purpose choice – Suitable for a range of photography styles, including landscapes, portraits, and everyday shooting – Sharpness, compact design, and affordability make it a valuable addition |
Canon EF 300mm f/4L | – High-quality telephoto prime lens, offering exceptional reach and image clarity – f/4 aperture, combined with L-series optics, ensures sharp and high-contrast images – Lightweight and easy to handle |
Sigma 120-300mm F2.8 | – High-performance telephoto zoom with a constant wide aperture – Excels in capturing fast-action sports, wildlife, and other distant subjects – Robust build quality, precise autofocus, and image quality |
Table of Contents
1. Canon EF 50mm f/1.8
Lens Specifications:
- Lens type: Prime lens
- Maximum aperture: F1.8
- Minimum aperture: F22
- Max Format size: 35mm FF
- Focal length: 50mm
- Image stabilization: No
- Lens mount: Canon EF
- Weight: 159g (0.35 lb)
- Diameter: 69mm (2.72″)
- Length: 39mm (1.54″)
- Sealing: No
The best overall lens for the Canon Rebel T6 is the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8.
Maybe you’re underwhelmed by my pick, but I truly believe that a trusty, quality-built 50mm lens will get you far in photography if you treat it right and use it to the best of your abilities.
This lens by Canon isn’t just ultra-portable, it gives you plenty of performance across a wide range of photographic styles.
It can be used for portraits, landscapes, chewing scenery, and many other applications.
It’s a great true-to-life lens that even performs well in low-light.
My Pros With This Lens:
- Fantastic all-around lens
- Dependable
- Bang for your buck
- Sharp quality
- Bokeh
My Cons With This Lens:
- n/a
2. Sigma 85mm f/1.4
Lens Specifications:
- Lens type: Prime lens
- Maximum aperture: F1.4
- Minimum aperture: F16
- Max Format size: 35mm FF
- Focal length: 85mm
- Image stabilization: No
- Lens mount: Canon EF
- Diameter: 95mm (3.74″)
- Length: 126mm (4.96″)
- Sealing: No
The best portrait lens for the Canon Rebel T6 is the Sigma 85mm f/1.4.
While it’s true that there is no “one size fits all” lens that can completely reduce your camera lens bag to one single lens, this Sigma 85mm lens comes close for portrait photographers.
It can get in close while affording plenty of depth of field, giving you a great range to work with.
It’s particularly useful on-the-move for street portraits.
Also, check out the full list the best Canon lenses for portrait photography.
My Pros With This Lens:
- Quick focus speed
- Extremely sharp
- Glorious bokeh
- No distortion
- Even illumination
My Cons With This Lens:
- Take the time to calibrate (Focus may require adjustment)
- Little bit heavy
3. Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5
Lens Specifications:
- Lens type: Zoom lens
- Maximum aperture: F3.5 – 4.5
- Minimum aperture: F22 – 27
- Max Format size: APS-C/DX
- Focal length: 10–22mm
- Image stabilization: No
- Lens mount: Canon EF-S
- Weight: 385g (0.85 lb)
- Diameter: 84mm (3.29″)
- Length: 90mm (3.54″)
- Materials: Plastic barrel, metal mount
- Sealing: No
The best wide-angle lens for the Canon Rebel T6 is the Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5.
This wide-angle lens by Canon is very similar to the 10-18mm listed above with a few key differences.
For one, this lens does not come with an STM motor like the 10-18mm, so it will not shoot video.
However, the 10-22mm offers superior clarity and performs much better in low light conditions.
Check out a list of the best wide-angle lenses for Canon.
My Pros With This Lens:
- Quick and accurate focus
- Great for landscapes and architecture shots
- Fast and accurate AF in bad light
- Very fun lens to use
My Cons With This Lens:
- Purple fringing visible with higher resolution APS-C cameras
4. Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L
Lens Specifications:
- Lens type: Zoom lens
- Maximum aperture: F4.5 – 5.6
- Minimum aperture: F32 – 40
- Max Format size: 35mm FF
- Focal length: 100–400mm
- Image stabilization: Yes (4 stops)
- Lens mount: Canon EF
- Weight: 1570g (3.46 lb)
- Diameter: 94mm (3.7″)
- Length: 193mm (7.6″)
- Materials: Magnesium
- Sealing: Yes
The best sports photography lens for the Canon Rebel T6 is the Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L.
Most industry professionals consider this canon zoom lens to be the penultimate sports lens.
Not only is it weather-resistant, but it has a blazing fast auto-focus, meaning you won’t miss a pivotal moment while your lens focuses on the action.
My Pros With This Lens:
- Incredibly sharp throughout zoom range
- Optically stabilized
- Quick focus
- 1:3 magnification
- Relatively compact
My Cons With This Lens:
- Some barrel distortion at 100mm
5. Tamron SP 70-200mm F/2.8
Lens Specifications:
- Lens type: Zoom lens
- Maximum aperture: F2.8 – 22
- Minimum aperture: F2.8 – 22
- Max Format size: 35mm FF
- Focal length: 70–200mm
- Image stabilization: Yes
- Lens mount: Canon EF
- Weight: 1500g (3.31 lb)
- Diameter: 88mm (3.46″)
- Length: 194mm (7.63″)
- Sealing: Yes
This Tamron lens is a behemoth zoom lens that is perfect for professional portrait photographers.
It can zoom in magnificently, creating a pleasing blurred background (we call it bokeh) that makes your subject pop.
A professional-grade zoom lens is one of the most important pieces of glass for shooting things like weddings (check out the best Canon lenses for wedding photography) or isolating your subject in a startling way for solo shoots.
My Pros With This Lens:
- Excellent resolution through most of range
- Optical stabilization system
- Bright f/2.8 aperture
- Teleconverter compatibility
- Sturdy build quality
My Cons With This Lens:
- Weak flare resistance
- A little heavy
You can also find this lens on Walmart
6. Canon EF 40mm f/2.8
Lens Specifications:
- Lens type: Prime lens
- Maximum aperture: F2.8
- Minimum aperture: F22
- Max Format size: 35mm FF
- Focal length: 40mm
- Image stabilization: No
- Lens mount: Canon EF
- Weight: 130g (0.29 lb)
- Diameter: 68mm (2.68″)
- Length: 22mm (0.87″)
- Sealing: No
This “pancake lens” is truly one of a kind as a lens for a DSLR.
As 40mm, the focal length is an odd one that could be exactly what you’re looking for to shoot intriguing portrait photography.
It’s short, lightweight, and weird in a good way.
Furthermore, the STM motor enables this lens to capture video.
My Pros With This Lens:
- Very good optics
- Tiny size
- Silent autofocus
- Responsive electronic manual focus
- Decent construction
My Cons With This Lens:
- Can be susceptible to flare
- No lens hood supplied
- AF speed isn’t the fastest
7. Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6
Lens Specifications:
- Lens type: Zoom lens
- Maximum aperture: F4.5 – 5.6
- Minimum aperture: F22 – 29
- Max Format size: APS-C/DX
- Focal length: 10–18mm
- Image stabilization: Yes
- Lens mount: Canon EF-S
- Weight: 240g (0.53 lb)
- Diameter: 75mm (2.94″)
- Length: 72mm (2.83″)
- Sealing: No
The Canon EF-S 10-18mm is as compact as it is wide-angle.
Referred to as “ultra-wide”, this lens will reveal plenty of what’s in front of you.sigm
Combined with the compact body of the Canon T6 Rebel, this is a great street lens that’ll take up very little space in your bag.
The STM motor also allows you to switch to video.
lens is one of the most important pieces of glass for shooting things like weddings or isolating your subject in a startling way for solo shoots.
My Pros With This Lens:
- Excellent edge-to-edge sharpness
- Durable and sturdy
- Has Image Stabilization (works fantastic) & STM
- Focusing (superbly silent & smooth)
- Ultra-wide angle field of view
- Optically stabilized
My Cons With This Lens:
- Narrow aperture limits low-light use
- AF Speed is moderate and STM struggles in hazy conditionsuggles in hazy conditions
- Some color fringing
8. Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4
Lens Specifications:
- Lens type: Zoom lens
- Maximum aperture: F2.8 – 4
- Minimum aperture: F22
- Max Format size: APS-C/DX
- Focal length: 17–70mm
- Image stabilization: Yes
- Lens mount: Canon EF-S
- Weight: 465g (1.03 lb)
- Diameter: 79mm (3.11″)
- Length: 82mm (3.23″)
- Materials: Plastic barrel, metal mount
Sigma is a company that specializes in high-performance products and they nearly always come through.
This option clearly surpasses the lower-end stock lenses manufactured by Canon.
Their business model works perfectly, especially in the case of their 17-70mm wide-angle lens.
This Sigma lens is the perfect upgrade from your T6 stock lens—it covers a wide array of standard focal points, comes in a compact package, and offers increased clarity from your typical stock lens at this length.
My Pros With This Lens:
- Extremely sharp
- 4.1x zoom range
- 1:2.9 macro magnification
- Optical stabilization
- Wide aperture
- Compact and light
My Cons With This Lens:
- Some distortion
- Edge softness at 70mm
You can also find this lens on Walmart
9. Canon EF 300mm f/4L
As a sports photographer, sometimes you don’t need the biggest and best lens for the job.
When you need to be light on your feet, a shorter and lighter lens could be a better option.
That’s where the Canon EF 300mm lens comes in—built as tough as its 400mm counterpart, but trades depth for better transportability.
My Pros With This Lens:
- Fast autofocus
- Great for bird/wildlife photography
- Great value for money
- Image stabilization
My Cons With This Lens:
- Can be quieter
10. Sigma 120-300mm F2.8
Lens Specifications:
- Lens type: Zoom lens
- Maximum aperture: F2.8
- Minimum aperture: F22
- Max Format size: 35mm FF
- Focal length: 120–300mm
- Lens mount: Canon EF
- Weight: 2950g (6.50 lb)
- Diameter: 124mm (4.88″)
- Length: 291mm (11.46″)
- Sealing: Yes
This Sigma sports lens combines a 2.8 aperture with a long focal length to give you plenty of versatility to capture the action in front of you.
It’s not as fast as its Canon counterparts but will certainly perform well, if not better due to the increased clarity of its superior craftsmanship.
Sigma is proving time and time again that they are capable of great high-end lens options.
My Pros With This Lens:
- Wide f/2.8 aperture throughout zoom range
- Impressive telephoto reach
- Very sharp
- Minimal distortion
- Excellent build quality
My Cons With This Lens:
- Very large and heavy
Who is the Canon Rebel T6 For?
The Canon Rebel T6 is designed for photographers who are just starting out in photography.
What Lens Does the Rebel T6 Use?
The Rebel T6 supports Canon’s EF and EF-S line of lenses, so you have a wide range of options when it comes to choosing the right lens for your needs. Whether you’re looking to capture wide landscapes or close-up portraits, the Rebel T6 has the right lens for the job.
What lenses are compatible with the Canon Rebel T6?
You might think that a camera lens is a camera lens.
Why not slap that nice Nikon lens from your Uncle’s vintage camera bag onto your new T6 body?
Unfortunately, camera lens compatibility is important—not all lenses will work with the T6, in fact, many won’t.
Make sure you check the compatibility of a camera lens to your Canon Rebel T6.
Most Canon lenses will work, but third-party manufacturers make lenses for a wide array of camera bodies.
Hope you enjoyed this guide and that you find the best lens for your photography style!
Also, check out the full list of best Canon lenses.
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Nate Torres is a portrait photographer based in Southern California and is also a photography author for Photofocus.com. When he is not photographing clients he is creating educational photography content that he publishes on his website as well as his YouTube Channel. He is also the founder of Imaginated.com, a search engine of educational creators. Learn more about me here → https://www.natetorresphotography.com/about/
