Landscape photographers have long relied on Canon's EOS DSLRs and EF lenses to document the changing face of the planet. But the burgeoning Canon EOS R System opens up a new world of possibilities. With their full-frame sensors and advanced mirrorless technology, Canon EOS R System cameras are at the cutting edge of imaging, though it's the revolutionary RF lens mount that's the real game-changer. Canon's RF primes and zooms are designed for optical excellence, and with their compact size and reduced weight, they're a great choice when trekking to find the perfect viewpoint.
ARTICLE
The best Canon mirrorless kit for landscape photography
So which are the best Canon mirrorless cameras for landscape photography? And, whether you're supplementing an EF or EF-S camera or fully migrating to the mirrorless EOS R System, which RF prime and zoom lenses should you choose?
Here, German nature photographer and Canon Ambassador Radomir Jakubowski details which mirrorless bodies and lenses make the best choices for his work, while Mike Burnhill, Senior Product Specialist at Canon Europe, also offers his invaluable technical insight.
Do you own Canon kit?
1. Best mirrorless camera for landscapes: Canon EOS R5
With its 45MP full-frame CMOS sensor, high-resolution displays and weather sealing, the Canon EOS R5 is a camera that's right at home in the great outdoors. "Before going mirrorless, I used to shoot with a Canon EOS-1D X Mark III and a Canon EOS 5DS R," reveals Radomir. "I could see that mirrorless was going to be the future, so I bought a Canon EOS R in January 2020 just to see how it worked. I could see how much power and potential there was inside the EOS R System, and the Canon EOS R5 is now the camera I mainly use for landscapes.
Canon EOS R5
"I also have the Canon EOS R6," Radomir continues. "If you want a main body and a second body, then the EOS R6 really complements the EOS R5. If you have to print larger than a metre, the Canon EOS R5 is obviously a better choice, but for most work they are quite similar."
Mike agrees that a high-resolution sensor is always desirable for scenic shots: "It allows you to clearly see the individual components and organic structure of the landscape," he explains. But he also highlights some of the smaller features of the Canon EOS R5 that can make a big difference for landscape photography. "For example, you no longer have to carry a cable release with you because you can use the Canon Camera Connect app to turn your smartphone into a Bluetooth remote release," he says.
2. Best wide-angle lenses for mirrorless landscape photography: Canon RF 14-35mm F4L IS USM and Canon RF 15-35mm F2.8L IS USM
"Both of these wide-angle lenses have fantastic autofocus and image stabilisation," explains Radomir. "So the question is, what do you need as a photographer? Do you want a smaller, lightweight lens that's a great choice for general landscape photography? In which case, go for the Canon RF 14-35mm F4L IS USM. Or do you need a fast aperture for shooting nightscapes, the Northern Lights, stars and so on? In which case, you have to go for the Canon RF 15-35mm F2.8L IS USM.
Canon RF 14-35mm F4L IS USM
"If you're photographing the Milky Way, for example, you can't use an exposure that's too long if you don't want motion blur," Radomir continues. "Having the option to go to f/2.8 means that you don't have to go so high with the ISO."
For those photos where you want to squeeze as much of the scenery into the frame as possible, reach for the Canon RF 14-35mm F4L IS USM – the widest native lens for the RF system. "The 1mm difference between 14mm and 15mm makes an incredible difference to the coverage of the subject," says Mike. "Moving from 300mm to 400mm in a telephoto lens might not be that noticeable, but every millimetre counts with a wide-angle lens."
As Radomir points out, the RF 14-35mm F4L IS USM also focuses a bit closer than the RF 15-35mm F2.8L IS USM (the former has a minimum focus distance of 0.2m, the latter 0.28m), so you can exploit the lens's wide angle of view while at the same time physically getting closer to foreground objects, thus making them fill more of the frame.
The filter thread size may also be an important consideration, Radomir adds. "The RF 14-35mm F4L IS USM has a 77mm filter thread and the RF 15-35mm F2.8L IS USM has an 82mm filter thread, which is something to think about if you want to easily share filters between your other Canon lenses."
One of the benefits of moving to the Canon EOS R System is that you can continue using your favourite Canon EF and EF-S lenses, such as the Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM or the EF 16-35mm f/2.8L III USM, via an EF-EOS R mount adapter.
There are three mount adapters available, including Drop-In Filter Mount Adapter EF-EOS R, which enables the use of drop-in filters. "You can use this to add a polariser to any EF or EF-S lens, including the Canon EF 11-24mm f/4L USM where it's not possible to fit a filter to the front of the lens," explains Mike. "A variable ND drop-in filter is also available, which is useful if you want to use a certain shutter speed and aperture combination, or if you want to shoot a long exposure landscape."
3. Best mirrorless system telephoto lens for landscape details: Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1L IS USM
"The Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM is the best telephoto zoom I have ever used," enthuses Radomir. "The image quality is outstanding, and when you're shooting relatively close, it performs like a prime lens.
"I often take this telephoto zoom lens to isolate details in the landscape," he continues. "It's quite light and really small, which is useful if, like me, you are often in the mountains. I also like the fact that it has a standard 77mm diameter filter thread, which means I can use it with my polarising filters to reduce reflections and improve colours in the landscape."
Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1L IS USM
Mike adds, "The high level of compression that the Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1L IS USM can achieve allows landscape photographers to see things in a very different way than the standard wide-angle view. It's fully weather-sealed and about the same size as the Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens. It was going to be difficult to improve on the image quality of that lens, so we added an extra 100mm as that's more beneficial than chasing ever-decreasing margins of image performance enhancements."
4. Best mirrorless system lens for general landscape photography: Canon RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM
"I love to work with telephoto lenses for landscape photography," says Radomir. "When I don't know what to expect, I take the Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1L IS USM. But when I'm familiar with the location and can anticipate what will be going on in the landscape, I will take the Canon RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM.
"The Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1L IS USM can sometimes be a little bit long at 100mm, so the RF 70-200 F2.8L IS USM is more useful for general landscape photography. You can combine it with the Canon RF 15-35mm F2.8L IS USM or the Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM and cover a lot of ground with just those two lenses. I really like the fact that it's so small and more than 400g lighter than the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS III USM."
Canon RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM
Mike is equally enthusiastic about the compact size of this lens. "It readily fits into a camera bag and is a much easier lens to carry around than the EF equivalent. And of course, the Canon RF 70-200mm F4L IS USM is even smaller. It's comparable in size to the Canon RF 24-105mm F4L IS USM and is a great option when you don't need the faster maximum aperture of the flagship zoom.
"The RF 70-200mm F4L IS USM is an L-Series lens, so just like the f/2.8 version, it's totally weather-sealed. It even has the heat-resistant paint that we use on our super telephoto lenses, so in bright sunlight it doesn't suffer from any drop in image performance. Optically, the Canon RF 70-200mm F4L IS USM is absolutely stunning. It's better all the way through the zoom range than the Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS II USM, which is razor sharp. It's also smaller, focuses faster and closer, and features better IS."
5. Best mirrorless lens for travel landscapes: Canon RF 24-105mm F4L IS USM
"For some landscape photographers, a 24-105mm or 24-70mm zoom lens is the most important one in their bags," reveals Radomir. "I like to have a lens that offers more than 70mm at the long end, which is why I went for the Canon RF 24-105mm F4L IS USM instead of the RF 24-70mm F2.8L IS USM. It just means that I don't have to switch to the RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM as quickly, because I have an extra 35mm focal length to play with."
Mike adds: "Optically, the Canon RF 24-105mm F4L IS USM is superior to the Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS II USM, but there are other things within the system that make it more appealing generally. It has the better focusing system and better IS, and it's also a smaller size."
Canon RF 24-105mm F4L IS USM
6. Best lens for handheld landscape photos: Canon RF 35mm F1.8 Macro IS STM
"When I'm going out without the real intention of taking pictures, I always take the Canon EOS R6 and the RF 35mm F1.8 Macro IS STM with me," says Radomir. "I use it for everything – from landscapes and portraits to reportage and macro. I like the f/1.8 aperture and the vignetting. I know some photographers say that they can just add a vignette when they process their images, but for me that's part of the character of a lens. I also love the combination of 35mm focal length and 5-stops of image stabilisation (IS), which makes it possible for me to shoot one-second exposures handheld."
"Landscape photography can cover many different aspects," elaborates Mike. "It's not just about going into the countryside, it can focus on cities as well. The Canon RF 35mm F1.8 Macro IS STM is a very compact lens and, with the fast aperture and IS, is really well suited to shooting in low-light conditions, when cities and urban areas take on a magical glow."
Canon RF 35mm F1.8 Macro IS STM
7. Best mirrorless system lens for moody long-lens landscapes: Canon RF 85mm F2 Macro IS STM
"Although I prefer to take the Canon RF 24-105mm F4L IS USM or the Canon RF 70-200 F2.8L IS USM when I shoot landscapes, I really like the fact that this lens is so lightweight," explains Radomir. "When I go out with my Canon EOS R6 and Canon RF 35mm F1.8 Macro IS STM, I put the Canon RF 85mm F2 Macro IS STM in my pocket. When I'm not sure what I will be shooting, I prefer to use prime lenses rather than zooms. I find that I can focus on my photography better with primes.
Canon RF 85mm F2 Macro IS STM
"There are not so many landscape images that lend themselves to the Canon RF 85mm F2 Macro IS STM, but you will always find some shots that really suit the large f/2 aperture and the attractive vignetting."
Mike says that although the Canon RF 85mm F2 Macro IS STM is not a classic landscape lens, it's a very good all-rounder: "The close-up ability does allow you to get a different perspective, with the half life-size magnification giving you a good balance between details in the foreground and the background when you need it."
Related articles
-
ARTICLE
Tokyo at night with the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
Discover how art director and photographer Liam Wong used the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV to capture atmospheric shots of neon-lit cityscapes.
-
ARTICLE
Expert view: should you switch to RF lenses?
Why switch from EF to RF lenses? Canon expert Mike Burnhill explores some of the benefits and compares EF lenses and their RF counterparts.
-
ARTICLE
How to develop a more distinctive landscape style
Landscape photographer Kevin Faingnaert shares his techniques and advice on how to make your landscape photography stand out from the crowd.
-
LANDSCAPE
The best Canon lenses for landscape photography
Nature photographers Valtteri Hirvonen and Radomir Jakubowski share their favourite Canon lenses for stunning landscape imagery.