The best Canon lenses for landscape photography

Explore a range of professional L-series landscape lenses for shooting stunning scenery in creative and distinctive ways.
Fluffy clouds and a rocky mountain range, frozen in places, are bathed in an orange glow emanating from the setting sun in the distance.

Nature photographer Radomir Jakubowski uses a range of Canon lenses for landscape photography, including the ultra-wide-angle Canon RF 15-35mm F2.8L IS USM. "It's one of the best lenses I've used for sun stars," he says. "When you're shooting into the sun, it's incredible how well it corrects lens flare." Taken on a Canon EOS R5 with a Canon RF 15-35mm F2.8L IS USM lens at 15mm, 1/8 sec, f/16 and ISO100. © Radomir Jakubowski

Landscape photography can place you in some unforgiving climates – just ask wilderness photographer Valtteri Hirvonen, who regularly shoots in conditions as low as -35°C from his base in northern Finland. "The camera and lenses are tools for me, and I don't baby them, so weatherproofing is important," he says. "The most epic moments happen when the weather isn't perfect – quite the opposite. When there is a storm, when everyone else stays home, that's when the magical moments happen in nature. I want my gear to work in those situations."

Radomir Jakubowski is a nature photographer and Canon Ambassador who firmly agrees with Valtteri. "There is nothing more boring than blue sky – I love storms, I love the rain, I love light that changes before your eyes," he says.

Canon’s L-series RF lenses offer new degrees of creative freedom to landscape photographers, and not only because of their pro-level weather-resistance and robust construction. Compared to their EF lens predecessors, RF lenses deliver technical advances including better image quality, closer focusing, less focus breathing (which is ideal for both filmmaking and focus stacking), enhanced image stabilisation (IS), plus a quicker autofocus motor.

Here, we'll look at the best RF lenses for different kinds of landscape photography, from ultra-wide-angle lenses such as the Canon RF 10-20mm F4L IS STM for capturing a broad field of view to telephoto lenses such as the versatile Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1L IS USM for isolating small details from a distance.

1. Best all-round landscape lens: Canon RF 24-70mm F2.8L IS USM

2. Best lens for landscapes with scale: Canon RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM

3. Best long landscape lens: Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1L IS USM

4. Best ultra-wide-angle landscape lens: Canon RF 10-20mm F4L IS STM

5. Best ultra-wide-angle zoom lenses for landscape: Canon RF 15-35mm F2.8L IS USM & Canon RF 14-35mm F4L IS USM

6. Best lens for versatility: Canon RF 24-105mm F4L IS USM

7. Best hybrid wide-angle prime lenses for landscapes: Canon RF 24mm F1.4L VCM & RF 20mm F1.4L VCM

Beams of sunlight illuminate a still body of water. In the background the silhouette of a small island can be seen.

The In-body Image Stabilisation (IBIS) in the Canon EOS R5 works in conjunction with the 5-stops of optical IS in the RF 24-70mm F2.8L IS USM lens to counter different types of camera shake, enabling Valtteri to shoot blur-free images handheld. "I can work in new ways, and I don't have to worry about sharpness so much," he says. Taken on a Canon EOS R5 with a Canon RF 24-70mm F2.8L IS USM lens at 70mm, 1/8000 sec, f/4.5 and ISO100. © Valtteri Hirvonen

1. Best all-round landscape lens: Canon RF 24-70mm F2.8L IS USM

"The Canon RF 24-70mm F2.8L IS USM is a great all-round lens. If you have it, you can survive pretty much any situation. I always have this lens with me and 80% of the time it's the only lens that I use," says Valtteri. "At my favourite focal length of 50mm, I see no quality difference compared with my prime lens – from the centre of the picture to the edges – and f/2.8 is fast enough for most situations. A major bonus is that the RF version of the lens features stabilisation, whereas the EF version did not, yet it remains a similar size and weight."

A Canon RF 24-70mm F2.8L IS USM lens.

Canon RF 24-70mm F2.8L IS USM

Part of the trinity of essential lenses alongside the RF 15-35mm and RF 70-200mm, the RF 24-70mm boasts a fast aperture and image stabilisation plus a Nano USM motor for silent focusing.

"This is a fantastic all-round lens," Mike adds. "The fast f/2.8 aperture makes it good for shooting in low light, and using the wide aperture also allows you to separate a subject from the background using differential focus. As it's an L-series lens, the weather-proofing is excellent. You can be confident that if you're working outdoors and the weather changes for the worse, it will work equally well."

If you regularly shoot video as well as stills, an outstanding alternative is the hybrid RF 24-105mm F2.8L IS USM Z. With a constant f/2.8 aperture over its extensive 24-105mm zoom range, it offers exceptional sharpness and up to 5.5-stops of image stabilisation, plus video-specific features such as an iris ring for smooth manual iris control when filming, reduced focus breathing and electronic parfocal performance, and compatibility with an optional power zoom adapter.

A lone walker stands on the edge of a rocky outcrop, framed against low clouds in a mountainous landscape with a steep-sided valley below.

The compact, lightweight design of the Canon RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM means it’s an easy lens to accommodate in a camera bag. It is built to take on challenging locations too, with L-series durability and impressive image stabilisation that can help you achieve shake-free shots even after an arduous hike. Taken on a Canon EOS R with a Canon RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM lens at 70mm, 1/640 sec, f/6.3 and ISO 100. © Martin Bissig

2. Best lens for landscapes with scale: Canon RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM

Telephoto lenses can create new, dramatic ways of capturing a landscape: isolating subjects against a blurred background. This technique comes naturally to Valtteri. "When I'm in my familiar home country, I often reach for a telephoto lens," he says. "Because it's often about discovering new details that interest you within a common scene that you've seen many times."

The RF lens mount has allowed a total redesign of the Canon RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM lens. "It's around 35% shorter than its EF predecessor and also lighter at only 1.07kg. In fact, the trinity of professional RF f/2.8 zoom lenses take up less space than two EF equivalents in the kitbag," says Mike. "You've got Dual Nano focusing technology, so focusing is even faster and can compensate for focus breathing. Image quality is maintained as the lens goes through the zoom range, there's closer focusing at 0.7m and the same degree of weather sealing as the EF version – including a fluorine coating that keeps it clean. If it rains, the water just runs off, without drying and forming hard droplets that affect the image quality.

A Canon RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM lens.

Canon RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM

This high-performance f/2.8 telephoto zoom is the third in the Canon trinity of essential RF lenses offering exceptional image quality in a compact body, designed to work in all conditions.

"Basically, the RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM is the multi-function workhouse for any professional photographer, whatever the genre."

If you require advanced video features in addition, consider the hybrid RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM Z. It has the same versatile focal length range and constant f/2.8 aperture, plus professional filmmaking features such as a dedicated iris ring for smooth manual iris control, reduced focus breathing, two customisable Lens Function buttons, and connectors for an optional power zoom adapter.

A telephoto image taken with a Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1L IS USM lens showing trees with pink blossoms appearing to circle one tree in the centre of a small clearing.

A super-telephoto lens, such as the Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1L IS USM, enables you to focus on details within a landscape and gives you a wide range of framing options in a sharp, stabilised zoom. The "layered" compression effect that’s easy to achieve with telephoto lenses is a useful technique for creative shots of mountains and forests. Taken on a Canon EOS R5 with a Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1L IS USM lens at 160mm, 1/640 sec, f/5.6 and ISO 100.

3. Best long landscape lens: Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1L IS USM

"Telephoto lenses are not always the most obvious choice for landscapes," says Mike, "but they allow you to change how you view the scene. The Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1L IS USM lens, especially, enables you to get a perspective of an object that is impossible from other angles. It gives you the ability to compress a landscape like a range of hills, or isolate objects on the horizon – it's not always about big panoramic views."

"With a telephoto lens, you can find interesting compositions even in dull landscapes," adds Valtteri. "Finding little details, playing with light in the scene and focusing only on that. It's much harder to do that with a wide angle. Plus, it's much easier to include wildlife in the scene too."

A Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM lens.

Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1L IS USM

With 5-stop image stabilisation and L-series build quality, this lens offers performance and image quality like no other thanks to UD lens elements and ASC coatings for unrivalled contrast and sharpness.

Compared to its EF predecessor, the Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1L IS USM offers quicker Nano USM focusing and an extra stop of stabilisation when used with a camera such as the Canon EOS R5 Mark II or EOS R6 Mark II. "Here you have a lens that is the same size as the EF 100-400mm lens and a little lighter, yet offers more focal reach," says Mike. "When you're shooting with the EOS R5 Mark II, it is possible to get sharp handheld images with shutter speeds as slow as 1/8 sec at the 500mm focal length.

"Many people would think of this focal range only for sports action and wildlife, but it's also great for landscapes," Mike continues. "It's about looking at landscapes in a different way, isolating areas or details such as groups of trees. One nice feature is the Zoom Touch Adjustment ring, which enables you to adjust tensioning for the zoom, according to the subject you're shooting. It also stops the focal length changing by accident if you tip the lens up or down."

A cloudy sky over a lake, surrounded by bright green hills and mountain peaks.

As well as being equipped with a customisable control ring, the ultra-wide-angle Canon RF 10-20mm F4L IS STM has a custom Lens Function Button. “You can assign various functions to it, such as swapping AF modes,” Mike points out. “You could even use it to hold the focus. Having another button that you can use without having to take your eye from the viewfinder just gives that extra controllability.” Taken on a Canon EOS R5 with a Canon RF 10-20mm F4L IS STM lens at 10mm, 1/160 sec, f/13 and ISO 100.

4. Best ultra-wide-angle landscape lens: Canon RF 10-20mm F4L IS STM

Ultra-wide lenses are capable of swallowing vast views in a single frame, but the Canon RF 10-20mm F4L IS STM breaks new ground in this regard. "It's the first of its kind in many respects," Mike says. "It's the widest full-frame lens with a fixed aperture, and also the widest full-frame with autofocus and IS too."

The epic perspective captured by the ultra-wide RF 10-20mm F4L IS STM is a great way to add drama to sweeping seascapes, for example, as you can get close to foreground details such as rock pools and still pull in vast amounts of the environment. Its portable design and powerful optical image stabilisation make it equally effective as a walkaround lens for immersive cityscape photography.

The Canon RF 10-20mm F4L IS STM is an RF interpretation of the classic EF 11-24mm f/4L USM. But thanks to the design of the RF mount, the lens is half the weight of its EF equivalent.

 A Canon RF 10-20mm F4L IS STM lens.

RF 10-20MM F4L IS STM

This ultra-wide-angle zoom lens shows you more of the landscape than ever before, as well as enabling you to capture shots when space or access is limited, and use perspective to create unique images.

"Mirrorless cameras have given us the opportunity to go back to the drawing board and create a simpler design," Mike explains. "With the Canon RF 10-20mm F4L IS STM there's only a single-element focusing group, which means it's the first L-series lens that we've been able to put an STM focusing motor into. STMs aren't as powerful as USMs, which is why they've not been used in L-series lenses, which typically have large focusing groups. But STMs are more compact and much quieter, so they're excellent for video work.

"The STM has been updated from the standard STMs we use in the consumer lenses, and it offers full-time manual focusing override as well.

" In another first, the Canon RF 10-20mm F4L IS STM is equipped with an Image Stabilizer that's built especially for wide-angle lenses. "When a wide-angle is used with a camera that has IBIS, the corners of the image can sometimes appear to wobble," Mike says. "That's caused by perspective shift rather than the stabilisation, and while it's most visible in video, it can also lead to blurred corners in still images.

"The Peripheral Correction Image Stabilization system developed for ultra-wide-angle lenses combines the IS systems in the camera and the lens to reduce that," says Mike. "The Canon RF 10-20mm F4L IS STM gives you 5-stops of IS on a normal camera body or 6-stops on a camera with IBIS, but that is now practically across the entire frame rather than just in the centre. So, you get crisp, clear video and sharp stills from edge to edge."

The Canon RF 14-35mm F4L IS USM lens can challenge you to find new angles that you wouldn’t necessarily have attempted before. The ability to shoot at 14mm gives you the kind of width you don’t normally get in photography and is great for urban landscapes where you can get close to foreground objects to exaggerate their size. Taken on a Canon EOS R5 with a Canon RF 14-35mm F4L IS USM lens at 30 sec, f/4 and ISO 100.

5. Best ultra-wide-angle zoom lenses for landscape : Canon RF 15-35mm F2.8L IS USM & Canon RF 14-35mm F4L IS USM

A flagship lens that epitomises the hardiness and technical prowess of Canon's RF range, the Canon RF 15-35mm F2.8L IS USM has become a must-have for wildlife and landscape photographers. "If you need a fast aperture for shooting nightscapes, the Northern Lights, stars and so on, you have to go for the RF 15-35mm F2.8L IS USM," says Radomir.

RF 15-35mm F2.8 L IS USM

Canon RF 15-35mm F2.8L IS USM

Ultra-wide and super sharp thanks to L-series optical quality and 5-stop IS for dynamic angles even in tight spaces.

For Mike, this lens is the obvious high-performance choice. "This is our best performer in the RF range," he explains. "Overall, it's the sharpest edge-to-edge and it has the least distortion. It's got 5-stops of IS, it's fully weather-sealed and the faster aperture allows the user to reduce the shutter speed and ISO to capture astral landscapes without the Earth's rotation blurring the stars."

The RF 15-35mm F2.8L IS USM also boasts in-built focus breathing compensation, a video function that allows a shift in focus without magnification. This tech benefits stills photographs too, meaning you can make use of a shallower depth of field and still retain edge-to-edge sharpness by taking several shots and combining them in-camera on cameras with focus bracketing and focus stacking features, including the Canon EOS R10, EOS R7 and EOS R3.

More compact than the Canon RF 15-35mm F2.8L IS USM or the equivalent EF lens, the Canon RF 14-35mm F4L IS USM lens also provides a wider angle of view, albeit with one less stop of light. "It's nice to throw a wide-angle lens on the camera, as it challenges you to find interesting angles, such as reflections in the sea," says Valtteri. "Of course, there are also situations where it's necessary, such as shooting in tight spaces."

Mike adds: "The selling point of the Canon RF 14-35mm F4L IS USM is its wider field of view and that it features UD [Ultra Low Dispersion] and aspherical elements designed to compensate for a whole host of lens aberrations typical with such a compact wide-angle lens."

A figure in a kayak paddles out towards the horizon, the water and sky bathed in an orange hue.

The Canon RF 24-105mm F4L IS USM offers excellent image quality across wide-angle, standard and telephoto focal lengths, providing a versatile range of framing options when photographing landscapes. Its robust L-series build protects against dust and moisture when shooting outdoors too. Taken on a Canon EOS RP with a Canon RF 24-105mm F4L IS USM lens at 105mm, 1/2500 sec, f/4 and ISO 100. © Jake Baggaley

6. Best lens for versatility: Canon RF 24-105mm F4L IS USM

One of the most versatile lenses for landscape photography is the Canon RF 24-105mm F4L IS USM. The longer reach of this full-frame zoom extends creative possibilities for landscapes – whether that's isolating interesting elements within a wider view, or shooting over greater distances to make layers in the landscape appear much closer together than they are in reality.

The Canon RF 24-105mm F4L IS USM is a great lens for shooting travel landscapes, Mike suggests. "It's super-lightweight and compact, has a 5-stop Image Stabilizer and covers the majority of focal lengths that most people need when they're starting out.

A Canon RF 24-105mm F4L IS USM lens.

Canon RF 24-105mm F4L IS USM

The 24-105mm zoom covers wide-angle, standard and telephoto focal lengths, while a 5-stop Image Stabilizer preserves sharpness in low-light landscapes.

"I think with landscapes, we do focus a lot on the wide setting, but you can create amazing scenics with telephotos as well," says Mike. "With a longer focal length you can kind of compress landscapes. If you think of the amazing shots of the fields of Tuscany, a lot of them are shot from a hilltop using longer focal lengths. So having a 24-105mm, not only have you got the classic wide-angle but also a telephoto to achieve those longer views as well."

A clear shallow lake with some branches in the foreground and steep mountains rising in the background.

The Canon RF 24mm F1.4L VCM is a professional hybrid lens for capturing landscapes or cityscapes in beautiful photos and videos. It’s wide in terms of both its angle of view and maximum aperture, and delivers detailed, cinematic images thanks to its high-quality glass elements, lens coatings and 11-blade aperture. Taken on a Canon EOS R5 Mark II with a Canon RF 24mm F1.4L VCM lens, 0.5 sec, f/16 and ISO 200.

7. Best hybrid wide-angle prime lenses for landscapes: Canon RF 24mm F1.4L VCM & RF 20MM F1.4L VCM

Canon hybrid RF lenses are designed to be used for both stills and video. They combine the L-series lens performance and durability that landscape photographers rely on, with practical filmmaking features.

The hybrid RF lens range features a line-up of professional zoom and prime lenses, including two stand-out choices for landscape photography and videography: the Canon RF 24mm F1.4L VCM and the RF 20MM F1.4L VCM. "Thanks to their wide focal length and ultra-bright maximum aperture, these lenses are ideal for capturing everything from traditional landscapes and cityscapes to epic starscapes ,” explains Tibor Szövetes, Canon Europe Product Marketing Specialist.

Canon RF 24mm F1.4L VCM

A hybrid lens made for stills and video, this 24mm wide-angle prime – with a fast f/1.4 aperture, super-sharp optics and helpful filmmaking features – is ideal for immersive landscapes, architecture and more.
starrySky_With_Filter_Sample

"All RF lenses are great for video, but these hybrid lenses have a more filmmaking-oriented design, including an 11-bladed aperture for cinematic bokeh, plus minimal focus breathing, which is a benefit when shooting a set of stills for focus stacking as well as when filming, where videographers want to keep the same angle of view as they shift focus from one subject in the scene to another. In addition, there's an Iris Ring for manual adjustments of the aperture while shooting video, which provides seamless transitions thanks to the smooth 1/32 steps between stops."

The Canon RF 24mm F1.4L VCM is a great option for professionals who need a versatile wide-angle prime lens for detailed landscape images. "Its full-frame, fixed focal length gives you a really clear, artistic look, and the sharp optics provide incredibly high image quality," Tibor says. "It also has a fast f/1.4 maximum aperture for shooting when the light starts to drop and to help separate an object from the background when you’re working close-up."

Despite its short focal length, the Canon RF 20MM F1.4L VCM shares the same dimensions and filter thread size as the RF 24mm F1.4L VCM and other hybrid primes, meaning it is familiar to operate and easily interchangeable on camera rigs for video. Its rear filter holder is particularly beneficial when working with an ultra-wide angle of view. "You'll get less distortion on the scene than if you had a filter on the front, because the light rays are straighter as they pass through the rear filter to the sensor," Tibor explains. "As the light isn't bent as much, it eliminates coma distortions – so when you're shooting landscapes on a clear night, stars will be rendered as distinct dots rather than looking like comets."

The picture quality is also outstanding, with a slightly different optical design compared to the RF 24mm F1.4L VCM to ensure optimum results across the ultra-wide angle of view. "The RF 20mm F1.4L VCM includes Super UD, UD and BR elements to correct chromatic aberration, advanced distortion correction data built-in for cameras to utilise, plus ASC, SWC and Super Spectra coatings for high image quality across the frame," adds Tibor.

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Tim Coleman, Jack Fitter and Marcus Hawkins

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