How can I tell if my Canon lenses will fit a digital camera?

[Ricarda Godeaux]

I have a Canon Elan 7 and was planning on purchasing the Canon 50D. I have a few Canon lenses to go with my camera and did not know if they would be compatible with the digital camera I was getting. How can I tell if I can switch the lenses between digital and film? So I know if I need to buy a lens to go with the camera or not.
Thanks!
I am open to any other feedback about the camera too.

 

[macgregor mathers]

I have a Canon Elan 7 and was planning on purchasing the Canon 50D. I have a few Canon lenses to go with my camera and did not know if they would be compatible with the digital camera I was getting. How can I tell if I can switch the lenses between digital and film? So I know if I need to buy a lens to go with the camera or not.

The Elan 7 uses the EF mount, same as the Canon 50D, so any lens compatible with the Elan 7 should be compatible with the Canon 50D. If you want to be absolutely sure, check whether the lenses have EF written on them, rather than FD or some other mount name.

 

[TexPhoto]

The 50D will work with EF lenses and EF-S. Your older lenses should be EF, thogh they may not say that on them. But any lens that works with an EOS film camera should be fine with any Canon DSLR. So you should be fine.

You could bring your older lenses into a camera store and try them out with a sample 50D. (or any Canon DSLR)

 

[Hillsilly]

Hi. I've got a 7E myself and can confirm that "Canon" lenses will work perfectly with a 50D. Some older lenses from other brands (in particular, Sigma) have compatability problems. Therefore, can't make the same guarantee for other brands. One thing to note is that you might be lacking on the wide end. For example, 28mm acts like a 45mm on a 50D. Most people making the change to a DSLR usually end up buying a new wide angle zoom, too.

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

I have a Canon Elan 7 and was planning on purchasing the Canon 50D. I have a few Canon lenses to go with my camera and did not know if they would be compatible with the digital camera I was getting. How can I tell if I can switch the lenses between digital and film? So I know if I need to buy a lens to go with the camera or not.
Thanks!
I am open to any other feedback about the camera too.

All canon EF lenses work with all Canon EOS cameras, including digital. They work 100%, no exceptions or work arounds.

However, older sigma lenses will probably not work with a Canon digital camera, I've 4 of the old Sigmas here to remind me that a sigma lens just might not work on future Canon cameras. Same with rebranded lenses made by Sigma like Quantaray. Check them carefully before buying a older one. The new models work fine, at least for now.

 

[DJL329]

I have a Canon Elan 7 and was planning on purchasing the Canon 50D. I have a few Canon lenses to go with my camera and did not know if they would be compatible with the digital camera I was getting. How can I tell if I can switch the lenses between digital and film? So I know if I need to buy a lens to go with the camera or not.
Thanks!
I am open to any other feedback about the camera too.

Any Canon "EF" lens (Electronic Focus) will work on any Canon EOS SLR, whether it be digital or 35mm film. This means that any Canon lens you currently use on your Elan 7 will fit on any Canon Digital SLR you purchase. However, Canon "EF-S" lenses (Electronic Focus - Small) will only work on Canon "APS-C" size (1.6x Crop) Digital SLRs, which include all the Digital "Rebels" and the 40D, 50D, 60D and 7D.

On a 1.6x Crop body, an "EF" lens will be 1.6x "longer" (you get a narrower angle of view) than it is on your Elan 7 or a "full frame" digital SLR (such as the 5D Mark II). Just multiply the focal length by 1.6 to get the value. For example: an "EF" 100mm lens will be 160mm on a 50D. If you like shooting landscapes or other "wide-angle" shots, your current "EF" lens might not be wide enough on a crop body. If that is the case, you could get an "EF-S" lens, such as the 10-22mm zoom, which would give you a wide-angle, but you wouldn't be able to use it on the Elan 7.

NOTE: "EF" and "EF-S" are printed (along with the rest of the description) around the outside of the lens, near the glass.

The "kit" lenses that you can purchase with the Rebels, 50D, 60D and 7D are usually "EF-S" and will therefore not mount on your Elan 7. If you're going to continue shooting both and want to swap lenses, then you might want to buy the body only, and purchase a separate EF lens. Check out BHPhotoVideo.com and Adorama.com (professional camera stores in NY) for current promotions.

Note: if you decide to purchase a "third-party" lens (Sigma, Tamron, Tokina, etc.), be aware that they have their own designations. For example: Tamron's "Di" (Digitally Integrated) is their equivalent of "EF" (any digital or film SLR), while "Di II" is their equivalent of "EF-S" (1.6x Crop bodies only).