Essential Canon Lenses for Astrophotography

Astrophotography presents unique challenges and opportunities, making the choice of lens critical. This helpful video will show you some of the best options for Canon users.

Coming to you from Brent Hall, this informative video covers essential considerations for choosing the right lens for astrophotography, specifically focusing on Canon lenses. Hall emphasizes the importance of understanding lens distortion, particularly coma, which can distort stars in the corners of images, making them appear stretched or distorted. For astrophotography, minimizing coma is crucial to achieving sharp, round stars across the frame.

Hall’s favorite astrophotography lens is the Canon RF 24mm f/1.8, which he frequently uses, despite rarely shooting it wide open due to coma issues. Instead, he stops it down to f/2.8 or even f/4 to significantly reduce or eliminate coma. This approach highlights an essential technique in astrophotography: balancing aperture settings to reduce distortion while maintaining enough light capture.

Another lens Hall frequently uses is the Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM. This lens, despite being older, remains a staple in his kit due to its sharpness and relatively low coma at f/4. Hall also praises the Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS USM, though he cautions against using it solely for astrophotography due to its weight and cost. However, its versatility makes it a valuable all-around lens for various scenarios, including landscapes and portraits.

In addition to discussing specific lenses, Hall addresses the advancements in camera sensor technology and AI-based denoising software. He explains how modern sensors, such as those in the Canon EOS R6 and R5, paired with powerful denoising software like Adobe Lightroom and Topaz DeNoise AI, have revolutionized astrophotography. These tools allow photographers to shoot at higher ISOs without worrying about excessive noise, enabling them to use slower lenses effectively.

Hall also explores the benefits of using third-party lenses like the Rokinon 14mm f/2.8, known for its excellent coma control and affordability. He mentions that while autofocus is not necessary for astrophotography, lenses with manual focus options, like the Rokinon, provide the precision needed for capturing sharp stars. 

In practical terms, Hall advises learning how to focus your lens accurately, especially in low light. He suggests using live view or mirrorless cameras' magnification features to fine-tune focus on stars, ensuring they appear as sharp pinpoints rather than blurry blobs. This attention to detail is vital. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Hall.

Alex Cooke's picture

Alex Cooke is a Cleveland-based portrait, events, and landscape photographer. He holds an M.S. in Applied Mathematics and a doctorate in Music Composition. He is also an avid equestrian.

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F4 for astro? Really? You can forget capturing definition in an aurora. Forget capturing any foreground or Milky Way core detail in night landscapes. I am a lifelong Canon user and have 2 Canon R5s that have been perfect all around cameras. Unfortunately, Canon has left astrophotographers in the lurch. The best astro lenses are fast wide angles that have little coma or aberations at the periphery, even when shot wide open. This has become possible with the newer mirrorless designs but Canon doesn't make them and they won't allow Canon owners to obtain third party mirrorless lenses for full frame. So if you want the best astro lenses that are made such as Sigma (20mm f1.4 DG DN) or Sony (14mm f1.8) you need to buy a Sony or Sigma camera. That's what I did.