Updated 14/2/2011 – added new Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM Extender 1.4x
Prior to switching to Nikon from Canon I compared the lens line-ups of the two systems to make sure that I wasn’t shooting myself in the foot.
I couldn’t find a decent comparison, so I thought it might benefit some of you if I were to post one here. The comparison is based on the current lens line-ups of the two companies. In cases where both a new version of a lens and the old version are still listed I’ve only included the new version.
I’ve tried to match lenses in each system to their nearest equivalent. The prices are from B&H at the time of writing, and are really there as a point of comparison.
All add my personal observations on the line ups at the end.
Note that users of the RSS feed may find the table easier to look at directly on the site…
| Lens | Price | USM/SW | VR | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canon | Nikon | Canon | Nikon | Canon | Nikon | ||
| Wide Angle – EF-S / DX format | |||||||
| - | AF DX Fisheye-Nikkor 10.5mm f/2.8G ED |
- | $680 | - | No | - | No |
| - | AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G |
- | $190 | - | Yes | - | No |
| EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM |
AF-S DX NIKKOR 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G ED |
$770 | $800 | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| - | AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 12-24mm f/4G IF-ED |
- | $950 | - | Yes | - | No |
| Wide Angle – EF / FX format | |||||||
| - | AF DX Fisheye-Nikkor 10.5mm f/2.8G ED |
- | $630 | - | No | - | No |
| EF 14mm f/2.8L II USM |
AF Nikkor 14mm f/2.8D ED |
$2100 | $1650 | Yes | - | No | No |
| EF 15mm f/2.8 Fisheye |
AF Fisheye-Nikkor 16mm f/2.8D |
$640 | $800 | No | No | No | No |
| EF 20mm f/2.8 USM |
AF Nikkor 20mm f/2.8D |
$460 | $565 | No | No | No | No |
| EF 24mm f/1.4L II USM |
AF-S NIKKOR 24mm f/1.4G ED |
$1580 | $2200 | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| EF 24mm f/2.8 |
AF Nikkor 24mm f/2.8D |
$320 | $360 | No | No | No | No |
| EF 28mm f/1.8 USM |
- | $460 | - | Yes | - | No | - |
| EF 28mm f/2.8 |
AF Nikkor 28mm f/2.8D |
$245 | $350 | No | No | No | No |
| EF 35mm f/1.4L USM |
AF-S NIKKOR 35mm f/1.4G |
$1350 | $1800 | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| EF 35mm f/2 |
AF Nikkor 35mm f/2D |
$330 | $360 | No | No | No | No |
| EF 8-15mm f/4 fisheye USM |
- | ? | - | Yes | - | No | - |
| - | AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED |
- | $1785 | - | Yes | - | No |
| EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM |
AF-S Zoom-Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8D IF-ED |
$1520 | $1765 | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| EF 17-40mm f/4L USM |
AF-S NIKKOR 16-35mm f/4G ED VR |
$720 | $1100 | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| - | AF Zoom-Nikkor 18-35mm f/3.5-4.5D IF-ED |
- | $540 | - | No | - | No |
| Standard / Medium Telephoto – EF-S / DX format | |||||||
| EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM |
AF-S DX NIKKOR 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR |
$720 | $620 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM |
AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED |
$1060 | $1360 | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM |
- | $430 | - | Yes | - | Yes | - |
| - | AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II |
- | $110 | - | Yes | - | No |
| EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS |
AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR |
$160 | $180 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS |
AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR |
$430 | $360 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS |
AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II |
$595 | $760 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| - | AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED |
- | $180 | - | Yes | - | No |
| - | AF-S DX VR Zoom-Nikkor 55-200mm f/4-5.6G IF-ED |
- | $220 | - | Yes | - | Yes |
| Standard / Medium Telephoto – EF / FX format | |||||||
| EF 50mm f/1.2L USM |
- | $1450 | - | No | - | No | - |
| EF 50mm f/1.4 USM |
AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.4G |
$350 | $435 | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| EF 50mm f/1.8 II |
AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D |
$100 | $120 | No | No | No | No |
| EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM |
AF-S NIKKOR 85mm f/1.4G |
$1930 | $1700 | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| EF 85mm f/1.8 USM |
AF Nikkor 85mm f/1.8D |
$380 | $430 | Yes | No | No | No |
| EF 100mm f/2 USM |
AF DC-Nikkor 105mm f/2D |
$435 | $780 | Yes | No | No | No |
| EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM |
AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED |
$1350 | $1720 | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| - | AF Zoom-Nikkor 24-85mm f/2.8-4D IF |
- | $690 | - | No | - | No |
| EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM |
AF-S NIKKOR 24-120mm f/4G ED VR |
$1060 | $1300 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM |
- | $410 | - | Yes | - | Yes | - |
| EF 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM |
AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR |
$2480 | $945 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Telephoto – EF-S / DX format | |||||||
| EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS |
AF-S DX NIKKOR 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR |
$230 | - | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Telephoto – EF / FX format | |||||||
| EF 135mm f/2L USM |
AF DC-Nikkor 135mm f/2D |
$1000 | $1350 | Yes | No | No | No |
| EF 135mm f/2.8 soft focus |
- | $490 | - | No | - | No | - |
| - | AF Nikkor 180mm f/2.8D IF-ED |
- | $780 | - | No | - | No |
| EF 200mm f/2L IS USM |
AF-S NIKKOR 200mm f/2G ED VR II |
$5300 | $4000 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| EF 200mm f/2.8L II USM |
- | $760 | - | Yes | - | No | - |
| EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM |
AF-S NIKKOR 300mm f/2.8G ED VR II |
? | $5845 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| EF 300mm f/4L IS USM |
AF-S Nikkor 300mm f/4D IF-ED |
$1270 | $1350 | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| EF 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6L IS USM |
- | $2420 | - | Yes | - | Yes | No |
| EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM |
AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II |
$2300 | $2170 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM |
AF Zoom-Nikkor 80-200mm f/2.8D ED |
$1300 | $1100 | Yes | No | No | No |
| EF 70-200mm f/4L USM |
- | $650 | - | Yes | - | No | - |
| EF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM |
- | $1210 | - | Yes | - | Yes | - |
| EF 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS USM |
- | $1250 | - | Yes | - | Yes | - |
| EF 70-300 f/4-5.6 IS USM | AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED |
$530 | $590 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM |
- | ? | - | Yes | - | Yes | - |
| EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III USM |
AF Zoom Nikkor 70-300mm f/4-5.6G |
$200 | $155 | Yes | No | No | No |
| EF 100-300mm F/4.5-5.6 USM |
- | - | - | Yes | - | No | - |
| EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM |
AF VR Zoom-Nikkor 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6D ED |
$1610 | $1650 | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM EXTENDER 1.4x | AF-S NIKKOR 200-400mm f/4G ED VR II |
? | $5670 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Super Telephoto – EF / FX format | |||||||
| EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II USM |
AF-S NIKKOR 400mm f/2.8G ED VR |
$7190 | $8900 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| EF 400mm f/4 DO IS USM |
- | $5820 | - | Yes | - | Yes | - |
| EF 400mm f/5.6L USM |
- | $1230 | - | Yes | - | No | - |
| EF 500mm f/4L IS USM |
AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/4G ED VR |
$6140 | $5800 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| EF 600mm f/4L IS USM |
AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4G ED VR |
$8050 | $10300 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM |
- | $10900 | - | Yes | - | Yes | - |
| Extender EF 1.4x III | AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E II | $300 | $370 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| - | AF-S Teleconverter TC-17E II | - | $425 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Extender 2x III | AF-S Teleconverter TC-20E III | $300 | $500 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Macro – EF / FX format | |||||||
| EF 50mm f/2.5 Compact Macro |
AF-S Micro NIKKOR 60mm f/2.8G ED |
$260 | $540 | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| MP-E 65mm f/2.8 1-5x Macro |
- | $930 | - | N/A | - | No | - |
| EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM |
- | $520 | - | Yes | - | No | - |
| EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM |
AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED |
$950 | - | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| EF 180mm f/3.5M Macro USM |
AF Micro-Nikkor 200mm f/4D IF-ED |
$1370 | $1650 | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Tilt/Shift – EF / FX format | |||||||
| TS-E 17mm f/4L |
- | $2200 | - | N/A | - | No | - |
| TS-E 24mm f/3.5L II |
PC-E NIKKOR 24mm f/3.5D ED |
$1970 | $1990 | N/A | N/A | No | No |
| TS-E 45mm f/2.8 |
PC-E Micro NIKKOR 45mm f/2.8D ED |
$1230 | $1850 | N/A | N/A | No | No |
| TS-E 90mm f/2.8 |
PC-E Micro NIKKOR 85mm f/2.8D |
$1210 | $1790 | N/A | N/A | No | No |
Canon have the most complete lens line-up, however in reality most photographer’s won’t notice this since both companies address the needs of most photographers. Here though are the most important advantages that I notice:
- Canon’s range of primes is more up to date, with many more lenses using USM/SW motors than the Nikon equivalents.
- Canon offer more options for the popular 70-200mm range, including all the permutations of f/2.8, f/4, stabilized or not. Nikon only offer a stabilized f/2.8 which may be too heavy for some uses.
- Canon offer an f/4 version of their 400mm lens which is significantly cheaper than the f/2.8 version from either company.
- If you’re a macro shooter, only Canon offer a true macro lens with the MP-E 65mm.
- Canon now have a fisheye zoom.
- Nikon are more expensive, and this is especially true for the super telephoto lenses.
Nikon does have a couple of tricks up its sleeve though:
- The 14-24mm. Need I say more?
- They have a better range of DX (EF-S) format lenses, no doubt as a result of the amount of time that they took to enter the full frame market.
I have little or no plans to switch but I sure do appreciate benefiting from your view of the C – N LensScape.
I may even come here to shop for a lens sometime. R
Your price on the new Nikon 24-120/4 is way off. I suspect you’re listing the price of the older variable-aperture lens.
Thanks Mark, I’ve fixed that.
I like this info. It’s good to have it all in one place. I’ve just purchased the Nikon 70-200mm f2.8 VRII and your comment about it being heavy is spot on! I’m going to have arms like Stallone in a couple more shoots! Amazing lens tho.
With regards to your macro comment. Most macro photographers would say the 1:1 is macro, in which case most of the lenses in the macro range do that. The MP-E is quite specialist and does do 1:1 to 5:1. It is an amazing lens but not a go to one for everyday macro!
That’s true. My point though is that only Canon offer such a lens. Nikons shooters would have to by a Canon body for such work.
3rd party lenses and adapters will handle this.
There aren’t any adapters that allow Canon lenses to be mounted on Nikon bodies because the Nikon mount is physically smaller. There may be an 3rd party equivalent of this lens, but I’m not personally aware of it.
The Canon 50mm 2.5 macro is not USM, I have one, and I like it, it is very sharp, the AF is old-style, but fine for a macro lens….
Thanks for the research!
Aren’t the lens hoods sometimes an extra item on the Canon side?
Where is very expensive 28-300L?
If you do a lot of research a lot of of NIKKOR is better than L lens.
Hi,
The 28-200 is on the list. I think that at this level both Nikon and Canon make superb lenses, if one were clearly better than the other then they wouldn’t have kept their market share.
Tim
great article i have canon and looks like im staying there
You appear to have mis-matched the nikkor 28-300, which you have matching the EF 28-135mm instead of the EF 28-300mm.
Thanks, I’ve fixed that now.
[...] A comparison of the Canon and Nikon lens line-ups – Timothy Armes’ blog [...]
Hi I’m using a D90 to take photo’s of our wedding invitations with a 18:125 lens, can you recommend as good lens for close up work.
Amelia
Hi Amelia,
It sounds like the AF-S Micro NIKKOR 60mm f/2.8G ED would be a good choice.
Regards,
Tim
1100D…
A comparison of the Canon and Nikon lens line-ups | Timothy Armes’ Blog…
great and complete comparison of Canon and Nikon lens.
The Canon lenses EF 20mm f/2.8 USM and the 50mm f/1.2 USM are not correctly checked in the table as having USM. Cool table Tim!
I wish this table was someplace like Wikipedia so that we can all contribute as new lenses become available and have the end result of being more current.
The biggest glaring shortcoming of Nikon for me, is a lens to compete with canon 100-400L. the Nikon 80-400 is old and bad. 3rd party options (sigma 120-400) are not optically as good as canon. the the 70-200 f4 is lens, is another popular, optically fantastic, light and inexpensive canon lens.
Nikon has done a fair bit to fill some of the gaps, by introducing good prime lenses, as well as their 24mm tilt-shift.
Hi there,
You should post this nikkor 50mm f/1.8g af-s instead of the AF Nikkor 50mm
f/1.8D. Cost is about 216.