Whether you’re a vlogger, travel blogger, or just love to document your adventures with your family and friends, having a good travel lens is essential. When it comes to choosing the best travel lens for your Canon M50, there are a few things to keep in mind.
First, consider what type of photography you’ll be doing while on your trip.
If you plan on doing a lot of landscape photography, for example, you’ll want a lens with a wide focal length that will allow you to capture the scene in all its glory.
On the other hand, if you’re more interested in portraits, and candid shots of your friends and family, a prime lens might be a better option. Finally, how many lenses do you want to carry with you during your travels?
Here are our best Canon EOS M50 lenses for travel:
- Canon EF-M 18-150mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM Lens
- Canon EF-M 22mm f/2 STM Lens
- Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary
- Canon EF-M 32mm f/1.4
- Canon EF-M 55-200mm f/4.5-6.3 Image Stabilization STM Lens
- Canon EF-M 11-22mm f/4-5.6 STM Lens
1. Canon EF-M 18-150mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM Lens
The Canon EF-M 18-150mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM Lens is one of our favorite lenses because it’s a great all-around travel lens.
It provides a wide zoom range, with a maximum aperture of f/3.5 at the wide end and f/6.3 at the telephoto end—a nice balance between being bright enough to allow for decent low light performance, while also allowing you to capture subjects from afar.
If I can only bring one lens with me on a trip, this is the lens I’ve going to bring. I really like its flexibility, which allows me to capture everything under the sun. From sceneries to wildlife, this lens can do it all.
Image Quality
This lens is tack-sharp on both ends. I was actually surprised that even at 150mm, the sharpness is still there. At 18mm, of course, there will be some sort of barrel distortion but it can be fixed in Photoshop or other editing software.
The Canon EF-M 18-150mm f/3.5-6.3 lens has a decent micro-contrast that can make your subjects pop. The colors are your usual “Canon colors”, which are vibrant and pleasing at the same time.
Also, the images it produces are on the warmer side of the spectrum.
Another great thing I like about this lens is its lack of CA. When I’m shooting against a bright sky, I didn’t notice any chromatic aberration at all, which is something I’m really happy about. Less time in post, more time for shooting!
Oh, and there’s one more thing that surprised me. The lens magnification factor is about 0.31x at 150mm, it’s really useful for taking some close-up shots of small animals, insects, or flowers.
Build Quality & Design
The lens is pretty durable even if it’s mostly made from plastic.
The thing I hate though is, that it has a plastic mount. Given its price, I think it would be better if they used a metal mount instead of plastic.
It’s not weather-sealed as well, but I occasionally used it under light rain, and it’s still working fine.
The lens looks really good, especially the graphite version. It looks modern like my Canon RF lenses.
Using the zoom ring is really smooth and it has a nice resistance when you turn it. It will not become loose even if you use it for a long time. The front element is just about right and it takes 55mm filters.
And thankfully, this lens has an IS! It is useful for shooting videos and when using the telephoto end (150mm) of the lens because it lessens the camera shake.
Autofocus
It seems the autofocus is fast enough and accurate in most situations. The focus instantly locked on when I use it during daylight. However, it tends to hunt when used in poorly lit environments.
But I have to say that this is a common problem with most zoom lenses in this price range.
Takeaway
Overall, the Canon EF-M 18-150mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM lens is a flexible and convenient lens for travel. It can cover a lot of ground and is ideal for shooting videos. The lens is easy to use and has a nice build quality. I would recommend this lens if you are looking for a travel lens that can cover all your needs.
Pros
- Flexible zoom range
- Lack of CA
- Image stabilization
Cons
- Plastic mount
- Soft corners when shooting wide open
2. Canon EF-M 22mm f/2 STM Lens
If you want a lens that is small, compact, and great for low light shooting, the Canon EF-M 22mm f/2 is a perfect choice. This is an excellent beginner’s lens and is a great choice if you are looking for an affordable lens for your travels.
I like its tiny size and weight, and pairing it with my Canon EOS M50 keeps my camera bag extremely light. I find its STM autofocus really fast even in low light conditions.
The autofocus is also quiet and can be useful for shooting videos.
This lens is also a great complement to the Canon EF-M 18-150mm as it has a wide aperture which is great for portraits and shooting in low light.
Image Quality
It’s small and it’s really sharp! The sharpness from center to corner is surprisingly good even at f/2. It also gets even sharper when stopped down.
This lens is much sharper than the Canon EF-M 18-150mm and it’s actually on par with the Canon EF-M 32mm f/1.4 when it comes to overall sharpness.
CA and distortion are well-controlled and I don’t have any issues with them.
The Canon EF-M 22mm f/2 STM Lens has a 7-blade circular aperture which offers a round and nice soft bokeh.
I love using it when shooting portraits and its contrast and saturation are more than enough to make my subject pop from the background.
Lightweight & Compact
It’s a ‘pancake’ lens, which I really like. It’s very small and lightweight, but the build quality is solid. It feels good in my hands and it doesn’t feel cheap at all.
The lens only weighs 105 grams which makes it ideal for travel, especially if you’re going to a place where bringing a large bag is not an option.
I took this lens and my Canon M50 with me on my recent trip to Seoul and it was a perfect companion. They are a great part of my backpacking lifestyle.
It has no IS and weather sealing, however, these issues didn’t bother me at all given its amazing performance and price range.
Takeaway
The Canon EF-M 22mm f/2 STM is a must-have lens for any Canon EOS M50 user. It’s affordable, light, compact, and offers outstanding image quality. It’s the perfect travel companion lens!
Pros
- Tiny small and weight
- Excellent image quality
- Silent and fast AF
Cons
- No IS
- Not weather-sealed
3. Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary
Next, we have the Sigma 16mm f/1.4 Contemporary, which is an excellent lens for landscapes, astrophotography, and night photography.
The wider focal length allows you to capture sceneries, tall buildings, and nightscapes during your travels.
It’s also a great choice for street photography, as it allows you to capture more of the background in your photos. This lens has a wide angle of view that makes it easy to compose scenes and provides excellent edge-to-edge sharpness.
This lens is actually one of the best Sigma lenses for your Canon EOS M50.
Great for capturing sceneries
I really like this lens. This is my go-to lens when shooting landscapes and nightscapes. It’s a great lens to capture the vibe of the city and the beauty of nature.
This Sigma lens has a full frame equivalent of 24mm, which is an ideal focal for travel.
It can capture a lot of action in the scene and is an ideal focal length that can give more context to your images.
Composing with this lens is also easier since it allows you to experiment with different angles to get the shot that you want.
Sharpness & Image Quality
I find the lens to be very sharp and the colors are vibrant. Like the Canon lenses, the Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary tends to produce warm and soft colors.
The microcontrast is there, but it is not as pronounced as it is with the Canon EF-M 32mm f/1.4. I was able to get some good sharpness when shooting wide open.
Don’t limit using this lens to just shooting landscapes. This lens can also be quite good for portraits, especially for environmental portraits.
Given its wider focal length, the bokeh it produces is not as creamy as it is with a telephoto lens. However, the Sigma 16mm f/1.4 bokeh is quite soft and natural. I also like the way it renders skin tones.
Takeaway
The Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary is a great addition to your travel kit. It’s wide and fast, which is suitable for most situations. I also recommend this lens to anyone who loves astrophotography and nightscapes.
Pros
- Fast and wide
- Colors are good
- Fast autofocus performance
Cons
- Heavier and longer than most prime lenses
4. Canon EF-M 32mm f/1.4 STM Lens
It’s a fantastic standard lens for your Canon M50 camera, and it’s a great option for travel photography. The 32mm focal length is ideal for outdoors, street photography, and portraits.
However, as much as I love the Canon EF-M 32mm f/1.4 for almost everything, I find it to be limiting when shooting indoors and in tight spaces.
That’s why I usually bring another lens which is a wide-angle when I’m traveling. But if you have enough space to compose your shots, the Canon EF-M 32mm f/1.4 STM lens is hard to beat. It is one of the best low light lenses.
Image Quality
All I can say is WOW! The Canon EF-M 32mm f/1.4 has stunning image quality. The lens is sharp even when shooting wide open. The bokeh is creamy and not distracting at all. This is actually my favorite 50mm portrait lens for EF-M mount cameras.
I can easily defocus the background to make my subject pop. The contrast, colors, and saturation are all on point, which adds more “3d pop” to my images.
Barrel distortion and chromatic aberration are very well controlled as well, which is a huge bonus!
It is like shooting an L lens but with an EF-M mount. I can see its similarities with my Canon EF 85mm f/1.2 L II lens.
I highly recommend this lens to anyone who is looking for a high-quality prime lens that can be used for both portraits and everyday shooting.
Autofocus
Its autofocus is accurate and fast enough for everyday shooting. But I noticed that it gets slower when I’m shooting indoors and in low light. It’s not a big deal for me, but I can see how it would be a problem for some people.
But overall I’m happy with its performance.
Takeaway
If you’re looking for a standard prime lens with a fast aperture, then no doubt, get the Canon EF-M 32mm f/1.4 STM lens. Its performance is like an L lens but without a heavy price tag.
It’s small, lightweight, and excellent for any photographers who want to travel light or who just want a good prime lens that won’t break their bank account.
Pros
- Outstanding image quality
- Great build quality
Cons
- Has a slower AF compared to other EF-M prime lenses
5. Canon EF-M 55-200mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM Lens
This budget telephoto zoom lens is the best choice if you are traveling and want to have more reach with your Canon m50. The 55-200mm focal length is perfect for capturing landscapes or wildlife at a distance.
This lens is a perfect complement to the 18-150mm f/4-5.6 IS STM lens, which is a great walkaround lens for everyday use.
Increased Reach
The 55-200mm focal length offers a greater reach than your standard kit zoom, allowing you to capture more distant subjects like mountains or wildlife in their natural habitat.
Moreover, the Canon EF-M 55-200mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM lens also has image stabilization technology built-in to help reduce camera shake when shooting at a long focal length.
Pair it with the Canon EOS M50 and you’re going to have a combo that can capture birds in flight with ease. This lens is also an ideal choice if you want to spend the day at the zoo.
Great Performance For Its Price
Believe it or not, this budget lens has a great performance. The sharpness and image quality are consistent throughout the focal range, which is something we don’t always see in budget lenses.
The colors are vivid, which is something that I really like when taking photos of animals and landscapes. As it really brings out the details and their natural beauty.
The autofocus system is reasonably fast and accurate, which allows me to take photos of birds in flight and other wild animals without too much trouble.
Also, the Canon EF-M 55-200mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM is compact and lightweight, which makes it easy to bring along on your travels.
And like all STM lenses, it has a near-silent focusing system that makes it the perfect companion for shooting video.
Takeaway
Do you want to take photos of animals, and birds, or planning to go to the zoo? Bring the Canon EF-M 55-200mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM Lens along with you and you’ll be able to capture the beautiful moments of these animals without disturbing them.
It’s affordable and has great image quality making it the perfect choice for photographers on a budget.
Pros
- Great image quality
- Has image stabilization
- Compact design
Cons
- Images get softer when shooting at 200mm
- Has a plastic mount
6. Canon EF-M 11-22mm f/4-5.6 STM Lens
The second zoom lens on this list is the Canon EF-M 11-22mm f/4-5.6 STM lens.
This is an ultra-wide to mid range lens that has an equivalent focal length of 16-33mm when paired with a crop sensor camera such as the EOS M series.
It features a maximum aperture of f/4 to f/5.6 which isn’t as fast as other lenses on this list but still good enough for most situations.
Features
Its zoom range is useful for almost everything, from landscapes to street photography and even indoor shots. It is also made from durable plastic and has a metal mount unlike the Canon EF-M 18-150mm. Although, the Canon EF-M 11-22mm f/4-5.6 STM Lens is a hair slower in the wide end.
The sharpness is very consistent across the zoom range, especially in the center. There’s a bit of corner softness when shooting at 11mm, which is something I expect for an ultra-wide focal length.
At this focal length, the distortion is very noticeable, so use it with caution.
I also noticed some chromatic aberration in extreme corners when shooting high-contrast scenes. But it is usually an easy fix in Lightroom or Photoshop.
The color and contrast are very good, but not the best. You can’t really compare its overall image quality to an EF-M prime lens. Nevertheless, Canon EF-M 11-22mm f/4-5.6 STM’s performance is more than enough for casual users.
Mid zoom and the 22mm end are very sharp from center to corner and have very little distortion. Another thing that I like about it is the IS.
The image stabilization is extremely useful when shooting handheld, especially at the long end. I can get a sharp image at 1/30 of a second without any problems.
The IS also helps in low-light situations when using longer exposure times.
Its autofocus seems fast and pretty responsive. However, like other slow lenses, it tends to hunt when used in low light.
Takeaway
I love the convenience of using a zoom lens when I’m traveling. The Canon EF-M 11-22mm f/4-5.6 STM Lens is a great choice for an ultra-wide zoom lens. It’s the only EF-M mount lens that has this focal length. So if this particular focal length is important to you, get this lens.
Pros
- Ultra-wide focal length
- Decent image quality
- Has IS
Cons
- Not the most durable Canon EF-M lens
- Slow autofocus in low light
Conclusion
There you have it, our list of the best travel lenses for Canon M50. We hope that we could help you decide which lens to bring to your next travel destination.
Emma Lucy is the Founder & CEO of Emma Lucy Photography. She has over a decade of experience shooting weddings and other intimate events. She also tests the latest digital camera bodies, lenses, analog cameras, and other gear from Canon, Nikon, Sony, and other camera brands. She is From London and currently lives in the United States of America, where she spends most of her time as a self-employed professional photographer and writer.