Best Sports Photography Lenses for Canon M50 & M50 Mark II in 2023
We’ll explore some of our favorite sports photography lenses for Canon M50 and M50 Mark II models and help you decide which ones are best suited to your needs and budget.
Best Sports Photography Lenses for Canon M50 & M50 Mark II – Our Top 5
Canon EF-M 55-200mm f/4.5-6.3 Image Stabilization STM Lens
Canon EF-M 18-150 mm f/3.5-6.3 is STM Lens
Sigma 56mm f/1.4 DC DN EF-M Mount
Tamron 18-400mm F/3.5-6.3 DI-II VC HLD All-In-One Zoom For Canon APS-C Digital SLR Cameras
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS III USM Lens
1. Canon EF-M 55-200mm f/4.5-6.3 Image Stabilization STM Lens
Key Specs
Mount: Canon EF-M
Equivalent in 35mm format: 88-320mm
Elements/Groups: 17/11
Diaphragm Blades: 7
Min. aperture: f/22-f/32
Autofocus: STM
Closest Focusing Distance: 1m
Maximum Magnification (x): 0.21 at 200mm
Image Stabilizer: 3.5 stops
Filter thread: 52mm
Weight: 260g
What’s good
+ Tiny and lightweight
+ Fast autofocus especially when shooting outdoors
What’s bad
– Plastic mount
– Slow aperture
The Canon EF-M 55-200mm f/4.5-6.3 Image Stabilization STM Lens is a great lightweight telephoto lens for Canon’s EOS M50 series mirrorless cameras. It offers good image quality and a versatile range that makes it ideal for everything from portrait and landscape photography to sports and wildlife.
Who is it for
The Canon EF-M 55-200mm f/4.5-6.3 Image Stabilization STM Lens is an ideal lens for anyone looking for a lightweight, versatile sports photography lens for their Canon EOS M50 series mirrorless camera.
It’s great for anyone looking to capture high-quality images of sports, wildlife, and other distant subjects.
I found the lens to be incredibly versatile for shooting sports. I was quite impressed with the image quality. There was very little distortion, and the sharpness was good overall.
In addition, the lens handles very well, and the zoom range is quite versatile. The Image Stabilization works well, and it’s very useful when at longer focal lengths.
When I tried shooting a soccer game, the EF-M 55-200mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM lens did great. The image stabilization was very helpful, and I was able to capture sharp and clear images.
The lens was quite responsive, and I was able to get the shot I wanted quickly. The zoom range was perfect for capturing the action on the field.
I found the lens to be quite easy to use. The buttons are intuitive and the zoom and focus rings are smooth.
Even though the lens is mainly made of plastic, it is lightweight and comfortable to hold. It does feel solid and well-made.
Overall, I was impressed with the Canon EF-M 55-200mm f/4.5-6.3 Image Stabilization STM Lens. It’s a great lens for a wide range of applications, and it offers excellent image quality. The image stabilization is very useful, and the lens is lightweight and easy to use.
The only downside to the EF-M 55-200mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM lens is the limited maximum aperture of f/6.3 at the 200mm end. This means that it’s not ideal for low-light shooting.
Additionally, the lens has a plastic mount that feels less solid than the metal mounts on other Canon EF-M lenses.
2. Canon EF-M 18-150 mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM Lens
Key Specs
Mount: Canon EF-M
Equivalent in 35mm format: 28-240mm
Elements/Groups: 17/13
Diaphragm Blades: 7
Min. aperture: f/22-f/40
Autofocus: STM
Closest Focusing Distance: 1m
Maximum Magnification (x): 0.31
Image Stabilizer: 4 stops
Filter thread: 55mm
Weight: 300g
What’s good
+ Super versatile
+ Compact
What’s bad
– Plastic mount
– Not weather resistant
Who is it for
The Canon EF-M 18-150mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM lens is ideal for sports photographers and videographers who need a versatile lens that can take them from wide-angle to telephoto with a single lens. This lens can actually be your one and only lens.
It’s also great for travel and everyday photography, as it’s lightweight and compact, and can easily be carried in a bag or pocket.
The lens features good enough image quality, with sharp images and accurate colors.
The autofocus system of the Canon EF-M 18-150mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM lens is fast and accurate enough for most applications.
The lens has good tracking performance, and can easily keep up with fast-moving subjects as long as it is in a predictable motion pattern or going side-to-side.
I recently used the Canon EF-M 18-150mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM lens for shooting a car race. The lens was able to capture the action with ease, thanks to its fast and accurate autofocus.
The image quality was good throughout the zoom range, and the wide-angle to telephoto end was great for getting close-up shots of the cars as well as capturing the entire race track.
Like the Canon EF-M 55-200mm f/4.5-6.3 Image Stabilization STM Lens, it also has a plastic mount and is not weather resistant.
3. Sigma 56mm f/1.4 DC DN EF-M Mount
Key Specifications
Mount: Canon EF-M
Elements/Groups: 10/6
Diaphragm Blades: 9
Closest Focusing Distance: 50 cm
Maximum Magnification: 0.14x
Filter thread: 55mm
Weight: 280g
What’s good
+ Amazing image quality
+ Fast autofocus
What’s bad
– Limited range
Who is it for
The Sigma 56mm f/1.4 DC DN is a great budget lens for those looking for an affordable option to capture stunning sports shots.
It has a fast autofocus performance, making it ideal for capturing mid-court shots. The lens also offers high image quality with excellent contrast, vibrant colors, and great sharpness.
The autofocus performance of the Sigma 56mm f/1.4 DC DN is reliable and fast, making it perfect for capturing mid-court shots. The tracking of fast-moving subjects is also very good.
The lens also has full-time manual focus, allowing you to switch between autofocus and manual focus with ease.
I have been using this lens for a couple of months and I am pleased with its performance.
The 85mm focal length is great for mid-court shots and allows you to capture all the action.
Additionally, the lens also has great bokeh, making it perfect for capturing dynamic sports shots and portraits of athletes.
The colors of the Sigma 56mm f/1.4 DC DN are vibrant and tend to be more contrasty.
In terms of sharpness, it is razor-sharp! The lens offers great overall sharpness with a great amount of detail even wide open.
And since it has a fast aperture of f/1.4, shooting indoors will not be a problem with the Sigma 56mm. I love using it when shooting a basketball game or hockey match.
Now, the Sigma 56mm f/1.4 DC DN is not perfect though. It doesn’t have image stabilization and this can make it difficult to capture shots when your hands are not steady enough while using slower shutter speeds.
4. Tamron 18-400mm F/3.5-6.3 DI-II VC HLD All-In-One Zoom For Canon APS-C Digital SLR Cameras
Key Specs
Mount: Canon EF-S
Elements/Groups: 16/11
Diaphragm Blades: 7
Closest Focusing Distance: 0.45m
Maximum Magnification (x): 1:2.9
Filter thread: 72mm
Weight: 710g
What’s good
+ Versatile
+ Fast autofocus
What’s bad
– Some softness when using 400mm
– Slight vignetting at 18mm
Who is it for
Tamron 18-400mm F/3.5-6.3 DI-II VC HLD is a great option for photographers who want the convenience of an all-in-one zoom lens for their Canon M50 and Canon M50 Mark II mirrorless cameras.
The Tamron 18-400mm F/3.5-6.3 DI-II VC HLD is an impressive all-in-one zoom lens that offers a wide range of focal lengths from 18mm to 400mm with an F/3.5-6.3 maximum aperture.
Its built-in VC (Vibration Compensation) and HLD (High/Low torque-modulated Drive) ensure outstanding autofocus performance.
This lens is ideal for capturing sports, wildlife, and other fast-moving subjects, as well as capturing stunning landscapes.
Having used the Tamron 18-400mm F/3.5-6.3 DI-II VC HLD lens for some time now, I can personally attest to its great autofocus performance and convenience. I have been able to capture some stunning soccer matches and basketball games.
And I find that the autofocus on this lens is fast enough for shooting sports. It is not the fastest, but it is not slow either.
In terms of image quality, the lens offers sharp details and minimal chromatic aberration. The colors are warmer and more saturated.
5. Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS III USM Lens
Key Specs
Mount: Canon EF
Elements/Groups: 23/19
Diaphragm Blades: 8
Min. aperture: f/32
Autofocus: USM
Closest Focusing Distance: 1.2m
Maximum Magnification (x): 0.21 at 200mm
Image Stabilizer: 3.5 stops
Filter thread: 77mm
Weight: 1480g
What’s good
+ Fantastic image quality
+ Top-notch autofocus performance
What’s bad
– Expensive
– Heavy
Who is it for
The Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS III USM Lens is a great choice for those looking for a mid-range zoom lens for sports photography.
It offers unmatched autofocus performance, excellent image quality, and sturdy build quality. It’s a great lens for those who want to capture fast-moving action in great detail.
It has an impressive focal length range of 70-200mm, which allows you to capture a wide range of shots from near to far away.
It also has a fast f/2.8 aperture, which ensures that images are sharp and clear in low-light conditions. Additionally, it has a three-stop Image Stabilizer, which helps to reduce camera shake and blur when shooting handheld.
In terms of autofocus performance, this lens is an excellent performer. It also has a silent autofocus motor, which helps to reduce the sound of the lens focusing when shooting.
The build quality is also excellent, and the lens has held up well to a lot of use. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a mid-range zoom lens for sports photography.