Canon Lens Filter Size Charts

These charts show the lens diameters and corresponding filter sizes for common Canon lenses. They’re updated with the latest Canon lenses. If you’re looking for lens hood model numbers, I also have Canon lens hood compatibility charts.

My focus here is on lenses that accept screw-in filters on the front. Some lenses, such as very wide-angle or fisheye lenses, don’t have a filter thread on the front and can’t accept this style of filter. And some very long telephoto lenses use a system of drop-in filters at the rear of the lens. There are also, of course, filter holder systems, but that’s a different kettle of fish.

Some focal lengths have multiple lens models, so it’s important to match the other parts of the name. For example, Canon has a couple of versions of the 16-35mm focal length, and each takes filters of a different diameter.

This is an ongoing list and clearly doesn’t cover every lens Canon has ever made. I’m starting with their current range and adding older lenses to it as the opportunity arises. And I haven’t included the more specialized Cinema and Broadcast series lenses here. Please feel free to send through any additions, requests, or corrections.

If you don’t see your lens listed here and want to find out the filter size, it’s often marked on the lens itself. For a more detailed guide, see my post on finding the lens diameter.

Canon RF Mount Lens Filter Sizes Chart

Canon RF mount lenses are designed specifically for EOS R series mirrorless cameras. They’re designed to be lighter and smaller to more appropriately pair with the smaller form factor of the R series mirrorless cameras, and the lenses also feature a control ring that can be customized.

Canon EF-M Mount Lens Filter Sizes Chart

Canon’s EF-M lenses are designed specifically for Canon’s compact mirrorless EOS M cameras. The lenses are designed to match those cameras’ small profile to be small, light, and quiet.

Canon EF Mount Lens Filter Sizes Chart

Canon’s EF Lenses are designed to work with Canon’s full-frame and APS-C cropped sensor DSLRs.

Canon EF-S Mount Lens Filter Sizes Chart

Canon’s EF-S lenses are designed fro Canon’s APS-C sensor DSLRs.

Things Worth Knowing About These Canon Lens Filter Size Charts

Lens filters have become somewhat less crucial with digital photography than they were for film photography. With film, there were all sorts of filters required for color balancing and effects. Many of those effects can now be handled quite effectively with digital post-processing.

But there’s still an important place for lens filters. Some of it is for creative reasons. Some of it is for protection of the lens. And some of it is because, as impressive as digital editing software is these days, there are still some things it really can’t mimic very well (eg. a true polarizing effect of a circular polarizer filter or cutting through haze).

Stacking filters is possible but comes with the risk of lens vignetting. Specially designed slim filters (and they’ll be marketed as that) can help reduce that risk.

Canon Lens Codes

Like most lens manufacturers, Canon uses a number of codes and numbers in naming their lenses.

I’ve posted a more detailed and comprehensive explanation of Canon lens codes separately, but here are some of the most common ones that you might come across.

• RF – designed for Canon’s R-series mirrorless cameras.
• EF – designed for all of Canon’s EOS cameras, including full-frame digital, APS-C digital, and 35mm film. The EF stands for electro-focus. It was introduced back in 1987.
• EF-S – designed specifically for EOS cameras with APS-C cameras. In some cameras, putting an EF-S lens on a full-frame or film EOS camera will damage the camera’s mirror.
• EF-M – designed for Canon’s M-series compact mirrorless cameras. They cannot be used on other EF-mount cameras.
• FD – This was Canon’s old manual-focus lens mount. It was replaced by the EOS EF mount.
• IS – Stands for Image Stabilizer, which is optical image stabilization in the lens (as distinct for in-camera stabilization).
• L – Stands for Luxury. It designates Canon’s highest-grade lenses designed for pro use. Identifiable with a red ring.
• USM – Stands for UltraSonic Motor, which is Canon’s main (and best) focusing motor. Fast and quiet and allows for full-time manual override.
• Micro USM – This is a variation of USM that’s used on some of the smaller and lighter lenses (because it’s a smaller motor).
• AFD – Stands for Arc-Form Drive, a predecessor to USM.
• SSC – Stands for Super Spectral Coating. Since most modern lenses have some form of optical coating to reduce glare, reflections, and improve contrast, this code has been dropped from most recent lenses.
• STM – Stands for Stepper Motor and is designed for cine lenses and lenses designed for video use to keep autofocus smoother and noise-free when recording.

What to Look for When Buying a Polarizing Filter

There are two classes of polarizing lenses: circular and linear. If you’re using a Canon autofocus camera, or any camera that meters through the lens, you’ll almost certainly want a circular polarizer. In general, you’ll only want a linear polarizer for manual focus or video cameras.

As with any other type of screw-on filter, you’ll need to get the size that matches the thread diameter of your lens. If your lens has a 77mm diameter (usually marked on the lens itself in the form of ∅77), you’ll want a 77mm polarizer. (An exception is if you’re using an external lens mount system like Lee or Cokin, but that’s a different approach that’s beyond the scope here.)

Unfortunately, that means that there’s not a one-size-fits-all screw-on filter, so depending on the lenses you have, you might need to choose which lenses you want to be able to use with a polarizer or buy multiple filters. In some cases, you can use step-up or step-down adapters.

With very wide-angle lenses, adding what amount to extensions onto the end of the lens risks vignetting in the corners of the frame. Buying polarizing filters designated as slim filters reduces that risk, although they are often more expensive.

Step-Up & Step-Down Filter Adapters

In some cases, you don’t need to have exactly the right size filter for the lens. If the diameter is close, you might be able to use a step-up or step-down filter adapter.

These are mount adapters that let you attach a filter of a certain size to a lens with a different (but close) diameter.

More specifically:

1. Step-Up Filter Adapters: These adapters allow you to use a filter with a larger diameter than the lens’s thread size. For example, if you have a lens with a 52mm thread and a filter of 58mm diameter, a 52-58mm step-up adapter would enable you to attach the filter to the lens. The adapter screws onto the lens’s thread and provides a larger thread on the other side for the filter.
2. Step-Down Filter Adapters: Conversely, step-down adapters enable you to use a filter with a smaller diameter than the lens’s thread size. If you have a lens with a 77mm thread and a filter of 67mm diameter, a 77-67mm step-down adapter would be used. Like the step-up adapter, it screws onto the lens and provides a smaller thread for the filter.

In general, they work best if the filter is of a slightly larger diameter than the lens, thus reducing the risk of vignetting.

I have more information on how to use step-up and step-down filter adapters separately. They work especially well if you have multiple lenses but don’t want to buy full sets of filters for every corresponding lens diameter.

Canon Lens Filter FAQs

• How do I know my filter thread size?

  The filter thread size is often marked on the lens itself. Look for the ∅ followed by a number. Sometimes it’s in very small text, and sometimes it’s etched rather than printed. The number after the ∅ symbol signifies the mm measurement of the lens you want. For example, ∅77 means that you’ll want 77mm filters.

• Can you stack multiple filters?

  It is often possible to stack multiple filters on top of each other, with each screwed into the filter below it. But it’s usually a good idea not to go overboard on that. For one thing, it risks adding lens vignetting at the corners of the frame. It can also lead to reductions in optical quality or light fall-off.