Top 10 Most Popular Canon Cameras and Lenses of 2021

This is our favorite tradition of the whole year: we countdown the most popular Canon items. We compiled statistics via our street price program as well as through our posted deals (new and refurbished), and we sorted by number of copies purchased. You can compare with 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017 and 2016’s list.

This year, Canon’s RF takeover is complete, with the top 16 places going to RF mount cameras or lenses. The top EF-mount item is surprisingly the EOS 5Ds R at #17. Also notably absent from the list is the new and popular EOS R3. Although many have been ordered, very few have shipped, but we expect that to change in 2022.

1. RF 16mm f/2.8 STM (Honorable Mention)

   Everyone loves a good pancake, and Canon’s first RF-mount pancake had a crowd-pleasing introductory price point of $299.

2. RF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM

   The 100mm Macro is back, but now in RF form. This new release has snuck onto the top 10 list, despite a $1399 introductory price point which turned off many purchasers.

3. RF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM

   Seeing the RF 24-105L so high on the list is a good indication for mirrorless bodies higher up on the list — this is often the first lens purchased with a new RF-mount body. (Note, we’re not including RF 24-105L lenses purchased as part of camera kits in this count.) This lens is a good performer, a good upgrade over the EF 24-105L II, and is at a great price point — that is, if you can find them, with supply issues abound this year.

4. RF 35mm F1.8 MACRO IS STM

   Another fun lens with a maximum macro magnification of 0.5x, this is a great wide-angle walkabout lens. Aggressive rebates in the second half of the year brought this lens down to $399 new (or $319 refurb) propelled this lens into the top 10 Canon products by sale count.

5. RF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS USM
6. RF 15-35mm f/2.8L IS USM

   The twins are still together. No surprise, as they were designed with a similar aesthetic, launched on the same day, and with an identical price. They continue to have almost identical sales figures through the year with the RF 15-35 pulling slightly ahead this year, buoyed by its introduction into the Canon refurbished store.

7. RF 28-70mm f/2 L USM
8. RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM

   These two “specialty” lenses were some of the hardest to find Canon items this year — and it wasn’t just because of the supply constraints, but also a voracious demand. We’re more than surprised that the large and heavy $3000 RF 28-70mm f/2 L USM would outsell the bread-and-butter RF 24-70mm, but this is a must-have lens for event photographers, and one of the most innovative in Canon’s line-up. Canon similarly pushed the limits with the RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM — even with the introduction of the budget-oriented RF 100-400mm, sales of the RF 100-500mm still remained strong.

9. RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

   The 70-200mm f/2.8 zoom has always been a staple of every Canon shooter’s arsenal, and the RF 70-200mm f/2.8 is no slouch. It’s been popular as a meaningful upgrade from the already fantastic EF 70-200 f/2.8. This lens repeats as #3 and we expect this lens to be top of the RF lenses and near the top of the list for years to come.

10. EOS R5

    If counting by dollars, the EOS R5 still remains king, but this list sorts by counts and last year’s #1 has dropped to second place. It’s still an incredible camera with groundbreaking 8K video, although 2021 showed introduced some competitive options in Sony, Nikon, and as well as Canon’s own (but supply-challenged) EOS R3.

11. EOS R6

    We have a new king of the castle with the EOS R6 as this year’s #1 Canon item. It sits in the perfect price point as a next-generation mirrorless, with 12 fps, 4K60 video, and in-body image stabilization. The first discounts as well as its introduction into the Canon refurbished store is what propelled this camera to the top.

It’s been an incredibly fun year bringing you all the Canon deals in 2021. We’re looking forward to many more exciting products and deals in the new year, all the best to our readers in 2022!