These are the best Canon lenses for newborn photography, chosen for their gentle rendering, quiet and reliable autofocus, useful stabilization, and focal lengths that fit small rooms while flattering tiny features—whether you’re on RF mirrorless or adapting EF glass. The RF 35mm f/1.8 Macro IS STM is the newborn staple: small, stabilized, close-focusing, and perfect for crib-side lifestyle frames with parents plus sweet detail cutaways without changing lenses; pair it with the RF 50mm f/1.2L USM for luminous, dreamy single-subject portraits (or the featherweight RF 50mm f/1.8 STM for a budget, discreet option), and add the RF 85mm f/2 Macro IS STM for flattering compression, half-macro fingertip and eyelash shots, and stabilization that helps in window light. For hero details and product-clean close-ups of toes, lips, rings on tiny hands, and fabric textures, the RF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM is the precision tool—razor 1:1, Hybrid IS for slow shutters, and an SA Control ring to dial blur character from modern bite to soft glow—while the RF 24mm f/1.8 Macro IS STM opens tight nurseries and bedside scenes with half-macro utility for context-plus-detail storytelling. If you want zoom flexibility for docu-style sessions, the RF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS USM is the do-everything workhorse—fast, stabilized, and color-true—letting you move from full-room moments to mid-shots without breaking flow; the RF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM trades a stop for lighter carry and extra reach, and the compact RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM is lovely for quiet, candid parent interactions from a respectful distance. Adapting EF glass remains a smart, value-savvy path: the EF 35mm f/2 IS USM is a tiny, stabilized gem for lifestyle frames, the EF 50mm f/1.4 USM or EF 50mm f/1.8 STM deliver classic normal-perspective portraits, the EF 85mm f/1.8 USM flatters faces in small studios, the EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM covers whole sessions cleanly, and the EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM mirrors the RF macro’s reliability for clinical-crisp detail. Practical settings that keep newborn sessions calm and consistent: use eye-detect AF with a single small zone, start around f/2–f/2.5 for solo baby portraits and f/3.2–f/4 when parents or siblings join to keep multiple eyes sharp, keep shutter near 1/160–1/250 to freeze gentle movement while leaning on IS for ambient, and lock Kelvin (e.g., 5200–5600K near a window) for stable skin tones; shoot near soft window light with sheer diffusion, add a white card for fill and a small black card for gentle shadow sculpt, and avoid harsh speculars on delicate skin. For macro details, switch to manual focus with magnification and peaking, work around f/4–f/5.6 for crisp features without crunchy depth, and stabilize on a tripod or brace elbows; for lifestyle video or mixed stills, a slim variable ND on filter-friendly lenses keeps a 180° shutter while IBIS + IS smooth handheld pans. Safety first—keep sets warm, sanitize hands and props, spot the baby with a parent, and composite anything precarious—then let the glass do the gentle work: a simple, high-impact RF kit is RF 35mm f/1.8 for story, RF 50mm (1.2 or 1.8) for glow, and RF 100mm f/2.8L Macro for details; swap the 50 for RF 85mm f/2 if you prefer tighter portraits with half-macro, or run RF 24-70/2.8 as a one-lens solution when you need fast, flexible coverage in small spaces.