Whether you are a professional photographer or just someone who loves to shoot photos randomly, lenses are pretty crucial when it comes to getting the maximum quality and details in your pictures. You might own a premium DSLR, but it is more likely not to give you its absolute best without the right lens. You might be wondering which are the best camera lenses that you can get for your camera. The market is full of lenses that come in a lot of ranges in price, quality, and features.
Thus, it’s certainly not the most straightforward task in the world to pick one that’s both suitable for your camera and serves your desired purpose. Let’s review the top 15 camera lenses guaranteed to give the actual value of your money and help you the best.

Top 15 Lenses By Genres
Picking a lens is not an easy task. There are a lot of types of lenses available. The lens that’s ideal for you depends on the type of photography you do and the environment you choose to shoot. Let’s go the most common types of lenses and the greatest ones in that type.
Table of Contents
- 1 Lens for Portrait Photography
- 2 Lens for Landscape Photography
- 3 Lens for Wildlife Photography
- 4 Lens for Sports Photography
- 5 Lens for Travel Photography
- 6 Lens for Astrophotography
- 7 Lens for Close-ups & Nature Photography
- 8 Types of Lenses Explained
- 9 Zoom Lenses VS Prime Lenses
- 10 Canon Lens Mount
- 11 Nikon Lens Mount
- 12 Sony Lens Mount
- 13 Frequently Asked Questions
- 14 Final Thoughts
Lens for Portrait Photography
Portrait photo shooting is getting more and more popular these days. No matter what type of photos you take, you’ll sometimes need to blur out the background of your pictures. Having a great portrait lens will help to do exactly that. Also, additional abilities such as image stabilization and more will help to bring life in your picture.
Let’s review the best lenses available in the market for Portrait Photography.
Sony - E 50mm F1.8 OSS Portrait Lens (SEL50F18/B)

If you are into portrait photography, you are going to love this lens. As you probably know, sony produces a lot of the highest-end products in the market. And the E 50mm f/18 portrait lens beats most of the competitors when it comes to a prime lens.
Product Description
Let’s go over a few of the fantastic features of the E 50mm F1.8 OSS Portrait Lens (SEL50F18/B) by Sony, making it stand out from the rest of the lenses in the market.
Great Telephoto Lens:
This lens a 50mm telephoto lens, which allows you to take high-quality pictures. The 50mm focal length distance is perfect for portrait photography. The aperture used in the lens is F1.8. That will enable you to make accurate and brighter shots in darker environments. And as it is a prime lens, its super lightweight and compact to carry around with you anywhere.
Image Stabilization:
The E 50mm F1.8 OSS Portrait Lens (SEL50F18/B) also features a high Optical Steady Shot (OSS). As most people face the annoying “Shakes” while photo shooting, the quick and effective solution is a lens with image stabilization. As the camera itself might not feature built-in steady, you need to invest in a lens that has it.
The OSS technology used in this lens allows for excellent image stabilization while you shoot. Sony claims that this lens has four-stop stabilise, which is pretty mesmerizing.
Circular Aperture:
This lens uses a circular aperture technology. That allows for an even smoother and perfect photoshoot. You’ll be able to capture a stunning portrait with the “Bokeh” effect that it provides.
Pros
- 50mm lightweight, compact telephoto lens
- Great low-light performance
- Amazing OSS image stabilization
- Circular aperture technology
- Best for portrait photo shooting
Cons
- Lack of versatility as it’s a prime lens
As you can see, Sony’s E 50mm F1.8 OSS Portrait Lens (SEL50F18/B) model is a reliable option for you if you want to get a premium lens for your cameras for portrait photography. The high-quality lens, along with the fantastic features, will help you get the best photo shooting experience that you crave for.
Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L USM Telephoto Zoom Lens

EF 70-200mm f/4L USM is a premium lens by Canon; that’s one of the best lenses that you can get for portrait photography. As Canon lenses dominate the market with its high-quality designs and innovative features, the EF 70-200mm f/4L USM lens is one of their best products, especially for portrait photography.
Product Description
Let’s go over the key features of the fantastic EF 70-200mm f/4L USM zoom lens by Canon to understand this lens better.
Versatile Telephoto Zoom Lens:
As you probably know, zoom lenses are far more versatile than the prime lenses. Canon’s lens is one of the versatile telephoto lenses as it has a minimum of 70mm and a maximum of 200mm focal length.
The f/4L aperture helps to maintain consistent quality and performance while being pretty lightweight and compact at the same time. That makes it pretty easy to carry around compared to most other zoom lenses.
Excellent Image Quality:
As it’s a telephoto lens, it’s no wonder that it’s going to have an excellent picture quality. The great thing about this lens is that it maintains the class throughout the entire zooming range. That allows you to take clear shots of objects that are pretty far off.
The 29-degree angle of view gives you the flexibility to shoot with more freedom. It’s excellent for portrait photography as the field of view adds so much more to the picture. The closest focusing distance of the lens is 1.2 meters.
Easy To Attach:
A significant feature of the EF 70-200mm f/4L USM lens is that it’s effortless to attach as it has a circular polarizing filter. That allows you to connect the lens without rotating the front lens element.
Pros
- Great lens for versatility
- Compact and lightweight
- Super easy to attach
- The high value of your money
Cons
- A bit significant in size
As you can see, the EF 70-200mm f/4L USM telephoto zoom lens is an excellent option. It’s one of the best camera lenses for Canon. If you are someone who loves to use portrait photography to express, this lens will help you do it better. It’s guaranteed to give you the best value of your money.
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens

The Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM lens is another exceptional lens for portrait photography. This prime lens is one of the best affordable but high-quality lenses that you can find on the market.
It’s a great lens in general that has a lot of great features that make it stand out from all the lenses out there.
Product Description
Although it’s a reasonably affordable option for a Canon lens, it has almost everything you need in a lens for portrait photography. Let’s go over a few of the critical features of this lens that makes it one of the best prime lenses for Canon at that price range.
Excellent Low-Light Performance:
As you can probably tell, the f/1.8 aperture used in the lens allows for capturing great photos in low-light environments. The 50mm focal length, along with the f/1.8 lens speed, lets you capture bright and sharp portrait pictures on demand.
Also, the quick focusing capability is noticeably excellent in this lens. A great thing about the EF 50mm f/1.8 STM lens model by Canon is that it maintains the image’s quality even if the focus was swift.
Lightweight and Compact:
The EF 50mm f/1.8 STM lens is the best Canon prime lens as it gives high-quality pictures while being super lightweight and compact. A massive lens is very annoying to carry. You’ll be able to take this lens anywhere with you with ease. It’s great for you if you are someone who loves traveling with your DSLR.
Next Upgrade to EOS:
If you own a camera, that is the best upgrade to your standard zoom lens that’s given with the EOS. It’s far better to have a lens that lets 8x more light compared to the standard ones. That helps by providing a sharper image with reduced motion blur; thus, making your portrait photo shoots better.
Pros
- Very affordable option
- Amazing for low-light photography
- Great focus speed
- Best value of your money
Cons
- Doesn’t offer the most versatility
If you are ready to upgrade from your primary lens that’s provided with the EOS, the EF 50mm f/1.8 STM lens would be the best option for you. For a quality product at this price range, you really can’t go wrong with it.
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.8G Lens

Nikon is a well-known company that produces high-quality camera lenses. The AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.8G lens is an excellent option if you love to capture portrait pictures regularly. It is the best standard lens for your DSLR camera that will add more life to its photographs.
Product Description
For a 50mm standard lens, it has some stunning features that make it better than most other lenses in the market. Let’s go over a few of the features of the Nikon AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.8G lens.
Optimal for Everyday Use:
This standard lens is optimal for everyday use as it has a 50mm focal length and an f/1.8G lens speed. That allows for amazing picture quality even in darker settings. You’ll get a sharper and brighter picture every time you take your portraits.
Natural Depth of Field:
You know how important it is to have an original image while the lens blurs the background of your photo. The AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.8G lens gives a real nice Bokeh effect and keeps the picture natural and bright. That truly brings life in your portraits.
Silent Wave Motor:
This lens features Nikon’s Silent Wave Motor (SMV) technology, which allows for super-speed autofocusing. You’ll be able to focus with extreme accuracy and silence.
On the other hand, the focusing mode can be used to switch from automatic to manual focusing without any lag time. You just need to turn the focusing ring on the lens while even looking through the viewfinder. What can be a better and seamless switch than that?
Pros
- A great affordable lens
- Uses Super Integrated Coating
- Good for low-light photography
- Amazing Bokeh
Cons
- No zooming ability
The AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.8G lens is a reliable option for you if you want an excellent lens for portrait photography that will not break the bank. It has all the modern features to make your photo shooting a much more enjoyable experience.
Lens for Landscape Photography
Whether you are a professional photographer or not, you know that landscape photography is like a crucial part of your photography. You might love to capture the natural landscapes or the human-made ones. you need a high-quality lens that will allow for the maximum detail and a better field of view.
Let’s go over some of the best lenses that you can get for landscape photography.
Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM Lens

Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM is a phenomenal lens for you if you are into landscape photography. The wide-angle zoom lens allows you to take stunning pictures with your cameras. Not only that, but it’s also great for shooting videos. It’s one of the best lenses for Canon.
Product Description
This lens gives the cutting edge performance when it comes to image quality. Let’s look at some of the features of the 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM lens for Canon EF-S camera.
High Field of View:
You probably know that the essential thing in landscape photography in the field of view. That means the lens you use must cover a large angle of view.
The Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM lens features an ultra-wide-angle image, covering 107°30′ – 74°20′ field of view. That gives you the freedom and flexibility to take pictures of the landscape and add the details. Thus, the photo looks more incredible.
Optical Image Stabilizer:
The most annoying thing that most photographers face is the shake. If you are someone who doesn’t like to carry tripods all the time, and your camera doesn’t have a built-in image stabilizer, a lens with an optical image stabilizer will solve the issue.
The Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM lens features an image stabilizer that creates four equivalent stops to prevent shaking. That gives you an uninterrupted experience in your landscape photography.
Fantastic for Recording Videos:
This is a rare feature that most of the lenses out there don’t have. But this lens is very significant for shooting videos. The high-quality zoom lens added with the image stabilizer gives you a steady and continuous AF while recording videos.
Pros
- Wide-angle lens for better landscape photo shooting
- Optical image stabilization
- Great for shooting videos
- Stepping motor for noise-free action
Cons
- Not the best option for dark environment
As you can see, the Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM lens is a very versatile lens that is easily an excellent lens for landscape photography. You can go for it as it will pay off every single penny.
Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G ED Zoom Lens

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G ED is another fantastic lens by Nikon; that’s one of the best lenses available for landscape photography. AF-S DX NIKKOR 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G ED Zoom Lens is perfect for someone who wants to get the most comprehensive range possible while maintaining the crisp image quality.
Product Description
As amazing the AF-S DX NIKKOR 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G ED Zoom Lens is, it has a lot of features added that make it stand out even more from the other lenses out there. Let’s have a look at the specs and the features of this lens.
Vast Field of View:
This lens is an ultra-wide-angle lens, which allows you to take more in a picture. The real angle of view of the lens is 109 degrees.That’s amazing for capturing any landscape, whether natural or human-made, in an image.
Incredible Image Quality:
The AF-S DX NIKKOR 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G ED Zoom Lens lets you take the most exceptional photos possible. It features an ultra-fast and quiet Silent Wave Motor (SWM) that achieves peak-level performance in either photo shooting or video recording. The advanced Nikon ED lens will help you to get the most stunning landscape photo shooting experience that you crave.
Versatile Lens:
This lens is one of the most versatile lenses that you’ll find out there. It lets you take pictures with crisp quality. Also, it’s a great lens to use for recording HD videos. You’ll be able to take photos of landscapes with more flexibility as it has 2.4x compact zooming ability and the ultra-wide-angle lens.
Pros
- Ultra-wide-angle view
- Stunning image quality
- 4x compact zooming
- versatile lens
- Great for HD video shooting
Cons
- Not made for low light conditions
The AF-S DX NIKKOR 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G ED Zoom Lens is a premium lens that you can get for your DSLR. It is everything you need in a lens for shooting photos of a landscape. You will start to fall in love with this lens once you start using it.
Rokinon FE14M-C 14mm F2.8 Ultra Wide Lens

Rokinon is a well-renowned company that produces so many high lenses. The FE14M-C 14mm F2.8 Ultra Wide Lens is another of their high-end lenses. But this one is a mesmerizing option for landscape photo shooting. With a prime wide-angle lens like this one, you can do so much.
Product Description
Let’s look at the specs and the key features of FE14M-C 14mm F2.8 Ultra Wide Lens by Rokinon.
Magical Low-Light Performance:
This lens uses an F2.8 aperture, which allows you to take crisp, clear, and bright pictures in the darker environment.
So many people these days are into shooting photos of the night’s sky. This lens is the best one you can get for your DSLR if you are one of them. Also, it’s great for street photography, astrophotography, and of course, landscape photo shooting.
Super Wide-Angle Lens:
A lens that is for landscape photography must have a wide-angle lens that will enable for more edge of the sight. FE14M-C 14mm F2.8 Ultra Wide Lens allows you to capture the whole landscape in your pictures as it can give a 115.7-degree angle of view. Thus, you can have a more enjoyable and profound photo shooting experience.
Prime Lens Benefits:
As it’s a prime lens, the picture quality, lighting, and sharpness of the FE14M-C 14mm F2.8 Ultra Wide Lens will be better than a zoom lens. It’s typically better for most landscape photo shooting as you’ll get the most sharpness and detail in your pictures. The weight is also pretty light for you to carry around with you more easily.
Pros
- Premium quality optics
- Low flare and ghost
- Ultra-wide-angle for a better landscape photo
- Great for low-light conditions
Cons
- Relies on Manual Focus
As you can probably tell, the FE14M-C 14mm F2.8 Ultra Wide Lens by Rokinon is a vast landscape photography lens that you can get. It might be a bit pricey, but it’s genuinely worth it. You will not regret the investment you make purchasing this lens.
Lens for Wildlife Photography
Most of us love to take pictures in nature. That makes it evident that wildlife photography is so popular. Who doesn’t want to go to the forest areas in their vacations and shoot some beautiful photos?
But for shooting wildlife photos, the lenses must be quick, and the quality has to be there. That will bring life to your photo shoots. To help you pick the best lens for wildlife photography, let’s go over the best lens for that criteria.
Sigma 150-600mm 5-6.3 Contemporary DG OS HSM Lens

Sigma is a famous company that is renowned for producing top-notch lenses in the market. Their products are super-premium in terms of quality and come with a lot of innovative features and technologies.
As wildlife photo shooting requires a high-quality premium lens with high speed, the Sigma 150-600mm 5-6.3 Contemporary DG OS HSM Lens is undoubtedly the best wildlife lens that you can get for your camera.
Product Description
This amazing telephoto lens also comes with many features that make it even better for wildlife photography. Let’s have a look at those specs and features down below.
Hyper Telephoto Zoom:
The Sigma 150-600mm 5-6.3 Contemporary DG OS HSM Lens is the first hyper-telephoto zoom lens in the contemporary line of lenses. That allows you to get the highest quality images possible. Besides that, it has excellent panning in both vertical and horizontal photography. That way you can get the best experience in your wildlife photography.
Optical Image Stabilization:
This lens has a high optical stabilization that helps you a lot in your photo shooting. That allows you to shoot pictures without all the annoying shake interruptions. Those shakes can ruin an entirely focused picture. Especially in wildlife photography, you need a stable image to capture photos with high quality.
USB Dock Compatibility:
Sigma uses Sigma Optimization Pro software to update the firmware and adjust parameters. Also, most of the focus function, such as the AF speed, focus limiter, and OS function, is fully customizable. The full-time manual focus system will give you a new level of customization. And all that’s just perfect for your wildlife photography.
Pros
- Hyper-Telephoto zoom lens
- Oil and water repellent coating on the front glass
- Fully customizable functions
- Optical image stabilization
Cons
- Not an affordable lens to get
If you are someone who doesn’t like to compromise the quality for the price, the Sigma 150-600mm 5-6.3 Contemporary DG OS HSM Lens is perfect. It’s one of the best lenses you can get if you love wildlife, birding, or even motor photography. It’s a worthwhile investment to make.
Lens for Sports Photography
As you probably know, lenses used in sports photography are pretty high quality. The lens speed must be high for those lenses to get the cleanest shot possible. It’s similar to the lens used for wildlife photography. So, you can use the Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L USM Telephoto Zoom Lens as all the lenses shooting in the sports and wildlife can be interchanged.
Besides that, let’s go over a couple more lenses that are best for sports photography.
Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM Lens

As the lenses used to capture professional sports has to be the best in their field in terms of performance, the Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM Lens a perfect pick in this criteria. It’s one of the most premium lenses you’ll find for sports photography. If you are a wildlife photographer, you can also use this lens.
Product Description
A lens as premium as that comes with a lot of different features. Let’s go over some of the specs and key features of this fantastic lens.
Super Telephoto Zoom:
As you probably know, telephoto lenses are best for getting the most detailed pictures. The Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM Lens features a compact and high-performance super-telephoto lens form the L-series that gives you the best photos can get from your DSLR.
Easy to Mount:
This lens is super easy to mount as it can be attached or detached from the camera without even removing. It also features a lens hood with a side window. you don’t even need to remove the hat to adjust the specialty filters such as polarizers. What more can you ask for in a camera lens?
Less Flaring and Ghosting:
The Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM Lens features an Air Sphere Coating (ASC), which prevents backlit flaring and ghosting. Another great thing about the coating is that that it is highly water and dust resistant. All of those things combined make it a durable option for shooting in general also for any harsh environments.
Pros
- Very easy setting of zoom tension
- Super-Telephoto lens for maximum depth and detail in the field of view
- Very durable construction
- Easy to mount
- Four stop image stabilization
Cons
- Not an affordable lens to get
The Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM Lens is undoubtedly one of the most premium telephoto lenses with ultrasonic focus. The premium constructions and features will ensure the most optimal experience in your sports photography.
Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III Telephoto Zoom Lens

The Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III Telephoto Zoom Lens is perfect for you if you are search for an affordable option for capturing sports pictures. It is the smallest and lightest in its class and provides you with everything you need to get the best photo shooting experience that you crave.
Product Features
Although it’s relatively affordable, the Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III Telephoto Zoom Lens comes with a lot of cool features. Let’s go through some of the features and specs.
Stunning Landscape Photos:
For sports photography, an edible landscape is pretty useful. With the Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III Telephoto Zoom Lens, you’ll be able to capture a surprising angle of view. The 32-degree angle of view is going to be fantastic for getting the landscape images that you want.
Great Autofocus with DC Motor:
The DC motor allows high functioning autofocus to capture the most beautiful shots with your camera. But it’s not like most other autofocus lenses out there that get in your photography. Instead, it will quickly focus on what matters for giving you the absolute best shot possible.
Interchangeable with Most Cameras:
A great thing about the Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III Telephoto Zoom Lens is that it’s interchangeable with proper cameras. That way, you can get a bit more zooming capability to your arsenal without sacrificing the convenience. It’s a perfect portable lens for most photographers out there. You’ll be able to carry it around with you anywhere you like, and you can switch it on the go with utter ease.
Pros
- Great lens at an affordable price range
- DC motor allows for fantastic autofocus
- Gives you a nice angle of view
- Best value of your money
Cons
- No image stabilization
As you can probably see, the Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III Telephoto Zoom Lens will be the best investment that you can make on a single lens. That’s truly worth every penny as it ensures that much quality and features are in its price range.
Lens for Travel Photography
Cameras are one of the essential travel accessories these days. It helps capture the memories in pictures that you can keep to yourself for the rest of your life. To obtain the moments better, you should use lenses on your camera to enhance the quality and add so many features as well.
Let’s go over the best camera lenses that will add so much to your traveling photography experience.
NIKKOR 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3G ED VR Zoom Lens for Nikon AF-S DX

Undoubtedly the best lens for shooting photos while traveling. The superb angle of view, along with the stunning image quality, allows you to get the best possible shots with your camera. You won’t find a lens that is as comfortable to carry around with you while traveling as the Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3G ED Vibration Reduction Zoom Lens.
Product Description
Let’s have a look at the key features and specs of this beautiful lens down below.
Incredible Image Quality:
As most of the Nikon lenses provide the best image quality, the AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3G ED Vibration Reduction Zoom Lens is a good example that lives up to that. The Silent Wave Motor (SWM), along with the Extra-low Dispersion (ED) glass, gives you the most vibrant color, details, and contrast. It’s very optimal for traveling photography.
Vibration Reduction Image Stabilization:
The most annoying thing that photographers face is undoubtedly the “Shake.” That’s why most of the high-end cameras come with built-in stabilise. But for those that don’t come with this built-in, you’ll need to purchase an extra lens that features image stabilization.
The Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3G ED Vibration Reduction Zoom Lens comes with a four-stop image stabilization that allows you to shoot photos constant focus.
Ultra-wide Telephoto Lens:
An ultra-wide lens gives you the most expanded image that helps to capture the whole scene with higher quality. That helps to get the most realistic and live picture that you care. It’s the best Nikon prime lens for your camera.
Pros
- Most versatile lens for your camera
- Great prime lens for ultra-wide pictures
- 4 stop Vibration Reduction Image Stabilization
- Amazing image quality
Cons
- A bit pricey
The Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3G ED Vibration Reduction Zoom Lens is a great option for any photographer who loves to travel a lot. All the features help to add so much to your photo shooting that it’s pretty worthwhile.
NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR Zoom Lens for Nikon AF-S FX

NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR is another great lens for someone who loves to travel a lot. The FX line of products is renowned for its stunning quality. This NIKKOR 28-300mm, f/3.5-5.6G ED Vibration Reduction Zoom Lens for Nikon AF-S FX camera, is one of the best Nikon fx lenses. This product lives up to the name of Nikon’s quality.
Product Description
Nikon’s FX series is one of the best lenses that you can get if you are into travel photography. Let’s go over the features and the specs of the NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED Zoom Lens of Nikon, which comes with Vibration Reduction.
Powerful Lens:
This lens features Nikon’s ED advanced lens. That allows you to get the crispest and most precise picture possible. It’s all you need for great photography. 28-300mm focal length allows for a very versatile shooting experience. It is a fixed lens that you can get for your camera if you are someone who loves traveling.
Remarkable Stability:
The NIKKOR 2–300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR Zoom lens for Nikon AF-S FX cameras is a very versatile option that you can get for your camera. All the advanced features added to the lens makes it very stable as well. This lens also offers a high edge to the pictures that you take using the lens.
Remarkable Zooming Ability:
This lens features a remarkable 10.7x zooming that lets you take pictures of objects that are very far away. And the fantastic thing about this lens is that it maintains a consistently higher quality image throughout the whole zooming range. That way, you can get a sharp and high-quality picture.
Pros
- Advanced Nikon ED lens
- Stunning 10.7x zooming ability
- Sharp and radiant picture capturing
- The high value of your money
Cons
- Not the best lens for dark environment photo shooting
The Nikon AF-S FX NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED Vibration Reduction Zoom Lens is probably the best lens that you can get if you are into traveling. This lens will provide you with everything you need to get the best photos possible.
Lens for Astrophotography
Astrophotography requires lenses that are capable of shooting clearly in a darker environment. You can’t use basic lenses for shooting the night’s sky. There are different kinds of lenses out there for the job. FE14M-C 14mm F2.8 Ultra Wide Lens by Rokinon is pretty amazing, as mentioned earlier.
Let’s go over the best choices for astrophotography that you can find on the market.
Rokinon 16MAF-N 16mm f/2.0 Aspherical Wide Angle Lens

This lens is one of the best lenses that you can get if you love to shoot in the night sky or these types of astrophotography. The aspherical lens allows you to take the most radiant photos at night. This lens will help you capture the true beauty of these types of environments.
Product Descriptions
As a sizeable aspherical lens, the Rokinon 16MAF-N 16mm f/2.0 Aspherical Wide Angle Lens features many features that help achieve even better quality with your pictures. Let’s go through some of the features of this Rokinon lens:
High Astro Photography:
This lens features an f/2.0 aperture that gives you great freedom for capturing the night sky with bright and sharp picture quality. Also, it helps to get the phenomenon view of the night sky.
The high-quality lens adds life to your astrophotography. If you are someone who loves to shoot the amazing stars and dark sky, this is the best lens.
Significant Bokeh Effect:
Despite amazing astrophotography ability, the Rokinon 16MAF-N 16mm f/2.0 Aspherical Wide Angle Lens also is a great portrait lens that gives you a considerable bokeh effect. So if you are a portrait photographer, you’ll find this lens very satisfying.
Nano Coating System:
This feature allows the lens to prevent ghosting and flares. That way, you can get the most precise photo whenever you take your camera out to shoot. This helps to give you a smooth and pleasant experience whenever you go for astrophotography.
Pros
- Great for astrophotography
- Great bokeh effect
- Great in low-light conditions
- Nano coating technology
- The High value of your money
Cons
- Manual focus lens
Shooting the night sky with a DSLR is getting pretty popular these days. The right lens makes this experience even better. And the Rokinon 16MAF-N 16mm f/2.0 Aspherical Wide Angle Lens is made for astrophotography. If you are someone who would love to have a great quality lens for capturing the highest quality possible pictures of the night sky, this lens is a no brainer option for you.
Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM Ultra Wide Angle Zoom Lens

Another excellent lens for astrophotography is the Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM Ultra Wide Angle Zoom Lens. This wide-angle lens gives you the most angle of view for capturing the most. Also, the Canon EF series mountings allow you to use this lens with utter ease and comfort. Overall, it’s a great option for you to invest in if you are into astrophotography.
Product Description
This lens comes with a lot of features that help to make your photo shooting experience better. Let’s go over some of the key elements of the Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM Ultra Wide Angle Zoom Lens.
Ultra-Wide-Angle Scene:
The rectangular ultra-wide-angle lens allows you to capture the entire scene properly in one picture. The total angle of view of this lens is 115.7-degree. That is very impressive for a camera lens to have that kind of wide-angle range. Thus, you’ll have the advantage of capturing the night sky even more with your camera.
Spectacular Astrophotography:
The Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM Ultra Wide Angle Zoom Lens gives you a phenomenal experience of shooting the photos. It’s designed to pull the best pictures in darker environments. The F4 aperture lets you capture brighter images; even the view is dim. That allows you to take amazing photos of the night sky.
Low Flare & Ghosting:
Flare and ghosting is an annoying problem for many photographers. But the Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM Ultra Wide Angle Zoom Lens features a UMC multi-coating that prevents flare and ghosting. That way, the lens can deliver the most contrast and light in the picture.
Pros
- Lightweight and compact
- Amazing for astrophotography
- UMC multi-coating for flare and ghosting prevention
- Ultra-wide angle of view
Cons
- A bit pricey
As you can see, the Rokinon FE14M-C 14mm F2.8 Ultra Wide Lens comes with many features that are just right for someone who loves to shoot pictures at night. If you are someone who wants a high-quality lens for astrophotography, this is the best lens to invest in. You will not regret it.
Lens for Close-ups & Nature Photography
You might be able to tell that these types of photoshoot require macro lenses. But all macro lenses are not made equally. They are pretty expensive. But paying more for a lens doesn’t guarantee a good lens.
You can go for Sigma 150-600mm 5-6.3 Contemporary DG OS HSM Lens or even Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III Telephoto Zoom Lens, as mentioned above. But there are a few more macro lens that you can try. Let’s go over some of the best lenses for close-up & natural photography to help you with that.
100mm f/2.8L Macro Lens for Canon EF Cameras with IS USM

As macro lenses are the absolute necessity for capturing a picture and getting the most detailed shot, you must get a great lens for your camera that makes it better. The Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L IS USM Macro Lens is one of the best macro lenses in the market that you can get for you for these types of photography.
Product Description
As macro lenses are pretty advanced in their design, the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L IS USM Macro Lens comes with a lot of features that make close-up photo shooting even more enjoyable. Let’s go over a few of them down below.
Hybrid Image Stabilization:
The hybrid image stabilization featured in this lens helps you to focus and capture pictures with so much comfort and in less time. The most annoying thing that can ruin a full picture is the shaking of your camera. The hybrid stabilization eliminates it, leaving you with the smoothest and pleasant experience.
Great for Portraits:
The 100mm f/2.8L IS USM Macro Lens for Canon EF cameras lets you shoot stunning portrait photos. The 100mm focal distance is just the optimal distance for portraits. That allows you to take the best possible pictures of nature in close up.
Actual Macro Magnification:
The 100mm f/2.8L Macro Lens for Canon EF cameras with built-in IS USM comes with a true macro magnification ratio of 1:1. That is great for close-up and nature photography as it allows the object to appear the same size in your real-life on the camera sensor. That gives you the ability to take the sharpest pictures with your camera.
Pros
- Beautiful Bokeh effect
- Hybrid image stabilization
- Super lightweight
- Insanely good depth of field
Cons
- Pretty expensive
As you can see, The Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L IS USM Macro Lens is the best pick for close-up or nature photography. The lens is very premium in quality and gives the most depth in the field possible and a beautiful Bokeh. That’s all you need in a lens for shooting close-up shots. It’s a worthwhile investment that’s going to pay you off in the long run.
Types of Lenses Explained
There are two types of lenses. Those are the prime lens and the zoom lens. The prime lenses have a fixed focal length that makes them fast and sharp at the same time. Those help to give you a really precise shot. Also, it’s pretty lightweight to carry around with you.
On the other hand, Zoom lenses use a series of lenses that makes it more flexible for use. But it loses speed. It allows for different focal lengths in just one lens. That’s why you might find it a bit bigger and heavier than the prime lenses.
But besides that, there are a variety of different lenses with different focal lengths. Let’s go over a few of the most popular ones that you’ll often see in the market.
Wide-Angle Lens: First of all, wide-angle lenses are pretty popular. If you are into street photography, those are probably the best lenses to get. Also, it’s great for capturing the landscape. If the object you choose to shoot is too close to the camera, you’ll not get the best out of it. But otherwise, it’s a reliable option for most photographers.
Telephoto Lens: Telephoto lenses are also trendy. Mostly, if you want to shoot an object that’s pretty far away, those lenses are the ones to go. Telephoto lenses give you very high depth in the field, thus excellent picture quality.
Professional photographs and the people who are good at understanding camera lenses also tend to go with the telephoto lenses. Those are the best lenses to go for if you want to capture sports or wildlife. But those lenses can be pretty expensive and heavyweight.
Macro Lens: You might have heard of the macro lenses. These are used to capture pictures of objects that are super near. They ensure the maximum detail in the picture. If you have a thing for photo shooting in nature, macro lenses are just what you need.
Standard Lens: Those lenses are usually the most versatile lens that you can get for your camera. The focal length of these lenses sits around 35mm and 85mm usually. Standard lenses can be used in so many different types of photography for its unique focal length range.
Specialty Lenses: Finally, you’ll see a lot of specialized lenses that serve different purposes when it comes to photography. These come with various features and abilities that give the user more flexibility and freedom to take pictures with more ease.
The first lens that falls under the category is the fisheye lens. Those are what they sound like; It’s an ultra-wide-angle lens that allows you to take pictures in a 180-degree radius. That gives you so many options to add a unique look to your photography. But as they distort the field of view, it might not be suitable for your photography type.
Tilt-shift lenses are another lens that you can try out. They make objects smaller and make them look like toys. It’s not something that you’ll use regularly, but it might be a great idea to use it occasionally to add a different flavor to your photography.
Also, there are lenses called an infrared lens. Those play with light and give you different visual effects. Again, not something to use that often. But great for spicing things up in a while.
Zoom Lenses VS Prime Lenses
It can be tricky in the beginning to pick one from zoom lenses or prime lenses. Every kind of lens has its own purpose. You might be wondering which one will be best for you. Let’s discuss this topic in greater detail down below.
Prime lenses are pretty lightweight compared to zoom lenses. Just because they do not have different focal lengths in one lens also allows the prime lenses to be more compact. It’s a great idea to use a prime lens for video.
Also, prime lenses have better image quality than zoom lenses in general. That makes it perfect for wildlife photo shooting or professional sports. And if you are someone who has to do a lot of photo shooting in darker environments, prime lenses are best for low light performances.
But zoom lenses have a wider focal length that allows you to take group photos better. If you are fond of taking pictures of landscapes, zoom lenses are the best option for you. Also, it’s great for street photography.
Despite that, zoom lenses are pretty dense when it comes to weight. That makes it annoying sometimes to carry around with you. Also, the quality might distort a little bit, and there is a slight risk of aberrations.
On the other hand, the prime lens lacks versatility and is not a flexible option as a zoom lens. But at the end of the day, it all depends on your preferred style of photo shooting.
Canon Lens Mount
There are three types of canon lenses that include EF mount, EF-S mount, and the EF-M mount.
The EF mount allows you to use it with all the full-frame models and the APS-C formats. On the other hand, the EF-S mount is exclusively designed for the APS-C model DSLRs by Canon. And finally, the EF-M mount is specifically designed for the EOS M mirrorless series by Canon.
The great thing about the EF lenses is that these lenses are compatible with every single camera that is EOS. The new EOS M series also falls under that when you use it with the EF to EOS M Mount adapter.
Canon lens mount is pretty popular, especially the EF mounts, which stands for Electro-focus. Those can automatically focus as they have a built-in electric motor inside.
Nikon Lens Mount
Nikon lens mounts use the same Nikon-F bayonet mount that makes those interchangeable with all the models. Except, the old models that were made before 1959. You can use all the lenses in every single model as the bayonet mount fit is the same in every single one.
Nikon made the F-Mount series for all the 35mm format cameras that are single-reflex models. The 3-lug bayonet mount is featured in the mounts and a 44mm throat and a flange that has a focal distance of 46.5mm. You can also go for Nikon Z mount lenses.
Sony Lens Mount
Sony has two different lens mount systems, the A-Mount and the E-mount.
The A-mount is a standard for cameras that have mirror type bodies. Sony A-mount has become a pretty common mount these days. The E-mount, on the other hand, is for mirrorless bodies. Those are very expensive for a lens mount. If you compare those with the Canon or Nikon mounts, you’ll see that the Sony mounts are a bit pricier than the other ones.
Frequently Asked Questions
Let’s go over some of the most frequently asked questions down below.
Question 1: How many lenses do I need for photography?
It’s a tricky question to answer. It depends on your preferred style of photography. Also, the lighting, the environment you shoot in plays a huge role in that part. But the answer would be 3 for most of the people.
You should at least own three of the most basic lenses. Those are the kit lens, the ultra-wide lens, and the macro lens. These 3 lenses are the bare essentials when it comes to the lens that you must get for your cameras.
Most of the startup shooters tend to stick to the lens that comes with the camera, kits lens in other words. That is definitely a great option. But as you get a bit more experienced, you should add the ultra-wide and the macro lens to your collection.
Question 2: What is the most versatile camera lens?
The EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM is the most versatile camera lens by far. The range of focal distance allows you to do so much with this lens. Whether you go for nature and wildlife photos or sports pictures, this lens has got your back.
The aperture of this lens is f/2.8L, which is great for low-light photoshoots. You can easily take this out with you in the evening and capture the sky. It’ll also work capturing the night’s sky. It’s a really solid option when it comes to the lighting and environmental shifts.
Also, the quality of the lens is astonishingly good. You’ll be able to take a picture with great details. The depth of field is pretty amazing in this lens. No matter what type of photos you take, portrait, landscape, or anything, the EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II is the best lens available out there in terms of versatility.
Question 3: How do I know what lens to use?
It’s a very subjective matter that differs from person to person. It actually depends on the type of photo shooting you are into. Also, environmental exposure, lighting, features, etc. play a huge role in determining the right lens you should use.
If you are someone who loves to shoot group photos or landscapes, zoom lenses are pretty good in that case. It would be a great choice to upgrade your kit lens with a zoom lens.
But if you are looking for a lens that gives you the best possible details and quality, you might want to go for a telephoto lens. These lenses are very high quality and give the most depth in the field. Also, these are a bit more expensive. You’ll be able to capture wildlife and nature, sports, etc. in higher-detailed pictures.
Question 4: What lens do professional photographers use?
Most professionals go with a lens that provides a better depth in the field and overall image quality. Also, some of them like to go with the lenses that are better in low-light conditions.
Lenses like Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L II., Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II., Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L. They are pretty popular among the more professional photographers. But as you can probably tell by now, those lenses are pretty expensive as they provide top-notch quality and features.
For someone who loves to shoot pictures occasionally, you would not have to invest in that much of a premium product. Going with a mid-range lens would be just enough for that. But if you are serious about your photography, then don’t hesitate to go for those by all means.
Final Thoughts
Now you have the top 15 best camera lenses that you can pick from. Always try to go with the higher end products as they will be much better than the cheaper ones. You can say that you’ll get what you pay for in that case.
But as you saw, it’s not about just paying more money that makes the difference. You must select the right type of lens for getting the most out of lenses. That might seem obvious, but very few percentages of people actually follow this definite part.
Hopefully, these lenses are the ones that will help to give you the best experience that you deserve when it comes to shooting all that amazing stuff.
Leave a Reply