What is the best wide-angle lens on the market? Hard to say, easier to see it! Read our reviews of the wide-angle optics for your SLR and Mirrorless cameras and choose the right one.
To take good wide-angle photos, you need a great wide-angle lens for SLR or mirrorless cameras. This device is mainly used for shooting landscapes or taking group photos, but the wide-angle optics are not limited to these categories. Also, you can use these camera lenses to capture portraits and architectural photos.
What does a wide-angle lens for SLR do? In short and fast words? Boost distances! What do you mean?
In the sense that if I were to place a subject in the foreground and behind him the mountains, the subject in the foreground would seem to dominate the mountains behind him thanks to the focal distance created by this object and you would be able in the same shot to shoot more scenery as possible.
Consequently, a proportional increase in the angle of view takes place, which in a few words broadens the visual field and consequently enters a greater portion of the panorama in the frame.
Precisely for this reason, wide-angle lenses are used especially in street photography and landscape photos: you can achieve more detail in the same shot with a single click without sacrificing the subject in the foreground.
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What things do you need to consider when buying the best?
The wide-angle lens for SLR, like all lenses, has specific construction characteristics. Before launching into the purchase of a lens, you need to pay close attention to some details, such as:
Compatibility
We are going to analyze some wide-angle models in the market, trying to reach the largest target audience, so we will find these optics prepared to work on different brands of SLR cameras. First of all, it will be to know if the optics are compatible or not with our camera body.
Distortions and aberrations
As a consequence of the chosen focal length, we can find in some optics some spherical distortion or vignetting at the edges of the image.
Manual or automatic focus
Some models of optics only allow focusing in manual mode, so we have to take it into account for the purchase of the lens.
Lens brightness
A fundamental fact to keep in mind is to be able to obtain clear and bright images, with a certain depth of field to be able to cause interesting blurring (bokeh).
Dimensions and weight
Certainly one of the main advantages, besides the technical part, is transport! A wide angle is decidedly smaller than a telephoto lens, so being transported in a backpack is much more suitable for a walk in the mountains or a trip into the city.
Crop factor
Do not forget that if the sensor of our camera is not full-frame (full size), we must apply a clipping factor to our lens. For example, if our team mounts a sensor with a 1.6x cropping factor, we must multiply it by the camera’s focal point to know exactly the focal length of our lens: a 17mm lens in a camera with a factor of 1.6x trimming will offer a 27.2mm focal length (17 × 1.6 = 27.2).
We can comfortably photograph groups of people without fear of not all entering the photo. With the help of a tripod, we can make fun selfies with peace of mind knowing that we are going to capture the whole scene completely, without any clipping in the image.
Which wide angle Lens for SLR or Mirrorless cameras to buy?
If you feel the need to integrate your photographic kit with the purchase of a wide-angle lens but you have a very limited budget, in this article we will see together which are the 8 best economic lenses currently available on the market, to be able to insert in your backpack a good semi-professional lens that can offer good performance at the lowest possible cost.
So, let’s see the best wide-angle Lens for SLR or Mirrorless cameras on the market.
The best overall: Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f / 1.8G
A good lens is hard to find at a cheap price and, if you can find one, make sure you don’t invest in something that will stop in a few months. That’s why, when it comes to “budget” objectives, we are talking about a price range of around 150 to 200 dollars. Among these lenses, the Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f / 1.8G lens is probably the best inexpensive wide-angle lens for SLR you can find for Nikon cameras.
It has a standard 35mm wide-angle focal length, which corresponds to that of the human eye. This means that the images will reveal themselves quite close to what you have imagined, of course, if you know what you are doing. This main lens also has a maximum aperture of f / 1.8 and a minimum of f / 22. There is an ultrasonic autofocus motor (AF) with a full-time manual focus.
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Best wide angle lens: Canon EF 16-35mm f / 4L IS USM
A magical combination of excellent wide-angle and low-light performance, the Canon EF 16-35mm f / 4L IS USM lens is a great choice for Canon DSLR owners. Incorporating optical image stabilization, special coatings to minimize ghosting, and two UD elements to minimize image aberrations, Canon adds internal focus and ring-type USM for precise and rapid autofocusing. Full-time manual focus is also available with a minimum focusing distance.
Built for all weather conditions, this Canon lens is resistant to both dust and water, which allows it to perform in any condition whether professional or not. In addition to protection against the elements, the circular aperture of the Canon lens and its nine blades allow for a beautiful and soft background photo.
Reviews praise its performance and image results even in worse lighting and photo conditions. At just 1.4 kilos, the Canon EF 16-35mm lens will soon become a go-to for Canon DSLR or Mirrorless owners looking for the best in wide-angle lens photography.
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The best overall: EF S 10-22m f / 3.5-4.5 Lens
An immediate choice for many Canon DSLR owners, the EF-S 10-22m f / 3.5-4.5 offers a combination of image quality and convenience that makes it an exceptional choice for a lens. Incorporating an optical image stabilizer, superior autofocus, and a full-time manual focus with a simple turn of a ring add fuel to the fire that this Canon lens is a must.
With a minimum distance close together, small subjects can fill the frame. The relatively compact dimensions have this lens, light to carry around in a bag. The wide angles from the focal length of this lens are destined to impress even professional photographers with an equivalent to a 16-35 mm zoom. The three aspherical lens elements, the Super-UD element, and the ring-type USM contribute to guaranteeing extraordinary photographic quality.
Even if image stabilization is not provided, lightness should help keep this lens still in your hand while you are capturing images of a wedding, sporting event, or landscape photo in a park.
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Best wide angle: Sigma 10-20mm f / 3.5 EX DC HSM ELD SLD
If you want to be able to capture the breathtaking majesty of the Grand Canyon or some other panoramic view, you will probably want an ultra-wide angle lens, which is generally defined as any lens with a focal length of less than 15 mm. For Nikon, there’s the Sigma 10-20mm f / 3.5 EX DC HSM. The fixed aperture and very short focal range make it ideal for landscapes and architecture, but can also be suitable for professional portraits.
It has a hyper-sonic motor for silent and super-fast autofocus, as well as a cap that blocks extra light and reduces internal reflection. It’s a medium-range device, but the technology behind these small devices will surely impress even the most experienced photographers.
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Best Ultra Wide Angle Lens Overall: Sigma 8-16mm f / 4.5-5.6 DC
For the best ultra-wide angle lens performance available today, the Sigma 8-16mm f / 4.5-5.6 DC HSM FLD AF is a great choice for Canon, Nikon, Pentax, and Sony SLR owners. A unique lens, Sigma is the first to offer a minimum focal length of only 8 mm. Designed with the APS-C image sensors in mind, the lens offers a field of view equivalent to 12-24 mm lenses.
By integrating Sigma’s new FLD glass elements, the lens helps compensate for chromatic aberration and color correction, while producing excellent image results over the entire zoom range. The inclusion of HSM technology allows the autofocus zoom to be both mechanical and manual with a minimum focusing distance of only 9.4 inches from a subject.
Ultimately, Sigma has produced a lens that excels in the landscape, capturing architecture, building interiors, photojournalism, wedding photography, and much more.
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Best Budget Canon: Canon EF-S 24mm f / 2.8 STM
Another inexpensive option for Canon shooters, the EF-S 24mm f / 2.8 STM is quite versatile for the wide-angle lens category. It has a focal length of 24 mm and a maximum aperture of f / 2.8. It is the thinnest and lightest lens in the EF-S series of Canon lenses. Also, it features full-time manual focus while One-Shot AF (autofocus) mode is active. It produces stellar images with fast autofocus and is small enough to fit in any bag.
The price is such that you don’t have to worry too much to regret the purchase, especially if you are a very active photographer with a vast collection of goals. Consider a viable option if you’re a Canon shooter looking to buy your first, but don’t want to spend a lot of money.
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Sigma 19mm F2.8 EX DN Art
With this 19mm lens, we can comfortably photograph panoramic views and social or nature photography. It has very bright optics of f: 2.8 that offer very clear quality images.
It is prepared to mount in mirrorless cameras (mirrorless or EVIL) with interchangeable optics. Also, it has powerful autofocus to quickly capture in detail the image to be photographed.
It is a compact, small, and very light optic, and one of its strengths is precisely its weight, which reaches 150 grams, which makes it very manageable. Although it is prepared to mount Sony NEX E cameras, it is also offered for Micro 4/3 cameras.
We must bear in mind that with the clipping factors, this objective offers us a focal length of 38mm in the Micro 4/3 system and 28.5mm in the Sony E. system.
This optics has a lens system that prevents aberrations and maintains image quality, as well as an anti-glare and glare coating.
It includes a parasol and carrying case. It is an economic objective and offers a very good quality of focus and sharpness.
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Tamron AF 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 SP Di II LD Aspherical (IF) Lens
This Tamron wide-angle lens for SLR or Mirrorless is rated as one of the best in optics and mechanics.
It has a focal length of 11-18mm F4.5-5.6.
It is part of the Tamron Super Performance (SP) series and stands out from the other wide-angle lenses due to its extraordinarily wide angle of view, equivalent to a 16-37mm on the full size. The focus of 24cm allows you to get closer to the subject without incurring distortions.
Another peculiarity of this optic is the technology used which guarantees a high resolution and excellent correction of optical aberrations.
It uses the BBAR optical coating, also applied to all cemented surfaces (Internal Surface Coating) which allows for clear and brilliant images.
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Samyang SY14MAE-N 14mm F2.8 Ultra Wide Angle Lens
We want to finish this ranking of the best wide-angle lens optics with an ultra-wide effect! This Samyang has a fixed focal length of 14mm f / 2.8 AND AS IF UMC and was designed to work both with cameras equipped with a full-format sensor and APS-C.
It has an optical scheme consisting of 14 elements in 10 groups. This ultra-wide-angle lens was made with two ED lenses, with a low dispersion factor, two aspherical lenses, including a hybrid lens, and three lenses with a high refractive index.
The particularity of this lens is that all the lenses have been treated with an anti-glare treatment of the highest UMC quality. It has a 115.7-degree angle of view, while the minimum focusing distance is 0.28 m.
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How we tested ourselves
Our reviewers spent 8 hours testing one of the most widely used wide-angle lenses available. To get the full experience, they tried it in different settings throughout the day and into the evening. We asked them to consider the most important features when using this wide-angle lens for SLR – such as openness and durability – and we have outlined them here so that you too know what to look for when you buy.
And with which wide-angle lenses are you better off? What is the best goal you bring back when you go out to take pictures? Leave it in the comments! We are curious!