Photography is no cheap hobby, and there is always something that you can buy to help you create better images. There are certainly many superb lenses on the market, but a lot of the premier lenses come with a top-of-the-line price tag. If you know where to look, you don’t have to break the bank to find high-quality lenses at more affordable prices. Regardless of which mirrorless system you use, know that you don’t have to spend thousands to take quality images. In this article, we’ll highlight the best mirrorless lenses for under $1000 for Sony, Canon, Nikon, Fujifilm, Panasonic, and OM System mirrorless cameras.
Best Sony Lenses Under $1,000
Sony FE 20mm f/1.8 G Lens for Sony E
This 20mm f/1.8 for Sony is highly versatile for any photographer who wants to capture wide-angle scenes. Landscapes, astrophotography, architecture, and even group photos are all in the wheelhouse of this lens. The maximum f/1.8 aperture gives you plenty of light and excellent bokeh.
Sony E 70-350mm f/4.5-6.3 G OSS Lens
Photographers shooting on Sony mirrorless crop sensor cameras will love this 70-350mm f/4.5-5.6 lens. The massive range on this lens means you can capture stunning portraits and landscapes on the wider end, or amazing wildlife or sports telephoto images when you zoom in. The range offered by this lens truly gives photographers a ton of versatility when it comes to composition.
Sony Vario-Tessar T* FE 24-70mm f/4 ZA OSS Lens for Sony E
The 24-70mm range is absolutely a must-have for nearly any kind of photographer. This is a perfect lens for photographers who don’t want to carry additional lenses since this focal length will cover everything you need. While the f/4 version doesn’t quite allow as much light or bokeh as the f/2.8, it does save you a substantial amount of money, weight, and size.
Best Nikon Lenses Under $1,000
Nikon NIKKOR Z 35mm f/1.4 Lens
An indispensable staple for portrait photographers or filmmakers, the NIKKOR Z 35mm f/1.4 lens offers not only an amazing walk-around lens for any portrait shoot, narrative, travel, and even landscape, but an aperture of f/1.4 to give you buttery smooth bokeh. Best of all, this lens is part of Nikon’s Z-Line, meaning you’ll experience superior performance and resolution.
Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR Lens
If you truly want one lens that can do it all for your Nikon mirrorless camera, the 24-200mm f/4-6.3 lens might be the perfect choice. With a range of 24-200mm, you can capture almost any scene. Quickly switch from a wide-angle shot to a close-up telephoto shot with just the twist of a lens.
Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S Lens
Covering the sweet spot of focal length, this compact lens will be your go-to for both wide-angle images and close-up shots. This lens offers extremely high-quality optics that are sharp from edge to edge without needing to stop the exposure. Additionally, the close focusing distance of just 11.8 inches is perfect for scenes where you want to get up close and personal.
Best Canon Lenses Under $1,000
Canon RF 100mm f/2.8 L Macro IS USM Lens
Canon mirrorless portrait and macro shooters will love this 100mm f/2.8. Offering an excellent fixed focal length for portraits and macro images, as well as a maximum aperture of f/2.8, means you’ll be capturing stunning images with amazing bokeh even in low light situations. For macro shooters, the minimum focusing distance is roughly ten inches.
Canon RF 24-240mm f/4-6.3 IS USM Lens
For travel photographers, or just those who want more versatility out of their lens, the 24-240mm f/4-6.3 is the perfect choice. For travel, not only does this lens offer a massive range of focal lengths, but it is also lightweight and compact and offers excellent sharpness from end to end, even with the aperture wide open.
Canon RF 600mm f/11 IS STM Lens
For telephoto sports and wildlife photographers, adding a 600mm lens to your kit will only help you to take your photos to the next level. The fixed f/11 aperture allows the lens to be far more compact and lightweight than most super-telephoto lenses. Best of all, the lens offers incredibly sharp optics and a much more affordable price than most 600mm lenses.
Best Fujifilm Lenses Under $1,000
Fujinon XF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 R LM OIS WR Lens
This 70-300mm f/4-5.6 lens for Fujifilm shooters is compact and lightweight, yet gives photographers extended reach to capture a variety of different scenes. Including 5.5 stops of image stabilization and fast, near-silent autofocus helps to round this lens out as an excellent choice for any Fujifilm photographer.
Fujifilm XF 56mm f/1.2 Lens
This is an excellent lens for any crop sensor Fujifilm user, but portrait photographers will particularly like this lens. The 56mm focal length is the full-frame equivalent of the popular 85mm focal length for portraits, and an astonishing f/1.2 aperture enables you to shoot in low light as well as capture amazing bokeh.
Fujifilm XF 16-80mm f/4.0 R OIS WR Lens
Coming in at less than one pound and just 3.5 inches in length, this compact lens covers a wide range of focal lengths ideal for travel and landscape photography. When you have to carry your lens a long distance or pack it in a bag, having a highly versatile lens like the 16-80mm f/4.0 is extremely advantageous for Fujifilm photographers.
Best OM System Lenses Under $1,000
Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 75mm f/1.8 Lens
All OM System portrait photographers should have this lens in their kit. Offering a 75mm focal length with a maximum aperture of f/1.8 will provide amazingly sharp portraits with a perfectly blurred background. Additionally, the subtle and quick autofocus means you’ll be able to get the shot without having to worry about missing the focus.
Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-200mm f/3.5-6.3 Lens
If you’re an OM System shooter who plans to buy just one lens, this 12-200mm f/3.5-6.3 has to be it. The wider end of 12mm allows you to capture stunning travel and landscape images, while 200mm will get you up close and personal with your subject. In between, you’ll be able to capture portraits and anything else that you find at that mid-range focal distance.
Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 8mm f/1.8 Fisheye Pro Lens
Designed specifically for photographers who want a more unique view of the world, this 8mm f/1.8 fisheye lens is perfect for situations when you want to capture the grand scene. As a bonus, the maximum aperture of f/1.8 makes this lens a great choice for low-light situations and even astrophotography.
Best Panasonic Lenses Under $1,000
Panasonic Lumix S 50mm f/1.8 Lens for L Mount Lens
Compact, lightweight, sharp, and covering the most commonly used focal length. And if that wasn’t enough, the aperture of f/1.8 is both great for low light and for creating smooth bokeh behind your subject. Regardless of what you shoot, this lens is a great addition to any Panasonic shooter’s bag.
Panasonic LUMIX S 14-28mm f/4-5.6 Macro Lens
This is the perfect wide angle that is both compact and has a minimum focusing distance of just 5.9”. Landscape and cityscape photographers will get the most use out of these focal lengths. Excellent optical performance and zero-focus breathing make this a stellar lens for both photo and video.
Panasonic Lumix S 24mm f/1.8 Lens for Leica L
A high-performance 24mm f/1.8 lens with beautiful bokeh is perfect for portrait and still-life photography. While 24mm is a bit wide for portraits, this lens is perfect for photographers who either want to move close to their subject or those who want to show off their subject’s environment.
Conclusion
You don’t have to spend thousands of dollars on lenses to create compelling images. There are great lenses for under $1,000 for both full-frame and crop sensor cameras. If you’re on a budget, try to cover as much focal range as possible in a lens. This will allow you to have the most amount of creative expression in composition — without breaking the bank.
