When amateur photographers get their hands on their first camera, they usually start out with the kit lens that comes with it. But as they learn more about working the camera and using that starter lens, they eventually find themselves wanting more than what the kit lens offers, and they start looking into other options, such as a wide-angle lens.
Having a good arsenal of lenses at one’s disposal is a must for any photographer. In this article, we will tackle the wide-angle lens, which is one of the staple items in any photographer’s kit.
A wide-angle lens is any lens with a short focal length and a wide field of view. This type of lens allows the camera to capture much more of the scene than a normal lens can, making it great for architectural and landscape photography or any other application that requires the photographer to include more background information in the resulting image.
Wide-angle lenses allow photographers to get as close to the subject as possible without excluding crucial elements in the background scene, giving viewers the feeling of being—as though they’re viewing the scene with their own eyes rather than through a photograph.
All wide-angle lenses come in fixed (wide prime) and variable (wide zoom) focal length varieties.
On a full-frame camera, any lens with a focal length of 35mm or wider is considered a wide-angle lens, while 24mm and wider is considered an ultra-wide-angle lens. On crop-sensor or APS-C cameras, you’ll need a lens with a field of view of 65 degrees or more (28mm focal length on a full-frame camera) to get the wide-angle effect.
To determine the focal length, you’ll need to replicate the same field of view that a wide or ultra-wide angle lens can give you on a full-frame camera. Just divide the focal length of the lens by the digital multiplier, which is 1.6x for Canon and 1.5x for Nikon, Pentax, and Sony cameras. For instance, a 35mm lens will give you a focal length of 21.8mm on a Canon DSLR, or 23.3mm on a Nikon DSLR.
Fisheye lenses do fall under the wide-angle lens category, but they have a distinct difference in barrel distortion. A fisheye is an ultra-wide-angle lens with an angle of view of around 100 to 180 degrees that produces a circular rather than a rectilinear image due to the visual distortion created by the lens.
Focal lengths for full-frame cameras are typically between 8mm to 10mm, and for cameras with smaller sensors, the typical focal length is about 1 to 2mm.
In the wide-angle category, Canon currently has a lineup of wide and ultra-wide prime lenses and wide-angle zoom lenses for both full-frame and APS-C DSLR cameras.
Here are some of the best (and most cost-effective) wide-angle lenses for Canon APS-C or crop sensor cameras:
This extremely versatile ultra-wide-angle zoom offers great image quality and a wide variety of focal lengths at a highly affordable price. Specifically optimized for use with APS-C sensors, this lens gives you the 35mm focal length equivalent of 16-35mm and offers fast and precise autofocus, thanks to its Ring-type Ultrasonic Motor (USM), manual focus override, superior glass elements, and optimized lens coatings to minimize aberrations, ghosting, and flare.
Designed specifically for APS-C cameras, this lens offers a 35mm focal length equivalent of 16-28.8mm. Lightweight, compact, and affordable, this Canon wide-angle zoom lens also features an Optical Image Stabilizer to combat camera shake, an STM stepping AF motor for smooth and quiet autofocus, and a seven-blade circular diaphragm for pleasing out-of-focus areas.
With a 35mm focal length equivalent of 27-88mm, this lens offers a lot of versatility, thanks to its wide-angle to short telephoto zoom range. The large maximum aperture offers superior low-light capabilities and shallow depth of field control, while the Ring-type Ultrasonic Autofocus Motor (USM) provides fast, silent, and highly accurate autofocus.
Here are some of the best (and most cost-effective) wide-angle lenses for Canon full-frame DSLR cameras:
The 28mm f/2.8 STM Lens for Canon’s R series is as compact as it is functional. With its flat, pancake design, you can easily use this lens for landscapes, travel, architecture, and street photography. The modest profile makes it easy for you to blend into the surroundings and get your shot without distracting your subjects or feeling like you’re in the way.
Quiet auto-focusing and a Focus/Control ring round out this small but mighty lens’ capabilities.
Here are some of the best (and most cost-effective) wide-angle lenses for Canon full-frame mirrorless cameras:
Canon’s latest mirrorless lens is a powerhouse for wide-angle shots. It has a 14mm ultra-wide angle and has only a 7.9-inch minimum focusing distance. Add to the unrounded front element and all of the weatherproofing and performance capabilities of the L series, and you have an excellent wide-angle selection. Check out photographer Josh Katz’s hands-on review of the lens.
The Canon RF 15-35mm f/2.8 L IS USM Lens is the staple in Canon’s new RF mirrorless lens lineup. This is the first wide-angle zoom lens of the RF series and has up to 5 stops of shake correction, a minimum focus distance of 0.92 feet/0.28 meters, and a bright f/2.8.
If you want a single Canon wide-angle lens, the RF 16mm f/2.8 STM may be the best choice for you. It is reliable, affordable, and fast. Due to the maximum aperture of f/2.8, it performs well in low-lighting conditions. And thanks to the 13cm minimum focusing distance, you’ll be able to get very close to your subject. Check out a hands-on review of the lens with photographer Ab Sesay.
The RF 28-70mm f/2 L USM is a zoom lens that provides the benefits of wide angles and those of a telephoto lens. It targets a broad range of photographic genres, from portraiture to landscapes and photojournalism. It features a configurable control ring that lets you make camera settings via the lens. The lens is also dust and moisture-resistant.
Canon offers a zoom lens that provides everything you need from a wide-angle lens. A wide focal length range and a fixed maximum aperture of f/4 guarantee good photos in any condition. It has a fast and silent autofocus motor, image stabilization, and a configurable Control Ring. The RF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM can do everything from wide landscape shots to beautiful bokeh effects.
This Canon wide-angle lens is a prime lens that provides natural perspectives and incorporates the essence of photography. It is compact, lightweight, and versatile. The lens has image stabilization, a minimum focusing distance of 17cm, an ultra-wide maximum aperture, and silent focusing. In addition, it offers a 0.5x magnification ratio.
Nikon users have a choice of many wide-angle prime lenses for both full-frame (FX) and APS-C (DX) cameras, including these wide-angle zoom lenses.
Here are some of the best (and most cost-effective) wide-angle lenses for Nikon APS-C or crop-sensor cameras:
Although specifically designed for Nikon DX-format (APS-C) cameras, this ultra-wide lens also works with full-frame or FX-format DSLRs, with an angle of view equivalent to a 15-36mm lens. It offers a decent focal length range and features two extra-low dispersion (ED) and three aspherical lens elements to reduce aberrations, Super Integrated Coating to help promote color consistency and eliminate ghosting and flare, and Nikon’s Silent Wave Motor AF System for quick and near-silent autofocus.
The motorized yet silent Power Zoom function of the NIKKOR Z DX 12-28mm f/3.5-5.6 PZ VR lens is an incredibly valuable feature in what’s actually an affordable wide-angle lens. Choose from 11 built-in zoom speeds for precision zooming during video recording. The 4.5 stops of in-lens Image Stabilization work with your Z Series camera’s internal stabilization for rock-steady footage or handheld long exposures.
Thanks to a fixed-length barrel, you don’t have to worry about the lens elongating as you zoom.
Knowing what is a wide-angle lens helps you recognize it even with a zoom lens. The NIKKOR Z DX 18-140mm f/3.5-6.3 VR has a wide focal length range covering a wide-angle and telephoto spectrum. It features a versatile 7.8x zoom, image stabilization, and a 20cm minimum focusing distance. The lens is dust and drip-resistant, compact, and reliable. It weighs only 315g. ED glass and coatings eliminate concerns of chromatic aberration and color bleeding, while an ultra-quiet motor provides silent zooming when you’re recording video.
Here are some of the best (and most cost-effective) wide-angle lenses for Nikon full-frame DSLR cameras:
The NIKKOR Z 26mm f/2.8 is the smallest and lightest lens for Z series cameras. A super-close focusing distance of 8 inches and an impressive low-light performance provide additional flexibility for any subject. Shoot wide open for beautiful and round-edged bokeh as well as excellent subject isolation.
Three aspherical lens elements provide extreme sharpness without the aberration or horizon curvature you might expect in a 26mm lens. As an added bonus, this model is dust and drip-resistant.
The first zoom NIKKOR fisheye lens allows you to create circular images and frame-filling fisheye images. It produces sharp images in low lighting conditions and at any aperture. The lens features two aspherical lens elements to reduce aberrations, high-speed and silent autofocus, and the Nano Crystal Coat technology. It is also moisture and dust-resistant.
Here are some of the best wide-angle lenses for Nikon full-frame mirrorless cameras:
A zoom wide-angle lens gives you more freedom in exploring the great outdoors. The NIKKOR Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S offers ultra-wide perspectives (115° field of view), clarity, and a constant maximum aperture. The lens is small, lightweight, and moisture and dust-resistant. It has a Z mount and is compatible with Nikon mirrorless cameras.
Wide-angle photography requires a high-end prime lens, and NIKKOR Z 28mm f/2.8 may be the perfect choice for your Nikon mirrorless camera. It is small, lightweight, and compact. The 28mm focal length is good in any situation, making the lens versatile and ideal for candid snapshots. The wide maximum aperture allows shooting in low light conditions and using a fast shutter speed.
NIKKOR Z 24-120mm f/4 S is much more than a wide-angle lens. The 120mm maximum focal length gives you plenty of artistic freedom. It is a versatile all-purpose zoom lens that provides a constant f/4 aperture for the entire focal length range. It features autofocus, Nano Crystal Coat technology for minimizing reflections, and a small focusing distance of 30cm.
This bright and fast lens leads Nikon’s mirrorless wide-angle lens collection. With edge-to-edge sharpness, a near-silent stepping motor, and built-in stabilization, it’s versatile for all creators. Add to that the 9-blade rounded aperture and the lens will produce gorgeous bokeh for everything from portraits to street photography.
This ultra-wide prime lens for Nikon’s mirrorless Z series has a bright aperture, is incredibly lightweight, and is a perfect companion for astrophotography or landscape adventures.
Fujifilm has a vast selection of wide-angle lenses for its X-system.
The XF10-24mm F4 R OIS WR offers a 35mm-equivalent focal range of 15-36mm in a compact design. The lens features a 110-degree angle of view, optical image stabilization, and fast and silent autofocus. It is lightweight, weather-resistant, and an excellent companion for travel photos.
This ultra-wide-angle lens includes four aspherical, six extra-low dispersion, and three super ED lens elements to ensure no distortion ruins your photographs. It has a fast autofocus motor, a constant aperture of f/2.8, and a 35mm-equivalent focal range of 12-213mm. XF 8-16mm f/2.8 R LM WR targets landscape and architecture photographers with an eye for details.
Designed for X series interchangeable-lens digital cameras, XF 14mm F2.8 R offers a 35mm-equivalent focal length of 21mm, an 89° angle of view, and a maximum aperture of f/2.8. The lens provides high resolutions with minimum distortions and works well in low-light conditions. Its users appreciate the sliding auto/manual focus ring and the hyper-focus scale.
The Fujifilm XF 16-55mm f/2.8 R LM WR lens is a terrific, professional-grade option for photographers who shoot with an X-mount camera body. Photographers will love the constant maximum aperture of f/2.8 at all focal lengths. No matter how much you need to zoom in on your subject, you can still enjoy your ideal depth of field, bokeh, and light-capturing capabilities. Plus, the HT-EBC coatings minimize ghosting and flare for predictably sharp images.
With a 35mm-equivalent focal length of 24mm and a maximum aperture of f/2.8, XF 16mm f/2.8 R is a versatile choice for street and travel photography. It is small, compact, and lightweight. It weighs only 155g. The lens features a fast autofocus motor, easy-to-use aperture and focusing rings, and a weather-resistant body.
Check out Sony’s collection of the best wide-angle lenses for its mirrorless camera lineup.
The Sony FE 16-25mm F2.8 G Lens is a versatile and compact wide-angle zoom lens perfect for both photography and videography. With a constant F2.8 aperture, it delivers stunning G Lens resolution and beautiful bokeh. The fast, precise autofocus is driven by two linear motors, ensuring sharp images and smooth videos. Its excellent close-up performance, lightweight design, and high-resolution output make it ideal for capturing breathtaking shots in any situation.
This is a great ultra-wide-angle lens for real estate and landscape photography. It is a zoom lens for full-frame Sony cameras. FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM promises drastically reduced chromatic aberrations, no reflections and glares, and beautiful bokeh effects. The lens features a constant maximum aperture at all focal lengths, manual focus and autofocus, an integral lens hood, and a dust and moisture-resistant design.
The Sony E 35mm F/1.8 OSS is a compact lens with high performance. It is fast and reliable in low-light conditions and includes optical image stabilization, fast autofocus, and a short minimum focusing distance (30cm). The lens has a 35mm-equivalent focal length of 52.5mm, 44° angle of view, and a maximum aperture of f/1.8.
A zoom lens is more versatile and provides more artistic freedom. The E 16-55mm f/2.8 G is also small, lightweight, and silent. It works flawlessly for any photography type and helps you even in low-light conditions due to the wide maximum aperture. The lens uses four aspherical elements and three extra-low dispersion elements to control aberrations, a Nano AR Coating to reduce reflections, and an XD Linear Motor system for fast and precise autofocus.
If you’ve ever used a G series lens, you know just how impressive and responsive they are. Sony’s FE PZ 16-35mm f/4 G Lens is no exception with two XD Linear Motors for high thrust, low vibration autofocus, and customizable zoom speed for video.
Three-Ring Control makes the zoom, focus, and aperture adjustment simple to use and easy to find. The aperture ring even has a click switch and lock to prevent accidental aperture changes.
A wide-angle prime lens takes you closer to the essence of photography. You have to work with the lens to achieve your goal. But the FE 28mm f/2 helps you by offering a wide maximum aperture, a circular aperture, internal focusing, and reduced distortions and chromatic aberrations.
FE 14mm f/1.8 GM is a fast, portable, and sharp lens that fits landscape photographers and astrophotographers. It has an ultra-wide maximum aperture, fast and precise autofocus, minimized flares and distortions, and a circular aperture for beautiful bokeh effects. The minimum focusing distance is 25cm, which allows you to do close-ups and make your subject stand out.
Check out our hands-on review of the lens with photographer Erick Hercules to see it in action.
Panasonic has created a full selection of wide-angle lenses for its available cameras.
Aiming both photographers and videographers, Lumix S PRO 24-70mm F/2.8 is a versatile zoom lens for Panasonic mirrorless cameras. It provides high resolution and contrast, a wide maximum aperture across the entire focal length range, image stabilization, and both manual focus and autofocus. The lens is dust, freeze, and splash-resistant.
The 16-35m f/4.0 LUMIX S Pro offers a 24-52.5mm 35-equivalent focal length range and a constant f/4.0 maximum aperture. The optical design minimizes chromatic and spherical aberrations, distortions, and color fringing. It aims to deliver sharp images and beautiful bokeh anytime you need it. With a fast autofocus motor and a durable and compact build, the 16-35m f/4.0 LUMIX S Pro is a good companion for Panasonic mirrorless cameras.
This is a zoom lens for mirrorless Micro Four Thirds mount cameras that provide a 20-50mm 35-equivalent focal length range and an ultra-wide aperture across the entire focal length range. It is fabricated under Leica standards and creates beautiful photographs even if you set everything on Auto. The lens features optical elements for suppressing spherical and chromatic aberrations, accurate manual and autofocus, and video capabilities.
Lumix G Vario 12-60mm F/3.5-5.6 is an affordable zoom lens for mirrorless Micro Four Thirds mount cameras. It is dust and weather-resistant, provides optical image stabilization and fast autofocus, and includes video recording functionality. The lens offers a 24-120mm 35-equivalent focal length range, which covers a large zoom range.
Olympus, or OM System, has a growing list of wide-angle lenses made for its camera system.
With an ultra-wide focal length range (14- 28mm 35-equivalent), the M. Zuiko Digital ED 7-14mm f2.8 Pro is perfect for landscape, street, and travel photography. It has a wide maximum aperture, splashproof and dustproof construction, high-speed autofocus, and a minimum focusing distance of 7.5cm. Therefore, you can also use it for close-ups and make the most of its 0.12x magnification (0.24x 35mm-equivalent).
The M. Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm f/4 IS PRO is a zoom lens for mirrorless Micro Four Thirds mount cameras and provides a wide 24-200mm 35-equivalent focal length range. It isn’t a lightweight lens, but its versatility and premium construction may make it the only lens you need. It fits any photography type, from portraiture to landscape and macro photos. The minimum focusing distance is only 1.5cm, and the lens provides a maximum image magnification of .60x (35mm-equivalent).
If you need a prime wide-angle lens for mirrorless Micro Four Thirds mount cameras, M. Zuiko Digital ED 17mm f/1.2 Pro may be a good choice. It has a wide maximum aperture, minimum focusing distance of 20cm, lightweight and silent autofocus mechanism, Z Coating Nano for suppressing flares, and advanced ED-DSA element for eliminating aberrations, distortion, and color bleeding. The lens is also weatherproof.
Selecting the right wide-angle lens for your camera is about more than just focal length and price point. To take the best photos possible of any given subject, you need a lens with dependable auto-focusing, superior lens elements, and advanced coatings.
The lenses on this list all provide reliable results no matter your preferred subject or whether you shoot stills or video content.
As camera bodies become more advanced with in-body stabilization, new electronic connection points, and highly specialized internal features, it’s important to upgrade your lens collection accordingly. While high-quality glass is timeless, electronic components found in image stabilization and auto focusing systems do eventually become outdated.
Stay on top of the newest technological advancements so you can shoot with better clarity, in lower light, and at faster shutter speeds.
If you specialize in both photography and video capture, it helps to have features like image stabilization, zoom speed control, and non-extending barrels for a professional camera rig.
Whenever possible, avoid adapting lenses to a different brand mount. Adapters interrupt the electronic connection between the lens and camera body. A direct connection between the same brand of lens and camera is always the fastest and most effective way to provide superb results.
The wide-angle lenses on this list are all camera brand native, rather than third party, so you can feel confident in your investment and your images.
Wide-angle shots can provide impactful views of sweeping vistas, or present a subject in a larger, more impressive context. That said, wide-angle lenses require intentional use to keep your viewer engaged.
To achieve perfect wide-angle shots, keep these three things in mind when using a wide-angle lens:
If you’re photographing a wide landscape, it may feel hard to identify a specific subject in the frame. You’ll need to position something in the foreground to better ground the image and give the viewer’s eye a place to start exploring.
Proximity to your subject is also helpful because it creates a sense of scale within the image. By positioning your subject closer to the lens, you’re telling your viewer exactly where to look.
Leading lines like pathways, meandering streams, architectural elements, and carefully positioned portrait subjects are an ideal foundation for your wide-angle photographs. Your viewer will know at a glance which portions of the image deserve their attention.
A high-quality wide-angle lens is an important tool that belongs in every photographer’s camera bag. Every major camera brand on the market, from Canon to Fujifilm, offers multiple wide-angle lenses with a range of features, focal lengths, and uses.
If you’re new to shooting with a wide-angle lens, the lenses we’ve explored here are a great place to start. No matter your budget, this list contains fantastic lenses to choose from. As you shop, be sure to pay attention to price point, maximum aperture, zoom vs fixed focal length, and special features like image stabilization and coatings.
When you’re ready to start practicing with your new wide-angle lens, remember to work intentionally and be sure to frame your subject in a strategic way. Whether you prefer portraits, architecture, landscapes, street photography, or another genre, your new wide-angle lens will vastly expand your photographic capabilities no matter where you travel.
Want to learn even more about how to use these lenses? Here’s Mark Wallace of AdoramaTV providing some of his best photography tips on wide-angle lenses:
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