For the photographers whose studio extends far beyond the four walls, and for jetsetters and road warriors who are called to a life of travel photography, full-frame lenses are all but essential. Photography is like any passion or hobby — there are so many new, amazing, and shiny tools including the best travel lens that can get a job done and suit anyone’s liking.
But when you’re traveling, it’s not all about having the lens with the best performance. Weight, durability, and versatility all play a significant role during traveling. As a travel photographer, you can’t just pack up everything including the kitchen sink. You have to choose your tools wisely when shooting photos while on the road. So here is a list of the top travel lenses for photographers ready to capture and photograph the world.
But before I go into discussing the list, I want to give a quick tip that I’ve learned over the years when I travel: unless your job requires it, leave the prime lenses at home. While there are some fantastic options out there, especially for portrait photography, prime lenses lack the versatility and range of a zoom lens. Every trip I’ve gone on, I’ve always brought a prime, and every time, it’s gone unused because I have more reliable and more versatile lenses that I grab and use first. Save yourself the extra weight and skip the prime lenses when doing jobs on the road and opt for these full-frame lenses instead.
How to choose the best travel lens: 6 features to look for
While there are exceptions to the rule, typically, a great lens for travel photography will have these six features.
Portability
If you’re a photographer who travels often for work, you typically don’t want to be lugging around camera lenses that are big, bulky, and heavy. You want to focus on lenses that are lightweight, and compact in design. You want a best travel lens that is easy to carry, store, and transport, whether you’re spending all day at the airport or in the field at your destination.
Durability
The best travel lens is built to be durable. Look for lenses that are weather-sealed and designed well. While it’s easy to grab the least expensive lens on the market, investing in lenses that are well-built and sealed to protect against elements like water, dust, and sand will provide peace of mind when traveling to new locations with variable, challenging weather conditions.
Versatility
As a travel photographer, it’s important to invest in lenses that offer the most versatility. You want to avoid carrying unnecessary lenses and weight. Whether you prefer primes or zoom lenses, focus on focal lengths and zoom range that can handle a variety of locations and can capture different photography types.
A wide, fixed aperture
Having a wide, fixed aperture, like at f/2.8 or f/4, which are both popular fixed apertures for zoom lenses, allows you to shoot in variable lighting conditions while keeping that wide aperture throughout your focal range. This means greater low-light performance and control, so you can photograph throughout the day in a variety of locations as you travel.
Fast autofocus
When it comes to travel photography, beautiful moments happen so fast. In a blink of an eye, they can change. Having a lens with a fast, reliable autofocus is important, so you can confidently capture those rare, fleeting moments before they disappear.
In-lens stabilization
Last, look for lenses that have in-lens stabilization built-in. This allows you to shoot hand-held more confidently at slower shutter speeds. Pairing good lens stabilization with in-body camera stabilization makes for a fantastic “run-and-gun” travel kit. This allows you to move quickly and capture more on the go.
The Best Full-Frame Travel Lens for Travel Photography
1. The Ultra Wide Zoom Lens
Wide-angle lenses are the ultimate go-to lens for any photographer looking to capture the beauty of landscapes, cityscapes, hotel buildings, or residential properties. These lenses are great for tight spaces or wide-sweeping vistas. They capture a perspective that the human eye simply cannot see without assistance. This added depth creates wonders when you have a suitable FX body attached.
Below are some of the best ultra-wide zoom lenses on the market. These lenses are well constructed, have a lower aperture range, and create sharp, beautiful images with little to no barrel distortion or fish-eye effect. And while these lenses tend to be bulkier and heavier than conventional lenses, their capabilities are worth their weight in gold.
Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S NIKKOR Lens
Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L III USM Lens
Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM (G Master) E-Mount Lens
Sigma 14-24mm f/2.8 DG HSM ART Wide-Angle Zoom Lens
Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 Vario-Sonnar T* ZA SSM II Zeiss A-Mount Lens
2. The “Do It All” Lens
All-around lenses are in the middle of the spectrum in terms of usability. Most lens manufacturers have these full-frame lenses. A 24-70mm lens is the jack of all trades or the Swiss Army knife of lenses. It’s wide enough for landscape photography, yet it has the range to get tight for portraits or close-up shots. If I had to choose one lens to take with me on a trip, I would pick the 24-70mm lens. While they are expensive (and good glass is always expensive), this type of lens is worth every penny.
I always tell people to invest in quality, not quantity. This mentality should be the first lens you invest in if you want to get serious about photography. It can cover the majority of photography work and will become your best friend. Most of the 24-70mm lenses are incredibly sharp with creamy bokeh throughout the zoom range. They’re also high performing, fast, and silent. Here are fantastic lens options on the market right now:
Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM Lens
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR Lens
Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM (G Master) E-Mount Lens
Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2 Lens
Nikon 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED AF-S VR NIKKOR Lens
Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 DG OS HSM IF ART Lens
3. The Telephoto Lens
Having the best telephoto lens in your travel kit is a must if you wish to dabble in landscape photography. The ability to add greater reach to your camera’s focal length is vital, especially when you’re shooting wildlife photography or detailed landscapes like mountain photography.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve started with my 24-70mm, then switched to a 70-200mm or something higher. This helps me get tighter and more detailed shots that frame a beautiful section of mountain or ridgeline. You get to capture the true character and personality of a landscape when you do this. It can really add some stunning results to your portfolio. Normally, I recommend a 70-200mm telephoto zoom lens because of its versatility and ability to shoot events, weddings, portraits, or street photography without being intrusive to others, while adding on the focal range for landscape.
Some people choose something that’s a little longer, like a 100-400mm. However, that can add weight and get even more expensive. So here are top choices for 70-200mm telephoto lenses, with a lower F/2.8 aperture, quick performance, and silent functionality. Below are some of the best telephoto full-frame lenses available in the market today. Any of these options should yield fantastic results and provide a reliable telephoto lens for travel:
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS III USM Lens
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED VR Lens
Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM (G Master) OSS E-Mount Lens
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2 Lens
Nikon NIKKOR Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S Lens
Now, a downside to telephoto lenses is their weight. They are the heaviest full-frame lenses on the market due to the size of the glass and metal needed for the extra focal length. However, if you aren’t shooting events or using your telephoto lens in a dark or dimly lit location, you can aim for a lens with a higher aperture — say an F/4 — and cut down weight and cost significantly. Here are lighter models that can really help while traveling. They are a better alternative if weight and cost are important:
Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS II USM Lens
Canon RF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM Lens
Sony FE 70-200mm f/4.0 G OSS E Mount Lens
Panasonic 70-200mm f/4 LUMIX S Pro O.I.S. L-Mount Lens
In conclusion, these three lens types should be the three amigos in your travel kit. With an ultra-wide zoom lens, “Do-It-All,” 24-70mm, and telephoto lens by your side, there is nothing you can’t photograph well, and you won’t have extra lenses that weigh you down and fill up your camera bag while on the road. If you want to shoot simply and travel smartly, these are the best lenses to own and invest in.
