Feature photo by Diane Wittenberg
If you’re anything like us, you love new photography gear — especially lenses. A great lens can change the look of your photos, take your style to the next level or even help you break into a new genre of photography. Plus, a new lens can break you out of a rut, push you creatively and help you see from a new perspective.
But with so many new lenses coming onto the market every year, it’s tough to keep up. Lucky for you, we’ve narrowed down our 10 favorite new photography lenses. Is your new crush on this list?
Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III RXD
Designed for Sony E-mount cameras, this fast zoom lens is built for advanced optical performance in a compact size. We love that the 28-75mm delivers outstanding image quality with gorgeous bokeh and exceptional resolution. And with a wide aperture and versatile zoom, you’ll be able to go from lifestyle to portraits and everything between with ease. $799
Sigma 105mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art
Let’s be honest, we’re prone to like anything with the nickname “bokeh master” right out of the box. Built for Canon, Nikon and Sony full-frame cameras, this flagship Sigma art lens uses 17 optical elements to deliver stunning image quality in a long focal length and a super bright aperture. $1,599
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS III USM
When you need a fast lens and a versatile zoom, the newest Canon 70-200mm won’t disappoint. With a constant aperture of f/2.8, this zoom lets you create beautiful bokeh across multiple focal lengths. The image quality is beyond fantastic. Plus, the ASC and Super Spectra Coatings reduce lens flare and ghosting while enhancing clarity. $2,099
FUJINON XF 8-16mm f/2.8 R LM WR
Who wouldn’t love an ultra-wide angle zoom with a wide constant max aperture? We love that this lens boasts outstanding edge-to-edge sharpness, making it a fantastic lens for landscape or travel photography. It also has ultra-fast, silent auto-focusing, which makes it great for night photography. $2,000
ZEISS Milvus 25mm f/1.4
The beauty of Zeiss glass in exquisite manual-focus detail with edge-to-edge sharpness in a wide-angle? Yep, we’ll take it. Plus the ergonomic design and sealing make this a great lens for your outdoor adventures. Available in Canon EF-mount and Nikon F-mount. $2,399
Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS
Woah. This super telephoto lens — the lightest in its class — features outstanding image resolution, gorgeous bokeh and professional control. Pair that with speed and precision and you’ve got the perfect lens for sports, wildlife or just about anything that moves. We can’t wait to try it! $12,000 (available soon)
Tamron 17-35mm f/2.8-4 Di OSD
Touted as the lightest and smallest in its class, this Tamron wide-angle zoom combines ah-mazing image quality with outstanding portability. Not only does this lens produce sharp images, it has an optimized silent mode to let you remain an inconspicuous observer. Plus, we love that Tamron used their proprietary ghosting analysis simulation to help this lens resist backlighting issues (because you know we love a golden backlit image). It would be pretty hard to go wrong with this versatile lens. $599
Sigma 14-24mm f/2.8 DG HSM Art
Oh how we love our Sigma Art lenses. This 14-24mm is the ultimate ultra-wide angle lens for landscapes, street photography, environmental portraits, or just capturing the full story. Its dust- and splash-proof construction will help you feel comfortable taking it out on your mountain-climbing or puddle-stomping adventures. Plus, it’s sharp and fast, so you’ll never miss a moment. $1,299
Leica Elmarit-TL 18mm f/2.8 ASPH
A teeny-tiny wide-angle lens that packs a big punch? Yep, this Leica 18mm has it all. Its small size keeps you incognito for street photography, and its fixed 18mm focal length lets you capture the full story with minimal distortion. If you love taking your camera everywhere, you might need this pancake lens in your collection. $1,295
NIKKOR 180-400mm f/4E TC1.4 FL ED VR
Quickly take your super-telephoto lens from 180-400mm to 560mm with Nikon’s first ever built-in 1.4X teleconverter. Wow. Imagine what that means for shooting wildlife, sports or events. Plus, this lens touts superb optical design, fast auto-focus and vibration reduction — all of which work together to make a happy photographer. And did we mention it’s lightweight and rugged? $12,400
We love lenses! Don’t you? Here are a few more stories about lenses that we think you might like: How the Sigma 105mm Art lens helps me capture the magic of childhood, 4 reasons you should love zoom lenses and Traveling with one lens: The Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 Pancake lens. Plus, read more product and gear reviews here and check out which lenses the Click Pros use on Images by Lens. What’s your favorite new lens? Let us know in the comments!
