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5 Best Lens for Landscape Photography

The genre of landscape photography encompasses a wide range of styles. That’s because it ranges from close-up, abstract photos to wide-ranging panoramas.

Image by carloyuen from Pixabay



You’ll need the appropriate gear in your possession if you’re interested in pursuing a career as a landscape photographer. You can’t merely rely on a combination of the appropriate talents and a solid grasp of photographic theory.

A camera system, for sure, is the most important thing you would like to purchase if you want to start photography, but you should also consider buying lenses to assist you in realizing your artistic goals. Therefore, we have brought to you the ultimate guide to the best lens for landscape photography.

Picture by Paul Skorupskas, Unsplash, Copyright-2023
How Do You Know if a Lens Is Good for Landscape Photography?

Camera lenses don’t come at a cheap price. They are usually pretty expensive, and you would want to conduct your research before you jump into making any purchases of lenses for landscape photography.

If you have your mind set on buying a new lens for landscape photography, then there are some simple yet important things that you must keep in mind, and we have mentioned them in this best lens for landscape photography guide. Those important factors are:

Focal Length.
Aperture.
Weather Resistance.
Image Stabilisation / Vibration Reduction.
Autofocus.
1. Focal Length

Landscape photographers often employ four main lens types:

1.1 Wide Angle and Ultra-Wide-Angle Lens

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The most widely used lenses for taking landscape photographs are wide-angle and ultra-wide-angle lenses. Typically, their focal lengths fall between 14 and 35 mm, while some of them can have a 10 or 12-mm wide field of view.

Because they let you capture a wide field of view and a deep depth of focus, which is essentially what most photographers seek when they start out to capture landscapes, wide-angle and ultra-wide-angle lenses are highly regarded for this reason.

With these two characteristics, you’ll get pictures that are consistently sharp from the foreground to the background.

Since wide-angle lenses have both barrel distortion and precise focus, they are excellent for landscape photography. In order to accentuate and emphasize crucial components of a composition, this effect enables photographers to come up close to their subjects.

1.2 Standard Zoom Lens

Typically, 24-70mm is the range for standard zoom lenses. The advantage of this is that it offers a scope of view that is comparable to the observer, which is usually acknowledged by photographers to be in the 35–50mm range. You may produce more realistic photographs this way that will appeal to your audience.

Lenses with a standard zoom range are excellent for settings where you might wish to omit some of the background scenery. You can enhance your compositions by putting the focus back on your subject by simply zooming in when using a conventional zoom lens in these circumstances. Additionally, it can help you when you need to go close to your subject without upsetting the surroundings.

1.3 Telephoto Lens

The typical focal length for telephoto lenses is between 70 and 200mm. They permit you to condense the scene, which makes them ideal for scenarios in which you would want to convey a sense of size.

By refining your compositions and eliminating unwanted elements, telephoto lenses can be used in landscape photography to produce more intimate views. A telephoto lens can also be employed to focus on surfaces and patterns for more surreal artwork.

You may occasionally encounter situations when photographing landscapes where you are unable to get near to your subject. This is a situation when a telephoto zoom lens’ extra length can be useful.

1.4 Prime Lens

Image by Edwin Valencia from Pixabay



Prime lenses don’t zoom; they have a fixed focal length. They are most frequently employed for specific tasks like nighttime landscape photography or shooting stars.

2. Aperture

Today, a standard zoom lens is frequently included in the box when purchasing a new camera. Even though kit lenses make it easier for photographers to get started right away, they often include an adjustable aperture (for example, f/4.5-5.6), which is not ideal for landscape photography.

An aperture that is fixed, such as f/2.8, is what you would like to seek in a lens. Even while set aperture zoom lenses can be pricey, they are more adaptable in terms of the applications they can be used for, such as switching from day to night photography.

When capturing sunrise and sunset, or other low-light situations, a lens with a rapid aperture is especially helpful. In order to photograph the stars, moon, etc. at night, you’ll also necessitate a lens with a rapid aperture. Although there isn’t a single optimal aperture for landscape photography, your lens should have an aperture of f/4 or above.

These days, many zoom lenses have a preset aperture of f/2.8, making them excellent for capturing in low light. The faster-fixed apertures of f/1.8, f/1.4, and f/1.2 are also available on some prime lenses. Even though prime lenses frequently have better quality than zoom lenses, prime lenses can be bulky, expensive, and limited for use in landscape photography.

However, many landscape photographers have a specific prime lens designed solely for nighttime photography. A fast-aperture prime lens together with a couple of zoom lenses will be a wise buy if you have the money for it and the physical stamina to carry one.

3. Weather Resistance

If you want to take landscape photographs, you’ll need to spend a lot of time outdoors in various types of weather. Choose a lens that is weather-sealed and made of sturdy materials to make sure that it won’t break down in the field due to a little bit of moisture or rain.

4. Image Stabilisation/Vibration Reduction

Nowadays, most lenses have image stabilization technology built in, which helps to lessen camera shake. Not only while shooting handheld, but especially in windy conditions, this can be useful. It can mean the difference between a clean image and a blurry one and is especially useful when shooting in low light.

5. Autofocus

It still makes sense to spend money on a lens with autofocus capabilities even though landscape photography is a far slower niche than sports photography. To put it simply, there will be instances when aiming manually will be inconvenient, such as when shooting handheld landscape photography will be done.

When using the autofocus, as when photographing at night or in low light, it is advisable to switch to manual focus.

Photo by Jason Leung on Unsplash
Other Factors

Apart from these main factors, there are also some other facers you must consider:

1. Compatibility

Make sure your camera body is compatible with any prospective lenses you are considering for landscape photography. There are specialized lenses for taking landscape photos from Nikon, Canon, Sony, etc. Without an adaptor, for instance, you cannot use a Nikon lens on a Canon body.

There are also third-party lenses for landscape photography made by some producers, such as Tamron and Sigma. Another thing to keep in mind is that mirrorless lenses are incompatible with DSLR camera bodies when used for landscape photography.

2. Dimensions

Also, remember to take your lens’ size and weight into account. You might opt for a different lens than somebody who simply travels to their destination, gets out, and takes pictures if you want to go quickly and light because you’ll be lugging all this equipment on your back for miles at a time.

3. Sensor Size

Your field of view will be different from someone taking landscape photos with a full-frame camera if you are using a crop-sensor camera.

Consider how the functional focal length of a lens you buy will be impacted by the crop factor of your camera. When selecting your ideal landscape lens, keep your sensor size in mind.

On crop-sensor bodies, you can utilize the majority of full-frame lenses for landscape photography, but you won’t truly get the most out of that lens. Even for the best lens for landscape photography, don’t overpay for features you won’t utilize.

4. Price and Use

The equipment’s cost must be weighed against the use it will receive before you can decide if it is worthwhile. Despite the fact that we’ve rated these as the finest, they may not be the greatest for you. Spending too much money on a lens you won’t actually use or won’t use often is a bad idea.

Lenses Required by Landscape Photographers

There are roughly four distinct lenses that are particularly helpful if you want to capture nearly anything in the vast universe of landscapes:

14mm f/2.8: A wide-angle, wide-aperture lens best for astrophotography.
16-35mm f/4: Designed to take the most significant variety of wide-angle pictures.
24-70mm f/4: Designed as a walk-around lens for focal lengths that are standard.
70-200mm f/4: Suitable for isolating subjects and photographing far-off vistas.
Picture by Andre Furtado, Pexels, Copyright-2023
Best Lens for Landscape Photography

A wide-angle lens, a regular zoom lens, and a telephoto lens are typically the best lens combinations for landscape photography. Typically, these will have focal lengths ranging from 16mm to 200mm.

However, if you intend to perform a lot of night photography, you might also want to spend money on a specialized ultra-wide-angle lens with a quick aperture.

Below are mentioned the best lens for landscape photography with all their benefits and drawbacks:

1. Top Wide-Angle Lens Best For Landscape Photography
1.1 Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM

Image by Alexei from Pixabay



Price: $1,099.00 USD.

The 16-35mm f/4 is still one of Canon’s best lenses for landscape photography and also the best wide-angle lens, despite the company’s recent announcement of the 16-35mm f/2.8L III IS USM. It’s excellent value for money, which is a clear explanation for this.

This lens is comparatively lightweight (615g), making it simple to take on travels. It offers picture stabilization, which increases its value for taking landscape photos.

Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L is USM Lens

Benefits:

It has end-to-end precision.
It is resilient to water and dust so you can carry it in any condition without fear.
The image stabilization is incredible. You can take great pictures using the lens even in low light.
The autofocusing ability is quite faster as compared to other lenses for landscape photography.

Drawbacks:

This lens for landscape photography is not a prime choice if you want to do night photography or astrophotography. The reason is its slow aperture of f/4.
1.2 Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM

Price: $2,199.99 USD.

For Sony’s selection of E-mount cameras, the 16-35mm f/2.8 GM lens is appropriate. This sony lens creates a rather excellent Sunstar and is regarded as one of the sharpest lenses made by the manufacturer.

As a result of the quick aperture, shooting in dim or low light won’t be a problem. It is a wonderful option for landscape photography because it is lightweight at 680g.

Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM

Benefits:

The bokeh of the lens is quite smooth.
The lens is tolerant to dust and dampness, making it suitable for most conditions.

Drawbacks:

The lens is very costly.
1.3 Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8G ED

Price: $1,899.95 USD.

One of the greatest and best lenses for landscape photography currently available is the Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8G ED. Both crop sensors and full-frame cameras can use this lens with no problems.

Additionally, it includes a layer of microcrystals to lessen flare and ghosting. The Nikon Silent Wave Motor is used in the autofocus feature, so the lens won’t generate a lot of noise while focusing.

Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8G ED

Image by NoName_13 from Pixabay



Benefits:

The lens has a quick and appointed aperture which stands suitable for shooting during the day as well as at night.
Tolerant to dust and dampness, the lens is suitable for most conditions.
The ability to focus quickly is provided by the internal focusing technology of the lens.
The lens has the ability to operate in silence.
Spanning a range of focal lengths, the clarity is maintained from the lens’s center to its periphery.

Drawbacks:

The weight can be troublesome. Though just a kg, the lens is not so portable.
You will require a specific filter holder because the front element sticks out and is therefore vulnerable to damage.
1.4 Sigma 14mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art

Price: $1,599.00 USD.

The landscape photography industry was completely swept up when Sigma debuted this lens. For astrophotography, it is the perfect fast and incredibly sharp prime lens. This lens is well-built using materials that are splash and dust-proof while you hold it in your hands.

Sigma 14mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art

Benefits:

Stars appear sharp close to the margins of the image because of a lack of coma in the lens.
It has got a really fast aperture.
This lens for landscape photography is obtainable in mounts to fit a variety of camera systems.
It has got internal autofocus.

Drawbacks:

The front bulging piece of the lens is fragile and unsupportive of filters.
Though just 1.17 kg, it is quite heavy to carry in your backpack.
1.5 CANON EF 24-105mm f/4L IS II USM

Price: $1,299.00 USD

It is easy to understand why because the 24-105mm f/4 offers exceptional value for the money. Since this lens weighs only 793g, traveling with it is not difficult. It has picture stabilization, which raises the value of the photos it can take of landscapes.

EF24-105mm f/4L IS II USM

Benefits:

In this lens, beautiful, supple backdrops are made possible by its Circular Aperture of 10 blades.
It is resilient to water and dust so you can carry it in any condition without fear.
The image stabilization is incredible. You can take great pictures using the lens even in low light.
Flare and ghosting are considerably reduced with the use of Air Sphere Coating (ASC).

Drawbacks:

If you want to undertake astrophotography or night photography, this lens for landscape photography is not the best option. The f/4 aperture’s slowness is the cause.
Picture by Creative Bheja, Pexels, Copyright-2023
2. Top Standard Zoom Lens Best For Landscape Photography
2.1 Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM

Price: $1,599.00 USD

Even though it might be thought of as being fairly outdated now, this lens is still among the best available for shooting landscapes.

One of the best lenses for landscape photography, it is made with a durable construction that includes water resistance, dust sealing, and special fluorine coatings on the front and back lens surfaces to help prevent fingerprints and smudges.

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM

Benefits:

The lever for the zoom lock of the lens ensures security while using your camera outside.
It has a quite fast aperture and autofocus which helps it in carrying out nicely in low light.
It has a very sharp image quality.

Drawbacks:

Though only 805 g, the lens is very tiring to carry.
It lacks picture stabilization.
2.2 Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR

Price: $2,399.95 USD

Both adaptable and durable, this lens’s edge-to-edge sharpness is excellent, and it works well in low light. It’s a fantastic lens to use for landscape photography because it is resistant to dampness and dust.

Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR

Benefits:

This lens for landscape photography has got a really quick aperture.
The autofocusing feature is rapid and silent.
It replicates the color fantastically.
The lens has the quality to reduce vibration.

Drawbacks:

The lens will be heavy on your bank account.
It has got quite a weight of 1.07 kg which will tire you out if you are planning to carry the lens around.
2.3 Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM

Price: $2,199.99 USD.

Great image quality and a gorgeous Sunstar are produced by this Sony G-Master lens. Additionally excellent for nighttime filming, it is quite adaptable and pretty sharp in the center. For landscape photography, this is a wise option.

Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM

Benefits:

Tolerant to dust and dampness, the lens is suitable for most conditions.
The special Sony Nano AR Coating on the lens is best at getting rid of ghosting and flare.
The autofocusing feature is rapid and silent.

Drawbacks:

The lens gives sharpness on soft edges.
It is not easily portable, weighing 885.92 g.
Photo by Thom Holmes on Unsplash
3. Top Telephoto Lens Best for Landscape Photography
3.1 Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS

Price: $2,599.99 USD.

Featuring excellent image quality and built-in image stabilization, the Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 is a telephoto lens, belonging to one of the G Master Series telephoto lenses.

As a result of its weight of 1.48 kg, it can be challenging to haul on treks, but it is highly crisp and works well for taking pictures of landscapes. It also offers great optical performance.

Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS

Benefits:

This landscape photography lens has got a swift aperture as well as fantastic bokeh.
It is resilient to water and dust so you can carry it in any condition without fear.

Drawbacks:

The lens will prove heavy for your bank account.
Also, it is rather hefty to move around.
3.2 Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD

Price: $1,299.00 USD.

For landscape photography, the Tamron lens is a superb substitute for a telephoto lens. You shouldn’t anticipate it to be too an inexpensive lens considering how sharp and effective it is compared to lenses made by most camera manufacturers.

Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD

Benefits:

The telephoto lens is obtainable with Sony, Canon, and Nikon mounts.
Camera shake is decreased using the vibration adjustment settings.
The autofocusing feature is rapid and silent.

Drawbacks:

The lens is heavy to carry around, weighing 1.47 kg.
3.3 Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II

Price: $2,099.95 USD.

Sharpness, color fidelity, and contrast are consistently strong points of this lens’ performance. For telephoto landscape photography, it is a wonderful option because it is sturdy and weatherproof.

Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II

Benefits:

The lens has got rapid aperture suitable for low-light environments.
Minimization of vibration makes an excellent choice for handheld photography.
The autofocusing feature is silent.

Drawbacks:

The lens isn’t very portable as it weighs 1.54 kg.
It is not so inexpensive.
3.4 Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS II USM

Price: $649.99. USD.

Despite being substantially sharper than the 70-300mm, the Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 IS II USM is also bulkier and heavier. In addition to being significantly more affordable, the 70-300mm lens is more portable, making it better for taking landscape photos.

Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS II USM

Benefits:

The lens can be conveniently tucked away in a camera bag.
It is light in weight, weighing only 710 g, compared to other photography lenses and thus it is travel friendly.
It provides great picture stabilization.

Drawbacks:

The lens’s variable f/4–5.6 aperture prevents it from achieving a shallow depth of focus.
Its soft edges make it less crisp than the Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 IS II USM, which has sharper edges.
On rare occasions, the autofocusing feature may be slow to react.
3.5 Sigma 150-500mm f/5-6.3 AF APO DG OS HSM

Price: $1,069.00 USD.

The Sigma 150-500mm f/5-6.3 AF APO DG OS HSM telephoto lens offers great image quality as well as built-in image stabilization. Its 1.90 kg weight makes it difficult to carry around, but despite this, it is quite crisp and is perfect for taking shots of landscapes.

Sigma 150-500mm f/5-6.3 AF APO DG OS HSM

Benefits:

This lens is ideal for landscape photography because it has a quick aperture and wonderful bokeh.
You may carry it in any environment without worrying because it is resistant to water and dust.

Drawbacks:

The lens will prove heavy for your bank account.
Also, it is rather hefty to move around.
Best Lens for Landscape Photography According to Camera Manufacturers

Here are some of the best lens options for you if you are a landscape photographer.

1. Best Nikon Lenses:
Nikon 50mm f/1.8G.
Nikon 14-24 f2.8 ED.
Nikon 24-70mm f2.8 ED AF-S.
Nikon 24-120mm f/4g ED VR.
Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II.
2. Best Canon Lenses:
Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L III USM.
Canon Ultrasonic 16-35mm camera lens.
Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM.
Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM.
Canon 70-200mm f/4 L IS USM Mark II.
3. Best Sony Lenses:

Image by Myléne from Pixabay


Sony 10-18mm f/4 G OSS (APS-C).
Sony 70-200mm f/4 G OSS.
Sony 35mm f2.8 ZA.
Sony 24-70mm f/4 OSS.
Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM OSS.
4. Best Sigma Lenses:
Sigma 12-24mm f/4.5-5.6 EX DG.
Sigma 24-105mm f/4.
Sigma 14-24mm f2.8 Art.
Sigma 35mm f/1.4 Art.
Picture by Alfred Kenneally, Unsplash, Copyright-2023
Simple Advice to Follow for Taking Great Landscape Images

Below are mentioned some tips which you can follow to be a master of landscape photography. Utilise these tips and the best lens for landscape photography from our guide to take some mind-blowing landscape images:

Decide on the appropriate focal length. Landscape photography typically requires a lens with a focal length of between 100 and 200mm.
Make use of a tripod. A tripod can be really helpful, just like it is with the majority of other sorts of photography. If your goal is to take images that are as clear as possible, you shouldn’t leave the house without them. Otherwise, a camera shake could be a problem. Another potential reality is blurry pictures. And when you take into account the telephoto lenses’ enormous weight, everything becomes even more feasible.
Keep the aperture in mind. Your photographs’ outcome may depend on this. To achieve sharpness and a clear separation of the foreground and background in your photograph, you should set the aperture between f/8 and f/11.
Think about the light. Although telephoto lenses are quite useful, the greatest results are always achieved in well-lit environments. You must consider illumination no matter what kind of lens you’re using. Conditions with direct light will always provide for better shooting.
Conclusion

In this guide on the best lens for landscape photography, the best lenses for landscape photography have been mentioned, and now it is up to you which lens you will be using and which will be compatible with you.

Other than Canon, Sony, and Nikon, there are many other camera manufacturers. Before you buy any landscape photography lens, go to the depth of the research.’

Picture by Ning Shi, Unsplash, Copyright-2023

It can be a little bit of a personal quest to find the best lens for landscape photography. The perfect landscape lens providing amazing image quality is different for everybody.

It depends on your preferred method of taking landscape photographs, as well as your camera brand, skill level, image quality, and sensor size.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What mm lens is best for landscape photography?

The best lens for landscape photography is a 35mm to 50mm lens. They are great for capturing the smallest details in your landscape photography.

2. Is a 50mm lens good for landscape photography?

Yes, a 50mm lens is a good choice for landscape photography as it will bring out the details of landscape photography.

3. Is an 18-55mm lens good for landscape?

The 18-55mm lens’ flexibility is its best feature. It is a good wide-angle lens and also the best lens for landscape photography at 18mm. It is ideal for street, travel, and documentary photography while it is in the middle of its zoom range, about 35mm, while the 55mm short telephoto zoom is fantastic for taking portraits.

4. What 3 lenses should every photographer have?

Every photographer should own the Mighty 50mm, the Ultra Wide-angle and the Magical Macro.

5. Is 35mm or 50mm better for landscape photography?

A shallower depth of field and better bokeh are two things you’d notice with the 50mm. In contrast, the 35mm will fill more of the frame and is better suited for taking pictures inside and in landscapes. Therefore, 35mm lenses are better for landscape photographers and for landscape photography.

6. What aperture is best for landscape?

The best landscape lens includes higher aperture ranges, such as f/16 to f/22. These are smaller apertures, therefore longer shutter speeds are required because less light can enter your camera as a result. The right amount of light exposure will result from this combination.

7. What autofocus is best for landscape photographers?

In landscape photography as well as for landscape photographers, single-point autofocus works best when the subject is still.

8. Which one is better, zoom lenses or prime lenses for landscape photography?

In comparison to prime lenses, zoom lenses frequently offer at least two to three focal lengths. As a result, you would need to bring more than just two zoom lenses because you would need five or six prime lenses to capture all of the extra angles. The usage of prime lenses by landscape photographers is still highly common, especially when combined with a few zoom lenses to cover different focal lengths.

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