ContentsQUICK ANSWER – THE BEST LANDSCAPE LENSESCOMPARISON TABLE – THE BEST LANDSCAPE LENSESLANDSCAPE LENSES REVIEWSNIKON AF-S NIKKOR 16-35mm f/4G ED VRNIKON AF-S FX NIKKOR 24-120mm f/4G EDCANON EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USMCANON EF 24-105mm f/4 IS II USMSIGMA 24mm f/1.4 DG HSM ArtTAMRON SP 15-30mm f/2.8 Di VC USDNIKON AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/4G ED VRCANON EF 70-200mm f/4L USMNIKON AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8GCANON EF-S 24mm f/2.8 STMHOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST LANDSCAPE LENSESPRIMARY PURPOSEFOCAL LENGTHWIDE-ANGLE LENSESTELEPHOTO LENSESPRIME LENSESAPERTURELENS CONSTRUCTIONCROP FACTORWEIGHT AND SIZEBUDGET As every photographer knows, the best landscape lenses can make all the difference! But not all lenses are created equal. Choosing the right glass starts by pinpointing exactly what you’re going to be using it for and identifying the lens that will best fit your needs. Here at The Adventure Junkies, our goal is to help educate our readers on different lenses and their features; making it easier for you to find the best option. There’s no shortage of lenses available today, and choosing the right one will help you to capture the type of landscape images that you’re after. Whether you enjoy photographing majestic mountains, striking sunsets, beautiful waterfalls or more, there’s a lens that’s built with you in mind. For more of our top outdoor photography gear recommendations, check out these popular articles: Landscape Camera | Landscape Lenses | Landscape Tripods Travel Camera | Travel Lenses | Travel Tripods Wildlife Camera | Wildlife Lenses | Wildlife Tripods CLICK HERE QUICK ANSWER – THE BEST LANDSCAPE LENSES 1. NIKON AF-S NIKKOR 16-35MM VIEW AT AMAZON 2. NIKON AF-S NIKKOR 24-120MM VIEW AT AMAZON 3. CANON EF 16-35MM VIEW AT AMAZON 4. CANON EF 24-105MM VIEW AT AMAZON 5. SIGMA 24MM DG HSM ART VIEW AT AMAZON 6. TAMRON SP 15-30MM VC USD VIEW AT AMAZON 7. NIKON AF-S NIKKOR 70-200MM VIEW AT AMAZON 8. CANON EF 70-200MM USM VIEW AT AMAZON 9. NIKON AF-S DX NIKKOR VIEW AT AMAZON 10. CANON EF-S 24MM STM VIEW AT AMAZON COMPARISON TABLE – THE BEST LANDSCAPE LENSES PICTURELANDSCAPE LENSESBEST USEFOCAL LENGTHWEIGHTPRICERATING PICTURELANDSCAPE LENSESBEST USEFOCAL LENGTHWEIGHTPRICERATING Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 16-35mm f/4G ED VROverall16-35mm1.50 lbs$$4.9 Nikon AF-S FX NIKKOR 24-120mm f/4G EDOverall24-120mm1.57 lbs$$4.6 Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USMOverall16-35mm2.65 lbs$$$4.9 Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 IS II USMOverall24-105mm1.48 lbs$$4.5 Sigma 24mm f/1.4 DG HSM ArtOverall24mm1.00 lbs$$4.3 Tamron SP 15-30mm f/2.8 Di VC USDOverall15-30mm2.43 lbs$$4.9 Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/4G ED VRTelephoto70-200mm1.87 lbs$$4.9 Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L USM Telephoto70-200mm2.43 lbs$$4.9 Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8GBudget35mm0.44 lbs$4.7 Canon EF-S 24mm f/2.8 STMBudget24mm0.28 lbs$4.6 LANDSCAPE LENSES REVIEWS NIKON AF-S NIKKOR 16-35mm f/4G ED VR BEST FOR: General landscape photography LENS TYPE: Full-frame, ultra wide-angle zoom lens FOCAL LENGTH: 16-35mm WEIGHT: 1.50 lbs PROS: Great price-to-performance ratio, extremely practical, remarkable sharpness uniformity CONS: Some distortion at 16mm View at Amazon NIKON AF-S FX NIKKOR 24-120mm f/4G ED BEST FOR: Zoom and long range LENS TYPE: Full-frame, wide-angle mid-telephoto zoom lens FOCAL LENGTH: 24-120mm WEIGHT: 1.57 lbs PROS: Versatile, great for general landscape photography, includes image stabilization CONS: Maximum aperture is only f/4, but this isn’t an issue for most landscape photography View at Amazon CANON EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM BEST FOR: General landscape photography LENS TYPE: Full-frame and APS-C, ultra wide-angle zoom lens FOCAL LENGTH: 16-35mm WEIGHT: 2.65 lbs PROS: Extremely practical, excellent image quality, sharp images CONS: Maximum aperture is only f/4 View at Amazon CANON EF 24-105mm f/4 IS II USM BEST FOR: Zoom and long range LENS TYPE: Full-frame, wide-angle mid-telephoto lens FOCAL LENGTH: 24-105mm WEIGHT: 1.48 lbs PROS: Incredible versatility, all-day performance for advanced photography, image stabilization CONS: Heavy and bulky, fixed f/4 aperture View at Amazon SIGMA 24mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art BEST FOR: Shooting in low light, controlling depth of field LENS TYPE: Full-frame or APS-C, wide-angle prime lens FOCAL LENGTH: 24mm WEIGHT: 1.0 lbs PROS: Excellent image quality even wide open, low aberrations; good working against the light CONS: Heavy and bulky, no image stabilization View at Amazon TAMRON SP 15-30mm f/2.8 Di VC USD BEST FOR: Wide-angle photography LENS TYPE: Full-frame, ultra wide-angle zoom lens FOCAL LENGTH: 15-30mm WEIGHT: 2.43 lbs PROS: Image stabilization, fast f/2.8 aperture, high-quality images at all focal lengths CONS: Heavy and bulky View at Amazon NIKON AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/4G ED VR BEST FOR: Zoom and long range LENS TYPE: Full-frame or APS-C, telephoto zoom lens FOCAL LENGTH: 70-200mm WEIGHT: 1.87 lbs PROS: Includes image stabilization, good image quality, will meet most of your long range photography needs CONS: No weather sealing, some image softness at 200mm View at Amazon CANON EF 70-200mm f/4L USM BEST FOR: Zoom and long range LENS TYPE: Full-frame or APS-C, telephoto zoom lens FOCAL LENGTH: 70-200mm WEIGHT: 2.43 lbs PROS: High-performance lens, good price-to-performance ratio, will meet most of your telephoto needs CONS: No image stabilization, doesn’t include tripod ring, corner softness at 200mm View at Amazon NIKON AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G BEST FOR: Shooting in low light, controlling depth of field LENS TYPE: APS-C, wide-angle prime lens FOCAL LENGTH: 35mm WEIGHT: 0.44 lbs PROS: Small and lightweight, wide aperture, sharp images, economical CONS: Lower image quality at f/1.8 View at Amazon CANON EF-S 24mm f/2.8 STM BEST FOR: Shooting in low light, controlling depth of field LENS TYPE: Full-frame, wide-angle prime lens FOCAL LENGTH: 24mm WEIGHT: 0.28 lbs PROS: Highly portable, wide aperture, sharp images, good price-to-performance ratio CONS: Slow, noisy when focusing View at Amazon HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST LANDSCAPE LENSES PRIMARY PURPOSE Are you planning on photographing wide, sweeping landscapes? Or are you looking to capture wildlife, distant mountain ranges or even the moon? From speed and fast focusing options to long focal lengths that will allow you to optimize the size of the elements in the foreground and background, the type of landscape photography you do will dictate the features you need in a lens. FOCAL LENGTH One challenge when choosing a landscape lens is finding one with an optimal focal length. All focal lengths are measured in millimeters (mm). While wide-angles have a low number with a wide field of view, longer lenses will have a higher number and a narrower field of view. There are three main types of lenses that will cover most of your needs when doing landscape photography. WIDE-ANGLE LENSES Wide-angle lenses are best for shooting wide, open landscapes. These lenses have a focal length that is smaller than average, allowing you to fit more of a scene into your frame. TELEPHOTO LENSES Telephoto lenses are long lenses that allow you to capture objects that are farther away. These lenses are ideal for wildlife photography and for drawing distant elements closer. PRIME LENSES Prime lenses or fixed lenses have a fixed focal length such as 50mm. These lenses are usually more affordable and often more compact and lightweight. They also offer wider apertures, allowing you to create images with a shallow depth of field or work during low-light conditions. APERTURE When it comes to landscape images, most of the time you’ll want to shoot with a narrow aperture to ensure that most of the image is sharp and in-focus. But in some cases, you may want to use a lens that has a wide maximum aperture. You’ll need a wider aperture to capture images with a shallow depth of field. It’s also helpful if you’re photographing in low-light conditions. LENS CONSTRUCTION How well is the lens built? Robust professional model lenses often feature metal housing. Consumer-grade lenses are usually made with plastic construction. Keep in mind the durability of the lens when considering a purchase. This will also usually impact the weight and the price. CROP FACTOR What type of camera will you be using? Do you have a camera with a cropped (APS-C) sensor or a full-frame sensor? Cameras with cropped sensors usually result in a more zoomed-in look, while a camera with a full-frame sensor will allow you to go wider. You’ll also want to make sure you purchase a lens that is compatible with the type of camera you have. WEIGHT AND SIZE Weight and size are important considerations if you’re planning to carry your gear with you for extended periods of time. If you spend a lot of time hiking to scenic locations, rather than driving, keep weight in mind when making your decision. Often, telephotos tend to be the biggest and heaviest options. BUDGET Finally, the cost of the lens is another factor to take into consideration. Lenses can be pricey, but in most cases, it’s a good idea to invest more in your lens collection than your camera body. This is because you’re more likely to upgrade your camera as manufacturers add new features every few years. A good lens will stand the test of time and last for much longer. Prime and zoom lenses are often more affordable, while a good wide-angle lens is usually more costly. At the end of the day, it comes down to the style of photography that you’ll be doing and how much you can afford to invest in your gear. Pin29Share7TweetFlip36 Shares
