Last updated 2/10/24
What lens is best? I get asked this all the time, and there’s never really a right answer. “Best for what?” is what I usually reply, as the answer will depend on what the photographer wants to accomplish, what their budget is and what is important to them. Everyone will have a different notion of what constitutes the ‘best’, but I figured I’d put together a list of what I personally consider the best.
I first wrote this article back in 2019, and I’ve kept it updated, though recent changes to my own gear over the past year or so has seen many of the selections on this list updated quite recently. As such, you’re seeing it now with its new publish date in 2024…same article, just with a fair bit of new information.
As part of my work on this site, and throughout my over 20 years of photography, I’ve used a lot of lenses. I’ve now reviewed well over 100 lenses, and I’ve owned at least 70 other lenses that I did not review. This list features lenses from every system that I’ve owned for my personal shooting, plus some others that I’ve adapted. Note that this will not be a definitive list of the best lenses ever made: I haven’t used them all. Also, it’s a subjective list based on what is important to me in my shooting.
Sorry Pentax fans: I have never used an autofocus Pentax lens for more than a few seconds…so you won’t see any of those lenses represented here. I started shooting with Canon DSLRs back in 2004, and have extensive experience with Canon EF, Micro 4/3, Fujifilm X, Sony E mount, Canon RF, and Nikon Z lenses, and have some experience with a few F mount Nikon lenses. I’ve also adapted dozens of manual focus lenses from systems past, though I haven’t come close to using everything for every system. Again, this list is subjective and based on my experience and what is important to me. I’m sure there will be disagreements here, but let’s dive in.
I’ve selected a winner in each of four zoom categories and five prime categories. If judging the winner was very tight, I’ve also included honorable mention candidates that just missed out on the top spot. If a lens name is linked, it will take you to my review of the lens. I will continue to maintain this article, replacing any lenses with new top lenses as I discover them.
Best Ultra-Wide Zoom:
Nikon Nikkor Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S
Nikon’s 14-24mm f/2.8 S for their Z mount cameras takes over the top spot in the ultra-wide zoom category, just edging out the previous winner. The Nikon 14-24mm S is an absolutely incredible optic. Capable of extremely high resolution even into the corners at 14mm wide open, and tack sharp corner to corner throughout the range stopped down, the Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8 S continues its amazing performance with only moderate distortion, exceptional color and contrast, essentially no chromatic aberration and shows almost no flare whatsoever with the sun in frame. It’s also relatively light weight for a lens of this width and aperture, and comes with a special second hood for using 112mm front filters, giving it that extra nod over the Sigma 14-24mm in usability. The Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8 S is a truly incredible ultra-wide zoom.
Honorable Mention: Sigma 14-24mm f/2.8 DG DN Art
Despite being just edged out by our new champion, the Sigma 14-24mm f/2.8 is a simply stunning lens. Capable of corner-to-corner sharpness throughout the entire focal range, even on ultra-high resolution sensors, the Sigma 14-24mm is simply spectacular. Not only is it exceptionally sharp, rivaling the best full frame wide prime lenses at any focal length, but it has outstanding color and contrast, virtually no chromatic aberration, very good flare control and only shows any real distortion at the widest focal lengths. It’s a lens that simply stuns me with its image quality. While optically it and the Nikon are neck and neck, the Nikon gets the nod due to its lighter weight and much more usable filter solution.
Best Standard Zoom Lens:
Nikon Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S
An f/4 wide-range zoom as the best standard zoom? While there are definitely standard zooms with better pure image quality than the Nikon Z 24-120mm f/4 S, none I’ve shot with have had the versatility of this lens, combined with outstanding quality. The 24-120mm f/4 S is a lens that covers super-wide to a longer than usual 120mm short telephoto, yielding impressive versatility over 24-70 and even 24-105mm zooms. And it does so while providing outstanding sharpness throughout the focal range, significantly better than average bokeh, very good close-up performance, excellent flare control and fantastic color and contrast. It’s a jack of all trades lens that excels in essentially everything it does.
Honorable Mention: Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM
The Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM is an outstanding zoom lens. With very high sharpness throughout the zoom range, great color and contrast, beautiful bokeh, great control of lens aberrations and a robust build quality. It’s a very big and heavy lens, but it’s eminently impressive.
Best Telephoto Zoom Lens:
Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM
Dethroning the previous winner in Canon’s DSLR 70-200mm lenses are mirrorless lenses that have combined exceptional optics with a massive reduction in size and weight. Just edging out the honorable mention for the top spot is Canon’s RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM. The RF 70-200mm cuts over 400g from the weight of their DSLR lenses, and reduced overall size by a full two inches while sacrificing nothing in optical quality. The touch of extra sharpness wide open, along with robust build quality, slightly better bokeh, and excellent IS unit bring it up into the top spot over the Tamron. It certainly will cost you, though.
Honorable Mention: Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8 Di III VXD / Nikon Nikkor Z 70-180mm f/2.8
Tamron has come in to take an honorable mention in this spot, packing very good optical quality into the most compact f/2.8 telephoto zoom ever made for full-frame cameras. I’ve also thrown the Nikon 70-180mm in as well, as it is the same lens clad in Nikon shrouding. It’s smaller than the typical 70-200mm f/4 lens, yet is a full stop faster. Add in excellent sharpness throughout the range, good bokeh, excellent color and a very fast focus motor, and you’ve got a winner. It’s definitely the winner on best value in this range as well, packing similar optical quality and size to that of the Canon at less than half the price.
Best Supertelephoto Zoom Lens:
Fujifilm Fujinon XF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR
This is a category where I’m sure the super expensive options like the Canon 200-400mm f/4 (with its built in 1.4x TC) would probably exceed what I’ve used, but among the supertelephoto zoom lenses I’ve used, none top the Fujifilm XF 100-400mm. This is a large lens with the reach of a 150-600mm lens on a full frame body. It’s very sharp throughout the zoom range, has gorgeous bokeh and good control of almost all lens aberrations. Add in truly excellent optical image stabilization to a lens that Fuji knocked out of the park.
Honorable Mention: Panasonic Leica 100-400mm f/4-6.3 DG Vario-Elmar OIS
This lens has crazy reach, with an angle of view of a 200-800mm lens on full-frame. It’s got very good sharpness, great color and contrast, fantastic build quality and is relatively compact considering the reach. If you are invested in the Micro 4/3 system and need something for wildlife shooting, it’s really hard to go wrong with this lens.
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