Which wide-angle lens should you choose?

More and more people are getting into digital photography these days. Entry-level cameras have become much more affordable in recent years, to the point where buying one can almost feel like a Christmas or birthday gift. Once you have your first camera, and after picking up a few accessories such as a tripod or filters, you will often start thinking about buying a new lens. One of the first questions that comes up is: which wide-angle lens should I choose? Is there a best wide-angle for me?

Along with a telephoto lens, which lets you capture distant details, a wide-angle or ultra-wide-angle lens is often one of the first additional pieces of camera gear people consider. Fisheye lenses also exist. However, choosing this type of lens can quickly become complicated, and several factors need to be considered before buying one. I went through the same dilemma myself when looking for the right wide-angle lens to add to my kit. My shortest focal length was 24mm on a full-frame sensor, and I have to say it no longer felt wide enough, especially for landscape photography. If you’re passionate about photography, you can also take a look at the guide I wrote on how to choose the best DSLR.

Of course, buying a wide-angle lens will not instantly make you a better photographer, let alone a professional one. Learning how to use it well is another matter, and I’ll cover that in more detail in a separate article. In this post, I’ll first explain the benefits of a wide-angle lens, then the technical criteria to consider before buying one. I’ll finish with my recommendations based on several factors, including budget, shooting style, and sensor type. This article originally focused on DSLR wide-angle lenses, but I have also added mirrorless options further down. If you shoot Canon, I suggest reading my detailed guide to the best Canon wide-angle lens. I also have a guide to Nikon wide-angle lenses.

Let’s start with the basics. What exactly is a wide-angle lens? A wide-angle lens is usually defined by a short focal length: under 24mm on a full-frame camera (24×36) and around 18mm or shorter on an APS-C body. As a reminder, there is a crop factor between the two main DSLR sensor formats. This is an important point to keep in mind when choosing a lens, and I’ll come back to it below. So what is the point of using such a short focal length? First of all, it lets you include more elements in the frame and gives the scene a stronger sense of scale and openness thanks to the wider angle of view.

There is a reason why so many landscape photographers shoot with wide-angle lenses. Compared with a standard 24–70mm lens, a wide angle gives a stronger sense of perspective and space. It tends to exaggerate depth, making foreground and background elements feel farther apart. If you stand very close to a subject, it can appear larger and more distorted than the rest of the image, creating a much stronger sense of depth. In some types of photography, a wide-angle lens is clearly useful because it gives you a broader angle of view. Landscape photography is the obvious example, but architecture and reportage photography also benefit from it.

Landscape and architecture: two fields where a wide-angle lens is especially useful

A few key points are worth noting. A wide-angle lens can clearly distort objects that are very close to the lens. Try photographing a friend from 40cm away with a wide angle and you’re almost guaranteed to laugh. That is why wide-angle lenses are not usually flattering for classic portraits. You also need to pay close attention to the elements you place in the foreground and to how far they are from the lens. Ultra-wide-angle lenses, such as an 11mm on APS-C or a 16mm on full frame, are even more likely to distort elements, so you need to use specific techniques to avoid ending up with completely warped trees, houses, or horizons.

Now let’s get to the heart of the matter: how should you choose a wide-angle lens, aside from budget… because you’re probably not made of money, are you? More seriously, budget is often the biggest limiting factor, but I won’t treat it as a technical criterion here. Instead, I’ll focus on the practical and technical points that can help you narrow down your choice. Everyone can then make the final decision based on their own budget.

In my opinion, this is the most important point when choosing a wide-angle lens. Why? Simply because most lenses designed for APS-C cameras, such as the Canon EOS 7D, cannot be mounted on a full-frame camera, such as a Canon 5D-series body. The reverse, however, is generally possible. If you’re new to photography, there’s a good chance you started with an APS-C body. Remember that focal lengths printed on lenses are always expressed in full-frame terms. There is a conversion factor between the two sensor formats, usually around 1.5×. In practical terms, if you buy a Canon 16–35mm wide-angle lens, an EF lens built for full-frame sensors, and mount it on an APS-C body, you get an equivalent focal range of roughly 24–52mm. That is no longer really ultra-wide. The aim here is not to explain every detail of sensor size, but simply to make sure you understand that some wide-angle lenses are not compatible with some cameras. It would be a shame to buy a $500 wide-angle lens and then realize you cannot mount it on your camera, wouldn’t it? If you don’t know which sensor type your camera has, simply search for the camera model online or check the manual.

A quick aside before moving on: ask yourself whether you might switch to full frame later. If so, it may be wiser to invest a little more in a wide-angle lens that will also be compatible with your future camera. If you have no plans to upgrade, you can buy an APS-C wide-angle lens without worrying. Everything will then depend mainly on your budget and your needs. Just make sure you understand the conversion factor mentioned above. If you are certain you will stay with APS-C, you can buy a lens designed specifically for that format, such as the excellent Canon 10–22 mm.

Once you know what type of camera body you have and whether you might upgrade later, you can look at the purely technical criteria. Let’s start with the maximum aperture of your future lens: the “f/” number written on the lens. Is aperture important on a wide-angle lens? Everyone will have their own opinion, but here is mine. It depends mainly on how you plan to use the lens. If you only shoot landscapes, maximum aperture may seem less important at first, because you will rarely shoot wide open. You will probably be working around f/11 to f/14. The question becomes much more relevant if you use your wide angle for reportage, indoor weddings, travel, or any low-light situation. If you’re a beginner, remember that a wide aperture, or “bright” lens, mainly helps in two ways: it lets you use faster shutter speeds and it helps blur the background. You may find yourself in several situations where this matters:

• Low light: Remember that aperture and shutter speed are linked. If you can open at f/2.8 instead of f/4, you can use a shutter speed that is twice as fast, which is far from insignificant. Concert photography, indoor weddings, indoor reportage, markets, and dark interiors are all situations where a wide aperture on a wide-angle lens can be useful. Gaining one stop of light can make it much easier to shoot handheld.

• Background blur: The wider your lens aperture is, meaning the smaller the f-number, the easier it is to blur the background and create pleasant bokeh. You can also play more creatively with depth of field. This can be useful for night photography, star photography, and reportage, especially when you want to isolate a nearby subject. If the background isn’t very attractive, you might as well soften it, right?

As you’ve understood, everything depends on your priorities and the type of photography you do. There is a reason why an f/4 lens is often much cheaper than an f/2.8 lens. That said, if you have the budget and a real need for it, I would still recommend going for the brighter option.

This is another major debate among amateur and professional photographers: should you choose a prime lens or a zoom? Everyone has their own preferences. Some photographers like having to move around to find the right framing and improve their composition. To sum it up, prime lenses are often lighter, brighter, and generally cheaper. They can give you more background blur, but they also force you to move to get the composition you want. In my opinion, that often makes you think more carefully about your image, which can help you improve. Zoom lenses, on the other hand, are more versatile. You do not have to move as much, and you can compose more quickly. The downside is that it can sometimes make you think a little less about the frame.

Let’s quickly talk about the weight of your wide-angle lens. Depending on how you plan to use it, this can be an important point. Are you going to travel a lot with it? Take it hiking for several days? If you will only use it on holidays, on weekends close to home, or for wedding photography, I think weight matters a little less. It is up to you to decide whether the weight difference really matters in your own use.

This may seem like a small detail, but it is still worth mentioning. Most wide-angle lenses from major brands such as Canon, Nikon, Sigma, and Tamron include autofocus, meaning they can focus automatically on your subject. Some brands, especially Zeiss and Samyang, also offer excellent wide-angle lenses with manual focus only. Make sure you check this before buying.

Last but not least, and this is something I really struggled with myself: the filter system. If you buy a wide-angle lens, there’s a good chance you will use it for landscape photography. And in landscape photography, you will very often want to use camera lens filters. Depending on how you shoot, and if you’re like me and many other photographers, you probably prefer spending time behind the camera rather than behind a computer. You should know that there are several types of filter systems, depending on the lens you choose. Some lenses accept a simple screw-in filter or a standard filter holder. Others, especially lenses with a curved front element, require a special and often expensive system if you want to use polarizing filters or ND filters, for example. Want to learn more about filter holders for wide-angle lenses? Right this way!

Some lenses therefore leave you with very few options when it comes to filters, and the cost can add up quickly. Pay close attention to this point, especially if, like me, you have already invested in a filter system. Other details also matter when choosing a wide angle, such as chromatic aberration, vignetting, and sharpness. I won’t go into the technical details of every lens here, but you can compare them on the DxO website.

At the end of this article, I’ll share my recommendations to help you choose your wide-angle lens. If you want detailed test data on the performance of a future lens, you can refer to one of the key reference sites in the field: DxOMark. I have tried to organize my recommendations by budget, sensor type, and brand. This article will also be updated regularly as new lenses are released.

Below you’ll find my main lens recommendations for both APS-C cameras (native and third-party brands) and full-frame sensors (native and third-party brands), presented in summary tables.

Here are my recommendations, organized by sensor type. This list does not include every wide-angle lens available, but it does cover the most common and most interesting options. I’ll give a more detailed opinion below.

If you shoot Nikon or Canon with an APS-C sensor, these are the lenses I particularly recommend. If you want to go further, I invite you to read my two dedicated guides to the best Canon and Nikon wide-angle lenses.

• If you have an APS-C camera, choosing a lens is, in my opinion, easier than with a full-frame body. Overall, I would say that if you can afford to choose a lens from the same brand as your camera, go for it, even if native lenses are often slightly more expensive. At Canon, the EF-S 10–22 mm f/3.5–4.5 USM remains one of the best APS-C wide-angle options, with a very wide 10mm field of view. Its f/3.5 aperture at 10mm can be useful for reportage or indoor shots. If your budget is tighter, the Canon EF-S 10–18 mm F/4.5–5.6 IS STM is the more affordable option. Canon also offers an older prime, the 20mm f/2.8, which is still well known.

• For Nikon, the AF-S DX 12–24mm f/4.0 remains a strong option, with a constant f/4 aperture and a wide 12mm field of view. However, its price is still fairly high, around €900. There is also the Nikon AF-S DX 10–24 f/3.5–4.5, which is a little less renowned but still worth considering.

• Some third-party brands offer excellent lenses at much lower prices. It is up to you to decide whether you are comfortable buying a lens from a brand other than your camera manufacturer. Sigma, Tamron, and Tokina have improved a lot and now offer lenses that can compete with native options. The main concerns people still mention are long-term durability and sample variation. I personally started with the excellent Tokina AT-X 116 PRO DX-II 11–16mm f/2.8 wide-angle lens. The image quality is very good, and the constant f/2.8 aperture is perfect for reportage or indoor photography at a reasonable price, around €450.

• Sigma also offers the very good 10–20mm f/3.5, a wide-angle lens with a relatively bright aperture at a decent price, around €400. If your budget is even tighter, you can also look at the Sigma 12–24mm f/4.5–5.6 or the Tamron AF 10–24mm F/3.5–4.5 DI II LD

• For travelers, the weight difference between the heaviest and lightest APS-C wide-angle lenses is often around 150g at most. I’m not sure that should be the deciding factor, is it? If you plan to switch to full frame in the near future, take a look at the suggestions below. Prices are clearly higher, but build quality and image quality are often better. Just remember that, while you are still using that lens on an APS-C body, it will not feel quite as wide.

When choosing a wide-angle lens for a full-frame Nikon or Canon camera, you have several options, but the prices climb quickly. Here is a selection of the models I find most interesting.

If you have a full-frame DSLR, or if you plan to buy one soon, choosing a wide-angle lens is more complex than with an APS-C camera. For Canon, several options are available. The most economical is the Canon 17–40mm f/4, still around the €700 mark. It is quite old, but many photographers still use it. For the price, especially for a full-frame lens, it remains a very interesting option. You also get a constant f/4 aperture, which is decent. If you have a larger budget, you can look at the 16–35mm range, available with either an f/4 or f/2.8 maximum aperture. The price almost doubles between the two versions. Both are very good lenses, but they are more expensive and heavier, which is worth considering if you need to carry them over long distances. I considered buying the 16–35mm f/4 at one point, but I already covered the 16mm to 24mm range, which made me hesitate. The f/2.8 version was too expensive for me. The Canon “Rolls-Royce” wide-angle lens is the Canon 14mm f/2.8 L II: an ultra-bright lens with a very high price tag. Be careful, though, because the front element is curved, which requires a special filter system.

EDIT from 09/08/2019: I finally gave in and bought the Canon 16–35mm f/4 in summer 2019. So far, I’m really happy with it.

For Nikon, I’m less of a specialist, but the Nikon 18–35 f/3.5–4.5 seems like a very good compromise. Of course, the maximum aperture is not especially impressive, but the lens is well regarded and relatively light compared with some of Nikon’s larger wide-angle options. Many photographers recommend it for traveling light at a relatively decent price. However, it will be less suitable for indoor photography or concerts, where an f/2.8 aperture can be very useful. For those with a larger budget, the reference is the Nikon 14–24 mm f/2.8, but it comes at a very high price. Everyone agrees that it is an outstanding lens, but it is expensive and heavy. Also pay attention to the curved front element if you want to use filters. Finally, the Nikon AF-S 16–35 f/4 could be a good middle ground, with a constant f/4 maximum aperture.

As for wide-angle lenses from third-party brands, there is plenty to choose from. More and more photographers are turning to Sigma, Tokina, or Tamron lenses. I’ll start with the premium option: Carl Zeiss wide-angle lenses. They are heavy and very expensive, but their image quality has an excellent reputation. If I could afford it, I would probably already have bought the Carl Zeiss Distagon T* F2.8/15 mm. With a 15mm focal length and a constant f/2.8 aperture, it gives you a lot of creative freedom. Sharpness is excellent from wide open, and filters can be used without too much trouble. Just be careful: as with many Zeiss lenses, it is manual focus only.

Sigma also offers excellent wide-angle lenses, including the superb Sigma 12–24mm F4 DG HSM Art. This one interests me in particular because of its very short focal length and f/4 maximum aperture. There is also a very nice f/2.8 version, which has an excellent reputation too, although it also has a curved front element. The only real concern is the specific filter system required by that front element, which would mean changing everything. If you are looking for a light wide angle for your full-frame camera, you can also look at Tokina, with the Tokina AT-X PRO FX 16–28 mm f/2.8, which also has a curved front element. Based on tests and feedback, it is a very good lens at a much lower price than the Nikon and Canon alternatives. The same goes for Tamron, with the 15–30mm F/2.8 Di VC USD G2 or the Tamron 17–35 f/2.8–4 Di OSD.

I also wanted to mention manual-focus wide-angle lenses. If you have a smaller budget and do not mind focusing manually, the Samyang 14mm f/2.8 remains a good-quality lens at a low price. In the same spirit, Irix offers a 15mm f/2.4 for Canon, Nikon, and Pentax cameras. There is also an even wider Irix 11mm f/4, which has a good reputation at a very reasonable price, around $500/600. For those looking for beautiful manual-focus lenses with a bigger budget, Zeiss also offers three options: the Milvus 15mm f/2.8, the 18mm f/2.8, and the 21mm f/2.8. These lenses are available for Canon bodies in ZE mount and Nikon bodies in ZF.2 mount.

I had not originally planned to talk about mirrorless wide-angle lenses when I first wrote this article, but given how popular mirrorless cameras have become, it now makes sense to include them. So here is an additional section to help you choose a wide-angle lens other than the kit lens that came with your mirrorless camera.

I’ll organize this section by sensor type and suggest a few options for each.

The following tables summarize the main features of the lenses I recommend. You can sort them by clicking on the criterion you are interested in. Here are the summary tables for Micro 4/3 wide-angle lenses, wide-angle lenses for APS-C sensors, and full-frame lenses.

To go into more detail, you can also check out my article on which Sony wide-angle lens to choose for E-mount mirrorless cameras.

For Micro 4/3 sensors (Panasonic / Olympus), I particularly recommend the 7–14mm f/4 or the 8–18mm f/2.8–4, both usually under €800. Olympus offers a very nice 7–14mm f/2.8, which is more expensive because of its constant f/2.8 aperture. Still at Olympus, and for tighter budgets, you can look at the 9–18mm f/4–5.6 or the 12mm f/2, around €500. As for third-party brands, Samyang/Rokinon also offers a 10mm f/2.8 and a 12mm f/2.8 in manual focus.

For APS-C sensors, several brands offer interesting options.

• With Sony, you have plenty of choice. For prime lenses, the Sony E 11mm f/1.8, Sony E 15mm f/1.4 G, and Sony 16mm f/2.8 are worth considering. As for zoom lenses, I can highly recommend the one we bought for Mélanie, the Sony E PZ 10–20mm f/4 G. Samyang/Rokinon also offers manual-focus options such as the 10mm f/2.8 and 12mm f/2, while Zeiss offers a 12mm f/2.8 with autofocus.
• At Fujifilm, two zooms stand out: the bright 8–16mm f/2.8 and the more affordable 10–24mm f/4. Among prime lenses, you can also look at the excellent Sigma DC DN Contemporary 16mm f/1.4, which offers a very wide aperture, or the wider Samyang AF 12mm f/2 Fuji. Samyang also offers three well-known manual-focus lenses with wide apertures: a 10mm f/2.8, a 12mm f/2, and a 14mm f/2.8. As with Sony APS-C mirrorless cameras, Zeiss also offers the Zeiss 12mm f/2.8 Touit. Here is my complete guide to the best current Fujifilm wide-angle lenses.
• At Canon, the RF-S mirrorless APS-C mount includes the Canon RF-S 10–18mm f/4.5–6.3 IS STM. Nikon offers the Nikon Z DX 12–28mm f/3.5–5.6 PZ VR. Sigma has also introduced the Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary Z, an excellent, cost-effective option with a wide aperture.

For full-frame sensors, there are also many options across several brands.

• Sony full-frame users have a lot of choice. If you stay with Sony lenses, you can choose between options such as the Sony 16–35mm f/2.8 GM, the lighter and more affordable Sony 12–24mm f/4 G, the Sony 12–24mm f/2.8 GM, or the Sony FE PZ 16–35mm f/4. Sony also offers several prime lenses, including 14mm, 20mm, and 24mm. Tamron offers attractive alternatives, including the 17–28mm f/2.8 Di III RXD, 20mm f/2.8 Di III OSD M 1:2, and 24mm f/2.8 Di III OSD M 1:2. Sigma also offers many choices, including the Sigma 14–24mm f/2.8 DG DN Art, Sigma 14mm f/1.4 DG DN Art, Sigma 16–28mm f/2.8 DG DN Contemp., Sigma 20mm f/1.4 DG DN Art, and Sigma 24mm f/1.4 DG DN Art. Samyang also offers autofocus lenses for Sony FE, including the Samyang 14mm f/2.8 FE AF and the Samyang 18mm f/2.8 FE AF. For those looking for quality Zeiss wide-angle lenses for Sony full-frame cameras, there is the Zeiss Batis 18mm f/2.8 Distagon T*, a bright and beautiful autofocus lens, as well as the Zeiss 21mm f/2.8 Loxia Distagon T* with manual focus.
• L-mount users also have a wide range of wide-angle lenses to choose from. Key options include the Leica Super-Vario-Elmar-SL 16–35mm f/3.5–4.5 ASPH, the Sigma 14mm f/1.4 DG DN Art L, Sigma 14–24mm f/2.8 DG DN Art L, Sigma 15mm f/1.4 DG DN Art L, Sigma 16–28mm f/2.8 DG DN Contemporary L, Panasonic Lumix 14–28mm f/4–5.6 MACRO L, and Panasonic Lumix S PRO 16–35mm f/4 L.
• Canon RF full-frame users can look at several lenses: the Canon RF 10–20mm f/4 L IS STM, Canon RF 14–35mm f/4 L IS USM, Canon RF 15–35mm f/2.8L IS, Canon RF 15–30mm f/4.5–6.3 IS STM, and Canon RF 16mm f/2.8 STM.
• Nikon Z users also have several options: the 14–24mm f/2.8, 14–30mm f/4 S, 17–28mm f/2.8, 20mm f/1.8 S, and 24mm f/1.8 S

If you want to go further in your choice, I have since switched to Sony with an A7III and tested a new wide-angle lens. Here is my full review of the Tamron 20mm f/2.8.

I’ll wrap up this long article by hoping it has helped you understand wide-angle lenses better and decide which one to choose. If you have questions about your options or need help, feel free to leave a comment at the bottom of the article. Want to know which lens to choose for travel? Do you already have what you need in your camera bag? Personally, I always have an ND filter, a polarizing filter, and a photo tripod.

I hope this helps you make the right choice.

Written by Sylvain PONS

I've been passionate about photography since 2010, learning as I went along. Today, I dedicate myself to guiding others in their choice of camera gear and sharing a variety of tips to improve their photography skills.

Despite our care, a mistake may have slipped into this article. If you find any, please don't hesitate to let us know so we can correct it as soon as possible and keep our information up-to-date!