Most of the time, best wide angle lens, landscape and architecture photographers use ultra-wide lenses. This makes sense from a practical point of view, since landscape photographers usually want to fit as much of a great view as possible into a frame, and architecture photographers sometimes have to try to fit a lot of buildings into a frame from a small angle. For this, ultra-wide lenses can be just as useful inside as they are outside.
There are more things you can do with these camera lenses, though. Because the viewing angle is so wide, you can get really close to a subject, which makes the background get smaller and gives you a distorted view. The distance between the foreground and background will look much further away, giving the image a unique “look” that can’t be achieved any other way.
Most people prefer ultra-wide zooms to ultra-wide primes, to the point where there aren’t many options for ultra-wide primes, especially when using a crop-sensor body. This is partly because a millimeter or two makes a big difference when talking about ultra-wide. Below we have mentioned some of the best wide angle lens.
Best Wide Angle Lens
Sigma 14-24mm f/2.8 DG HSM | A
Specifications
Features | Ultrasonic Motor, With Lens Case |
Filter Size | 82 mm |
Minimum Aperture | F/16 |
Specialty Type | Telephoto, Wide Angle |
The Canon EF 11-24mm f/4L USM, which is made by Canon and has a diagonal angle of view of 126 degrees, is the best wide-angle lens for Canon full-frame cameras. But the price is also very high, which puts it out of reach for most of us. This Sigma Art lens costs a lot less than half as much as the Canon. It has a smaller maximum viewing angle of 114 degrees, but it’s a great lens and it’s a full f/stop faster than the Canon.
The build quality is great, with a high-quality feel all over, a full set of weather seals, and a fluorine coating on the front element. The ring-type ultrasonic autofocus system is fast and whisper-quiet, and the high-quality glass includes a large, ultra-high-precision moulded glass element at the front, as well as three FLD and three SLD elements. Currently, this is one of the best wide angle lens that you can buy right now.
Pros
- Spectacular distortion-free image quality
- Premium weather-sealed construction
Cons
- Integral hood precludes the use of screw-in filters or a screw-in filter adapter
Nikon 24mm f/1.4G ED AF-S NIKKOR Lens
Specifications
Features | Aspherical, Ultrasonic Motor, With Lens Case |
Type | Wide-angle lens |
Intended For | 35mm SLR, digital SLR |
Focus Adjustment | Automatic, manual |
It’s big… it’s a lot… it’s expensive… But the Nikon 24mm f/1.4G is often said to be the best wide angle lens in the world. The Nikon 24mm f/1.4G works fine on a Nikon DX camera, where its focal length is about 36mm. If you have a consumer-level Nikon DX camera and want to upgrade to a full frame body in the future, the Nikon 24mm f/1.4G could be a good investment.
But the Nikon 24mm f/1.4G really shines when used with a full frame Nikon body. It’s bright, clear, and has a lot of contrast from edge to edge, no matter what aperture you use. When you combine the large aperture with the 24mm focal length, you can shoot hand-held at much slower shutter speeds than you may be used to. This means you can drop the ISO for a cleaner file.
Pros
- Wide f/1.4 maximum aperture.
- Captures crisp images.
- 9.8-inch close focus.
- Full-frame coverage.
Cons
- Dim corners at wide aperture.
- Edge softness at f/1.4.
- Shows some barrel distortion.
- Not stabilized.
Canon RF 15-35mm f/2.8L IS USM
Specifications
Features | Aspherical, Image Stabilising, Ultrasonic Motor, Weatherproof |
Type | Zoom |
Filter Size | 82 mm |
Focus Adjustment | Automatic Adjustment, Manual Adjustment |
This is the best wide angle lens member of the “trinity” of zoom lenses with an aperture of f/2.8. It is made for full-frame mirrorless EOS R cameras. It’s big and heavy, which is what you’d expect from an ultra-wide lens with a fast f/2.8 aperture rating. However, it’s smaller and lighter than, say, the Sigma 14-24mm f/2.8 Art lens for Canon SLRs.
The RF lens is different from the Sigma in that it has a separate hood with an 82mm thread that makes it easy to attach filters or filter holders. Its maximum viewing angle is almost the same as Sigma’s at 110 degrees, and it has a 5-stop image stabilizer that is great for shooting handheld indoors or at dusk. The Nano Ultrasonic autofocus system is fast and almost silent, and the image quality is excellent. It’s a great lens, but it should really be worth the price.
Pros
- Silent Nano USM autofocus system
- Includes a filter attachment thread
Cons
- Fairly big and weighty
- It’s a pricey lens
Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 12-24mm f/4G IF-ED
Specifications
Features | Aspherical, Image Stabilising, Ultrasonic Motor, Weatherproof |
Type | Zoom |
Filter Size | 82 mm |
Focus Adjustment | Automatic Adjustment, Manual Adjustment |
Nikon digital SLR cameras can use a zoom lens with a focal length of 12 to 24 millimeter’s and a maximum aperture of f/4. For better optics, there are 2 ED glass elements and 3 aspherical lens elements.
D-type design gives accurate information about distance for flash and ambient light exposure Rounded diaphragm makes things that are out of focus look natural; 11.8 inches from the lens to the subject It’s 3.2 inches wide and 3.5 inches long, weighs 1.07 pounds, and comes with a 5-year warranty. So, if you want one of the best wide angle lens, we highly recommend this product.
Pros
- Wide f/1.4 maximum aperture.
- Captures crisp images.
- 9.8-inch close focus.
- Full-frame coverage.
Cons
- Dim corners at wide aperture.
- Edge softness at f/1.4.
- Shows some barrel distortion.
- Not stabilized.
Tamron 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 Di II VC HLD
Specifications
Features | Aspherical, Image Stabilising, Ultrasonic Motor, Weatherproof |
Type | Wide Angle |
Filter Size | 82 mm |
Camera Lens Description | 24 millimetres |
The Tamron 10-24mm was one of our favourite wide-angle zoom lenses for APS-C DSLRs, but Tamron has stopped making it and many other DSLR lenses as it focuses more on making lenses for mirrorless cameras. Still, if you can find a new one or a good used one, it’s a great lens to have in your kit bag. This is one of the best wide angle lens.
It has a maximum viewing angle of 107.5 degrees, which is the same as both of Canon’s ultra-wide EF-S 10-18mm and 10-22mm zooms. However, it has a longer reach than both of them. The longer 24mm lens has a lot of overlap with, say, a standard 18-55mm zoom. That might seem like a waste of time, but it can be very helpful because it cuts down on how often you have to switch lenses while shooting.
Pros
- High-tech autofocus and stabilization
- Good build quality
- Weather seals
Cons
- Officially discontinued
- Quite expensive to buy, although it’s still very good value for the quality
FAQs
Which wide-angle lens has the least distortion?
There are two types of wide-angle lenses: those that are straight and those that are curved. The least amount of optical distortion is seen in rectilinear lenses, which is a good thing when taking pictures of architecture and other things where distortion is not wanted.
Is it worth buying a wide-angle lens?
A wide-angle lens is a great thing to use when taking pictures of buildings. With a wide-angle lens, you can take a picture of a whole building without being very far away. This lets you choose an interesting focal point instead of relying on the building itself to carry the picture.
What are wide angle lenses good for?
In landscape photography, a wide-angle lens is best for making things look bigger than they are. Wide-angle lenses make things look longer and bigger up close, while things farther away look smaller.