The 9 Best Wide Angle Lenses of 2022
Wide Angle Lens – Buying Guide, Opinions and Analysis
With cameras you can capture moments to immortalize them in time, but these devices use other accessories that help to obtain better shots with an outstanding artistic degree. One of these elements is the wide-angle lens, which provides depth of field and many other features. Among all the models, two stand out for their performance. The first is the Canon EF-S 10-18mm f:4.5-5.6 IS STM, designed for some Canon camera models and available in black, with image stabilizer. Another option is the Nikon AF-P DX Nikkor 10-20mm f/4.5-5.6G VR, a lens with compact and lightweight properties, with zoom effect and fast focus motor.
The 9 Best Wide Angle Lenses – Opinions 2022
Wide-angle lenses help to take pictures with a wider angle of observation and are suitable for adding great artistic value to the image. So, if you want to acquire one of these, but you don’t know which lenses are indicated, we invite you to review the most relevant characteristics of 9 favorite wide-angle lenses of the user community.
Canon wide angle lens
1. Canon EF-S 10-18mm f:4.5-5.6 IS STM Lens
This Canon wide-angle lens has been designed to improve photographs and give greater artistic value to images captured with some models of cameras from this manufacturer.
Within its specifications, this product is equipped with an aperture of 4.5 – 5.6 and a focal length of between 10-18 mm, so it is convenient to be used when it is necessary to cover more, without having the possibility of moving away, since this device provides an angle that enlarges the frame.
Dynamism and versatility are other advantages obtained with this model, which has come to be mentioned as the best wide-angle lens on the market, because it is equipped with an image stabilizer and a silent focus, which provides sharpness and extended stability to record videos without vibrations. Its design is available in black and its weight is 240 grams.
There are those who consider this model as the best wide-angle lens of the moment. To certify it, you can review its positive and negative aspects.
Pros
Design: It has a lightweight design of 240 grams, available in black.
Blades: Its diaphragm has 7 blades in charge of regulating the size of the opening, to adapt to each capture.
Stabilizer: It has been equipped with an image stabilizer that reduces vibrations and provides greater sharpness.
Angle: Its viewing angle is wide, to cover more space, with a focal length range of 10 – 18 mm.
Cons
Cameras: It is not valid for all models of the brand, so it is recommended to check its compatibility.
2. Canon EF-M 22mm f/2 STM Lens for Canon
Another Canon wide-angle lens that stands out as one of the best performing is this model, compatible with a large number of cameras from this manufacturer. It is a 22mm lens suitable for capturing landscape photography, as it has a maximum aperture of f/2.0 which provides bright images and videos, as it allows ample light to enter the sensor.
This telephoto lens is spherical and captures real images to transform them and add professional quality to the result, as it provides sharpness and contrast without distortion, while managing to modify aberrations.
Also, this lens has coatings that provide greater color and precision, by reducing flare and shadows. Its design is compact at 7 x 9 x 9 cm, with a fixed, fluid and silent focus. For this reason, it is positioned as one of the best wide-angle lenses of 2022.
Among all manufacturers, Canon is established among many users as the best wide-angle lens brand. You can learn more about this model below.
Pros
Aperture: Its maximum aperture is f/2.0, which provides adequate light input.
Design: It has a compact, discreet and lightweight black design that fits different cameras.
Focus: It has a fixed-type fluid focus and a vertical angle of view of 37º.
Lens: It has an improved spherical lens that provides greater sharpness and contrast.
Cons
Stabilizer: This model does not include the stabilizer function, which, although it does not limit its use, does influence certain types of captures.
Nikon wide angle lens
3. Nikon AF-P DX NIKKOR 10-20mm f/4.5-5.6G VR Lens
This model is usually the recommended proposal for those who are wondering which is the best wide-angle lens on the market, because it has characteristics that promote remarkable artistic and photographic results in each shot captured by its lens.
With a weight of 231 grams and a size of 7.29 x 7.7 x 7.7 cm, this alternative stands out for being a portable and lightweight accessory that can be carried with the rest of the equipment to exchange on the camera when the situation requires it. deserves, since it is ultra-compact and with a super wide-angle zoom effect.
Also, this Nikon wide-angle lens is equipped with a stepper motor that can focus quickly and accurately. In fact, it includes autofocus and its sound is almost imperceptible, making it suitable for use in video recordings. Likewise, it has three spherical lenses that reduce the common distortions of the scene and incorporates a stabilizer, to increase the exposure to a maximum of 3.5 levels.
If you are not sure which wide angle lens to buy, you can review the pros and cons of this model.
Pros
Accessories: It has been equipped with a case, front and back cover, for better protection and storage.
Motor: It has a motor manufactured to achieve fast and precise focuses, as well as sharp captures.
Design: Its design is ultra-compact and lightweight, available in black, which combines with various cameras.
Lenses: It has 3 spherical lenses and a focal length of 10 to 20 mm, so more creative photos are obtained.
Cons
Compatibility: It is recommended to check the compatibility of the lens, because it is not suitable for all Nikon camera models.
4. Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G Lens
A sharp focus and a portable design of only 200 grams are just some of the positive features that stand out in this wide-angle Nikon lens, which is positioned as one of the best sellers due to its reduced size of 5.3 x 7 x 7 centimeters, since it is appropriate to carry during trips.
This model corresponds to the European version of the series. Within its specifications, it has a spherical lens that provides contrast and clarity in each capture. In turn, it is equipped with a fast f1.8 aperture that, in low light conditions, can achieve sharp photographs.
It also has a 35mm focal length range, a 52mm filter, a 44-degree angle of view, and state-of-the-art technologies to boost its performance. The product is equipped with its front and rear caps, bayonet lens hood and a bag to store the device safely.
This model stands out for its quality, but to determine if it is suitable, you will have to know its pros and cons.
Pros
Design: It is light in weight and flexible in property, so you can carry it anywhere and shoot continuously.
Accessories: It is equipped with its covers, sun visor and bag, facilitating protection and adequate transfer.
Technologies: It has technologies included so that the photographs stand out in sharpness and precision.
Type: It is a fixed type lens, with manual or automatic focus, with a focal length of 35 mm, which offers good capture results.
Cons
Cameras: Model may not be compatible with all Nikon cameras.
Sony wide angle lens
5. Sony SEL1018.Ae Lens for Sony
From imposing landscapes to photographic captures inside an enclosure, this Sony wide-angle lens is one of the most representative of the brand, because it has been enabled with an image stabilizer, as well as dual focus, both automatic and manual, among others. features.
This proposal is of the zoom type, with a focal length that goes from 10 mm to 18 mm, with a maximum aperture of F4. To reduce vibrations and increase illumination in case of shooting in low light environments, this model has SteadyShot image stabilization, an optic integrated into the lens, which enhances sharpness for a better composition, even without a tripod.
In addition, it has a design with dimensions of 7 x 6.35 centimeters and a weight of 225 grams, making it portable and capable of providing outstanding and uniform photographs, with a dynamic, streamlined and fast focus.
Knowing the pros and cons of this model could be a favorable fact to make a purchase decision.
Pros
Focus: It has dual and fast focus, with a 7-blade circular aperture that favors artistic blurring.
Design: Its design is available in black, weighing only 225 grams, making it portable.
Performance: It has a low dispersion spherical lens, which reduces distortion and increases resolution.
Stabilization: It has SteadyShot stabilization with an integrated lens that provides less vibration.
Cons
Aperture: Its quality depends on the level of handling technique, so the photos may not be as good if you do not know how to configure it.
Olympus wide angle lens
6. Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 7-14mm F2.8 Pro Lens
If you are looking for an efficient and highly compatible model, then the recommendation could be this wide-angle Olympus lens, whose advanced performance serves to achieve better photographs in landscapes, nature, architecture, in low light and other conditions, because it is similar to a 35mm lens., with a focal length of 14 to 28 mm.
It has a robust construction in relation to its materials, but it is light and stable, making it a convenient tool for travel, taking advantage of the best of the camera sensors in various conditions.
Regardless of the focal length, this proposal offers a continuous light intensity of 2.8, which favors night shots, with an optimized resolution, even with an open aperture. It has a metal bayonet and processing that reduces reflections and improves images, with sharpness right down to the edges.
This model has other specifications that we have summarized in a list of pros and cons, which it would be convenient to review.
Pros
Compatibility: It is compatible with different models of Olympus and Panasonic.
Focus: It has been enabled with dual, automatic and manual focus according to the requirements.
Design: Its design is compact and relatively light, corresponding to 8 x 8 x 10.6 cm and 535 g, with a robust exterior.
Performance: It has a 5-axis image stabilization function and is suitable for night photos, with 14 individual lens elements in 11 groups that reduce chromatic aberrations and increase sharpness.
Cons
Type: It is a professional type lens, so its cost may seem high to some users.
Other products
7. Neewer HD Wide Angle Lens
If you want to buy a model that is efficient but low cost, then we could recommend this Neewer design, which stands out as being considered by many users as the best value for money wide angle lens.
It is a simple but efficient equipment, compatible with a large number of cameras and brands such as Nikon in different series. In addition, it has a compact and portable 2-in-1 design. It has a 0.43X wide angle lens, with super HD properties, which provides a maximum amount of light for photos in the day and at night, with the possibility of improving the camera zoom.
It’s also effective when shooting close-ups, capturing all the details and even textures in your composition. The manufacture of this lens is high-end, being made with a multi-layer glass that increases resolution and reduces flare, as well as distortions.
Knowing the pros and cons of this model, which stands out among the cheapest, could be of great help in making a decision.
Pros
Lens: It has a wide angle lens of 0.43 X and HD, for maximum light transmission.
Compatibility: It is optimized to be used with various Nikon series camera models.
Construction: Its construction is robust, made with high-end materials, such as HD optical glass.
Conversion: More than a lens, it is a professional macro lens, compatible with 55mm threads.
Cons
Focal Length: The focal length effect may not work as well when you want to cover a wide angle, as the image may be distorted.
8. Yongnuo YN35mm F2N f2.0 Wide Angle AF/MF
Another product that stands out for its quality and price, by providing high-resolution photographs and interesting artistic effects, is this model marketed by Yongnuo, since it is one of the cheapest and has a large and optimized aperture of f2.0, which serves to blur the background and provide greater versatility.
In addition, this wide-angle lens model has been equipped with a dual focus system, both automatic and manual, which can be selected according to the type of capture sought. It also has up to 7 blades for opening, so it is possible to shoot diffuse spheres.
Its manufacturer ensures that it is a lens capable of supporting various shooting modes, according to the needs of each moment. In relation to its construction, it is made with materials that provide resistance and durability against corrosion, with contacts made of gold-plated metal.
Reading the pros and cons of this model can help you decide whether or not it is an appropriate option for what you are looking for. Check them out below.
Pros
Effects: It offers the option of creating various image effects, through its maximum focal length of 35 mm and filter with a diameter of 58 mm.
Weight: The model is light and portable, because its weight is only 180 grams.
Shooting: Supports various shooting modes, as well as easy viewing of data and information regarding the aperture.
Specifications: Its glass lenses are multi-coated, which improves light transmission.
Cons
Manual: Although it includes instructions, they are only available in Chinese and English, which makes it difficult to understand and use.
9. Panasonic Leica DG VARIO-ELMARIT H-E08018 Objective
For those who want to buy a wide-angle lens, the Panasonic brand has presented this model that is positioned as one of the most efficient, since it has a micro four-thirds zoom, with a focal length of 8 to 18 mm and 16 to 36 mm., which is equivalent to a 35mm camera.
Its angular aperture range is F2.8 and with a telephoto lens it is F4.0. According to its manufacturer, it is suitable because it unites Leica image quality with agile scrolling. It can be used for landscapes because it portrays them clearly even at the edges and supports the addition of a 67mm filter.
It has high-end performance, which enhances its use in poor weather conditions by providing sharp, well-executed photos. As for its design, it is sophisticated, with an ultra-thin nanometric coating to reduce light spectra.
If you want to identify the positive and negative aspects of this model, we present them below.
Pros
Lenses: It has a spherical lens with ultra-low dispersion, which reduces its size and weight to have a better resolution.
Aperture: It has an angular aperture range of F2.8 and a telephoto lens of F4.0, which is a convenient level of capture.
Resistance: It is resistant to dust, extreme temperatures and splashes, thanks to its robust construction.
Focal length: Its focal length is similar to that of a real 35mm camera, so objects can be captured at a good distance.
Cons
Compatibility: Its compatibility is reduced to a specific number of cameras, so this aspect should be consulted before buying.
Shopping guide
For photographs to be more artistic and visually dynamic, it is necessary to be equipped with lenses that enhance the shots to make them majestic. If you want to buy one of these, we invite you to read the following guide to buy the best wide-angle lens on the market.
Focal length and depth
Wide-angle lenses have a whole series of specifications that serve to improve photographs, depending on the situation. These characteristics vary from one model to another, due to the aperture, the type of focus, the focal length and the depth.
A wide-angle lens has the peculiarity of showing distance in the shots. This is due to the depth of field, which reaches a higher level and allows greater accessibility to remote areas of a horizon, without having to move.
Likewise, these devices can be automatic, manual or dual focus, with focal lengths that vary and that provide greater or lesser range, as well as different viewing angles for framing. Also, they can be fixed or zoom lenses, offering similar results through a different mechanism.
Likewise, keep in mind that you can find lenses whose focal length is of the standard type, between 28 and 35 mm, other distances determine the super wide-angle type, which would be below 28 mm, while there are focal lengths that allow you to achieve the fisheye effect, having between 15 and 8 mm, whose use can favor or interfere according to the type of capture that you want to make.
Technologies and optical performance
The big camera brands not only bring these products to the market, but also develop accessories and equip them with technologies for better optical performance. So, if you want to get an estimate on how much a wide-angle lens costs, then a review of its imaging innovations will be one way of knowing its cost and the improvements it can deliver on a frame-by-frame basis.
For example, there are some models equipped with systems for image stabilization, as well as motors and axes in different steps that promote integrated optics for sharp photos and videos, with reduction of distortions and vibrations that, when combined with the sensors of the cameras, deliver exceptional performance in every shot.
Also, some proposals are equipped with aspherical lenses that reduce distortions, as well as low dispersion glass for more contrast and resolution, which translates into greater color realism.
In turn, the state-of-the-art optics offered by some manufacturers are designed to high standards, with sophistication of design, increasing clarity in every frame of the scene.
design and construction
An inexpensive wide-angle lens is not a product that is easily found on the market. This is because such accessories enhance photographs and are often equipped with state-of-the-art technologies. In addition, these devices have resistant constructions, with strong and sealed casings, which protect the internal mechanisms to prevent them from being damaged by shocks, splashes of water and impurities.
Similarly, in relation to its design, it is recommended that it be light and compact, weighing between 200 and 350 grams, because it must be remembered that this weight must be added to that of the camera. Likewise, the idea is that they be portable equipment, to be carried from one place to another and to be able to exchange them quickly and subtly, according to the requirements of the scene.
Compatibility
Those looking to establish a comparison of wide-angle lenses should include as a feature to contrast the compatibility of the model with the types of camera. It is common to think that when a manufacturer offers a lens, it will be appropriate for their respective models. However, brands design lenses that fit certain series and models.
For this reason, what is recommended when making a choice is to be cautious and check if the objective of interest is compatible with the camera model that you have, since, otherwise, it will be an unprofitable investment that will not provide higher quality. to the photographs.
Similarly, regarding compatibility, there are some manufacturers that have versatile and “universal” proposals, which may be suitable not only for their lines of cameras, but may also be suitable for series of another brand.
Frequently asked questions
Q1: How to use a wide angle lens?
Using a wide-angle lens is a simple process, but the quality of the photos will largely depend on the user’s experience and their ability to take advantage of the benefits of its features.
First of all, it is necessary to have a camera in which it can be installed, because these devices do not have autonomy, but are designed to join the sensors and innovations of the camera and thus provide different results in the image. So once you get the camera, you’ll need to remove the regular lens and add the wide angle lens.
The next thing will be to turn on the camera and make the adjustments in relation to the focus, aperture and distance (in case it is not fixed) and start taking shots to obtain photographs with an important visual load.
Q2: How to know if a lens is wide angle?
You can tell if a lens is a wide-angle by how it looks on your photos when it’s added. These lenses have peculiarities such as the depth of field, which is much greater than in other lenses, and their focal length, which is generally between 18 and 35 mm. In addition, with them you can see further, so it is not usually necessary to use zoom in the frames.
Q3: How to mount a wide angle lens?
To mount a wide angle lens on the camera, you should check the instruction manual, as the mount may vary depending on the model. However, an action common to all models will be to unlock the lens cover, place yourself in a position where the camera is protected from the wind, add the lens and adjust it by means of the corresponding mechanism, by making a small turn or applying a little pressure.. Finally, remove the lens cap and you are ready to start taking pictures.
Q4: How to clean a wide angle lens?
A wide-angle lens does not require regular deep cleaning because it can break. Also, to prevent impurities from touching the lens, UV filters can be used, so the glass will be protected. In case there is no filter, it is only necessary to pass a chamois cloth through the lens. Similarly, in specialized stores you can find special liquids, which are applied with a delicate cloth and circular movements. In addition, there are those who suggest using brushes and blowers as additional elements for cleaning.
Q5: How far away does a wide-angle lens take photos?
Depending on the effect that you want to give the photograph, with this type of lens you can make graphics from different focal lengths, which can range from 8 to 35 mm. It is necessary to remember that some telescopic models have an increase in the focal length with zoom, since they provide a wide angle of vision, with a field of 63 to 120º. However, if we talk about the distance between the person holding the camera and the object to be captured, there is no certain number, but it will probably be a few meters, depending on whether the photo is of a landscape, or a few centimeters, when the object is too close.
Q6: Which wide angle lens is better, Canon or Nikon?
Both brands are unavoidable references in the world of photography and have competed for years to position themselves as the favorite of the user community. However, it is a commercial fight that to date has not produced an absolute winner. That’s because both manufacturers promote quality through innovative devices and accessories, featuring cutting-edge technologies designed to improve photographic compositions.
Thus, it is complex to select one brand as better than another in relation to cameras and lenses, since, although Canon has models that provide greater aesthetics and dynamism, Nikon stands out for its compact designs, with fast focus motors.
Q7: How to store a wide angle lens?
These accessories, like cameras, are delicate pieces of equipment that should be treated with care and stored in an organized manner. When it comes to storage, it is best to use the covers or cases that these devices tend to include.
However, the lens must first be cleaned and the main and rear caps must be fitted to prevent impurities from reaching these areas. Then, it must be placed in the cover and, finally, in the case of the photography kit.
