Landscape Lenses

Landscape photography often requires lenses that offer wide-angle views, high image sharpness, and excellent performance across the frame. Here’s a list of some of the best mirrorless landscape lenses across different systems:

For Sony (E-mount)

  1. Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM II
    • Focal Length: 16-35mm
    • Key Features: Fast f/2.8 aperture, excellent sharpness, weather-sealed.
    • Why it’s great: This wide-angle zoom lens offers versatility and fantastic image quality, making it perfect for capturing wide landscapes, cityscapes, and seascapes. The constant f/2.8 aperture is great for low-light situations like sunrise or sunset shots.
  2. Sony FE 12-24mm f/4 G
    • Focal Length: 12-24mm
    • Key Features: Ultra-wide-angle, sharp optics, lightweight, weather-sealed.
    • Why it’s great: This ultra-wide zoom is ideal for dramatic landscapes, offering a very expansive field of view. Despite its wide-angle range, it is lightweight, and the f/4 aperture keeps it compact while delivering excellent sharpness.
  3. Sony FE 24mm f/1.4 GM
    • Focal Length: 24mm
    • Key Features: Fast f/1.4 aperture, lightweight, exceptional sharpness.
    • Why it’s great: A premium prime lens with outstanding performance for landscapes. The wide f/1.4 aperture is useful for astrophotography, especially in low-light or night sky shots.

For Canon (RF-mount)

  1. Canon RF 15-35mm f/2.8L IS USM
    • Focal Length: 15-35mm
    • Key Features: Fast f/2.8 aperture, image stabilization, weather-sealed.
    • Why it’s great: This wide-angle zoom provides exceptional sharpness and a broad focal range. The image stabilization is helpful for handheld shots in low-light conditions, and the lens performs well in both landscape and architectural photography.
  2. Canon RF 14-35mm f/4L IS USM
    • Focal Length: 14-35mm
    • Key Features: Ultra-wide zoom, image stabilization, compact size.
    • Why it’s great: A highly versatile ultra-wide zoom, the 14mm end allows for incredibly wide shots that are great for vast landscapes. The f/4 aperture helps keep the lens lightweight while still offering excellent sharpness.
  3. Canon RF 16mm f/2.8 STM
    • Focal Length: 16mm
    • Key Features: Ultra-wide prime, compact and lightweight, affordable.
    • Why it’s great: An affordable and lightweight option for landscape photographers who want an ultra-wide prime. Despite being budget-friendly, it offers solid performance and is great for those who prefer simplicity.

For Nikon (Z-mount)

  1. Nikon Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S
    • Focal Length: 14-24mm
    • Key Features: Fast f/2.8 aperture, ultra-wide zoom, weather-sealed.
    • Why it’s great: This high-end wide-angle zoom is a go-to for landscape photographers. It provides excellent sharpness, fast autofocus, and robust build quality. The wide f/2.8 aperture makes it suitable for low-light landscapes like nightscapes and astro photography.
  2. Nikon Z 20mm f/1.8 S
    • Focal Length: 20mm
    • Key Features: Fast f/1.8 aperture, excellent sharpness, lightweight, weather-sealed.
    • Why it’s great: A superb prime lens for landscape photographers looking for excellent sharpness and low-light capabilities. The 20mm focal length is perfect for wide landscapes and cityscapes, and the f/1.8 aperture is useful for astro photography.
  3. Nikon Z 24-70mm f/4 S
    • Focal Length: 24-70mm
    • Key Features: Compact design, lightweight, weather-sealed, sharp across the frame.
    • Why it’s great: While not an ultra-wide lens, this standard zoom is versatile enough for landscape photography, offering flexibility with focal lengths from 24mm to 70mm. It’s compact and lightweight, making it ideal for travel.

For Fujifilm (X-mount, APS-C)

  1. Fujifilm XF 10-24mm f/4 R OIS WR
    • Focal Length: 10-24mm (equivalent to 15-36mm on full-frame)
    • Key Features: Optical image stabilization, weather-sealed, constant f/4 aperture.
    • Why it’s great: This ultra-wide zoom lens is perfect for capturing vast landscapes. It features a weather-resistant design, making it great for outdoor adventures in various conditions. The optical image stabilization helps with handheld shooting.
  2. Fujifilm XF 16mm f/1.4 R WR
    • Focal Length: 16mm (equivalent to 24mm on full-frame)
    • Key Features: Fast f/1.4 aperture, weather-sealed, sharp.
    • Why it’s great: A fantastic wide-angle prime, perfect for landscape and astro photography. The fast aperture is excellent for low-light environments, and its weather-resistant build means it can handle harsh conditions.
  3. Fujifilm XF 16-50mm f/2.8-4.8 R LM WR
    • Focal Length: 16-50mm (equivalent to 24-75mm on full-frame)
    • Key Features: Optical image stabilization, versatile zoom range, lightweight.
    • Why it’s great: A great all-purpose zoom for travel and landscapes, with an excellent range and lightweight design. It delivers strong image quality throughout the focal range, and the built-in stabilization makes it easier to shoot in varying light conditions.

Key Features to Look for in a Landscape Lens:

  • Wide-Angle Focal Length: Landscape photography often benefits from focal lengths between 14-35mm, allowing you to capture broad scenes.
  • Sharpness: High sharpness, especially at the edges, is essential for landscapes, where detail in both the foreground and background matters.
  • Aperture: While a fast aperture (like f/2.8) is useful for low light or astro photography, a smaller aperture like f/4 is typically fine for landscapes where depth of field is more important than shallow focus.
  • Weather-Sealing: Since landscapes often involve outdoor shooting, having a weather-sealed lens can protect against dust, rain, and other environmental factors.
  • Image Stabilization: If you shoot handheld without a tripod, stabilization can help capture sharp images at slower shutter speeds.

These lenses strike the right balance of image quality, wide focal lengths, and weather durability, making them ideal for landscape photography across various mirrorless systems.