Best Landscape Lenses of 2022

Traditionally, the best lenses for landscape photography are wide-angle lenses that allow for capturing ample scenes in a single frame. However, not all wide-angle lenses are equal and deciding what best suits your style can be tricky. While shooting landscapes is often a matter of timing and patience, switching your standard kit lens with a piece of gear specifically designed for this activity will definitely improve your photography.

In this article, we have collected the best ten lenses for landscape photography, compatible with all the major camera brands. Whether you are out on a hike capturing the view from a peak, or out at sea framing a vast expanse of water, we have something for you. Keep reading to find out about the best lenses for landscape photography for Nikon, Canon, Fujifilm, and Sony.

For more of our top landscape photography lens recommendations, check out these popular articles:

Canon Lenses for Landscape Photography | Nikon Lenses for Landscape Photography 

Fuji Lenses for Landscape Photography 

Reviews - The Best Lenses for Landscape Photography

Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM Art

Specs

• Aperture: f/1.8
• Focal Length: 18-35mm
• Length: 4.8 inches
• Weight: 1.79 lbs
• Mount: Nikon / Canon / Pentax / Sony

Features

• Smooth and Accurate Zoom
• Fast Aperture For Excellent Low Light Performance
• Great For Video Makers As Well As Photographers

BEST FOR: NIGHT TIME ADVENTURES 

The Sigma 18-35mm F/1.8 DC HSM Art lens is revolutionary for a wide-angle zoom lens, equipped with a large 1.8 aperture that allows you to work in pretty much any lighting conditions. Perfect for those late night adventures, whether you’re spending time in the city capturing the neon lights, or sitting out under the stars — this lens will give you what you’re looking for. The zoom and focus mechanisms are extremely smooth, and you will find little to no distortion, which can be common in zoom lenses. The Lens uses Special Low Dispersion glass to ensure that there are no aberrations, even when the lens is at its widest. Regardless of how low the lighting conditions are, this Sigma lens provides professional sharpness and quality.

View at Amazon

Nikon 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G ED

Specs

• Aperture: f/3.5-4.5G
• Focal Length: 10-24mm
• Length: 3.43 inches
• Weight: 1.01 lbs
• Mount: Nikon

Features

• Silent Wave Motor For Quiet Shooting
• Fast And Reliable Autofocus
• More Affordable Than Similar Lenses

BEST FOR: THE WIDEST OF THE WIDE 

Are you looking for a lens that will allow you to capture a whole mountain in a single frame? Well, look no further than the Nikon 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G ED lens. This lens is extremely well built, providing professional quality, contrast and color in almost any environment. Considering how wide this lens is capable of opening, you will find  a very small amount of distortion (easily fixed with a couple of clicks in Lightroom or Photoshop). With a low weight and compact design, the Nikon 10-24mm is a great lens to travel with, so you won’t have to stress about carrying too much gear with you on the trail.

View at Amazon

Tamron 15-30mm f/2.8 DI VC USD

Specs

• Aperture: f2.8
• Focal Length: 15-30mm
• Length: 5.61 inches
• Weight: 2.42 lbs
• Mount: Canon / Nikon

Features

• Moisture-resistant Construction
• Optimal Low Light Performance
• Image Stabilization System To Reduce Blur

BEST FOR: EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR PHOTOGRAPHY

If you’re looking for a lens that will allow you to take great urban landscape photos, capturing every detail in superb quality, the Tamron 15-30mm F/2.8 DI VC USD lens is for you. The 15-30mm range provides versatility that can prevent you from needing to carry around multiple lenses just to complete one specific task. The color quality and sharpness of the images produced with this lens are so vibrant, you will be blown away by the realistic feel of the images. This lens even provides excellent quality in low light conditions, allowing you to take photos without a tripod both outside and inside. Additionally, you will not have to worry about any shakiness appearing in your images thanks to the integrated stabilization system.

View at Amazon

View at Amazon

Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L III USM

Specs

• Aperture: f/2.8
• Focal Length: 16-35mm
• Length: 5 inches
• Weight: 1.74 lbs
• Mount: Canon

Features

• Fast, Constant Aperture For Optimal Low Light Performance
• Brilliant Design
• Dust- & Water-resistant

BEST FOR: EVERYTHING IN ONE SHOT 

The Canon EF 16-35mm III USM is an incredible ultra wide angle zoom lens with a constant maximum aperture of f/2.8, providing incredible landscape shots regardless of what the weather is like outside. The sub-wavelength coating and air sphere coating on the lens work to reduce any flare or ghosting that may appear when using other similar lenses, meaning that you can shoot in bright light without the risk of spots appearing in your images. The fast aperture provides a soft background in your images, regardless of how close you are zoomed in to a subject. The color saturation and contrast are of professional quality, allowing you to capture all the bright colors of nature that may normally come out dull in photos when the light is not perfect.

View at Amazon

Canon EF 11-24mm f/4L USM

Specs

• Aperture: f/4
• Focal Length: 11-24mm
• Length: 5.2 inches
• Weight: 2.6 lbs
• Mount: Canon

Features

• Highly Dust And Water Resistant
• Expansive Wide-angle Focal Range
• Compact Design

BEST FOR: BEAUTIFUL ARCHITECTURE 

If you’re looking for a professional quality lens that helps to preserve the natural colors of a stunning landscape, look no further than the Canon EF 11-24MM F/4L USM lens. The high speed autofocus algorithms ensure a smooth and fast capturing of the photos. This lens allows you to fully take advantage of the environment and architecture around you, offering ultimate sharpness for detail-rich images. The ultra wide angle aspect of this lens gives you the ability to capture the whole scene in one image, without distortion or vignetting.

View at Amazon

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM

Specs

• Aperture: f/2.8L
• Focal Length: 24-70mm
• Length: 4.45 inches
• Weight: 1.77 lbs
• Mount: Canon

Features

• Large Aperture
• Fast Autofocus
• Good Color Balance

BEST FOR: YOUR INNER PROFESSIONAL

Standard lenses no longer cutting it for you? The Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM provides superb optics and high end and durable construction, all packaged into a professional performing zoom lens. With a quiet but fast autofocus system, you can capture images in quick succession without missing a beat. The dust sealing and water resistant fluorine coatings enable you to take this lens with you to any environment without worrying about the damage that the elements may cause. This lens is an investment for those willing to take their landscape photography to the next level. Despite being a pro-grade piece of gear, it is still straightforward to use, which makes it ideal for those wanting to up their game.

View at Amazon

Fujifilm XF 10-24mm f/4 R OIS

Specs

• Aperture: f4
• Focal Length: 10-24mm
• Length: 3.43 inches
• Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Mount: Fujifilm

Features

• Low Distortion
• High Color Accuracy
• Excellent Image Stabilization System

BEST FOR: THE ALL ROUNDER

If you’re looking for a lens that you can take with you to any kind of shoot, that is sturdy enough to handle any task you throw at it, the Fujifilm XF 10-24mm F/4 R OIS definitely takes the cake. This wide angle lens provides minimal distortion, even when you’re using it at its widest. The maximum f/4.0 aperture can be used continuously throughout its 2.4x zoom range, and when paired with very powerful optical image stabilization, this lens is able to perform extremely well in low light conditions. The sharpness across frames stays consistent, with little to no visible degrading in the corners or sides of the frame.

View at Amazon

Fujifilm XF 16-55mm f/2.8 R LM WR

Specs

• Aperture: f2.8
• Focal Length: 16-55mm
• Length: 5.10 inches
• Weight: 23.1 ounces
• Mount: Fujifilm

Features

• Works At Temperatures As Low As 14º F
• Great For Both Landscapes And Portraits
• Creates Beautifully Blurred Backgrounds

BEST FOR: THE ADVENTURER

The Fujifilm XF 16-55mm f/2.8 R LM WR lens will be your best friend when it comes to going on rough and exciting adventures to get the perfect shot. Packaging high speeds and extreme image quality into a small, weather and dust resistant lens, this camera can even handle 14 degree F weather. The sharpness and color quality you will receive when using this lens is hard to beat, even when it is zoomed all the way in for a macro shot of some flowers on the side of a snowy mountain. Although a bit on the heavier side, this lens is extremely easy to travel with, and you should be able to get any shot you need without having to switch out for another lens, as it is extremely versatile.

View at Amazon

Sigma 24-35mm f/2 DG HSM Art

Specs

• Aperture: f2
• Focal Length: 24-35mm
• Length: 4.8 inches
• Weight: 33.2 ounces
• Mount: Nikon / Canon

Features

• Superb Low Light Performance
• Super Sharp With No Distortion Even At The Widest Aperture
• Sturdy Build

BEST FOR: THE WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER

The Sigma 24-35mm F/2 DG HSM ART lens combines the excellent performance of a typical prime lens and the versatility that comes with using a zoom lens. Are you looking to capture the sweet expression on your pet’s face when you dangle a treat above its head? This Sigma lens produces beautifully sharp, gorgeously colored images, thanks to the premium FLD and SLD glass elements. This lens performs extremely well in all lighting conditions, but it shines the most in the midday sun, allowing you to capture stunning portraits with the sun shining in the background. If you’re looking for a lens you’ll never want to take off your camera because it can do it all, you don’t have to look any further.

View at Amazon

Sony FE 12-24mm f/4 G

Specs

• Aperture: f4
• Focal Length: 12-24mm
• Length: 4.6 inches
• Weight: 19.8 ounces
• Mount: Sony

Features

• Lightweight
• Versatile Focal Length For Shooting Wide Open Scenes and Interiors
• Super ED Glass For Better Contrasts And More Realistic Colors

BEST FOR: UNLEASHING YOUR INNER ARTIST 

When you’re out taking photos, do you ever stumble across a piece of scenery that immediately takes your breath away, but you never can seem to get it to translate just right into a photograph? The Sony FE 12-24mm f/4 G lens will make sure that it never happens again. This wide angle zoom lens has the ability to capture it all in one image, producing vibrancy and sharpness like no other. Whether you’re capturing an amazing architectural feat or the sunset at your local beach, the image quality this Sony lens provides is otherworldly. The 7 blade circular aperture creates beautiful bokeh effects in the background of your images. This design keeps the aperture open, allowing for a smooth blur to be captured.

View at Amazon

THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN BUYING LENSES FOR LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY

SIZE AND WEIGHT

Sometimes it can take quite a bit of time and moving locations to ensure that you are able to get the perfect shot, which means you should think about the size of the camera lens before you decide to purchase it. If you’re considering a professional landscape lens, these can, at times, weigh in at more than the camera body itself — which more often than not means they have been built to a high standard and quality. If you’re just entering into the photography field, you may prefer to use something more lightweight and portable. If night time shoots or astrophotography are your sort of thing, you may need to consider adding a tripod to your kit.

LOW LIGHT PERFORMANCE (APERTURE)

The lens’ aperture, measured in f-stops, is what contributes to how much light will get through and reach the camera’s sensor. Having a large aperture, such as f/2.8, is ideal, as your camera will be able to perform in all light conditions, even low light. Having a large aperture, however, can cause for the lens to rise significantly in price in comparison to a lens that doesn’t have as large of an aperture.

If your photographical focus is going to be one that would need a sizable aperture (e.g cityscapes, sunsets, etc), it will be worth the investment. However, if you’re more focused on scenery that can be captured in well lit conditions, having a smaller aperture shouldn’t affect your photos, and will spare you a bit of money in the process.

FOCAL RANGE

When shooting a large area or landscape, you would generally be using a wide angle lens so that you can capture the whole setting in one image, rather than having to take a few and piece them together, or use the panorama setting on your camera. Some wide angle lenses don’t have much of a zoom range, while others can accommodate from 10mm up to 35mm. If the focal length is smaller, your frame will be larger.

If you’re looking to photograph some wide open spaces, such as large stretches of rainforest, mountain areas, or horizons, an ultra wide angle lens may be right up your alley. Traditional wide angle lenses that can reach 24mm accommodate the image into a smaller frame. Having a wide angle lens that also has zoom functions means that you’re able to adjust the length with just the twist of a ring. It can be extremely useful to pick a lens that has a large focal range, as you can pick and choose and adapt to the scenes around you.

BRANDED OR THIRD-PARTY LENSES

You can choose to stick to lenses that are produced by the same company as your camera (Nikon, Canon etc.), but these specific branded lenses can be quite expensive, and may perform just as well as a third-party lens that has a lesser price point due to its lack of branding. If you do choose to purchase a third party lens, it is best to do your research, read some reviews and decide which companies would be the most dependable. Companies such as Sigma and Samyang that have been around for a number of years are some that can be considered comparable in quality to those that are branded.

COST

Most branded wide angle lenses can be quite costly, which can make it hard for a beginner photographer to find a decent quality lens without it costing an arm and a leg. If you look around on the internet and read some photography guides, it can be easy to find lenses that can fit into any budget. There is a reason that some lenses are more expensive than others, and this can come down to how well they’re constructed and if they have built-in features like weather resistant coatings, anti-ghosting coating, and automatic image stabilization. And while these features can impact the image quality, they are not always necessary for beginners.

FEATURES EXPLAINED

WIDE-ANGLE

A lens typically used for landscape photography, equipped with a shorter focal length but still maintaining the capability to capture a whole setting in one image.

APERTURE

The opening inside the lens that allows light into the camera, hitting the sensor.

FOCAL LENGTH

The radius between the sensor and the lens, usually presented in millimeters, which has a significant effect on how a scene is framed.

DISTORTION

When shooting with an ultra wide angle lens, the edges of an image may have a slight bend or contour due to how wide the lens is – this is what we call image “distortion.”

ZOOM

The length to which you are able to move the lens forward towards a subject, allowing you to capture it in close detail, which is normally done by twisting a ring on the lens.

AUTOFOCUS

The ability of a lens to find a depicted object (e.g. a person) within a scene and automatically focus in on it.