Astrophotography is accessible to most people with a camera and a kit lens. After getting started, mostastrophotographers want to upgrade to a better lens. To get decent results, you need a fast, bright lens.
If you want to let as much light reach your camera's sensor as possible, you'll want to use a lens with a f2.8 or larger. If you're serious about the hobby, you should invest in one of the best cameras for Astrophotography, because you'll see some serious improvements in your images.
There are a lot of other Astro accessories in your kit bag, from small things like intervalometers to larger items like star trackers. Once you upgrade to high-quality glass, this is the best place to begin.
Not only are third-party lens manufacturers often cheaper than the camera manufacturers, but they also fill niches that the camera manufacturers don't. Every type of budget can be accommodated with an Astro lens. Some of the cheaper manual-focus lens can outclass their more sophisticated competitors, as you don't necessarily need an af when focused on the stars.
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The first thing we noticed was the heavy weight. It's on the heavier side at 2.58 lbs but it's also on the heavier side with its heft in the hand. The build quality is exceptional and the lens is weather-sealed, but this isn't a problem for an astronomer because bad weather means bad night sky images. The extra-wide field of view and fixed focal length are ideal for taking pictures of the landscape and night sky.
The performance in the field is simply amazing. The coma that appears towards the corners of the image frame at its widest opening is a result of the stars being pin-sharp even when the aperture is open. When shooting at wide areas and handling image distortion equally, it's a good idea to use an ultra- wide lens.
The front element of the lens is so large that it doesn't have a thread for filters. It is a consideration to keep in mind if you plan to use this lens for daytime shoots. The performance of the sigma 14mm f/1.8 dhg art is top class.
The optical quality and high-class engineering of the sigma 14-24mm f/2.8dg hsm is well known. We couldn't help but notice how similar the fixed 14mm focal length of the sigma is to the fixed 14mm focal length of the sigma art. The f/2.8 has a zoom range from 14 to 24mm. The trade-off when using a zoom lens is that it comes in the shape of a reduced maximum magnification.
The benefit of shooting with a zoom lens is that it reduces the need to move the camera as much.
The lens is built to work with full-frame cameras. If you want to use the lens for daytime use, the zoom and focus rings are easy to use. Stars appear sharp throughout most of the image frame, even at the widest settings. The Canon version can be used on the Sony E-Mount system if you use the MC-11 mount conversion.
One of the best telescopes on the market today is this lens.
Astrophotography requires the use of expensivelenses that have wide maximums, which can be costly for a hobby. The Rokinon/Samyang 14mm f/2.8 is an excellent budget friendly option. Although this South Korean-made lens is one of the cheapest models in this round-up, we think it deserves to be listed as one of the best lens for photography.
The reason why this lens is cheaper than other ultra-wide ones is due to the fact that it is fully manual. This isn't a problem as the focus is usually set manually in Astrophotography. The manual adjustment ring near the base of the lens isn't a big deal. No image data will be transmitted with your images because there is no electronic connection between the lens and the camera. The lens body is light and solid.
There is a lack of sharpness towards the corners at f/2.8 on the Rokinon and Samyang. Post-processing can correct the distortion and vignetting that are heavy with this lens.
This is a very capable and affordable ultra-wide lens that is perfect for beginners and those with a small budget.
The Tokina atx-i 11-20mm f/2.8 is the successor to the Tokina AT-X 11-20mm f/2.8, but it's still a good camera.
Despite its retro aesthetic, Tokina has built a tough, sharp lens which is constant throughout the zoom range. The Tokina is specifically designed for crop sensor cameras that have anAPS-C sensor and offers mount options for both Canon andNikon.
The Tokina is the only ultra-wide-angle zoom lens that has a constant f/2.8. During humid nights under the stars, the hood on the lens helps to keep the condensation from forming on the glass elements. The 82mm thread can be used to attach filters to enhance your images when the hood is removed. Manual focusing is the order of the day and auto-focus is slow and noisy on the Tokina.
The Tokina produces sharp images even when shot wide open. Coma is in good hands. The best ultra-wide-angle zoom lens for photographers using a crop sensor, a Canon or aNikon camera is this one.
The most expensive lens on the list is the Sony FE 12-24mm f/2 GM. This lens has a solid build, is relatively light at just 1.87 lbs, and it has a wide viewing angle. The front glass element is large and bulbous because of the large opening and extra wide viewing angle. There is no option to use an adapted filter system without an integrated hood. There is a slot in the back of the lens for gels.
The image quality is amazing. The stars are very sharp in the center of the image and still very sharp in the corners throughout the full focal length range. The viewing angle of 122 degrees is perfect for capturing huge portions of the Milky Way and landscape, which can only be achieved by taking panoramas with many other lens.
If you're a Sony shooter, you should use this lens because it's ideal for Astrophotography. This lens is of the highest caliber and it may be the only wide-field Astro lens you ever need.
This bright, ultra-wide 14mm prime lens is Sony's answer to the sigma's 14mm f/1.8hg art lens. There is a marked difference between the two. The Sony FE 14mm F1.8 GM is a smaller and lighter lens that has been designed for the company's mirrorless system. The Sony weighs in at 1.02 lbs and the Sigma is at 2.6 lbs. When the native Sony lens is fitted to a Sony camera, it will translate into a better balance.
The widest Sony prime lens is the Sony FE 14mm f/1.8 GM and it has the usual high-resolution, weather seals and smooth focusing. A dedicated ring for manual control is a handy feature of the lens. An integrated lens hood protects the front element from the elements. The sharpness of the stars is maintained with minimal distortion and vignetting.
It's hard to see why a Sony user would choose a different lens than the one they use.
The world's shortest full-frame f/2.8 ultra-wide-angle zoom is available with a sealed lens. The Nikkor Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S has a compact and lightweight construction, despite its wide and ultra wide viewing angles. The quality of the build is excellent and the front element is not as sallow as other brands. The supplied lens hood can be used to attach 112mm filters to the front of the lens. 112mm threaded filters are expensive and limited appeal for Astrophotography. The L-fn button gives the user the ability to further modify settings without having to scroll through the menu.
The Nikkor has a good image quality. coma and other anomalies are not found in the far corners of the image frame. The lens has a ring that may be helpful for daytime photography. Astrophotographers will most likely be interested in the handy display on the lens which allows them to see and make changes in the dark without having to switch on a lamp.
Even if it's a little expensive, this is an ideal lens for a DSLR.
The 14-24mm f/2.8 ED is a part of the "holy trinity" of Nikkor's cameras, along with the 24-70mm f/2.8 and 70-200mm f/2.8. We gave it a hair's breadth off full marks on our review.
The construction of this lens means it is built to last and deal with whatever conditions are thrown at it. The design of the lens makes it easy to handle on cold nights. If you plan to use the lens during the day, you'll need to pay a third party to attach the filters, but this is only likely to be an issue if you use the lens during the night. The focus ring is easy to hold.
A characteristic of this type of lens is it's ability to deliver crisp, clear images with small stars. There is a slight amount of barrel distortion, but it is easy to correct with a click in the lens profile section.
There are newer alternatives on the market, such as the sigma 14-24mm f/2.8 DG HSM Art, which offer full weather seal and fluorine-coated optics, which are better alternatives to the full frame Nikon lens. If you're willing to carry around the extra weight, the Nikorr is a superb ultra-wide zoom.
The Canon RF 15-35mm f/2.8L IS USM is beautifully crafted and has a clean uncluttered design. The RF camera body can be used to assign the exposure controls to the ring. When shooting handheld in other low light situations, the 5 stops of optical stabilization is a huge bonus. We connected the Canon RF 15-35mm f/2.8L IS USM to a compatible RF body to increase IS to 8 stops.
The design of the front lens element makes it possible for filters to be attached when the hood is removed. When shooting wide open, the sharpness of the images drops off. The Canon isn't cheap but it's not a deal-breaker because of the decrease in edge sharpness.
Compared to other ultra-wide zooms, the 15-35mm covers a broader and more useful focal range, which allows you to crop images more tightly, which is not possible with other zooms. The core of the universe can be viewed at 35mm.
The lens is a great tool for photographing animals. The lens is perfect for landscape and architecture photography, because it is versatile. It's an expensive lens, but the Canon RF 15-35mm f/2.8L IS USM is one of the best Canon has ever made.
Canon 16-35mm L lens have a reputation for quality so it is unsurprising that they are used by a lot of people. The Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L III USM is a very popular lens that addresses the flaws of its predecessors.
Even though image stabilization was dropped from this latest version, it would still need to be switched off at night.
The focal range allows the user to play in the field with 20mm of flexibility, making it an ideal choice for Astrophotography. The high-speed USM system is fast and accurate and the lens handles nicely. The use of a versatile lens that can be used for more applications than just nightscapes is something that can be useful. The lens is compatible with filters.
There is some distortion at the corners of the lens, but it has been designed to correct it. When looking at the entire image at very high magnification, this distortion becomes obvious.
This lens is great for shooting wide-field images of the night sky.
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Every lens is tested by either our expert staff or knowledgeable contributors who know their subject areas in depth. Fair reviewing is backed by personal, hands-on experience with each lens and is judged on its price point, class and destined use. It wouldn't be appropriate to compare a 150-600mm super zoom lens for a full-frame camera to a sleek little wide-angle prime for a crop sensor.
Whether the lens has the latest up-to-date technology or not, we look at how easy it is to operate. Suggestions will be made if a particular lens would benefit from an additional kit.
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Some photographers prefer using a fixed focal length lens while others prefer a zoom lens. The camera system you use will affect the balance.
Prime lens perform better in low light. zoom lens are more versatile and offer a larger range of focal lengths but at the expense of a slightly smaller maximum aperture and reduced light-gathering ability
A wide-angle zoom option is a good choice if you want to work across a range of focal lengths in one convenient package. If you don't mind a fixed focal length, go with one of the bright and fast f/1.8 options we've listed here. These are great for photographers who don't have star trackers. The Rokinon 14mm f/2.8 is an excellent value for money if you are just starting out and don't want to spend a lot of money.
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