If you’ve recently acquired a DSLR or Mirrorless interchangeable-lens camera (MILC) and you’re starting to see your photography primarily as a means of creative, artistic expression rather than just a visual record of events, people, and places, you’re probably an emerging enthusiast. And since you’re well on the way to becoming a serious photographer, chances are you already know that adding new lenses to your optical arsenal is one of the best ways to enhance your photographic flexibility and expand your picture-taking opportunities.
If you’re now in the happy process of deciding which lenses will give you the maximum bang for the buck, you’ve come to the right place. The even dozen high-value, high-performance lenses we’ve detailed below have all been carefully selected to complement the standard short-zoom kit lens you’re probably shooting with now, to broaden your imaging horizons, and to help take your photography to the next level. And we’ve kept our selection to lenses in the $100-450 range to make it as easy as possible.
We hope this handy guide will inspire you to think just as creatively about choosing lenses as you already do about your photography, and to select lenses in line with your picture-taking priorities. In a sense, all lenses are a high-value proposition because they’re “keepers” that never go out of style and can give you years of picture-taking pleasure when they migrate to the your nextcamera. Perhaps “Lenses Are Forever” is an overstatement but, as real enthusiasts know, it’s pretty close to the truth.
Tamron 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 DI II VC
Adorama price: (Canon, Nikon, or Sony mount)
This compact, versatile wide—to-telephoto zoom provides a 27-300mm-quivalent range on APS-C-format cameras, along with effective apertures from f/3.5-f/40. It incorporates one hybrid aspheric and one low dispersion element to control distortion, and has built-in VC image stabilization to minimize the effects of camera shake in handheldshootding. Other features: DC Motor geared drive for fast, quiet AF suitable for video, moisture resistant construction, and a rounded 7–bladed diaphragm for smooth out-of-focus transitions and enhanced bokeh. It focuses down to 1.6 feet for a near-macro maximum reproduction ratio of 1:4.
Sigma 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM
Adorama price: (Nikon, Canon or Sigma mount)
This superb all-in-one ultra-zoom for APS-C-format cameras delivers an effective-focal-length range of 27-450mm making it suitable for virtually any subject, and it focuses down to 13.7 inches, a true macro 1:2.9X, for breathtaking close-ups. It incorporates 4 Special Low Dispersion (SLD) elements and 3 aspheric elements to achieve impressive sharpness and color fidelity, and has Super Multi-Layer Coating for crisp, flare-free imaging. Other features: Built-in Optical Stabilization (OS) to minimize the effects of camera shake, a Hyper-Sonic Motor (HSM) for swift, precise, quiet AF, a Thermally Stable Composite (TSC) barrel to maintain high performance at all temperatures, and a brass lens mount, ensuring precision and durability.
Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.4D AF
Adorama price:
This classic high-speed normal prime lens for full-frame FX-format Nikons is also useable on APS-C DX-format Nikons as a high speed 75mm-equivalent moderate telephoto, albeit in manual focus mode only. Its outstanding imaging performance makes is ideal for applications ranging from low-light street or indoor shooting to portraiture, where its wide aperture enables a range of pictorial effects using shallow depth-of-field. A circular 7-bladed diaphragm enhances its beautiful bokeh, and it focuses down to 18 inches for compelling close-ups. Other features: Manual aperture selection, multi-layer coating to reduce flare, distortion-free, high-resolution imaging and brilliant color correction.
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM
Adorama price:
Canon’s classic compact high-speed normal prime lens is a great affordable choice for general shooting and low-light workwith full-frame Canon DSLRs, and also works seamlessly on APS-C-format Canons as a fast 80mm-equivalent portrait telephoto yielding pleasing pictorial effects with shallow depth of field at its widest apertures. If focuses down to 14 inches for compelling close-ups, has a rounded 7-blade diaphragm for smooth transitions and beautiful bokeh, has coatings optimized for low flare and maximum light transmission, and employs a stepping (STM) AF Motor that provides precise, virtually silent AF, and supports Movie Servo AFmode with select Canon models.
Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM
Adorama price: (Canon, Nikon, Sony, Pentax, or Sigma mount (Kit))
This compact high-performance ultra-wide-to-wide-angle zoom for APS-C-format cameras has been specifically optimized for digital sensors and provides a very versatile 16-32mm-equivlent range suitable for capturing expansive vistas, street scenes, and environmental portraits. It incorporates three Special Low Dispersion (SLD) elements and 2 aspheric elements to achieve outstanding optical correction and superb imaging performance over its entire range. It’s equipped with a fast, responsive, silent Hyper Sonic AF Motor (HSM), provides anytime manual focus override, and focuses down to 9.4 inches at all focal lengths using an advanced internal focus (IF) mechanism.
Rokinon 85mm f/1.4 AS IF UMC
Adorama price: (Fujifilm-X, Sony-E, or Micro Four Thirds mount)
This unique high-speed manual focus portrait telephoto lens for mirrorless cameras provides an effective focal length of 127.5mm when it’s used on APS-C-format cameras such as Fujifilm’s X-mount models—perfect for capturing pictorial scenes and portraits using limited depth of field. It employs an aspheric element to enhance image quality, UMC Multi-Layer Coating to minimize flare, and an internal focusing system to improve performance at close focusing distances and keep the lens as compact as possible. It features a manual aperture-control ring, and provides a minimum focusing distance of 3.3 feet, close enough for frame-filling portraits.
Note: Other models available for DSLRs at a range of prices.
Pentax SMCP-DA 55-300mm f/4-5.8 ED WR
Adorama price:
Providing an effective focal length range of 84.5-460mm with APS-C-format Pentax K-series cameras this well made, high-performance telephoto zoom is excellent for portraiture as well as sports, wildlife and travel photography. Its optical design includes 2 extra-low dispersion elements to minimize chromatic aberration and enhance sharpness, multi-layer HD coating to minimize flare and ghosting, and a special Super Protect (SP) coating on the front lens element to minimize contamination and facilitate cleaning. Other features: durable precision metallic mount, Quick-Shift focusing allows manual focus at any time, and weather resistant (WR) construction. It focuses down to 4.6 feet, 0.29X at 300mm.
Panasonic 45-200mm f/4-5.6 G Vario MEGA O.I.S.
Adorama price: $269.00
This attractive lightweight Micro Four Thirds-format lens for Panasonic Lumix G-series cameras fits other brands using this mount as well, and provides an equivalent focal length range of 90-400mm, suitable for subject ranging from intimate portraits to distant wildlife. To ensure high performance and freedom from distortion it incorporates 3 ED elements to deliver sharp images across the field even at distances down to 3.3 feet. Other features: Multi-coating to minimize flare and enhance clarity, a 7-bladed circular aperture for smooth transitions and attractive bokeh, and apertures ranging from f/4-22.
Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III
Adorama price:
This light, compact telephoto zoom for full-frame and APS-C-format Canon DSLRs combines high performance and plenty of reach-a 120mm-480mm effective focal length range with the latter—all at an affordable price. It also offers attractive out-of-focus bokeh, thanks in part to its rounded 7-bladed diaphragm. And its DC and front group extension focusing system assures swift, precise AF down to 4.9 feet at all focal lengths—a magnification of 0.25X for exciting close-ups.
Sigma 70-300mmf/4-5.6 APO DG Macro
Adorama price: (Canon EF or Sigma mount)
This versatile, high-performance telephoto-macro zoom for full-frame and APS-C-format DSLRs provides the highest level of apochromatic correction plus the ability to focus down to 1:2 (half-life-size on sensor),or 59.1 inches at all focal lengths—all at an enticing price. It incorporates 2 Special Low Dispersion glass elements and 1 Special Low Dispersion glass element in the front focusing group to minimize chromatic aberration, and an improved DG design and special coatings to enhance clarity and color fidelity. It provides impressive reach (120-480mm equivalent on APS-C-format cameras),a rounded 9-bladed diaphragm for enhanced bokeh, and switching to macro mode in the 200-300mm range lets you achieve magnifications in the 1:2.9 to 1:2 range for compellingclose-ups.
Nikon AF Zoom-Nikkor 70-300mm f/4-5.6G
Adorama price:
This fine performing high-value telephoto zoom for FX-format (full-frame) and DX-format (APS-C) Nikons provides an effective focal-length range of 105-450mm on the DX-format cameras, apertures from f/4-f/32 for maximum depth-of-field control, auto and manual focus options, a rounded 9-bladed diaphragm for enhanced bokeh, and Super Integrated Lens Coating to minimize flare and ghosting. It’s a great all-rounder for everything from portraits to scenic and travel photos, and it focuses down to 4.9 feet (0.26X) for compelling close-ups.
Sony 55-200mm f/4-5.6 DT Alpha A-Mount
Adorama price:
A high quality compact telephoto zoom for APS-C-format Sony cameras, it provides a versatile equivalent focal-length range of 82.5-300mm suitable for everything from portraiture to sports, and has an impressive f/4-f/45 aperture range for extended depth of field control. It includes Extra Low Dispersion (ED) class for sharper images with enhanced color fidelity, an electronically controlled Smooth Autofocus Motor (SAM) for more precise AF,and a circular 7-bladed diaphragm for smooth transitions and capturing pleasing effects in the out-of-focus areas of the image. It focuses down to 3.12 feet (0.29X) for impressive close-ups.
