Go-To Lenses under $1,500 – Zooms

Created for full-frame E-mount and L-Mount mirrorless cameras, the Sigma 14-24mm f/2.8 DG DN Art Lens provides a versatile range of wide-angle focal lengths with excellent image quality while optimizing size and weight.

An Art-series zoom, this lens is also distinguished by its fast f/2.8 constant maximum aperture to suit working in available lighting conditions. Featuring a sophisticated optical design, a series of low dispersion and aspherical elements is used to minimize both chromatic and spherical aberrations throughout the zoom range in order to achieve high sharpness, clarity, and color accuracy.

A Super Multi-Layer Coating combined with a Nano Porous Coating also helps to suppress lens flare and ghosting to a greater degree than conventional anti-reflective coatings. This helps to more effectively produce color-accuracy and contrast-rich imagery in a variety of lighting conditions.

• covers full-frame sensors
• available Mounts: Sony E / Leica L

The Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM is an Art-series zoom, covering wide-angle to normal focal lengths.

Separating itself from the pack, this zoom features an exceedingly bright f/1.8 constant maximum aperture, which suits its use in difficult lighting conditions and offers impressive depth of field control throughout the zoom range.

The optical design incorporates a series of SLD and aspherical elements, which help to achieve high clarity and sharpness by suppressing various aberrations, color fringing, and distortion. A Super Multi-Layer Coating has also been applied, too, which controls lens flare and ghosting for improved contrast and color accuracy.

Balancing the optical merits, this 18-35mm also sports an advanced Hyper Sonic Motor, along with an internal focusing design, to promote fast, quiet, and precise autofocus performance.

• Covers full-frame sensors
• Available Mounts: Canon EF / Nikon F / Pentax K / Sigma SA

Pairing a useful range of telephoto focal lengths with an especially fast design, this Sigma 50-100mm f/1.8 DC HSM is an Art-series zoom mixing impressive versatility with advanced optics.

The bright f/1.8 constant maximum aperture offers consistent low-light performance throughout the zoom range and also affords greater control over focus placement for shallow depth of field and selective focus applications. The optical design incorporates a series of low dispersion and high-refractive index elements, which help to achieve high clarity and sharpness by suppressing various aberrations, color fringing, and distortion.

A Super Multi-Layer Coating has been applied, too, which controls lens flare and ghosting for improved contrast and color accuracy. Balancing the optical merits, this 50-100mm also sports an advanced Hyper Sonic Motor, along with an internal focusing and zoom design, to promote fast, quiet, and precise autofocus performance. Additionally, a tripod collar is integrated into the lens's design for greater stability when working atop a tripod or monopod.

• Covers full-frame sensors
• Available Mounts: Canon EF / Nikon F / Pentax K / Sigma SA

A versatile zoom for everyday shooting, the Canon EF-mount 24-70mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM Lens from Sigma covers a useful wide-angle to portrait-length range of focal lengths to suit shooting in a variety of environments.

As part of the esteemed Art series of lenses, a sophisticated optical design is used that incorporates three SLD elements and four aspherical elements to reduce chromatic and spherical aberrations, as well as color fringing, distortions, and other anomalies for greater clarity and sharpness.

A Super Multi-Layer Coating has also been applied to suppress lens flare and ghosting for accurate color fidelity and high contrast, and a protective coating has been applied to the front element, too, to benefit working in harsh climates.

Additionally, extending its versatility, a constant f/2.8 maximum aperture affords consistent performance throughout the zoom range as well as greater control over depth of field.

• Covers full-frame sensors
• Available Mounts: Canon EF / Nikon F / Sigma SA

Covering a useful wide-angle focal length range, the EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM is a Canon L-series lens distinguished by its constant f/4 maximum aperture, sophisticated optical design, and use of image stabilization to realize sharp imagery.

Two ultra-low dispersion elements are used to greatly reduce color fringing and chromatic aberrations throughout the zoom range for high clarity and color accuracy, and a Super Spectra coating has also been applied to suppress flare and ghosting for improved contrast.

Three aspherical elements are also featured and help to control distortion and minimize spherical aberrations for improved sharpness.

• Covers full-frame sensors
• Available Mounts: Canon EF

An advanced one-lens solution, the EF 24-105mm f/4L IS II USM is a Canon L-series zoom covering wide-angle to short-telephoto focal lengths and featuring a constant f/4 maximum aperture.

The version II of this popular lens sports a redeveloped optical design, which includes four aspherical elements to significantly reduce distortion and spherical aberrations throughout the zoom range for great sharpness and accurate subject rendering.

Individual elements feature an Air Sphere Coating, too, to suppress flare and ghosting for greater contrast and color accuracy in harsh lighting conditions.

• Covers full-frame sensors
• Available Mounts: Canon EF

Mixing a relatively compact, lightweight form factor with updated stabilization and performance, the EF 70-200mm f/4L IS II USM from Canon is an impressively versatile telephoto zoom.

Well-suited for a range of subjects, from events to portraiture to sports, this zoom is characterized by its constant f/4 maximum aperture to strike a balance between consistent performance and portability. Its optical design includes a pair of UD elements and one fluorite element to greatly reduce chromatic aberrations and color fringing.

This optimized design, along with a Super Spectra coating, also helps to control flare and ghosting for greater contrast and color accuracy when working in harsh lighting and backlit conditions.

• Covers full-frame sensors
• Available Mounts: Canon EF

Designed for versatility, the FE 24-105mm f/4 G OSS Lens from Sony is a wide-angle to short-telephoto zoom designed for E-mount mirrorless cameras.

Complementing the useful range of focal lengths is a constant f/4 maximum aperture, which maintains consistent performance throughout the zoom range and also affords increased control over depth of field. Benefitting the reach is an advanced optical design, which employs aspherical and extra-low dispersion glass elements to control color fringing, distortion, and a variety of aberrations for greater sharpness and clarity.

A Nano AR Coating has also been applied to suppress lens flare and ghosting for high contrast and color accuracy when working in harsh light.

• Covers full-frame sensors
• Available Mounts: Sony E