35mm primes are so incredibly versatile, you simply cannot afford to not own one.
Ask around your photography communities about prime lenses, and we’re sure that conversations about 35mm primes will pop up a lot. There’s aren’t many lenses available as versatile as 35mm primes. They may not be masters of any one genre, but my goodness, they’re incredibly good at many. If you only have space for one prime lens in your camera bag, grab a 35mm. After the break, we’ll explain why 35mm prime lenses are so good, and we’ll share five, incredibly affordable 35mm primes for Mirrorless cameras.
We absolutely love 35mm primes at The Phoblographer. This focal length is possibly the most versatile you can get your hands on. So, why should you consider owning one? Well, 35mm primes are great for so many genres. Shoot street? 35mm primes will have your back. Shoot portraits, landscapes, events, weddings, documentary, astrophotography, or food photography? You guessed it, 35mm primes are fantastic for all of those genres too.
As you can see, 35mm primes are great for so many reasons. Not only can the 35mm prime lenses listed below be used easily in multiple genres, but they also offer incredible sharpness. They all render colors beautifully, and their fast apertures make them great for low light shooting. You’ll be able to create gorgeous bokeh with them too. Throw in great autofocus performance and solid builds, and you have 35mm primes that find themselves in the Goldilocks Zone. Check out some of our favorites below.
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Canon RF 35mm f1.8 USM IS
In our review, we said:
“If these images aren’t sharp, then I’m not sure what are. This lens is less than $500 on the market and, with a flash, can deliver sharp enough photos that are more than usable for any professional project.“
Chris Gampat – Editor In Chief
Buy now: $499
Sony 35mm f1.8 FE
In our review, we said:
“This lens is small, lightweight, weather-sealed, fast to focus, and can deliver excellent image quality. For the photographers who need speed like street photographers, event photographers, and documentary shooters–it’s there. For those who want details and beautiful bokeh like portrait shooters, it’s also there. Combine this with the reliability put into the lens with weather sealing, and you’re getting a winning combination.”
Chris Gampat – Editor In Chief
Buy now: $698
Olympus 17mm f1.8 M.ZUIKO (34mm Equivalent)
In our review, we said:
“The autofocus speed is incredible, and the overall image quality is very good. It is a bit on the pricey side compared to the Olympus 17mm f2.8 and the Panasonic 20mm f1.7, but its construction and autofocus speed may be worth the premium for some. This lens will be very appealing to many Micro Four Thirds users as it, along with its slower/cheaper 17mm sibling, is your only option for a 35mm equivalent prime in this format. It was great out on the street, and it is a very useful focal length when going out with only one lens.
Buy now: $399
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Nikon NIKKOR Z 35mm f1.8 S
In our review, we said:
“35mm is a versatile focal length popular among many photographers, suitable for street, landscapes, portraits, and many other genres of photography, so it made a lot of sense for Nikon to introduce the Nikon NIKKOR Z 35mm f1.8 S as one of the first lenses for the Z Mount system. Overall, we found the image quality of the lens to be damn good. It’s sharp, has creamy bokeh, and doesn’t really give you any issue when it comes to the image quality. Couple this with the lens being very compact, and you’ve got a great product.”
Paul Ip – Former Reviews Editor
Buy now: $696.95
Fujifilm 23mm f1.4 (35mm Equivalent)
In our review, we said:
“For what it’s worth, the lens will help you to create beautiful images that you’ll be incredibly proud of. We also believe that it may become your everyday lens that you can use to document all of life’s happenings. Indeed, you can use this focal length for food, portraits, candids, etc.”
Chris Gampat – Editor In Chief
Buy now: $749