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For a while now, we’ve been rounding up the most popular lenses with our readers at the end of every month. Now, we’ll take a look at the most popular lenses for 2020. There have been plenty of new lenses across all of the major platforms this year. However, quite a few of the most popular lenses are now a good few years old. In fact, you really will be quite surprised with some of the glass on this list. If you want to take a peek at what has been selling well and what your fellow readers have been picking up to use, you’ll enjoy this roundup. The list is presented to you in order of popularity, with the best selling lens listed first. Take a look at the most popular lenses of 2020 after the break.
There has been a clear trend in regards to the most popular lenses in 2020. While we have seen quite a few expensive lenses ($1,500 and up) sell, all of the popular lenses on this list are under $1,000. Quality lenses are now more affordable than ever. The list of popular lenses includes offerings from almost every brand across every platform. Fujifilm, Tamron, and Sony have topped the list, though, with more popular lenses on the list than other manufacturers. Take a look at 2020s most popular lenses below.
Table of Contents
Tamron 20mm F2.8 Di III OSD
In our review, we said:
“This lens has great image quality with nice bokeh (when possible), very good sharpness, and beautiful colors. On top of all that, it’s lightweight and built like a tank. Best of all, the price and portability are things you’ll be very happy with.”
Chris Gampat – Editor In Chief
Buy now: $299
Sigma 16mm f1.4 DC DN Contemporary
In our review, we said:
“It’s sharp, has nice bokeh, contrast, manageable fringing, and autofocuses at a fair speed. Plus it has weather sealing. There isn’t a whole lot to hate with the Sigma 16mm f1.4 DC DN Contemporary. If you’re the type of photographer who shoots wide, does documentary-style work, and needs a reliable lens in their bag, this is one of the best options you’ve got if you’re a Sony shooter.”
Chris Gampat – Editor In Chief
Buy now Canon EF-M: $375
Buy now M4/3: $379
Buy now Sony E: $369.95
Fujifilm 10-24mm f4 R OIS
In our review, we said:
“This lens produced great images with vibrant colors and sharp lines. This the kind of lens that has myriad applications, but it works particularly well with event and street photography that can often call for wider perspectives.”
Buy now: $999
Sony 50mm F1.8
In our review, we said:
“Generally speaking in terms of nifty 50 lenses, you can’t really get much better here. Sony’s 50mm f1.8 is right up there with the Canon 50mm f1.8 in terms of image quality. It’s got great color output, is very sharp, very little chromatic aberration (and even then you’ve really got to look for it), and bokeh that isn’t bad overall.”
Chris Gampat – Editor In Chief
Buy now: $198
Canon 50mm f1.8 STM
In our review, we said:
“The Canon 50mm f1.8 STM is a lens that, like its predecessors, is still priced rather affordably and also performs very well for the price point. In every single way, this lens is a step up and improvement from the previous version and with that in mind, it will surely serve a new generation of budding photographers very well.”
Chris Gampat – Editor In Chief
Buy now: $125
Fujifilm 35mm f2 R WR
In our review, we said:
“The lens is also weather-sealed, which means that it’s really designed to do work for the photographer that demands more from their gear. Pair it with the X-T1 and you’ll not only have a fast focusing combination but one that can stand up to the rain.
Chris Gampat – Editor In Chief
Buy now: $399
Tamron 28-75mm F2.8 Di III RXD
In our review, we said:
“One of the things that make the Tamron 28-75mm f2.8 Di III RXD so appealing is just how good the image quality is. Not only is the lens capable of delivering sharp images, but the colors are very vibrant and the bokeh is smooth and beautiful.”
Chris Gampat – Editor In Chief
Buy now: $795
Sony 85mm f1.8 FE
In our review, we said:
“This is in many ways, the absolute most perfect portrait lens for most Sony camera users. If you don’t need or can afford the 85mm f1.4 G Master lens, then the Sony 85mm f1.8 FE lens is a fantastic option. It’s sharp, has less saturated colors (only the Loxia is less saturated than this), focuses pretty well with most cameras (the Batis is fastest) and it has weather resistance. But it’s also small and offered at a pretty affordable price point.”
Chris Gampat – Editor In Chief
Buy now: $548
Sony 28mm f2
In our review, we said:
“No matter what Sony camera you mount it to. With beautiful bokeh, incredible sharpness, and great colors, it’s very tough to beat.”
Chris Gampat – Editor In Chief
Buy now: $448
Fujifilm 16mm f1.4 R WR
In our review, we said:
“Though it doesn’t seem like it on the back of the camera’s LCD screen, the 16mm f1.4 is incredibly sharp and can bring out lots of details in a scene that you probably didn’t even notice in real life. Wide-open, the lens is very sharp, and it only gets better until around f5.6. But the perfect balance between sharpness and bokeh quality is at f2. You’ll probably not want to stop the lens down beyond this.”
Chris Gampat – Editor In Chief
Buy now: $999
Canon 85mm f1.8
In our review, we said:
“Over the last year, I’ve used the Canon 85mm F/1.8 for weddings, concerts, portraits, studio work, event photography, pet photography, and street photography. When I purchased the lens, I wondered if it was really a purchase that was worth making. Then I put it on my cameras and kept it on my 5D Mk II for a week and then my 7D for the week after. I didn’t look back.”
Chris Gampat – Editor In Chief
Buy now: $419
Pro Tip: These popular lenses will help you capture the world around you with ease. Still, if you’re new to photography and need guidance to get the most from your gear, have no fear. If you want to learn how to get the most out of your new gear, there are guides that will help you create gorgeous images in no time at all.
Tamron 35mm F2.8 Di III OSD
In our review, we said:
“While the Tamron’s autofocus lags behind native offerings slightly, its superb overall image quality more than makes up for it. The Tamron 35mm f2.8 Di III OSD M1:2 renders colors accurately with buttery smooth bokeh and negligible chromatic aberrations. When it comes to sharpness, the Tamron 35mm f2.8 wins against the pricier Sony 35mm f2.8 Zeiss, hands down. If the Tamron was any sharper, you’d have to handle it with gloves on.
Paul Ip – Former Reviews Editor
Buy now: $279
Fujifilm 23mm f2 R WR
In our review, we said:
“The best thing about this lens has to be the color rendition. As always, Fujifilm’s color rendition is second to none in part from the Fujifilm film profiles built into the camera. But then consider that this is a high-quality lens and you’ve got a winning combination.”
Chris Gampat – Editor In Chief
Buy now: $449
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 70-350mm F4.5-6.3 G OSS
In our review, we said:
“The Sony 70-350mm f4.5-6.3 G OSS is an excellent lens for the price. Sony owners who shoot with APS-C cameras will truly love how versatile this lens is. It is well built, produces sharp images with great colors, and focuses incredibly quickly. This lens is perfect for wildlife photographers who want extra reach, is great for photographers who want to capture sports or any action, and you can even put it to use in the landscape and portrait genres. If I shot with an a6XXX series Sony camera and needed a super-telephoto lens, this is the one I would reach for. It was reliable and hit all the notes it needed to hit.”
Brett Day – Gear Editor
Buy now: $898
Tamron 24mm F2.8 Di III OSD M1:2
In our review, we said:
“The Tamron 24mm f2.8 Di III OSD M1:2 is an affordably priced lens for Sony Full Frame Mirrorless cameras that combines outstanding image quality and robust weather sealing with a compact and lightweight form factor.”
Paul Ip – Former Reviews Editor
Buy now: $239
Fujifilm 23mm f1.4
In our review, we said:
“When you first mount the 23mm f1.4 to your camera, something really magical happens after you get the first photo that you really love. Using the lens will bring back a nostalgia that you may have had when first creating your earliest film images. All that we can really say is that it is pure magic. With that, note that the 23mm f1.4 lens has excellent sharpness (though it could be better wide open), wonderful color rendition when using one of the Neutral color profiles, exhibits a touch of micro-contrast, and has some extremely creamy bokeh.”
Chris Gampat – Editor In Chief
Buy now: $749
Tamron 70-180mm F2.8
In our review, we said:
“Overall, the image quality produced by the Tamron 70-180mm f2.8 is good. Despite being lighter weight thanks to its plastic exterior, the Tamron features excellent weather sealing. It’s obviously won’t stand up to the same level of physical abuse as the G Master. Unless you plan on juggling the Tamron or using it as a bludgeoning weapon, take the weight savings, and don’t worry too much about it.”
Paul Ip – Former Reviews Editor
Buy now: $999
Rokinon 85mm F1.4 AF FE
In our review, we said:
“I was pleasantly surprised by the sharpness that the Rokinon 85mm f1.4 AF FE offers. This will show the most advantages with the Sony a7r III of course due to the higher resolution sensor. I found it to exhibit good enough sharpness for most photographers’ needs. If you combine this with the muted colors, it can sometimes even really look like well-scanned film.”
Chris Gampat – Editor In Chief
Buy now Sony E: $549
Fujifilm 56mm f1.2
In our review, we said:
“Fujifilm’s 56mm f1.2 is the sharpest mirrorless camera lens that we’ve tested. Not only that but it exhibits beautiful bokeh, pretty good color rendition, almost no distortion, focuses quickly, and is built well.”
Chris Gampat – Editor In Chief
Buy now: $999