The Best Lenses Under $1,000 of 2023

Fujifilm lenses are known for producing softer, more film-like colors, and the XF 18mm f/1.4 R LM WR is one of the best in its lineup. Outside of its optical quality and color rendering, we love that this lens features a 27mm equivalent focal length, which is ideal for street photography and landscapes. It also offers a bright maximum aperture and fast autofocus thanks to its linear AF drive. These features combine well to make Fujifilm’s lens a pleasure to use.

The Fujifilm XF 18mm f/1.4 R LM WR is also lightweight and features a high-quality metal build, giving it a sturdy feel. Indeed, the lens includes eight weather-resistant seals on the barrel to protect against dirt, moisture, and extreme temperatures. That makes this lens an excellent choice for hikes and other outdoor adventures.

If you’re looking for a lens that performs well in low light, offers a high-quality build, and produces sharp still images even when wide open, the Fujifilm XF 18mm f/1.4 R LM WR is the lens to buy.

The Canon RF 50 f/1.8 STM is everything you want from a “nifty fifty” lens with a versatile field of view. It’s affordable, lightweight, and delivers excellent image quality in a pocketable size. It’s easy to maneuver and transport, and features a bright f/1.8 aperture, making it an ideal option in low-light situations.

Canon also includes helpful features that make it more enjoyable, including a control ring that you can configure to adjust everything from f-stops to ISO and exposure compensation.

Though the Canon RF 50 f/1.8 STM produces great images, it isn’t perfect. The lens isn’t weather-sealed, for example, and some reviewers have noted the autofocus can be noisy. However, if you can overlook these minor issues, you won’t find a better option for the price.

The Sony FE 35mm f/1.8 is an ideal prime lens for everyday use because it offers superb optics, excellent build quality, and a lightweight design for easy handling. It has a classic focal length that’s wide but not too wide, along with a fast f/1.8 aperture, which is great for portraits and low-light situations.

The lens also features a more simplistic design than expensive alternatives, making it easy to use for beginners. For those who like more control, the Sony FE 35mm f/1.8 includes a function button that you can customize to perform specific features quickly. As good as this camera lens is, reviewers have noted it produces heavy vignetting, though some people love that look.

Overall, this small lens is well balanced, offers quick and accurate autofocus, and produces sharp images.

There are dozens of 50mm prime lenses available, but reviewers often point to Nikon’s Nikon Z 50mm F/1.8 S as a standout. Available at a mid-range price point, this lens offers a nice balance of build quality, image sharpness, and size—and its f/1.8 makes it an excellent choice for low-light photography and wide-aperture portraits so that you can get a nice depth of field.

The lens also features a programmable control ring that you can set to make quick adjustments to camera settings. This makes the Nikon Nikkor Z 50mm f/1.8 S intuitive for beginners and pros alike. Not every aspect of this lens is a win; it doesn’t include a protective fluorine coat on the glass, so it’s more prone to fingerprints.

The Canon RF 85mm F2 Macro IS STM is great for portraits, thanks to its long focal length and impressive macro capabilities. Its image stabilization also reduces shake by up to eight stops for clean, sharp images when using this lens handheld. Combined with the f/2 aperture, you can get an extremely shallow depth of field when close to your subject, making this an excellent lens for wedding photography.

The Canon RF 85mm F2 Macro IS STM also includes a programmable control ring, which you can use to adjust settings like aperture, ISO, and exposure compensation right from the lens. This feature is helpful because it allows you to make changes without taking your eye off the subject. While we wish this telephoto lens had faster shutter speeds, it still performs well in low light, and the compact size makes it easy to maneuver.