With full frame cameras becoming more affordable, many users are looking for lenses to match. Here's a rundown of some great options.
Coming to you from Christopher Frost, this comprehensive video offers top picks for low-budget full frame camera lenses for 2024. These lenses are not only affordable but also perform well, making them excellent value for money. Frost emphasizes the development in the market, noting that while these lenses are slightly more expensive than APS-C lenses, their quality justifies the cost.
One standout in Frost's list is the Viltrox 20mm f/2.8 lens. This lens offers autofocus, compact size, and an impressive price of around $158. While it may not be the sharpest 20mm lens available, stopping down to f/5.6 significantly improves corner sharpness and reduces vignetting. Despite these minor drawbacks, the lens provides a wide field of view and solid performance for its price, making it an excellent choice for those seeking affordability without compromising too much on quality.
Frost also highlights the Tamron 35mm f/2.8 lens, which is weather-sealed. It offers semi-macro capability, allowing for close-up shots that add versatility to your photography. Its sharp images and good contrast make it suitable for various shooting scenarios. The 35mm focal length is useful for everyday photography, and the lens' affordability and reliability make it a great addition to any photographer's kit.
Another notable mention is the Nikon 40mm f/2 lens. This lens, although quite plasticky, provides fast and reliable autofocus, good sharpness, and a bright maximum aperture. It’s lightweight and offers great value for Nikon Z camera users. Frost appreciates the practicality and fun this lens brings to shooting, especially considering its low price. It’s a solid option for those needing a versatile and affordable lens for their Nikon system.
The Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 lens also makes the list. Despite being more expensive than its EF mount predecessor, it offers improved build quality, better contrast, and a closer minimum focus distance. The 50mm focal length is a classic choice for portrait and general photography, and the f/1.8 aperture allows for beautiful background blur. Frost points out that while it’s not the sharpest lens at f/1.8, it provides excellent value for those looking for a standard prime lens on a budget.
In addition to these lenses, Frost discusses several others that offer unique features and great value. Check out the video above for the full rundown.
Number one I hate the term cheap lenses and cameras are forever and well made when made whether plastic or metal. Yes your recommendation's are sound and low in price great for a beginner. You say not AF but really should say not chipped for no metadata about lens or camera info, some yes! LensTagger will have to used to put most all info as metadata, and to add the info you will need to write down that info like the old days of film during processing for the Info will not be in the original image so years from now you will have go back your note book to remember.
Just for info back when Sony A7models came out the one smart thing was giving companies that make adapters all the specs so we could use our old film and DSLR lenses while saving for lenses that were chipped.
My favorite at the start was the APS-C lens E 10-18mm (15-27mm in 35mm) f/4 OSS BUT after Trey Ratcliff did a review and found in 2014 that it could be used in Full Frame mode at 12-18mm (18 if you removed the light shield). This was three years before Sony made the 12-24mm, but even still this little thing is chipped and a low f/4 with threads for filters, AF and at f/4 you could do MW's up to 25-30 sec. and still have pinpoint stars in the corners. Today a few dollars more than I got it for but such a little bitty thing and so much lighter looks like the current style Sony makes.
Must have never talked about is the FE 24-240mm in APS-C 36-360mm and sharp from low to high.
Lastly any lens you will be shooting at f/8 to f/11 and to get the bokeh just use the small square for focus!