The Most Popular Lenses of 2019

The Most Popular Lenses of 2019

Is Canon still the top dog, and has anybody bought new mirrorless glass?

Every year, we crunch the numbers and figure out where the industry is headed. Perhaps you’ll have picked up a very popular lens, or maybe your kit bag is filled with unique gems. Over the past two years, the stats have pointed towards Canon’s EF mount ruling the roost.

We’ve asked B&H, LensRentals, and now ShareGrid. Of course, they’ll all have different perspectives. Enjoy!

B&H

LensRentals

ShareGrid

Even more than last year, Canon dominates. It’s likely due to cinema camera manufacturers like Panasonic, Blackmagic, RED, and Kinefinity supporting the EF mount. Interestingly, RED’s upcoming micro-cinema camera will be touting a Canon RF mount. As a result, I’d say there’s a bright future for Canon glass.

I was surprised that Canon's 70-200mm f/2.8L IS III did so well. I'd assumed that the second version of that lens and its cheaper price tag would have sufficed for most. However, it appears that the cost has leveled out, so you might as well get the newer version.

B&H

LensRentals

Tamron’s 28-75mm f/2.8 was a smash hit for Sony users in 2019, and eclipsing Sony’s popular primes is proof. What’s more interesting is that neither Nikon, Canon, nor Panasonic/Leica are hitting the top spots. Sony’s massive mirrorless lead is still holding true..

What were your top lenses in 2019? Any old favorites, or something weird and wonderful? Let us know in the comments.

Stephen Kampff's picture

Working in broadcasting and digital media, Stephen Kampff brings key advice to shoots and works hard to stay on top of what's going to be important to the industry.

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14 Comments

The new sigma 35mm 1.2, just phenomenal!

I just got the 135 F/1.8 GM and yeah it's a niche lens for me but my god it's an amazing piece of kit.

That one's on my bucket list. I have the Sigma 24-70 pre ordered now. Picked up the 24gm and 100-400 last year. I'll probably get the 85mm this year but only the 1.8. Then if Sigman doesn't come out with the 70-200 2.8 I'll look at the getting the 135 first.

It's still early in the Canon/Nikon mirrorless foray, let's see what the landscape looks like in 2-3 years.

That's a good statement for 2015. It's 2020. The 800 lb gorilla that's Canon has finally woken up from a drunken sleep. It may have finally learned a lesson that bodies matter, to boot. Nikon appears to have lost its way and may finally be on its way out by the end of the decade.

What Spy Black said is still true.

Considering the Canon and Nikon mirrorless didn't come out till 2018, I think you're being a bit too impatient. 😉

Optically I'm sure the Tamron 28-75 would get the job done but I'm not too impressed by the build quality and lack of assignable button. It's valued right so I'm not surprised. I'm personally glad I waited for the Sigma though.

It pokes some rather large holes into the "Canon is failing" hypothesis. I wish I saw some Nikon on the list.

Canon was failing. But the assertion was stated as a (then) present condition. Not "Canon is and will fail". They are doing better finally but they lost a ton of marketshare and goodwill in the last 5 years. More importantly they allowed a former non-competitor to rise to prominence when they could have completely dominated themselves with Nikon unable to produce their own competing sensors. In 2020, the assertion now becomes "Nikon is failing, Canon is more than surviving, and is Sony becoming complacent?"

The Canon part was sarcasm. Canon is still doing quite well, at least in respect to the competition. My Nikon lament was genuine. I'd like to see Nikon be more successful. That is all.

Canon 70-200 RF is light, sharp and remarkable.

Damn! No Nikon lens!

These are of course the statistics from the USA. The question is what the statistics are from different countries.