The Best 25 Lenses For Street Photography In 2022

In today’s article I bring you 25 of the best lenses for street photography for the most popular brands. And is that the street is the best discipline to practice photography. The variety of situations that raises and the speed with which you should go do that if you master this genre, you can dominate any other. Needless to say, is a genre in which the story and emotion play a central role, so that it is complete you look where you look.

Lately, in addition, is out of fashion. The accessibility that offer mobile phones at the time of photography, has approached street photography a lot more people. But the street photography, although it feeds a lot of the moving picture, not just living it.

That’s why I come to talk to you about the goals, because beyond what you can bring a camera or the other, that of truth will give you wings to creative level is the goal. And that is what I intend to share with you in this article.

Features that you must have a lens for street photography

Before you leave you with my recommendations for the various brands, I would like you to be clear what are the characteristics that you should look at when choosing a lens for street photography:

  • Focal length. The focal length of a lens is what is going to make much part of the scene you can include in your photography. In the following image you will see a diagram with the different focal that exist. When we talk about street photography, the ideal is a standard focal or too much like a tele. What you can do street photography with other focal lengths? As a power, of course you can, the artist is you, and you know what it is you want to tell with your photograph. Now, it is not usual or recommended. The angle created many distortions but you can help when you want to include a lot of portion of the scene. Telephoto lenses are for those who are hiding and shooting from far away, it will help you to compact the plans and to make you invisible, but it keeps you out of the scene in the literal sense and the metaphorical.
  • Brightness. The larger the maximum aperture of the lens, the more capacity you will have to catch the light. If you want to freeze the scene with fast speeds, to achieve large blurs or photograph when the light is low or indoors, you’ll want it to be as light as possible.
  • Optical fixed or zoom. Do you want versatility or quality? Both the optical zoom like fixed or have their advantages and disadvantages. The important thing is to know what you want and what you need. It is likely that, if you’re just starting out, a optical zoom fits you better; but once you know what focal length you move better, what kind of photos do you like more and go to more specific things, it is more likely that you find you’re falling in love with a fixed focal.
  • Approach. The scenes of the street happen very quickly and there is no option of trial and error. To be at the height of the circumstances, the best approach is automatic and, if possible, be quick and silent, for the sake of discretion. What your goal is to manual focus or that you have seen that you have almost convinced does not have auto focus? It is not serious, you can learn how to use the hyperfocal distance and get used to focusing in the manual, but to begin with it is not what I recommend to you.
  • Type of mount. If you believe that an objective, for example, Canon it will be compatible with your camera by the fact of being of the same brand, you’re wrong. Some manufacturers, or the majority, have different types of cameras that have different mounts. With the idea of ayudate, Mario created a FREE tool to check the compatibility of goalsfor is now available for Canon and Nikon, I hope we will soon expand to other brands. Really cannot imagine the work behind.
  • Conversion Factor. Depending on whether your camera is Full Frame or APS-C, the same focal length will have a different effect. That is to say, a 35mm lens is a 35mm lens on a camera with Full-Frame or full-frame, however, the APS-C have a crop factor and focal length equivalent is different. For example, in a Canon crop factor 1.6, a lens 24mm equivalent to a focal length of about 38mm.
  • Weight and size. It is important that you consider the weight and size. The ideal is to be as lightweight and compact as possible, for your convenience and discretion. The objectives pancake are ideal for these situations.
  • Price. For the street, or whatever, set a budget, the price which you can and want to spend. Up there. It is not necessary to be mortgaged by a goal, the truth is that there are fairly inexpensive, they do wonders.

Once you know what you’re watching and you’ve checked your needs, let’s look at what are the objectives recommended for street photography for various brands.

Objectives for street photography Canon

For Canon cameras, keep in mind the type of mount, and the type of approach. In this guide of Canon you can see everything in relation to their goals, if you have any doubt but, in short, in terms of approach, the USM is the fastest and the STM quieter.

These are the objectives that the more you recommend it for street photography for Canon cameras:

Mount EF and EF-S lenses

  • Canon EF-S 24mm f/2.8 STM (150,09 $). Mount EF-S lenses for cameras with APS-C. Relationship quality-price-weight unbeatable.
  • Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 STM ((price not available at this time)). This pancake lens is an EF mount, for what it’s worth for both APS-C to Full-Frame. In the case of the APS-C would have a focal length equivalent to about 65mm.
  • YONGNUO YN35 35mm f/2 (96,99 $). The Canon costs six times more, you can’t ask the same wonders, but it has a price acceptable to any amateur with the right price and would be equivalent to a focal length of about 50mm on APS-C cameras, and yes, it has auto focus.

street photography lenses

Now, if you’re looking for a zoom lens, I recommend the Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS USM lens. You can use it both on APS-C cameras as Full Frame. Although it is not as bright as the fixed (a larger aperture on a zoom lens comes at a price almost outrageous to fans), it’s very versatile and it costs about 550,00 $.

M-Mount

For Canon cameras with M-mount, these are the goals that I recommend for Street Photography.

  • EF-M 22 mm f/2 STM 249,00 $. Fixed optics and light. A pancake of only 105g weight with quiet focusing and a focal length equivalent to 35mm, perfect for the street.
  • EF-M 15-45 mm f/3,5-6,3 IS STM lens (299,00 $). If you prefer a zoom, this is quite bright to be a zoom and covers a focal range equivalent to 24-72mm.
  • Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary 289,00 $. It is very bright and the price-quality ratio is unbeatable. With manual focus and automatic, and equivalent focal length of 45mm.
street photography lenses

Mount RF

If you have a Canon EOS R mount RF for street I recommend this Canon RF 35mm f/1.8 Macro IS STM, for focal distance, luminosity, and quiet focusing (and fast enough).

Objectives of street photography for Nikon

For street photographers with cameras Nikon , we have these objectives recommended:

SLR

  • AF-S DX Nikkor 35mm f/1.8 G (158,00 $). It is an objective light, very light and fast approach and its price is tempting.
  • Nikon AF-S 50mm F1.4 G (446,94 $). For cameras with frame FX sensor (full) we have the favorite of Mario. Even better that you tell him what you think of this King of the goals.

For those who prefer a zoom, which although more expensive, are more versatile, I recommend these:

street photography lenses

  • Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD 1.200,00 $. To be a zoom is quite bright, it is both mounts DX as FX. It is sealed, with a stabilizer and focusing is silent and fast. The paste, which is not the lightest, the truth. Weighs 900g, there you have it.
  • Nikon AF-S VR 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 G ED 243,00 $. This other is not so bright, but it costs and weighs half as it is a matter of evaluate what you prefer and what other uses you are going to give.
  • Nikon AF Zoom-NIKKOR 24-85mm f/2.8-4D IF 741,00 $. Between the previous in terms of price and size, we have this other one with the same focal length than the previous but more luminous. The downside is that it has car engine approach and it depends on who has the camera. If your camera does not have to street focus in manual is not the most practical option, the truth.

street photography lenses

Important note: AF-S in the objectives of Nikon means that you have internal engine (Motor Silent Wave (SWM) embedded, which is more fast, accurate and silent. If you want to understand the meaning of other abbreviations of goals we have this article.

Z-Series

If you have a camera without a mirror, I would recommend this Nikkor Z 24-50mm f/4.0-6.3, is not that it is overly bright, but covers a focal distance very suitable for street photography, it is lighter (195g), and features a step motor, rapid and silent, to the autofocus. In addition, it has a waterproof treatment intensive anti-dust and moisture.

If you want something brighter, I recommend the NIKKOR Z 35mm f/1.8 S. It is not very compact, but in terms of quality, focal length and brightness is fantastic.

Objectives of street photography for Olympus

For Olympus cameras, these are my recommendations in terms of objectives for street photography (compatible with PEN, OM-D cameras MFT of other brands):

  • Olympus M. Zuiko Digital 25mm f/1.8 299,00 $. A goal very bright and fixed lens equivalent to 50mm, with great performance and versatile that only weighs 137g. Focus in manual and in automatic.
  • Olympus M. Zuiko Digital 17mm f/1.8 499,00 $. If you prefer to a focal length equivalent to 35mm, this lens is for you. Also light and compact, with manual focus, and auto and weighs 120g.
  • Olympus M. Zuiko Digital 14-42mm f/3.5 – 5.6 EZ 299,00 $. Something less bright but more versatile is this pancake lens that offers a equivalent focal length that covers wide-angle to tele (28-84 mm) and an autofocus fast and silent. All this in a highly compact at just 93g.

street photography lenses
Olympus M. Zuiko Digital 17 mm f/1.8

Objectives of street photography for Pentax

If you are a user of Pentax these are my recommendations in terms of objectives for street photography:

K-Mount

  • Pentax DA 15mm f/4 AT LTD HD Limited 659,00 $. With a focal length equivalent to 23mm, and manual focus, and auto, but without stabilizer. Designed to offer a compact size and with a weight of approx. in 182g.
  • Pentax HD DA 20-40 mm f/2.8-4 ED DC WR 867,81 €. Very compact is not, but it is a zoom quite bright, with autofocus fast, focal equivalent of 30-60mm approx. and weather-resistant. Not bad, right?

street photography lenses

Q-Mount

  • Pentax Standard Zoom 5-15 mm f/2.8-4.5 154,99 $. With a focal length equivalent to 27.5-83mm it is a zoom lens quite bright, and nothing heavy (96 g). Has manual focus and auto. Its price is quite affordable for what in terms of price-quality ratio is a very interesting option.

Objectives of street photography for Sony

street photography lenses
Sony Zeiss 35mm f/2.8

Let’s look at the objectives more recommended for street photography cameras Sony for E mount, both with format APS-C as a Full Frame.

APS-C format

  • Sony E 35 mm f/1.8 OSS 473,00 $. Very bright and with a focal length equivalent to 50mm. Autofocus fast and agile, compact and lightweight (154g) and image stabilizer.
  • Sony E 16 mm f/2.8 249,00 $. A bright wide-angle (equivalent to 24mm), ultra-flat that only weighs 67 g and features a autofocus system, fast.
  • Carl Zeiss Touit 32 mm f/1.8 645,00 $. Very bright and equivalent focal length 50mm, with auto-focus and without stabilizer. Does not reach the 200g.
  • Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary 260,00 $. It is not elmás lightweight because round the fourth of a kilo, but it is the most luminous and the price-quality ratio is unbeatable, a gem, come on. With a focus AF and MF with an ultrasonic focusing motor, and equivalent focal length of 45mm. Available also for micro 4/3.