MPB guide to buying lenses for any photography genre

Whether you’re advancing through your preferred genre of photography or exploring an entirely different one altogether, chances are you’ll need to upgrade your lens selection to make the most of your creative potential. But that doesn’t necessarily mean you should buy the latest or most expensive option.

Buying used lenses from MPB means you get more bang for your buck, while safe in the knowledge that your lens performance will never let you down—covered by a free warranty, for peace of mind. You’ll also have more budget left over to invest in a greater number of lenses to keep all your shooting options as open as possible.

In this guide, we’ll explore the best-value lens options to mount to your DSLR or mirrorless camera for any given genre. From sports, weddings and fashion photography to portraits, landscapes and architecture, read on to discover the best lenses for you, your budget and your genre.

Lenses for sports photography

Often, shooting sports photography is a sport in itself. To lessen your need of running back and forth on the field or court, grab a zoom lens offering precision, stabilization and speed. These lenses will freeze the action and deliver sharp images in the midst of high-powered movement. For Canon full-frame DSLR users, we’d recommend the Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS II USM for its revered sharpness and zoom range, making it a favorite among outdoor sports photographers. For Nikon DSLRs, mount the Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2 Nikon offering a good zoom range in a smaller, more agile body.

Lenses for commercial photography

When working with brands, the ultimate quality kit is key. Clients expect the best of the best, with no room for error. For a go-to solid setup, grab a 24-70mm f/2.8 lens. The Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8G IF-ED and Canon 24-70mm f/2.8 L USM are reliable, industry-standard lenses offering prime attributes with all the benefits of a zoom. If you want a focal length that produces just the right amount of compression that professional companies might ask for, step up to the ​​Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS or the Canon EF 70-200mm f/4 L USM for a level of zoom power and sharpness strength that’ll allow for a range of possibilities. 

Lenses for fashion and editorial photography 

Fashion and editorial photography is a blended family of portraiture and commercial photography, with an added edge of cutting-edge style, creativity and a fast pace. In order to get that sharpness in a wide frame, a wide prime lens like the Canon-fit Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM EF lens is a good starting point. Thoughtful posing and framing will allow you to maintain a good composition with a little bit of distortion while enabling you to incorporate the background into the story as well.

Lenses for fine art and still life

Macro lenses are made for getting tight on the smallest of objects and focal points, but they also offer beautiful color rendering and sharpness that’ll give you plenty of room to play within your RAW files. For Sony mirrorless users, try out the Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 G OSS lens. Other options include Canon’s smooth EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro or the wider Voigtländer Apo-Lanthar 50mm f/2 VM for Leica M cameras.

Lenses for weddings and events

Fast, lightweight and quiet. If you shoot events or weddings, you know you’ll need to be a wallflower to capture the most authentic moments. Wedding photographers need to offer portrait-quality images while acting as a documentarian, so using a low aperture—with a wide enough angle to crop in later—is ideal. While your client will have chosen you for your personal shooting style, you’ll often have to adapt to suit their needs. Change is always good, and another lens might enable you to amplify your style. For your next buy, consider grabbing a wide prime lens like the Fujifilm XF 23mm f/1.4 R or the Canon RF 35mm f/1.8 IS STM Macro. Stepping up to 50mm is a naturally ideal decision, with the Canon RF 50mm f/1.2 L loved for its beautiful softness and precision.

Lenses for portrait photography

Many people believe that the 50mm lens is the prime that you must have in your bag, no matter what, especially if you are looking for a reliable portrait focal length. One of our favorites, for its price point and ability, is the Nikon AF 50mm f/1.4D. However, once you use an 85mm focal length, you may fall in love with its impeccable bokeh quality and complimentary compression. We’d recommend picking up the Sony FE 85mm f/1.8 or the Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG HSM. These lenses are sure to render beautiful quality and focus capabilities for any subject.

Learn more about Prime lenses: Understanding focal length, distance and perspective.

Lenses for landscapes

Dynamic range and zoom. To best capture, the world and all its amazing qualities, skylines and shapes, landscape photographers know that wider is better in this case. Capture the full scope of the expansive sights with agile and wide-angle lenses like the Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8 L III USM or the Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM. These zoom lenses allow you to get tighter for details if needed, but always get precise quality and dynamic range with the right settings.

Lenses for architecture

Architecture photographers look for lines and heights on a large scale, and to up their game, they might be interested in grabbing a tilt-shift capable lens. The Canon TS-E 45mm f/2.8 is one of the best offerings for a dynamic, wide-angle view coupled with color rendering and tilt-shift focusing that’ll produce interesting shots of architectural structures.

Lenses for astrophotography

Astrophotographers, get even wider and have a high-speed f-stop at your fingertips with the Samyang XP 14mm f/2.4. Some of the most satisfying shots away from city lights with just the night sky are produced when you can reach for a lens in your kit bag that has an all-seeing scope at 14mm and a speedy f-stop that’ll grab detail at any shutter speed.