1. The list in brief ↴
2. Best overall
3. Best Sony lens
4. Best Nikon Z-mount lens
5. Best widely compatible prime
6. Best Canon RF lens
7. Best Sony prime lens
8. Best for versatility
9. Best Canon EF lens
10. Best APS-C Sony lens
11. Best APS-C DSLR lens
12. Best Nikon DSLR lens
13. Best budget lens
14. Lenses for astro FAQs
15. How we test
Getting your hands on one of the best lenses for astrophotography will allow you to capture some incredible shots of the night sky, taking you far beyond the realm of anything you can achieve with a smartphone camera or basic digital camera. These lenses are specifically designed with wide maximum apertures to enable the image sensor on your camera to absorb more light while still maintaining a clear and sharp image.
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The best lenses for astrophotography often come with increased size and weight, so it's important to think about what fits well with your particular setup. While they can be a substantial investment, we'll also highlight some more budget-friendly options. It's worth taking a moment to read the reviews from our experts who have thoroughly tested each lens on this list to ensure we're presenting you with the very best choices.
Newcomers to astrophotography can find lots of useful tips and advice on our astrophotography for beginners page. We also have a guide to the best cameras for astrophotography that will pair perfectly with some of the lenses here, and you may also want to invest in a reliable tripod or travel tripod to mount all of your kit on.
The quick list
Below we've summarized the most important information about our top picks among lenses for astrophotography, including their main characteristics and who they might be best for. If you want to know more about a product before you make a purchase, click 'Read more below' and you'll find more in-depth specs and performance reviews.
The best lens for astrophotography overall
As far as ultra-wide lenses go, the Sigma 14mm f/1.4 DG DN Art is close to unbeatable in terms of its performance and quality.
Best Sony lens
If you're looking for the very best quality in your astrophotography images and can afford to splash out, then this Sony lens is a sure winner.
Best Nikon Z-mount lens
The Nikkor Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S is a lightweight and compact lens that provides exceptional image quality, with little distortion and vignetting.
The best widely compatible prime lens
As far as ultra-wide lenses go, the Sigma 14mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art is close to unbeatable in terms of its performance and quality.
Best Canon RF lens
The RF 15-35mm f/2.8L IS USM is Canon’s best ultra-wide zoom lens which makes it a sound investment for photographers, but it's quite pricey.
Best Sony prime lens
This lens is ideal for seasoned astrophotographers or photographers who need a wide field of view combined with sharp optics and a fast f/1.8 maximum aperture.
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Best for versatility
The Sigma 14-24mm F2.8 DG HSM ART easily holds its own against other high-end, wide-angle, big-aperture lenses and does so for a pretty impressive amount of money.
Best Canon EF lens
For more experienced photographers, this lens is certainly worthy of serious consideration if wide-field photography is one of your prime areas of interest. That said, it comes with a high price tag.
Best APS-C Sony lens
This lens is what APS-C Sony users have been waiting for. It's lightweight, compact and produces fantastic results. It's great for astrophotography thanks to it's ultra-wide focal length and fast f/1.8 aperture.
Best APS-C DSLR lens
For anyone seeking a fast, ultra-wide zoom lens for APS-C cameras, the Tokina atx-i 11-20mm f/2.8 CF is our top recommendation. It’s sleek, slim, lightweight, and brilliantly sharp.
Best Nikon DSLR lens
The Nikon AF-S 14-24mm f/2.8 ED is still a go-to for many professionals and amateurs alike. It provides sharp, clean, straight lines for landscape or interior photography but also works well in low light.
Best budget lens
If you’re looking for an inexpensive ultrawide lens for astrophotography or landscape/architecture use, then there's very little else on the market to touch the Rokinon/Samyang 14mm f/2.8 lens.
Best lenses for astrophotography we recommend in 2023
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The best lens for astrophotography overall
✅ You want the best: Optically, we think this might be the best lens for astrophotography out there.
✅ Maximum aperture is a deal-breaker: A maximum of f/1.4 is ideal for astro.
✅ Build quality is important: We feel like this lens is built to last.
❌ You need something lightweight: This lens is quite heavy and best used with a tripod.
❌ Zoom is important: The fixed 14mm focal length can be restrictive for some.
🔎 The Sigma 14mm f/1.4 DG DN Art lens is staggeringly good for astrophotography. Better yet, its speedy autofocusing and ability to declick the aperture ring for video makes it useful for hybrid shooting as well. ★★★★★
Design: The lens is a remarkable achievement in lens design and optical performance. It’s also well designed, sturdy, well constructed and feels ergonomically pleasing to use. If you’re committed to a style of photography that uses a tripod, we wholeheartedly recommend it, but the relatively heavy weight of this lens would lead us to suggest that it’d be worth looking at in person and actually holding one before you decide to purchase.
Performance: The excellent low-light performance and sharp image quality make this lens an absolute joy for astrophotographers. It's versatile enough for various other photography genres, like architecture, portraiture or live events. We even found that the impressive f/1.4 aperture allows handheld shooting in some low-light conditions. Color rendition within the lens is excellent, as is distortion control.
Functionality: When we reviewed the Sigma 14mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art Lens, we were impressed at the wide range of features included on the lens, again making it suitable for a number more types of photographers than you’d first imagine. There is a good approach to aperture control, and there is a manual ring with detents at every third of a stop, or there's an auto mode and even a switch to declick the control for videographers.
- Read our full Sigma 14mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art Lens review.
| Attributes | Notes |
|---|---|
| Design | Sturdy but bulky. |
| Performance | Incredible sharpness and no noticeable distortion. |
| Functionality | Fast aperture for night sky shooting. |
Best Sony lens
✅ You want exceptional image quality: this lens has incredible optical clarity.
✅ You want a large viewing angle: the shortest focal length gives an angle of 122 degrees.
❌ You're on a budget: this lens is one of the most expensive on this list.
❌ You use front filters: they are not supported on this lens due to the domed glass.
🔎 The Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM is great if you don't want to commit to one photography niche. It is versatile enough to have the option to use the wider 12mm for nighttime shots, while also being able to zoom in for daytime landscapes. ★★★★
Design: The Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM comes from Sony's elite 'G-Master' line of lenses, making it one of the best-quality lenses in this guide, but also the most expensive. Despite its compact size and lightweight design, this lens delivers exceptional performance with an f/2.8 aperture and an impressively wide field of view, all while weighing only 1.87 lbs.
This lens is a very attractive option for anyone looking for an ultra-wide-angle lens without the added weight, all while preserving excellent build quality. However, due to its large aperture and extremely wide field of view, it's worth noting that the front glass element is quite large and bulbous, which means you can't use traditional lens filters on it.
The glass is shielded by a petal-shaped integrated hood, although using a front filter isn't an option without spending money on an adapted filter system. The good news is that there's a slot on the back of the lens for gel filters.
Performance: The image quality from this lens is nothing less than spectacular. When we reviewed the Sony FE 12-24 f/2.8 GM lens stars appeared extremely sharp in the center of the image and still very sharp in the corners throughout the full focal length range, even at the widest aperture of f/2.8. Even for wide-angle landscape photography, this lens produced stunning images and we loved shooting with it.
Functionality: The shortest focal length of 12mm gives a whopping viewing angle of 122 degrees — this is perfect for capturing huge portions of the Milky Way and night sky landscape, which can only be achieved by taking panoramas with many other lenses.
If you want top-notch quality in your astrophotography and have the budget for it, this Sony lens is a winner. While the price is undoubtedly high, its versatility makes it a potential all-in-one wide-field astro lens. If your budget is tighter but you still want an ultra-wide-angle lens for astro, the next one on this list might be a better fit for you.
- Read our full Sony FE 12-24 f/2.8 GM lens review.
| Attributes | Notes |
|---|---|
| Design | Very sturdy and well-built, light for its size. |
| Performance | Incredibly sharp. |
| Functionality | Fixed f/2.8 aperture. |
Best Nikon Z-mount
✅ You want a lightweight lens: at just 1.4 lbs, this is one of the lighter picks on this list.
✅ You use filters a lot: both front and rear filters are supported.
✅ You want to reduce post-processing: this lens creates minimal aberrations.
❌ You're on a budget: this lens is one of the more expensive ones on this list.
❌ You already own filters: this lens requires large 112mm filters.
🔎 The Nikkor Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S combines a lightweight and compact design with exceptional image quality. It creates very few aberrations and has a handy LCD display. ★★★★½
Design: This Nikon zoom lens is fully weather-sealed for protection against the elements and it stands out as the shortest among full-frame f/2.8 ultra-wide-angle zoom lenses available. It's lightweight at 1.7 lbs, compact and maintains a wide aperture with a broad viewing angle at the shorter end of its focal range.
The customizable Lens Function (L-fn) button also allows users to quickly change exposure and adjust settings without having to flick through endless menus, which is useful when you need to act fast to avoid missing a shot.
Compared to similar models from other brands, the front element of this lens is far less bulbous, which allows you the option to attach 112mm filters to the front of the lens using the provided lens hood, further opening this lens up for daytime use as well as astro. It's worth noting that the cost of these filters may be a little out of reach, but having the option to do so is a nice feature.
Performance: The Nikkor Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S provides outstanding image quality, minimal distortion, vignetting and aberrations. The LCD display on the lens barrel is especially helpful for astrophotographers, allowing adjustments in the dark without the need for a headlamp.
| Attributes | Notes |
|---|---|
| Design | Lightweight and compact. |
| Performance | No noticeable coma or aberrations. |
| Functionality | Fast f/2.8 constant aperture. |
Best widely compatible prime
✅ You want exceptional image quality: you can't get much better results than with this lens.
✅ You want a large maximum aperture: with a range of f/1.8 - f/16, this lens is hard to beat.
✅ You want a sturdy lens: this high-quality build means this lens will last.
❌ You want a lightweight lens: at 2.58 lbs, this isn't the lightest lens on this list.
❌ You want a versatile focal length: at 14mm fixed, this lens is a bit niche.
❌ You use filters a lot: this lens isn't equipped with a filter thread.
🔎 The Sigma 14mm F1.8 DG HSM ART lens really is a phenomenal lens for night-sky photography. If you’re after a lens that will get you long shutter speeds without a star tracker, with technically excellent results throughout its aperture range, this is a piece of kit that will serve you well. ★★★★★
Design: The weight was one of the very first things we noticed when conducting our Sigma 14mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art review. Coming in at 2.58 lbs, it's definitely on the heavier side for a lens, but with heft in the hand comes heft in terms of optical quality too.
Not only is this lens exceptionally well-built, but it comes with the added advantage of being weather-sealed. Astrophotographers typically don't shoot in adverse weather conditions at night, but this feature can be handy if you intend to use the lens during daytime outings. When it comes to nighttime shooting, the lens's fixed focal length and exceptionally wide field of view make it perfect for capturing vast landscapes of the night sky.
It's worth mentioning that the lens lacks a filter thread because of its bulbous front element. While it's not a deal-breaker for astrophotography, it's something to consider if you intend to use the lens in the daytime and want to protect the glass better.
Performance: The lens excels in optical performance, providing exceptional quality all-round. Even at its widest f/1.8 aperture, the stars remain sharp and clear. However, closing the aperture slightly can help minimize distortion in the corners of the image frame when you're shooting wide open.
The chromatic aberration (color fringing) is minimal even when shooting at wide apertures and you also won't encounter any significant issue with image distortion — something which certainly cannot be said for all ultra-wide lenses.
As far as ultra-wide lenses go, the Sigma 14mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art is close to unbeatable in terms of its performance and quality.
- Read our full Sigma 14mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art review.
| Attributes | Notes |
|---|---|
| Design | Well built, but can feel heavy. |
| Performance | Outstanding image quality. |
| Functionality | Wide maximum f/1.8 aperture. |
Best Canon RF lens
✅ You want excellent image quality: this lens uses the highest quality L-series glass to guarantee stellar results.
✅ You want a portable lens: this is designed to be carried around, weighing just 1.85 lbs.
✅ You want good image stabilization: this lens has 5-stops of IS.
❌ You're on a budget: this lens is one of the more expensive ones on this list.
❌ You want edge-to-edge sharpness: this lens reveals softer edges at f/2.8.
🔎 The Canon RF 15-35mm f/2.8L IS USM is the brand's best ultra-wide zoom lens which makes it a sound investment for photographers. Unfortunately, it’s also quite pricey so it may put off some that are on stricter budgets. ★★★★½
Design: The Canon RF 15-25mm f/2.8 IS USM has a simple and sleek design, with only two buttons on the lens itself to operate the autofocus/manual focus and stabilizer. It's easy to store away in whatever camera bag you use thanks to the fact that it maintains the same shape all the way down the barrel of the lens.
We were pleased to see there's a large 82mm filter thread in the middle of the front element, making it easy to attach screw-in filters without requiring an adapter. The smooth and quiet operation of the focal length and focus rings is another positive feature, ensuring a hassle-free experience for time-lapses or video recording.
Performance: In our Canon RF 15-25mm f/2.8 IS USM review, we tested the lens out with the Canon EOS R6 camera and were extremely impressed with the results. It had excellent autofocusing speed and produced super-sharp images, with only a tiny bit of sharpness dropoff at the very edge of the image when shooting wide open at f/2.8.
When we reviewed the photos, we noticed a very slight chromatic aberration around the frame's edge, but only when zoomed in to 400%. While that's not ideal at this price point, especially for astrophotographers shooting wide open, the overall image quality was stunning.
Functionality: This lens features a healthy five stops of image stabilization, which can be increased to eight stops when attached to one of Canon’s RF mount cameras with in-body stabilization. This makes it a great choice for anyone who enjoys handheld shooting. It also has an incredible zoom range of 15-35mm, giving it the versatility to handle wide landscape shots as well as fine up-close detail. We think it's a must-have for any RF-mount Canon users.
- Read our full Canon RF 15-25mm f/2.8 IS USM review.
| Attributes | Notes |
|---|---|
| Design | Sleek & portable design. |
| Performance | Softer images at f/2.8. |
| Functionality | Has 5 stop image stabilization. |
Best Sony prime lens
✅ You want a lightweight lens: at just 1.01 lbs, this is one of the lighter picks on this list.
✅ You care about the looks: this lens boasts an excellent build and design.
✅ You want outstanding image quality: the results obtained with this lens are impressive.
❌ You use front filters: they're not supported.
❌ You want image stabilization: this lens is not equipped with Sony's Optical SteadyShot technology.
🔎 The Sony 14mm f/1.8 G Master is ideal for seasoned astrophotographers or professional street photographers that need a wide field of view combined with sharp optics and a fast f/1.8 maximum aperture. ★★★★½
Design: This bright, ultra-wide 14mm prime lens is Sony’s answer to Sigma's 14mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art lens. Both lenses offer the same fixed focal length and maximum aperture, but there's a substantial difference between the two.
The Sony FE 14mm F1.8 GM has been designed specifically for its mirrorless system, which means Sony has been able to engineer a much smaller and lighter lens than the Sigma. For comparison, the Sony weighs in at 1.02 lbs and the Sigma tips the scales at a chunky 2.6 lbs. This translates into a much better balance when the native Sony lens is fitted to a Sony camera — not to mention it's much more pleasant to carry around with you on shoots, which we were very grateful for when we reviewed the Sony FE 14mm f/1.8 GM.
Sony's FE 14mm f/1.8 GM stands out as Sony's widest full-frame prime lens, boasting high-resolution quality, weather sealing and smooth focusing common in Sony's G-Master lenses. Additionally, it features a handy aperture control ring for quick manual adjustments to exposure and other settings, which is particularly beneficial in low-light conditions when you can't see some of the buttons.
Performance: This wide-angle lens delivers exceptional image quality from f/1.8 all the way up to f/16. It maintains sharpness, creates lovely bokeh (background blur) and produces captivating sunstars even at f/4. It performs excellently at its widest aperture of f/1.8, with only a minimal amount of vignetting that can easily be corrected during post-processing.
Functionality: The image quality is insanely impressive considering this lens doesn't have image stabilization, even though most full-frame camera bodies do tend to have in-body image stabilization nowadays anyway. Plus, you won't need image stabilization for astrophotography as the camera will be on a tripod.
- Read our full Sony FE 14mm f/1.8 GM review.
| Attributes | Notes |
|---|---|
| Design | Surprisingly compact and lightweight. |
| Performance | Beautiful image quality. |
| Functionality | No image stabilization, but it doesn't suffer for it. |