If you're stepping into astophotography, or are upgrading your existing equipment now's the time to do so. January sees the planetary parade, when Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn line up in the sky. And, in February, Lynx, a lesser-known constellation located between Ursa Major and Gemini, comes into view.
But to capture those, you'll need not only a camera but one of the best lenses for astophotography. You can spend hundreds, even thousands on a camera body but your choice of lense can matter just as much. That's why we have rounded up our favourite lenses for astrophotography, all wide-angle lenses designed to let in as much light as possible.
Our expert reviewers have put these lenses through their paces, and we've covered a range of budgets, so you will find something suitable below. And if your camera is showing its age, we've also got the best cameras for astrophotography.
Kimberley Lane is a landscape & seascape photographer living in South Wales. Originally using photography as a way to cope with health issues, she aims to portray a feeling of calm and peace through her images. Her work has been featured in a number of national photography magazines and she is a regular contributor to Space.com.
The quick list
Below, we've summarized the most important information about our picks of the best 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 reviews for each lens.
The best lens for astrophotography overall
The Sigma 14mm f/1.4 DG DN Art lens is great for astrophotography thanks to its speedy autofocusing, but it can handle hybrid shooting as well.
For
- Very well built
- Phenomenal image quality
- Ultra-big maximum aperture
Against
- Bulbous front element can be difficult to protect
- Arguably a niche focal length
Best Sony lens
If you're looking to get the very best quality from your astrophotography images and can afford to splash out, this Sony lens is a winner.
For
- Fantastically sharp
- Very versatile
- It gives you the freedom to shoot almost anything
Against
- Undoubtedly expensive
- Rather heavy
- The bulbous element, on occasion, can be tricky to shoot with
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
The Sigma 14mm f/1.8 DG HSM ART guarantees super image quality and technically excellent results throughout its aperture range.
For
- Very well built
- Phenomenal image quality
- Ultra-big maximum aperture
Against
- Bulbous front element can be difficult to protect
- Arguably a niche focal length
Best Canon RF lens
The RF 15-35mm f/2.8L IS USM is Canon’s best ultra-wide zoom lens. It's quite pricey, but it makes it a sound investment for photographers.
For
- Highest quality L-Series glass
- Sleek, portable design
Against
- Expensive
- Softer edges at f/2.8
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.
For
- Incredibly optically sharp
- Excellent build quality
- Very lightweight
Against
- Not the cheapest wide-angle on the market
- No Optical SteadyShot (OSS)
- Niche focal length
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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 an impressively low price.
For
- Zoom gives compositional flexibility
- Great image quality
- Fast max
Against
- Small amount of chromatic aberration wide-open
- Heavy
- Significant competition from Sigma’s own 20mm f/1.4
Best Canon EF lens
For more experienced photographers, this lens is certainly worth considering if wide-field photography is one of your prime areas of interest. That said, it comes with a high price tag.
For
- Pin sharp image quality across the entire field
- Superb color correction
- Rapid and accurate autofocus
Against
- Very expensive
- Heavy
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 its ultra-wide focal length and fast f/1.8 aperture.
For
- Incredibly optically sharp
- Excellent build quality
- Very lightweight
Against
- Not the cheapest wide-angle on the market
- No Optical SteadyShot (OSS)
- Niche focal length
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.
For
- Minimal lens distortion even at 11mm
- Excellent optical clarity and sharpness
Against
- Chromatic aberration on contrasted edges
- Vignetting when shot wide open
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 clean, sharp, straight lines for landscape or interior photography, but also works well in low light.
For
- Razor-sharp images
- Minimal lens distortion
Against
- Adding filters is tricky
- Quite heavy for its size
Best budget lens
If you’re looking for an inexpensive ultrawide lens for astrophotography or landscape/architecture shots, there's very little on the market to touch the Rokinon/Samyang 14mm f/2.8 lens.
For
- Extremely wide
- Reasonably fast
- Nice and cheap
Against
- Against
- Distortion
- All-manual
- Fixed hood
Best lenses for astrophotography we recommend in 2025
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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 important: A maximum of f/1.4 is ideal for astro.
✅ Build quality matters: 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 the ability to de-click the aperture ring for video make it useful for hybrid shooting as well. ★★★★½
The Sigma 14mm f/1.4 DG DN Art is ideal for astrophotography thanks to its ultra-wide 14mm view and impressive low-light capabilities.
Design: The Sigma 14mm f/1.4 DG DN Art is not a small lens. In fact, it's absolutely huge, but it's exceptionally well-made and feels like it's built to last. We love how it feels to handle, but we wouldn't recommend it for long periods of handheld use due to its weight, and you'll certainly need a tripod to get the most out of it. It has a clever lens cap that can also be used as a filter holder, and it can even be used with the lens hood on.
Performance: This lens gives you excellent sharpness across the whole image, which is impressive for such a wide lens. During our Sigma 14mm f/1.4 DG DN Art Lens review, we found that distortion is minimal, even at the edges. The autofocus is quick and precise, and the manual focus ring is very enjoyable to use. It's great in low light, letting you use higher ISOs to capture sharp stars easily.
Functionality: This Sigma lens offers a range of features that extend its use outside astrophotography as well. Aperture control is seamless, with a manual ring that features detents at every third of a stop as well as an auto mode. This lens also has a switch to unclick the control when shooting video. Filters can only be applied at the mount end due to the bulbous front element, but the lens includes Sigma's GP-11 filter holder at the back to make this as easy as possible.
Although the Sigma 14mm f/1.4 DG DN Art could be used for architecture, portraiture and live event photography as well, it's probably best suited to specialist astrophotography where its low-light abilities remain unbeaten.
- Read our full Sigma 14mm f/1.4 DG DN 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 belongs to Sony's elite 'G-Master' lens series, renowned for outstanding quality. If you're looking for an ultra-wide-angle lens with excellent build quality without the added weight, it's incredibly attractive, though it's also one of the priciest options in this guide.
With its f/2.8 aperture and remarkably wide field of view, it offers exceptional performance. Despite this, the Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM maintains a relatively light weight and compact design compared to others in this guide, weighing just 1.87 lbs (847g).
The lens has a built-in petal-shaped hood to protect the bulbous glass element, which means you can't attach a filter to the front. However, there is a slot on the back of the lens where you can use gel filters.
Performance: In our Sony FE 12-24 f/2.8 GM lens review, we called the sharpness of this lens is "almost unrivaled". The image quality it can capture is incredible: Whether you're shooting the stars or a landscape, you're going to get fantastic, sharp, colorful results. We found the sharpness maintains throughout the full focal length range, even at the widest aperture (f/2.8).
Functionality: At its shortest focal length of 12mm, this lens offers a wide viewing angle of 122 degrees, ideal for capturing large areas of the Milky Way, for example. Many other lenses can only capture such a wide view by stitching together multiple photos into a panorama.
If you want excellent quality for astrophotography and can afford it, this Sony lens is a great choice. It's expensive, but its versatility makes it a long-lasting, all-in-one wide-field astro lens. As a zoom lens, it can also be used for other types of photography. If you have a smaller budget but still want an ultra-wide-angle lens for astrophotography, the next one on this list might be a better option.
- 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, so you'll need to do less editing.
❌ 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 the most compact among full-frame f/2.8 ultra-wide-angle zoom lenses, measuring only 5 inches (124.5mm) in length and weighing just 1.7 lbs (650g). It's also completely weather-sealed to protect against different weather conditions.
Compared to similar lenses from other brands, this lens has a less protruding and rounded front element. This allows you to easily attach 112mm filters to the front using the included lens hood, which makes it more versatile for both daytime and astrophotography. These filters can be a bit pricey as they're so big, but having the option is valuable. On the plus side, you won't need to purchase a separate rear filter system.
Performance: It comes as no surprise that the Nikon Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S's image quality is second to none. It creates outstanding images, and we've encountered minimal distortion, vignetting and aberrations in our captures across the full aperture range.
Functionality: This lens has a wide aperture and provides a broad view at its shorter focal lengths. The customizable Lens Function (L-fn) button 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.
It's worth noting that the LCD featured on the lens barrel comes in incredibly useful for astrophotography in particular, since it allows you to make necessary adjustments to your settings without needing to use 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: The 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: The 14mm fixed focal length 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 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: Our review of the Sigma 14mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art is positively glowing, and we awarded the lens a full five stars. That said, one of the first things we noticed is just how heavy this lens is. Weighing 2.58lbs (1.17kg), it's much heavier than many other lenses on the market, and so if you're shooting handheld you may get tired of holding it very quickly. However, that weight speaks to how well made the lens is: It's built to last, and packs incredible optical quality.
If you're shooting astro, you'll likely be using a tripod anyway, so that extra weight shouldn't be too much of a factor. It's worth overlooking if you care about capturing beautiful photos, because the Sigma 14mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art is more than capable of delivering outstanding results.
As an added benefit, the lens is fully weather-sealed, so if you find yourself shooting in bad weather, you don't need to worry about damaging your equipment. One thing to note, though, is that due to the Sigma 14mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art's front element being big and rounded, you can't use any filters on the front.
Performance: Optical performance is where this lens excels, providing incredible image quality. The chromatic aberration (color fringing) is minimal even when shooting at wide apertures and you won't have any significant issues with image distortion — something which certainly cannot be said for all ultra-wide lenses.
Even at its widest f/1.8 aperture, the stars remain sharp and clear all across the frame. However, closing the aperture slightly can help minimize distortion in the corners of the image frame when you're shooting wide open.
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. |
