Best lenses for astrophotography in 2024

If you're looking to get serious about night-sky photography, one of the best lenses for astrophotography could be a great addition to your kit. These specialist lenses are designed with large apertures and wide focal lengths to help let in as much light as possible for capturing detailed images of the stars and galaxies above. Ideally, astrophotographers should be looking for an aperture of f/2.8 or lower and a focal length of 20mm or less to capture the best shots. 

The best astrophotography lenses are often larger, heavier and pricier than standard lenses because of the size and quality of the glass. Because they're a big investment, our expert reviewers have carefully highlighted both the positives and negatives of each lens for your consideration.

If you're new to astrophotography, be sure to check out our guide to astrophotography for beginners and consider pairing one of the lenses from this list with one of the best cameras for astrophotography. We also have guides to other handy accessories like the best tripods and best camera backpacks for transporting your kit out in the field.

Kimberley Lane

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 top picks among lenses for astrophotography, including their main characteristics and whom 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.

Best lenses for astrophotography we recommend in 2024

The best lens for astrophotography overall

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The Sigma 14mm f/1.4 DG DN Art offers an ideal astrophotography combination with an ultra-wide 14mm view accompanied by impressive low-light capabilities.

Design: It's a big, heavy lens, but it's strong, well-made, and feels nice to handle. It might not be great for long handheld use, but it's fantastic for astrophotographers using a tripod. Plus, it has a clever lens cap that also works as a filter holder, and you can use it even with the lens hood on.

Performance: This lens gives you excellent sharpness across the whole image, which is impressive for such a wide lens. Even at the edges, distortion is minimal. 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 and a switch to declick the control when shooting video. Filters can only be applied at the mount end due to the bulbous front element, but it includes Sigma's GP-11 filter holder at the back to make this as easy as possible.

Although this lens could potentially 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

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Best Sony lens

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Design: The Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM belongs to Sony's elite 'G-Master' lens series, renowned for outstanding quality, though it's also one of the priciest options here. If you're looking for an ultra-wide-angle lens that preserves excellent build quality but without the added weight, it's incredibly attractive. 

With its f/2.8 aperture and remarkably wide field of view, it offers exceptional performance. Despite this, it maintains a relatively lightweight and compact design compared to others, weighing just 1.87 lbs (847g).

The lens has a built-in petal-shaped hood to protect the glass, but the glass is large and rounded, so 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: The image quality from this lens is nothing less than spectacular. For wide-angle landscape photography, this lens produced stunning images and we loved shooting with it. When we reviewed the Sony FE 12-24 f/2.8 GM lens, the images were extremely sharp from the center to the corners throughout the full focal length range, even at the widest aperture of 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 and night sky. 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 better for you.

• Read our full Sony FE 12-24 f/2.8 GM lens review

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Best Nikon Z-mount

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Design: This Nikon zoom lens stands out as the most compact among full-frame f/2.8 ultra-wide-angle zoom lenses, measuring only 5 inches (124.5mm) long. It's lightweight at 1.7 lbs (650g), has a wide aperture and provides a broad view at its shorter focal lengths. Plus, it's 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. It's worth noting that these filters can be a bit pricey as they're so big, but having the option is a valuable feature. On the plus side, you won't need to purchase a separate rear filter system.

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.

Performance: The Nikkor Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S provides outstanding image quality with minimal distortion, vignetting and aberrations. The LCD on the lens barrel is especially helpful for astrophotographers, allowing you to make adjustments in the dark without the need for a headlamp.

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Best widely compatible prime

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Design: In our review of the Sigma 14mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art lens, the first thing we noticed was its weight. At 2.58 lbs (1,170g), it's heavier than many other lenses. However, this weight often indicates better optical quality. If you primarily shoot astrophotography with a tripod, the weight shouldn't be a major concern unless you're carrying it long distances to remote dark sky locations.

This lens is very durable and has the added benefit of being weather-sealed, perfect for outdoor photography. Although astrophotographers typically avoid shooting in bad weather at night, this feature comes in handy for daytime photography, such as landscapes or architecture. When shooting at night, its fixed focal length and wide field of view are perfect for capturing vast views of the night sky.

Like some of the other lenses on this list, it's worth noting that the front element is big and rounded, meaning you can't use any filters on the front. 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, or if you want to do any kind of long exposure shooting during the day with ND filters.

Performance: The lens excels in optical performance, providing exceptional image quality all-round. The chromatic aberration (color fringing) is minimal even when shooting at wide apertures and you also won't see any significant issue 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

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Best Canon RF lens

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Design: The Canon RF 15-25mm f/2.8 IS USM has a simple and sleek design, with just two buttons on the lens itself to operate the autofocus/manual focus and stabilizer. It maintains the same shape down the entire length of the lens barrel, so it's easy to store away in whatever camera bag you use.

This lens features a large 82mm filter thread right at the front, allowing you to attach screw-in filters directly without requiring an adapter. We particularly liked how smoothly and quietly the focal length and focus rings operate, making it excellent for shooting time-lapses and recording videos.

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. The autofocusing speed was excellent and it produced super sharp images, with only a tiny amount of sharpness dropoff right at the very edge of the frame when we were shooting wide open at f/2.8.

When we reviewed the images we took, we observed a minor chromatic aberration at the edge of the image, but it was only noticeable when zoomed in to 400%. While this isn't perfect, especially for astrophotographers shooting wide open, the overall image quality remained stunning.

Functionality: With a zoom range of 15-35mm, it's versatile enough for wide landscape shots and detailed close-ups. This lens offers strong image stabilization, providing five stops on its own and up to eight stops when paired with a Canon RF mount camera with in-body stabilization, making it perfect for handheld shooting.  For anyone using Canon RF mount cameras, we think it's an essential addition to your kit bag.

• Read our full Canon RF 15-25mm f/2.8 IS USM review

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Best Sony prime lens

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Design: In our review of the Sony FE 14mm f/1.8 G Master lens, we liked the clickable aperture ring option, which allows for easy aperture adjustment even in situations where the visibility of the screen is limited, like when shooting from low angles. However, it's important to mention that you can't use filters on the front of the lens due to the bulbous front element, so any filters will need to be attached to the back.

A big selling point of the Sony FE 14mm f/1.8 G Master lens is that it's almost unfathomably lightweight for a 14mm ultra-wide lens. At only 1.01 lbs (460g), it's 2.5x lighter than Sigma's 14mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art lens and doesn't look at all out of place on a full-frame camera body. It also makes it a dream to use, particularly if you like having the option of shooting handheld.

Performance: The image quality of this lens is amazing, delivering clean, sharp photos even when shooting wide open at f/1.8. There's a small amount of vignetting that can be easily fixed in editing, but almost no barrelling, chromatic aberration or distortion. Besides its super-sharp images, it also creates beautiful bokeh and dramatic sun stars at apertures down to f/4, making it versatile for both daytime photography and astrophotography.

Functionality: This lens excels in low light with its fast f/1.8 aperture, which allows you to use longer shutter speeds to capture things like star trails. The wide angle lets you capture large areas of sky, as well as facilitating easy close-up shots during the day alongside its effective autofocus. The only thing it lacks is image stabilization, but with many cameras featuring in-body stabilization these days, this may or may not be a problem for you.

• Read our full Sony FE 14mm f/1.8 GM review

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Best for versatility

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Design: The Sigma 14-24mm f/2.8 DG HSM is another lens from Sigma's 'Art' range, which is renowned for its optical quality and high-class engineering. This lens is optimized for full-frame cameras and has the robust build quality that Sigma is known for. It features smooth zoom and focus rings, and its autofocus is both fast and almost silent, making it great for daytime shooting and video recording.

When we reviewed the Sigma 14-24mm f/2.8 DG HSM, we noticed it is similar to Sigma's 14mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art lens. However, the f/2.8 version has the advantage of a zoom range from 14mm to 24mm, making it versatile for various types of photography in addition to astrophotography.

There are versatile mounting options available with this lens. It's primarily compatible with Nikon and Canon cameras, but if you have the Canon version, you can also use it on the Sony E-Mount system with Sigma's MC-11 mount converter. 

Performance: The lens delivers vibrant and sharp images with clean star rendering all across the frame, with minimal to no chromatic aberration even at its widest f/2.8 aperture. Sigma claims that there's absolutely no image distortion on the Sigma 14-24mm F2.8 DG HSM ART lens, which is a bold statement to make, but after using it, we'd have to agree.

Functionality: While zoom lenses allow you to change focal lengths, they usually have a narrower maximum aperture, like f/2.8. This means they can't gather as much light as an f/1.8 lens, but an f/2.8 aperture is still good enough for occasional astrophotography.

• Read our full Sigma 14-24mm f/2.8 DG HSM review

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Best Canon EF lens

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Design: Canon L lenses are renowned for their high quality, making them a favorite among photographers, whether you're just starting out or a seasoned pro. The sought-after Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L III USM improves upon its predecessor, the Mark II, by addressing various issues.

The lens is easy to use and durable, with a fast and precise USM autofocus system. Although manual focusing is usually preferred for night sky photography, the autofocus feature makes the lens versatile for daytime shooting as well.

This lens was clearly made with astrophotography in mind. It has a constant aperture of f/2.8 and a focal range that provides 20mm of versatility for capturing a wide field of view across the night sky, and can also turn its hand to other styles of photography, too. 

Performance: This lens can effectively fix chromatic aberration and distortion, although very meticulous users might detect slight distortions at the extreme corners of the image. However, you'd only notice this distortion when closely inspecting the entire image at high magnification (often known as pixel peeping), so it's unlikely to be a major concern for most users.

Its performance isn't flawless, but considering the f/2.8 design, it's remarkably impressive and far superior to cheaper lenses. Despite the higher price, this lens excels at capturing exceptional wide-field images of the night sky.

Functionality: When reviewing the Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L III USM, we found it to be a major improvement over the Mk II in image quality. Canon has greatly improved the autofocus system, diaphragm, and optics, allowing this lens to produce sharper images at the edges of the frame, even at the widest aperture settings and focal length.

Sadly, these upgrades have come at the expense of dropping the image stabilization, but this likely won't bother astrophotographers since it would need to be switched off for long exposure shooting at night anyway — not to mention the camera would also be on a tripod.

• Read our full Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L III USM review

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Best APS-C Sony lens

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Design: Despite being made of plastic, this lens feels well-built and sturdy. The focus ring is smooth and easy to use, and the glass is set back a bit, making it less bulbous than other lenses. This allows for easy attachment of a flat lens cap or front filters, unlike some other wide-angle lenses. The only slight niggle we had with the design was that the lens hood is visible in the field of view when it's attached, which renders it a bit redundant.

It's remarkably lightweight at only 6.4 oz (181g), making it convenient to toss into your camera bag and carry around without feeling its weight. The lens includes an autofocus/manual focus switch (although we found it a bit stiff to operate) and a custom button, which we thought was a nice extra feature.

Performance: We were impressed with the image quality when we tested this lens in our Sony E 11mm f/1.8 review. The images maintained their sharpness from the middle to the edge of the frame and there was barely any of the barreling or lens distortion that can sometimes make ultra-wide-angle images look warped.

We were also pleased with how well the lens performed for astrophotography. During long exposure shots with the shutter open for 25 seconds, the stars stayed perfectly sharp without any sign of star trails. Considering its price, we have no complaints at all.

Functionality: For daytime shooting, you'll like the autofocus and tracking, which are great at detecting and following both human and animal eyes. With an aperture ranging from f/1.8 to f/16, this lens works well in different conditions. It's also fully weather-sealed to protect against dust and water, which is especially handy considering the lens hood issue.

The main thing to note is that you don't get any image stabilization with this lens, so it may not be the ideal choice for those looking to shoot videos or use longer shutter speeds handheld.

• Read our full Sony E 11mm f/1.8 review

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Best APS-C DSLR lens

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Design: The Tokina atx-i 11-20mm f/2.8 is available in both Canon EF-mount and Nikon DX F-mount versions, and manages to find a perfect balance between being smooth, sleek and lightweight, while also feeling robust.

Holding this lens with one hand is comfortable, despite its large 82mm filter thread. Switching between manual and automatic focusing is simple: you just pull down the zoom ring, which is a nice change from the tricky switches on other lenses. The focus and zoom rings are close to the barrel, keeping the design sleek, and they have a textured pattern for a secure grip, even when you're wearing gloves in colder weather.

Performance: In our Tokina atx-i 11-20mm f/2.8 review we were very pleased with the image quality on offer here for the price. You're able to get very sharp images throughout the zoom range and there's very little optical distortion, with lines remaining straight even when shooting at 11mm.

We noticed some chromatic aberration, especially around high-contrast areas like stars, and there was noticeable vignetting when shooting wide open at f/2.8. While these problems can be corrected during editing and aren't too severe considering the price of the lens, those wanting better image quality might consider investing in a pricier lens.

Functionality: We found the manual focus on this lens to be very precise and were particularly pleased that the infinity marker on the ring matches almost perfectly with the manual focus results to infinity — something which is not always the case with other lenses. The autofocus works well for the most part but is definitely slower than you'd find on more expensive lenses. Nevertheless, we still think this Tokina lens offers incredible value for money and is one of the best ultra-wide fast zoom lenses for APS-C cameras on the market.

• Read our full Tokina atx-i 11-20mm f/2.8 review

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Best Nikon DSLR lens

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Although it's only compatible with F-mount Nikon bodies, this ultra-wide lens makes a great choice for astrophotography or general shooting thanks to its flexible focal length, fast f/2.8 aperture and razor-sharp results.

Design: The lens has a straightforward design, with a single switch to toggle between manual and automatic focusing modes, and the rubberized grips on the focal length and focus rings make it easy to handle in low light or while wearing gloves. The metal mount adds to its durability, and Nikon has included rubber seals and an integrated lens hood to protect the lens. At 2.2 lbs (998g), it's not the lightest option available, but its build quality is top-notch.

Performance: The images from this lens are consistently sharp at all focal lengths and aperture settings, making it one of the best ultra-wide DSLR lenses out there. There's minimal chromatic aberration, no sharpness drop-off and only very minor vignetting that can be easily resolved in post-production. It works extremely well in low light, and the focal length flexibility means that it can easily turn its hand to various kinds of photography as well as astro.

Functionality: This lens offers fast and dependable autofocus thanks to Nikon's Silent Wave Motor technology and Internal Focusing. This design makes the lens quieter because it doesn't rotate while focusing. Additionally, the lens includes a Nano Crystal Coat to scatter light and reduce flaring, resulting in clearer images.

• Read our full Nikon AF-S 14-24mm f/2.8 ED review

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Best budget lens

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Design: Although this South Korean-made lens is one of the cheapest models out there, we gave it four out of five stars in our Rokinon/Samyang 14mm f/2.8 review, so it has well and truly earned its place on our list of the best lenses for astrophotography.

Adjusting the aperture is easy with the manual ring located near the lens base. However, this setup means there's no electronic connection between the lens and the camera, so image data won't be transmitted with your photos. Despite being made of plastic, the lens body is still strong and lightweight.

Astrophotography can be costly, especially since it often demands specialized lenses with wide maximum apertures, which tend to be more expensive due to the size and quality of the glass. Luckily, the Rokinon/Samyang 14mm f/2.8 offers an impressive and wallet-friendly alternative.

The primary reason for the affordability of this lens is that it's entirely manual, meaning you have to manually adjust both the focus and the aperture. While manual focus is typical in astrophotography and doesn't present any problems, it might be less convenient for daytime shooting or capturing moving subjects.

Performance: The Rokinon/Samyang lens captures stars sharply, although there's a slight decrease in sharpness at the corners when fully open at f/2.8, leading to some coma and chromatic aberrations. Additionally, there's noticeable distortion and vignetting, but these problems can be fixed during post-processing. Considering the low price, these issues weren't a major concern for us.

If you're a newcomer to astrophotography or you're looking for a lens that can perform well on a smaller budget, then the Rokinon/Samyang 14mm f/2.8 may just be the lens for you.

• Read our full Rokinon/Samyang 14mm f/2.8 review

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Best lenses for astrophotography: Frequently Asked Questions

How we tested the best lenses for astrophotography

At Space.com, we understand that it can be difficult to find the right camera lens for your needs. That's why we put every lens through a rigorous review process to ensure that we provide you with honest and up-to-date recommendations. Our expert staff and knowledgeable freelance contributors test each lens based on a variety of factors including its construction, design, optical performance, and usability.

Each lens is evaluated based on its price point, class, and intended use so that we can provide you with the most relevant and accurate information. We take into account the latest imaging technology, as well as the lens's weight and portability, to help you make an informed decision.

If necessary, we'll also suggest other equipment that might enhance your viewing experience, such as lens hoods or filters. At Space.com, we are committed to providing reliable and transparent buying advice. Our reviews and buying guides are completely editorially independent, ensuring that you can trust us to provide you with the best possible information, whether you decide to make a purchase or not.