For many street photographers, it can be difficult to choose a suitable camera lens. Ultimately, the best street camera lens needs to be simple and portable. This kind of lens allows you to grasp and adjust your camera quickly to capture events and beautiful moments. Therefore, before purchasing a camera lens for street photography, here are two important factors you need to consider in advance:
Size—you want a small lens that is easy to carry around
Focal range—a narrow focal range is best for street photography.
Below is a list of all good budget camera lenses for street photography. This guide will focus mostly on Sony, Fuji, Canon, and Nikon. All these lenses are full-frame and APS-C. You can follow the links to find more detailed information.
Table of Contents
Best Canon Camera Lenses for Street Photography
Canon EF-S 24mm f/2.8 Pancake Camera Lens
Good for: Canon’s APS-C cameras (Rebel series and mid-range series from the 20D to the 80D, and the 7D)
Price: $149.00
For an inexpensive, sharp, prime lens, the Canon EF-S 24mm f/2.8 is an ideal lens for all photographers. EF-S 24mm f/2.8 is the third pancake camera lens in the Canon series. It is well constructed though feels a little plastic in build quality and in the hand. But thanks to its lightweight design, it is easy to carry around and capture beautiful moments around you anytime, anywhere.
The Canon EF-S 24mm f/2.8 consists of six elements in five groups, with seven rounded blades—good for maintaining the aperture round when the lens is stepped down. When you mount the lens on the Canon APS-C body, it will offer you an equivalent 38mm focal length and is a good fit for general purposes. This camera lens’s closest focusing distance is about 4 inches from the subject. This lens can be focused very closely and offers maximum magnification. However, it lacks some refined details in images. If you are looking for the fine detail of small and tiny objects, the EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro, or the EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro, is the best choice.
The Canon EF-S 24mm f/2.8 is equipped with an STM function (stepping motor), which allows photographers to transit from one focus point to another smoothly and quietly. It also allows you to focus quickly and accurately. Honestly, the STM is not as good as USM when it comes to fast-paced action.
Additionally, this is a good lens for shooting video thanks to its quiet autofocusing. With its f/2.8 wide aperture, it allows users to take pretty shots in low-light conditions and has a better performance than the 18–55mm lenses.
One downside of this lens is the lack of an IS feature. If you want to shoot moving subjects or shoot videos by hand, it will be a little difficult; however, if you shoot videos with a tripod or camera gimbal, it won’t be a problem. When it comes to image quality, this lens offers very good sharpness and good contrast. For its chromatic aberrations, it is better and even there are some green fringing in some situations, and it is fine. It does not do a good job in broken quality. When wide-open at f/2.8, there is some light-off in the corner.
If you’re on a tight budget and want to add a good wide-angle lens to your EOS kit, the Canon EF-S 24mm f/2.8 is highly recommended. If you want a wide-angle lens, the EF-S 10–18mm F4.5–5.6 IS STM is the best. If you want to take photos during vacations and while walking around, the lightweight lens is a great one. This lens not only offers you great sharpness across the whole frame, even at the edge of the frame, but also provides a smooth, fast, and quiet autofocusing experience.
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM
Good For: Compatible with all EOS cameras
Price: $125.00
Over the past few years, the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 has become one of the bestselling fixed camera lenses in the Canon series. It is useful for both crop and full-frame cameras and is a good fit for beginners to upgrade their camera lenses. The Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM is the updated version Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II. This lens has been updated a lot from its predecessors. The most significant upgrade is its STM, which allows photographers to have a smooth and quiet focus.
For its build quality and material, this lens still consists of six elements in five groups and is built with a new technology, Spectra Coating (SSC), which can eliminate ghosting and flaring as much as possible, compared with the previous model. The lens is priced at $125.00. If you want a cheaper lens, the Yongnuo 50mm f/1.8 lens ($82) is highly recommended. But honestly, the Canon outperforms the Yongnuo. It is worth the additional $43.
The brand new STM was first applied in the EF 40mm STM lens. This STM technology provides smoothness and is quiet in focus. It is great when transitioning from one focus point to another. If you want to take some videos and shoot still subjects with this lens, it offers a natural video experience. But keep in mind that any model older than the T4i, base models, and latest versions (T5, T6, or older) do not support the quiet focus feature.
Regarding image quality, when at f/1.8 wide-open, vignetting is obvious, and when stopping down to f/5.6, the corner sharpness is best, but some details are not great. The lens’s bokeh quality is not as ideal as expected. There are some harder edges and a little creamy softness compared with the better lenses. Barrel distortions are not perfect. It has an excellent focal length, which is good for portrait and street photography. One of its strengths is fast aperture, which allows users to take great images in less bright conditions, but also produces an attractive bokeh effect for portraits. The minimum focus distance is also a good feature, but it has no 1:1 magnification. If you want to use a lens for macro shooting, the EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM is the best. Alternatively, you can purchase an extension tube. Bear in mind that this lens has no IS feature, which makes it less ideal for vlogging. There is no weather or dust sealing either, so avoid getting it wet.
If you want to improve your kit lens, the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM is a good choice. If you have a tight budget and want to take some great street photographs, this lens is good for you. Or, if you want to add a big improvement in image quality in sharpness, pleasing bokeh, this lens is the best way to go.
Canon RF 35mm f/1.8 STM
Good for: EOS R-series users
Price: $499.00
When it comes to street photography, many users think that 35mm is the best option. It not only highlights the subject but also captures much more background information. The Canon RF 35mm f/1.8, is a good budget lens as it combines features including image stabilization, macro, autofocus, and the STM system. The $499 lens will fulfill your needs. The least expensive RF 35mm f/1.8 STM features a useful focal length with a large f/1.8 aperture and 0.50x magnification. But keep in mind that this lens is not a full-frame 1:1 macro lens.
The RF 35mm f/1.8 is a compact, lightweight camera lens due to its 2.9″ (74.4mm) diameter, 2.5″ (62.8mm) length, and 10.8 oz (305g) weight. It is a good partner when you want to shoot some travel or street photography. The lens is equipped with image stabilization (IS). For video-makers, this is a very important feature to deliver the best result. However, if you shoot videos while moving, it will not be as stable as you expect. If you shoot Livestream videos, this lens is a good fit for you.
Like the Canon EF-S 24mm f/2.8, the RF 35mm f/1.8 employs STM technology. According to Canon, the STM allows users to transit from one focus point to another smoothly and quietly. But in reality, it still has some noise when in focus.
Although the lens does not feature a full 1:1 macro lens, its ability is good for many users who wish to photograph close images, such as food or tiny items. You will often get inspired during a vacation and a walk with this portable camera lens. It works well in dark conditions due to its good autofocus. Regarding image quality, it has some vignettes. There is some minor shading that remains even when at f/8. By f/4, the lens is sharp from corner to corner. When it comes to sunburst, it performs well. For some macro shooters or photographers who love shooting insects, this lens is not perfect, as it has obvious barrel distortion. But if you want a vertical lens, this one is best for you.
If you want a great build and performance and have enough budget, the Tamron 35mm f/1.8 VC ($599) is your best choice. If you want a native mount lens and a very versatile lens, the RF 35mm f/1.8 Macro IS STM is a good fit.
Canon EF-M 22mm f/2 STM
Good for: Canon EOS mirrorless system
Price: $249.99
At only 0.94 x 2.4 x 2.4 inches and weighing 105g, Canon EF-M 22mm f/2 STM is a small and standard camera lens that easily fits into your pocket bag. As an excellent pancake lens, Canon EF-M 22mm f/2 STM is a good fit for the EOS M mount system and Canon bodies. This less expensive camera lens features seven elements in six groups and a built-in stepping motor. This lens’s build quality is throughout, but the lens is not weather-sealed at all, so don’t get it wet. It offers coverage equivalent to 35mm.
Image quality is excellent, and the Canon EF-M 22mm f/2 STM delivers good sharp results, though there is some softness in the corners when shooting at f/2 wide-open. When it comes to its chromatic aberration, there are some noticeable purple or blue fringes appearing along contrasty edges. At wide-open f/2 at 22mm, you can see some noticeable light fall-off around the corners. But as you would expect, images get better when stopping down a little. The lens performs very well in terms of vignetting and distortion.
For the downsides, this lens has no IS, meaning that you need to purchase a camera gimbal or hold it steady. The lens is not perfect for macro shooters, but if you want to shoot some food and flowers, it is still very useful. Canon says the lens has 0.21x maximum magnification.
Best Nikon Camera Lens for Street Photography
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8G Lens
Good for: FX and DX-format bodies
Price: $216.95
Nikon AF-S 50mm f/1.8G was launched in 2011 and is the successor of the well-received camera lens-50f/1.8D (released in 2002). If you want a cheap lens, the 50 f/1.8D costs only $131.95. But compared with its predecessor, this Nikon has upgraded a lot in every aspect and is a good, general, versatile lens.
Specifically designed for both FX and DX shooters, the polycarbonate plastic AF-S 50mm f/1.8, as a consumer-entry level camera lens, is light and compact as it is only 72mm long and 185 grams in weight. However, it is heavier than the 50/f/1.8D. Importantly, Nikon AF-S 50mm f/1.8G feels solid and excellent in the hand. The 50mm focal length is nearly the same as a human’s naked eye. If you mount this lens on a cropped-frame / DX-format body, its 50mm focal length has the equivalent of 75mm and has become a great option for portrait photography. But if you want to take group photos, the Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G lens (only $176.95) is highly recommended.
The large f/1.8 aperture is great for taking pictures in less bright situations and is good for isolating the subject and enriching your background information. Therefore, it is a good fit for street photographers and reporters thanks to its practical and wide-open aperture. When it comes to its optical design, it consists of seven elements in six groups, with seven diagrams blades. This lens employs a Silent Wave Motor (SWM), ensuring fast, accurate, and silent autofocusing. Keep in mind that there is still some noticeable noise even though it has silent SWM features. Image quality is great and there is a good sharpness with the wide-open aperture in the center or even across the whole frame. But one of the downsides is that there is less sharpness in the corners, but once you stop down to f/4.0 or f/5.6, the sharpness improves. Regarding the vignette, once you stop down to f/2.8, the vignetting will take off dramatically, and ghosting and flare are well controlled. In fact, many prime lenses have this problem, including the Nikon AF-S 50mm f/1.8G.
Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G Lens
Good for: DX Nikon owners
Price: $176.95
Measuring70 x 52.5mm and weighing in at 200 grams, the Nikon AF-S 35mm is an inexpensive and lightweight camera lens for many Nikon shooters and street photographers. As the lens for street photography needs to be simple and small, this lens is ideal for carrying and capturing beautiful moments quickly. Also, it accepts a 52mm filter, and you can switch between manual focus and autofocus.
The Nikon AF-S 35mm, as a fashionable and modern prime lens, has been very popular among users thanks to its price point ($179) and good performance. This lens is equipped with Silent Wave Motor (SWM), allowing for silent and smooth autofocusing on all Nikon DSLRs, including some Nikon cameras that have no built-in focus motor (D40, D40x, D60, and D5000).
Its large f/1.8 aperture allows photographers to take good pictures in less bright environments and is great for candid street photography. Additionally, this lens is great for separating the subject and background. This lens works perfectly in the center’s sharpness, and although it is a little disappointing in the corner, it is acceptable. Once you stop down, it becomes sharper. When it comes to vignetting and chromatic aberration, it is perfect and well-controlled, offering excellent images. There are some green fringing visible and purple or cyan fringes along contrasty edges.
One downside is that this lens has no image stabilization, which makes it hard to shoot footage. If you want to use this lens for steady video, it is best to purchase digital camera gimbals or tripods for moving images and videos. This lens is not a good macro lens, and if you want a lens for macro photography, the Nikon 40mm or 60mm macros are the best options. If you have a tight budget and want to have a DX image circle, the affordable Nikon AF-S 35mm f/1.8G is a good choice for you.
Best Sony Camera Lens for Street Photography
Sony E 50mm f/1.8 OSS
Good for: Sony Alpha E-Mount digital cameras
Price: $323.00
The Sony E 50mm f/1.8, released at the end of 2011, is specifically designed for APS-C sensors and is welcomed by many Sony shooters. As a compact and affordable camera lens, it is suited for general purpose photography, including portrait photography and street photography. The Sony E 50mm f/1.8 OSS is a good fit for Sony Alpha E-Mount digital cameras, including A7, A7 II, A7R, A7R II, A7S, A7S II, A9, A3000, A5000, A5100, A6000, A6300, A6500, NEX-3 Series, NEX-5 Series, NEX-6, NEX-7, etc.
With the support of 49mm front filters, this lens is 2.44 x 2.44 inches/61.98 x 61.98mm and weighs in at 7.13 oz., making it a great choice for portraits and outdoor shots. It is equivalent to a 75mm lens on an APS-C camera, making it ideal for outdoor shots. It is equipped with optical stabilization for a steady experience when taking pictures at long shutter speeds or shooting videos. This is a big plus for many Sony shooters. According to Sony, it offers approximately four stops of the shutter speed advantage.
Users can take excellent images in less bright situations thanks to the large f/1.8 aperture. When it comes to its image quality, it is very sharp in the center of the frame but is not as good in the corner. The image sharpness becomes better when stopping down. It works well at f/2.8 while the corner is less sharp at f/4. Many camera lenses with large apertures have this issue. Purple fringe is well controlled in the center of the frame, even when wide-open. But for the corners, the purple fringe is noticeable when at f/5.6.
One of the negative aspects of this lens is that it lacks a weather-sealed design, which is a problem when photographers are working outside. It has a magnification of 0.16x and a minimum close-focusing distance (39cm), so this is not a good lens for macro photography. But for its price and performance overall, the Sony E 50mm f/1.8 OSS is a good addition to your camera kit. If you want a great prime lens for portrait, the 35mm prime lens ($423.00) is a good fit for you. If you have a tight budget, the Sony E 50mm f/1.8 OSS is a good way to go.
Sony E 20 f/2.8
Good for: APS-C-format E-mount cameras
Price: $348.00
The Sony E 20 f/2.8, as a small, compact, and carry-around lens, is a wide-angle pancake for Sony shooters. It has the same size as the 16mm f/2.8 Sony released previously. With a sleek, well-made design, it feels solid and pretty good when holding it in the hand. As a wide-angle camera lens, it is a good fit for general purposes, such as landscape and street photography. The Sony E 20 f/2.8 lens has the same angle of view on APS-C cameras as a 30mm lens on a full-frame. With an f/2.8 aperture, it offers excellent contrast, color rendition, and clarity. It is equipped with autofocus, which offers users smooth and quiet operation and is a big plus for shooting videos and still photography.
It has very good sharpness in the center of the frame, and when at f/5.6, the sharpness reaches the peak and the overall frame of this lens performs excellently. However, there is some softness across the corner, so if you want corner-to-corner sharpness, you should look elsewhere. For its bokeh, it performs well. But if you are into the bokeh, the Sony 24mm f/1.8 is better for you. Sony E 20 f/2.8 has fast and smooth autofocus, meaning that it rarely misses the target. With a built-in seven-blade diaphragm, it offers beautiful sunstars at the smallest aperture. When the aperture is at f/16, the Sunstar looks perfect.
Note that this lens has no image stabilization, meaning that you need to purchase a digital camera gimbal for shooting videos. But for still photography, it is fine. Alternatively, you can pair this lens with a Sonya6500. One of its strengths is color rendition, which is excellent, and you will get good results when shooting random street shots. When it comes to color fringing, it is also well controlled. The Sony E 20 f/2.8 has excellent performance compared with the older 16mm F/2.8. If you want a small lens as a walkaround camera lens or want good images, the Sony E 20 f/2.8 is an excellent choice.
Sony E PZ 16–50mm f/3.5–5.6
Good for: Sony NEX cameras
Price: $298.00
The Sony E PZ 16–50mm f/3.5–5.6 is a surprising lens for many Sony NEX users. Whether you love portrait photography or street photography, this lens will meet your needs. With small size and lightweight, this is a low-budget power zoom lens that brings some fun to your photography. In terms of autofocus, it takes only 0.2 seconds to lock onto the subject and is a fast performer. Because of its built-in lens motor, it is easy for video shooting.
Image quality is much better than expected. The center of the frame is very sharp throughout the whole zoom range, while some corners are soft. There are some purple or blue fringes along contrasty edges, which can be a problem. At the wide aperture, the distortion is strong, and you need to use photoshop to correct it. When you set the lens at 35mm, the center sharpness has a different result. At f/5.6 it is ok and better at f/8 while stopping down to around f/11 is the best. At f/16, it offers good image quality but bears in mind that some diffraction is noticeable when stopping down f/22 and f/32. There is some softness when you zoom out to 16mm, and it becomes better marginally when you zoom in.
Some advantages of the Sony E PZ 16–50mm are that it is very cheap and very general in use. For a 25mm setting, you can take tighter landscape and environment shots, while a 50mm setting allows users to take perfect portraits and tighter street shots with focal length. Keep in mind that there is a little delay when you shoot street photography, which may result in missing the capture of a fleeting moment. The lack of a lens hood means the lens is not protected against flare. If you want a low-cost zoom lens for general use or video shooting, this Sony E PZ 16–50mm f/3.5–5.6 is a good fit.
Best Fuji Lens for Street Photography
Fuji XF 23mm f/2 R WR
Good for: Fuji’s X-series mirrorless cameras (X Pro 2, X Pro1, X-T2, and the X-T20)
Price: $449
Among the Fuji f/2 camera lens line-up, there are three lenses, including XF 35mm f/2, the XF 50mm f/2, and this XF 23mm f/2. All three lenses are compact and weather-sealed. The Fuji XF 23mm f/2, with its small size, was announced in 2016 and is a great addition to Fuji’s X-series mirrorless cameras. The lens serves photographers well in many situations, including street photography, travel photography, and documentary photography. As a travel-friend or walkaround lens, this lens consists of 10 elements in six groups with a nine-blade aperture and two aspherical elements. For its nine-blade aperture, it offers users a pleasing and natural bokeh. This lens is suitable for street photographers thanks to its build-in stepper motor focusing system, fast and smooth focusing experience, an equivalent focal length of 35mm (the angle of view is 63.4 degrees).
However, one downside of this lens is that it has no image stabilization; therefore, videographers need third-party stabilized equipment to shoot videos under certain conditions. Weighing in at 180g, the XF 23mm f/2 R enables users to focus in quiet conditions and lock onto subjects quickly in bright situations, but to be honest, in less bright conditions, you will need a little time to focus. The Fuji XF23 mm f/2 can isolate the subject from the background well and offers users a shallow depth-of-field and smooth rendering as well.
When it comes to image quality, it performs well. At wide-open f/2, the center sharpness is good, and at f/2.8, it reaches peak sharpness. At f/11 and f/16, it is less sharp. It has a good chromatic aberration and there is less noticeable purple fringing appearing across the frame. When stopping down to f/2, there is some slight drop-off, but it is fine. Flare sometimes appears when taking a shot—use the lens hood to avoid this issue. The XF 23mm f/2 has a minimum distance of 0.22m and a maximum magnification of 0.13x. This means that it is not a good lens for macro shooters, but you can still shoot flowers and food.
If you want to purchase a carry-around lens for your street photography, the Fuji XF 23mm f/2 R WR is the best option.
Fuji XF 50mm f/2 R WR
Good for: Fuji X-series mirrorless cameras
Price: $449
Fuji XF 50mm f/2 R WR was released in January 2017. According to Fujifilm, it is a lightweight, affordable, weather-sealed, dust-resistant, and short telescope lens (weighing 200g and a 76mm full-frame equivalent). The lens is priced at $499. Another camera lens, the Fuji XF 56mm f/1.2 has the same focal length as this lens, but in comparison, the XF 56mm f/1.2 has no weather-sealed features, is very slow to focus, and is twice the price of the XF 50mm f/2 at $999.00. But if you want to isolate the subject well from the background, the f/1.2 is the better choice.
One of 50mm f/2 R’s strengths is its speedy focus thanks to its advanced stepper motor drive mechanism. If you focus in bright conditions, it is very accurate and fast, while in some low-light conditions it may be a little slow but still accurate. When it comes to image quality, the center sharpness is perfect at f/2 with some softness in the corner. At wide-open f/2, you can see a little vignetting, but when stopping down to f/4, the vignetting is decreased. At f/11, it still offers a sharp result, while there is some diffraction-related softness at f/16. When taking shots under the sun, the lens ghosting and flare are well controlled. Distortion is low and can be corrected via the Fuji built-in system. With its nine elements in seven groups, along with one aspherical ED lens, this lens offers users a pleasing bokeh.
This lens can offer 0.15x magnification and 39cm minimum focusing distance. However, the XF 50mm f/2 R is not a perfect lens for macro street photography. If you want to shoot insects, try the Zeiss Touit 50mm f/2.8 Macro. If you are looking for a short telephoto lens and want good optical quality, the Fuji XF 50mm f/2 R WR is highly recommended.
Fuji XF16mm F/2.8 R WR Lens
Good for: Fujifilm X-Mount
Price: $399
As a compact, lightweight wide-angle prime lens, the XF 16mm f/2.8 R is the best choice for many Fuji shooters. It is a carry-around lens thanks to its 155g weight and 45mm length, which is lighter and shorter than the XF 16mm f/1.4 R lens. According to Fuji, this lens features a weather-resistant design and comfortable ergonomics, along with an angle of view of 83.2º and a 49mm filter thread (non-rotating). It has 10 elements across eight groups, an aspherical element (combat curvature and spherical distortion or aberrations), and a Super EBC coating (which can be used to reduce lens flare and ghosting as much as possible and upgrade contrast and color fidelity). With its stepping motor and internal focusing mechanism, it can deliver quick and accurate autofocus as well. The autofocus is almost silent, which is a plus for videos and still photography.
As a wide-open camera lens, this lens performs well in sharpness. Its bright f/2.8 aperture collects as much light as possible, offers a good result in center sharpness, and shows users fine details and contrast as well. When stopping down to f/5.6 or f/8, you will get excellent sharpness. Image sharpness reaches its peak at f/4–f/11. Bear in mind that there is a little diffraction when furthering stop-down. When stopping down to f/5.6, there is a little purple or blue fringe across the contrasty edge. At f/2.8, the vignetting is very well controlled, and there is less vignetting appearing at f/5.6. Sunstars are pretty good when at f/16 and f/22.
One of the downsides of this lens is the lack of image stabilization. You need a digital camera gimbal or other stabilized equipment to shoot videos or other genres of photography like street photography. Or you can purchase a camera with in-built stabilization, like the X-H1. XF16mmF/2.8 R WR is not suitable for macro photography or night sky photography. Small size, portability, affordable price, and good image sharpness make the Fuji XF 16mm f/2.8 R WR a great camera lens.
