Astrophotography is a demanding genre of photography. It just doesn’t require the right set of photography skills but also the right lenses. Many users believe that they can switch to astrophotography with their existing lens kit. But the result will be disappointing because for capturing faint starlight and distant galaxies you require specific gear. The lenses for astrophotography tend to capture more light in a very short time. Additionally, they also need to produce sharp, clear images across the entire frame. Now the market is flooded with ample options and each brand labels their camera lenses as the Top lenses for astrophotography. But not each one of it is worthy of your attention. So to ease out the selection process, this blog post will lend you a helping hand.
Key Features of a Great Astro Lens
When you are looking for the best lenses for astrophotography there are majorly two factors that you need to consider. One is aperture. Second is focal length.
A lens’s aperture determines how much light it can collect. A wide aperture that is indicated by a low f-number like f/1.4 or f/2.8, is essential. This allows you to use a lower ISO setting. Further this setting helps to lower down noise in your images. It also lets you use a quicker shutter speed.
Next up comes the focal length. Wide-angle lenses that are generally between 14mm and 35mm are popular for capturing nightscapes as well for clicking Milky Way shots. These lenses allow for longer exposure time. So the stars don’t appear as trails. Longer focal lengths are great for capturing specific deep-sky objects like nebulae and galaxies.
Best Lenses For Astrophotography
There are several lenses that stand out for their performance.
- First in the list is the Samyang/Rokinon 14mm f/2.8 lens. It is a classic option that is budget friendly. It’s a manual focus lens. Its wide field of view is perfect for beginners.
- Next up we have the premium option. It is Sigma 14mm f/1.4 DG DN Art. It is known for exceptional sharpness and a fast f/1.4 aperture.
- Thereafter for mirrorless systems the FE 14mm f/1.8 GM from Sony and Nikkor Z 20mm f/1.8 S from Nikon are excellent choices. They offer superb image quality. Moreover they are relatively lightweight.
- Lastly the zoom lenses like the Sigma 14-24mm f/2.8 DG HSM Art provide great versatility. They allow you to frame your shot without changing lenses.
Concluding Remarks
Buying a lens for astrophotography is definitely no less than a big investment. No matter whether you are just starting or already experienced. It is quite non-negotiable to research thoroughly before finalizing. Check out customer reviews for the same. This will ensure peace of mind as well as you’ll come to know if it matches with your needs or not. The Top lenses for astrophotography will definitely make a big difference in the results. They will help you take out amazing images of the night sky. But you also need to remember that practice is also mandatory. Pairing the right lens with the right technique means amazing results that will be worthy of every praise.
