29 Most Popular DSLR Lenses Among Our Readers
Over the weekend we released a list of the 15 most popular DSLRs judged according to what our readers have been buying on Amazon over the last 4 months*. Today we’re turning our attention to the most popular DSLR lenses.
As usual – Canon and Nikon lenses were by far the most popular so I’ve divided them into two lists but I’ve also included a third list of lenses from other manufacturers below.
Nikon Lenses
1. Nikon 50mm f/1.8D AF Nikkor Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras
2. Nikon 35mm f/1.8G AF-S DX Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras
3. Nikon 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR AF-S DX Nikkor Zoom Lens for Nikon Digital SLR
4. Nikon 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED IF AF-S DX VR [Vibration Reduction] Nikkor Zoom Lens
5. Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8G ED AF-S Nikkor Wide Angle Zoom Lens
6. Nikon 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S ED VR II Nikkor Telephoto Zoom Lens for Nikon DX-Format Digital SLR Cameras
7. Nikon 18-300mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S DX Nikkor Lens
8. Nikon 50mm f/1.4G SIC SW Prime Nikkor Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras
Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED IF AF-S VR Nikkor Zoom Lens
10. Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II AF-S Nikkor Zoom Lens For Nikon Digital SLR Cameras
Canon Lenses
1. Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Camera Lens
2. Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4.0-5.6 IS Telephoto Zoom Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras + Lens Cleaning Kit
3. Canon EF 50mm f1.4 USM Standard & Medium Telephoto Lens for Canon SLR Cameras
4. Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM Telephoto Zoom Lens for Canon SLR Cameras
5. Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III Telephoto Zoom Lens for Canon SLR Cameras
6. Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM Lens for Canon EOS SLR Cameras
7. Canon 40mm EF f/2.8 STM Lens
8. Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM Medium Telephoto Lens
9. Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM SLR Lens
10. Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L IS USM 1-to-1 Macro Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras
Other Brands
Normally we don’t see a lot of lenses from other brands purchased but in the last 4 months we’ve noticed a spike in sales of lenses from Signma, Tamron and Tokina who each make quality lenses for DSLRS of different brands – many times at more affordable prices than the equivalent lenses from the main brands. Here’s the ones that we saw decent sales of:
1. Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras (also available for Nikon, Samsung and Sigma DSLRS)
2. Tamron AF 28-75mm f/2.8 SP XR Di LD Aspherical (IF) for Canon Digital SLR Cameras (also available for Minolta and Sony Pentax, and Nikon DSLRs)
3. Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 SLD DG Macro Lens with built in motor for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras
4. Tamron AF 17-50mm F/2.8 XR Di-II LD SP Aspherical (IF) Zoom Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras (also available for Nikon and Minolta and Sony DSLRs)
5. Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 SLD DG Macro Lens with built in motor for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras
6. Sigma 8-16mm f/4.5-5.6 DC HSM FLD AF Ultra Wide Zoom Lens for APS-C sized Canon Digital DSLR Camera (also available for Nikon, Pentax, Sigma and Sony DSLRs)
7. Tamron AF 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD LD Aspherical IF Macro Zoom Lens for Canon DSLR Cameras (also available for Nikon and Sony DSLRs)
8. Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 AT-X116 Pro DX II Digital Zoom Lens (for Canon EOS Cameras) (Tokina also make a similar lens for Nikon DSLRS
9. Tokina 12-24MM F/4.0 Pro II Zoom Lens for Digital Canon SLR Cameras (Tokina also make a similar lens for Nikon DSLRS)
*Note: these lists were compiled from reports supplied to us from Amazon.com where we are affiliates. One of the ways dPS is able to cover its costs and be a sustainable business is that we earn a small commission when readers make a purchase from Amazon after clicking on our links (including those above). While no personal details are passed on we do get an overall report from Amazon about what was bought and are able to create this list.
12 Responses to “29 Most Popular DSLR Lenses Among Our Readers” - Add Yours
December 6th, 2012 at 8:56 am
Thank you for continuing to completely ignore m4/3 and other interchangeable lens systems.
*ptew*
I spit on them!
December 6th, 2012 at 10:14 am
tinyhands – we’ll get to m4/3 systems
December 6th, 2012 at 10:16 am
@Tinyhands, You’re thanking the readers of this website, right?
From the top of this page: “judged according to what our readers have been buying on Amazon over the last 4 months.”
December 6th, 2012 at 9:22 pm
Sigma 8-16 rocks…it is mounted for the 80% of my shooting time
December 7th, 2012 at 3:49 am
@jonathan – Fine, it’s all MY fault that anything other than Canon and Nikon fails to find foothold in the photographic community. Blame me. I should be punished. I should be flogged. I publicly confess and repent my sins. Forgive me, brothers and sisters. I am slime, unworthy to be among you good people.
December 7th, 2012 at 10:07 am
Does the Tamron 17-50 include the VC version or is it just the non VC version?
December 7th, 2012 at 1:01 pm
This just goes to show that the most popular lens isn’t always the best
December 7th, 2012 at 2:40 pm
These may be the most popular lenses, but don’t confuse them for the best quality lenses. The Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS lens is garbage as far as I’m concerned. I just replaced mine with a Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6 SP Di VC (not even listed here) and the difference in sharpness is night and day! Plus, the Tamron is only $400.
December 9th, 2012 at 10:03 am
I’ve recently bought a Nikon 16/85 VR and think it is a super lens. Does anybody have an opinion on this lens
December 17th, 2012 at 4:08 am
Oops, now there are two of us! Im running old iron people, old…real old FRIGGING OLD!!! Olympus E-1…i will never change my ways, i gotta be the guy at the photo meet that everyone stares at.
PS: We E-1 users can shoot in the bronx without fear…we can bludgeon the attempted thief after our precious E-1 (esp with the battery grip) and then take photos of the offender while awaiting police.
So, it aint all bad.
December 30th, 2012 at 10:59 am
I cannot understand how the 75-300mm f/4-5.6 lens can be considered among the most popular. Maybe the most widely owned but, not the most popular. This lens is really a crappy piece of glass and, IMO, not worth buying or even carrying if it is given away!
December 30th, 2012 at 11:01 am
I take back my above comment. I didn’t realize that these were the lenses most often bought…
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