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The Most Popular Lenses With dPS Readers

By Darren Rowse
popular Canon Nikon Sony lenses

It’s time to take a look at the most popular lenses, based on the buying habits of Digital Photography School readers over the last three months.

These lists come from Amazon* data and reveal the lenses most frequently purchased by you, our wonderful dPS family.

For many years, the lists have been dominated by Canon and Nikon lenses, but in recent times, we’ve seen Sony become more and more popular. In fact, in this last quarter, Sony had 14 lenses make the list – only one fewer than Nikon.

As a result, for the first time, we’ve added a category of Sony lenses instead of lumping the Sony items into the “Other Lens” category.

Note: These lists include lenses for DSLRs and for Canon, Nikon, and Sony mirrorless cameras. We also maintain lists of the most popular cameras.

As mentioned above, this list features a mix of both DSLR (EF-mount) lenses and mirrorless (RF-mount) lenses. It’s been fascinating to see the rise of RF lenses on this bestseller list, a sign of the popularity of Canon’s growing mirrorless lineup.

Topping the list is Canon’s “Nifty Fifty,” the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM. These 50mm f/1.8 lenses are hard to beat when it comes to value for money, so it’s no surprise to see one leading the pack. The RF-mount Nifty Fifty comes in third! (You’ll also see Nikon’s version of the Nifty Fifty lens ranking second on the Nikon list.)

  1. Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens
  2. Canon EF-S 24mm f/2.8 STM Lens
  3. Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens
  4. Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM Lens
  5. Canon RF 16mm f/2.8 STM Lens
  6. Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM Lens
  7. Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM Lens
  8. Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II Lens
  9. Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM Lens
  10. Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS USM Lens
  11. Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM Lens
  12. Canon RF 15-35mm f/2.8L IS USM Lens
  13. Canon RF 28-70mm f/2L USM Lens
  14. Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM Lens
  15. Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L USM Lens
  16. Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM Lens

Like Canon’s list, Nikon’s list features a mix of full-frame (FX) DSLR lenses and cropped-sensor (DX) DSLR lenses, in addition to Z-mount lenses for mirrorless cameras.

In this case, Nikon’s excellent 35mm f/1.8 lens is at the top:

  1. Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G Lens
  2. Nikon AF-S FX Nikkor 50mm f/1.8G Lens
  3. Nikon AF-S FX Nikkor 85mm f/1.8G Lens
  4. Nikon Nikkor Z 85mm f/1.8 S Lens
  5. Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G ED Lens
  6. Nikon Nikkor Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 Lens
  7. Nikon AF FX Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D Lens
  8. Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3G ED Lens
  9. Nikon Nikkor Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S Lens
  10. Nikon Nikkor Z 50mm f/1.8 S Lens
  11. Nikon AF-P DX Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3G ED VR Lens
  12. Nikon AF-S FX Nikkor 200-500mm f/5.6E ED Lens
  13. Nikon Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S Lens
  14. Nikon Nikkor Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S Lens
  15. Nikon AF-S DX Micro-Nikkor 40mm f/2.8G Lens

Our first-ever Sony bestseller list includes some excellent lenses.

Heading the list is a lens that is far from the Nifty-Fifty price range, the amazing 12-24mm f/2.8 (perfect for landscape, real-estate, and even wide-angle portrait photography).

Of interest to us at dPS headquarters is just how many of Sony’s legendary G Master (GM) lenses made the list. Our readers certainly have taste!

  1. Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM Lens
  2. Sony E 55-210mm f/4.5-6.3 Lens
  3. Sony FE 85mm f/1.8 Lens
  4. Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM Lens
  5. Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM Lens
  6. Sony E 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS Lens
  7. Sony FE 24mm f/1.4 GM Lens
  8. Sony E 70-350mm f/4.5-6.3 G OSS Lens
  9. Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II Lens
  10. Sony FE 20mm f/1.8 G Lens
  11. Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 Lens
  12. Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS Lens
  13. Sony FE 24-105mm f/4 G OSS Lens
  14. Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM Lens

Also worth sharing are the following lenses made by third-party manufacturers. Many of these are designed for the bodies of multiple camera brands, but we’ve noted the popular lenses that you’ve been buying over the last few months:

  1. Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Art Lens for Sony (also available for Canon and Nikon)
  2. Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III VXD G2 Lens for Sony
  3. Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens for Sony
  4. Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Contemporary DG OS HSM Lens for Canon (also available for Nikon)
  5. Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 Art DC HSM Lens for Canon (also available for Nikon and Sony)
  6. Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN Contemporary Lens for Sony
  7. Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8 Di III VXD Lens for Sony

*These lens lists were compiled from reports supplied to us by Amazon.com, where we are affiliates.

One of the ways we are able to cover dPS’s costs and remain a sustainable business is by earning a small commission when readers make a purchase from Amazon or B&H Photo after clicking on our article links (including the links used above).

It adds nothing to the cost of the product but gives us a small kickback to help cover our server, design, developer, and editorial costs.

While we cannot access any personal information from readers, we do get an overall report from Amazon about what was bought, which is how we created these lists.