Before people started using telescopes to gaze into space, astrophotography was the only option available to people that wanted to photograph celestial bodies. Traditional photography technology wasn’t built to capture the entire universe, so astrophotographers had to use their own equipment to capture the heavens.
People from both the old and the new guard of astronomy use photography as an essential research tool. Amateur astrophotographers use cameras with a whopping 10-megapixel resolution, while professional astronomers use telescopes with Hubble-grade sensors. Today, advances in camera technology, processing software, and robotics have allowed astrophotographers to capture even more of the universe, including the Milky Way and Mars.
Lenses for Astrophotography
If you are an astrophotographer or are soon to become one, you might be looking for the best equipment that will help you with your studies. So, here are the following best lenses for astrophotography that you should know:
Canon RF 15-35mm f/2.8L IS US
When trying to capture beautiful night sky images, having a very wide-angle lens—one that covers a wide field of view—is invaluable. The Canon RF 15-35mm f/2.8L IS USM lens is a full-frame lens, which means that it’s best suited for full-frame SLR cameras. However, the lens can also be used on APS-C cameras, of which there are about 80% of cameras on the market. This lens has two Aspherical elements (which help reduce chromatic aberrations), a 9-bladed circular aperture, and Optical Image Stabilization. The lens’ f/2.8 aperture allows for plenty of light to enter the lens, and the lens is compatible with both Canon and Nikon cameras, making it a fantastic choice for astrophotography.
Irix 15mm f/2.4 Blackstone
Irix 15mm f/2.4 Blackstone is a terrific lens for astrophotography. The Irix brand is fairly new, and this specific lens, part of the Blackstone collection (which is also the name of the company), is their flagship lens. This particular lens is very versatile and is designed to be used in wide-field and close-up astrophotography. It is manual focus only, meaning that it is a prime lens (i.e., one that does not rotate).
Samyang XP 14mm f/2.4 – The Samyang XP 14mm f/2.4 is a prime lens that’s perfect for shooting astrophotography. Its fast f/2.4 maximum aperture lets in plenty of light, and its inner focusing system (IF) helps to control Coma and distortion. The Samyang XP 14mm f/2.4 lens is a short, wide lens with a fast f/2.4 maximum aperture, great bokeh, and an inner focusing system.
Sigma 14-24mm f/2.8 DG HSM | A
The Sigma 14-24mm f/2.8 DG HSM | A is one of the two prime lenses that Sigma offers that reaches into the ultra-wide range (the other is the older, fixed focal length 18-35mm f/1.8). It is a manual focus lens, which means you are in charge of focusing the lens. For those not familiar with the term, manual focus means that you have to manually move the focusing ring from infinity (where it’s at when you shoot) to the minimum focus distance for that particular lens. The lens has 11 elements in eight groups and a four-blade diaphragm, which allows for better bokeh.
Tokina AT-X 11-20mm f/2.8 AF Pro DX
The Tokina AT-X 11-20mm f/2.8 PRO DX lens has quickly become one of the most affordable lenses for astrophotography, but what is it that makes it stand out as one of the best lenses for astrophotography? Firstly, the AT-X 11-20mm f/2.8 PRO DX lens is one of the very few lenses that focuses down to 10cm, which means that it won’t suffer from excessive focus breathing issues. This lens is also extremely lightweight despite its high-power aperture, so it won’t weigh you down while spending hours outside in cold weather or low humidity. What more can we say about this lens?
Tamron SP 15-30mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2
For astrophotography enthusiasts, the Tamron SP 15-30mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2 is among the very best lenses for light gathering. This APS-C lens offers 15-30mm of focal length, a 1.5x focal length multiplier, f3.5-6.3 aperture, and image stabilization. This lens is also designed for optimal sharpness and contrast. The lens has a minimum focusing distance of 5.5 inches and a fixed focal length of 15-30mm. The lens can also be used for landscape and general-purpose photography.
Fujinon XF18mm F1.4 R LM WR
The Fujinon XF18mm F1.4 R LM WR lens is one of the Best Lenses for Astrophotography because it is the fastest, longest-reaching, and largest aperture prime lens that Fujifilm makes. It offers Fujifilm X-mount cameras (aka the X100 series) photographers an f/1.4 maximum aperture, which is the most of any prime lens that they make—and, at 18mm, this is a significant advantage for low-light astrophotography. With f/1.4 apertures, you can shoot with the aperture wide open and still get sharp, noise-free images up to 1/3 stop below your exposure.
Astrophotography is a captivating genre of photography that captures the beauty of the night sky, often with stunning images. If you dream of capturing photos of the Milky Way, shooting stars, or another cosmic phenomenon, you’ll need the best photography equipment – make sure you get only the best lenses for Astrophotography.
