Very few lenses will make you fall in love with them quite like 35mm primes. These masters of versatility can do it all and they are always eager to please. If you’re in the market for an affordable 35mm prime that will take your breath away, read on.
I have to admit, I have a love affair with 35mm primes. For me, they offer a perfect balance between not being too wide and not being too tight. This lends these versatile lenses well to genres such as portrait photography, landscapes, event photography, street photography and more. In this roundup, we’ve picked four affordable 35mm primes for various systems that stole our hearts when we had them in for review. Check them out below and see if any of them make your heart beat a little bit faster.
Sigma 35mm f/2 DG DN — A near perfect 35mm prime
The Sigma 35mm f/2 DG DN contemporary is everything a fast, affordable 35mm prime should be. It’s gorgeously designed, it provides a fantastic user experience, and it’s beyond sharp. In our review we said:
“When you consider the premium build quality along with the autofocus performance for stills, and the overall image quality, the asking price of under $650 isn’t a bad at all.”
Brett Day, Gear Editor
The aperture ring is a joy to use on this lens, and the fast autofocus performance and lack of chromatic aberration and fringing just take it over the edge. For under $650, you can get a retro-inspired 35mm prime with some weather sealing that will deliver images with plenty of character and more. It’s available for both Sony E mount cameras and L mount cameras.
NIKKOR Z 35mm f/1.8 S — A 35mm prime for the Z mount masses
Nikon has done a fantastic job with their f/1.8 Z mount primes, and this 35mm prime is no exception. We have been blown away by this lens thanks to its outstanding image quality, its weather-sealed body, and its focus accuracy. In our review, we said:
“What Nikon is doing is giving us consumer oriented lenses with lightweight, weather sealed build quality and professional optics. In fact, the 35mm’s optics are every bit as impressive as any f/1.4 lens I’ve used.”
Darren Miles
If you’re a Nikon Z mount camera owner and you want a versatile prime lens that won’t let you down, the Nikon Z 35mm f/1.8 S is the one for you. It will have your back for portraits, landscapes, street photography, events and more. It also won’t make your wallet cry too hard. If you want a lens you can fall in love with, check out this 35mm prime.
Canon RF 35mm f/1.8 IS Macro STM — Small, sharp and affordable
Canon did a great job with this 35mm prime for their RF mount mirrorless cameras. I was impressed with this lens when I had it in for review. It’s small and light, the optics are fantastic, it renders nice colors and it can do macro work. In our review, we said:
“The built-in lens stabilization and the IBIS in the newer Canon mirrorless cameras combine to give you an impressive seven stops of stabilization. This makes hand-holding this lens at ridiculously low shutter speeds very easy.”
Brett Day, Gear Editor
Coming in at under $500, this 35mm prime from Canon offers a nice affordable way to get your hands on an RF mount prime lens. You won’t be disappointed with the images you create with it, and it’s so small, you’ll find that this lens will be your go-to option for fuss-free photowalks.
Fujifilm XF 35mm f/2 — a 35mm prime for the ages
Fujifilm is known for producing sublime prime lenses that don’t cost an arm and a leg. The Fujifilm 35mm f/2 is a prime (see what I did there?) example of this. This lens isn’t just a stunner to look at. It performs well above its price point. In our review, we said:
“Fujifilm has made an outstanding lens here that’s the very definition of the word value. Well built, weather sealed, sharp optics, lightweight, easy handling and easy on the wallet. The 35mm has me grinning from ear to ear.”
Darren Miles
As you can see, we raved about the optics in this lens. The levels of performance are off the charts. Aside from the optics, you’ll find that the autofocus motors are swift and that focusing is very accurate. There’s weather sealing, the classic Fujifilm aperture ring, and it has a killer price point. This is a must-have 35mm prime lens for Fujifilm photographers.