If you’re into street photography, chances are that you’re all too familiar with the challenges that come with it. For that reason, you want to invest in camera accessories that can withstand the demands.
One way to nail street photography is by investing in the best 28mm lens available. This fixed focal length lens is known for not only being wide but also quite compact.
So, if you’re looking for a prime lens with a nice field of view and without breaking the bank, the following review & guide are worth paying attention to.
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Comparison List
If you’re looking for well-made lenses for capturing quality footage in the streets, the following list is for you. It brings together the most reliable ones we could find.
Best 28mm Lens Reviewed 2021
1. Canon EF 28mm f/1.8 Wide Angle Lens
This Canon EF 28mm allows you to capture more in the frame by widening the angle of view and also increasing the depth of the field.
With this lens, you will be able to take street photography to another whole new level.
However, many people compare it with other lenses such as the 50mm lens and say that the 28mm is not sharper when it comes to image quality.
Key Features
The lens is known for its high precision and the way it minimizes distortion and other aberrations.
Additionally, it broadens the angle of view by increasing the depth of the field where it brings more area into focus.
Also, knowing very well that it has a 28mm wide-angle lens, it is essential to note that its closest focusing distance is 1 foot.
Pros
- Weighs 6.5 ounces
- Has the closest focusing distance of 1 foot
- Broadens the angle of view
Cons
- Does not have a sharper image quality
2. Nikon AF FX NIKKOR 28mm f/1.8G Compact Wide-angle Prime Lens
If you are looking for a wide-angle perspective to your videos and images, this Nikon 28mm lens is a must.
This fast wide-angle prime lens is perfect, and many photojournalists are claimed to like it for street photography.
Key Features
The maximum aperture of this 28mm lens, f/1.8 believed to allow you as a user to capture stunning images in any light condition.
Whenever you are, including indoors or outside the pavements, the lens offers impressive control.
Moreover, the lens comes with a Nano Crystal Coating that assists in reducing any flare or reflections, and this helps in improving the clarity and the contrast too.
Pros
- Built-in autofocus motor
- Perfect image quality
- Sealed against moisture and dust
Cons
- No image stabilization
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3. Meike MK 28mm f/2.8 Fixed Manual Focus Lens
This Meike MK 28mm lens comes with a large aperture opening up to F2.8-22. Besides that, it is believed to have a high light intensity and allows precise recording even when there is poor visibility.
The lens, additionally, is made of a metal body with high quality, which can be adjusted comfortably and efficiently.
However, the lens flare can reduce contrast, and this might make the image quality also reduce significantly.
Key Features
The camera lens is a wide-angle lens that is suitable for portrait and landscape product photography.
Additionally, you can use it for ‘walk around” casual photography, which will include street or landscape photos.
With the lenses, you will enjoy a lens structure of 5 groups and 6 slices. It also has a magnification of 0.11x.
Pros
- Excellent sharpness
- Low price
- Depth of Field-scale is very useful
Cons
- No weather sealing
4. Sony SEL28F20 FE 28mm f/2-22 Standard-Prime Lens
This Sony SEL28F20FE 28mm lens is believed to attract the attention of many people due to its compact design and lightweight.
Besides that, they use the high-grade aluminum for enhancement in its physical and visual appeal.
On the downside, some people complain that the price is a little on the high side, which might make most of them to opt for other cheaper lenses.
Key Features
This is a fast lens that excels even in low visibility. Also, it gets impressively sharp with cropped images.
The lens is ultra-lightweight and has an ergonomic build, which, when combined, they make the lens a perfect one for everyday use.
Furthermore, the lens has some added dust and moisture resistance feature to its design that makes it very friendly for street photography.
Pros
- Fast, accurate and quiet
- Ultra-lightweight
- Ergonomic build
Cons
- A little bit expensive
5. Canon EF-M 28mm f/3.5 Macro IS STM Lens
The fact that this Canon EF-M 28mm lens is delightfully tiny makes it match very well with EOS M bodies.
Besides that, the images produced on this lens are believed to be crisp from one edge to the other. Also, it has a high magnification design and an integrated LED light.
However, the lens comes with a narrow maximum aperture, which might make the lens a disadvantage to the other lenses.
Key Features
The autofocus lens is capable of focusing at infinity whenever you are in a regular shooting and macro shooting with a maximum of 1.2x magnification.
In addition, the camera comes with Hybrid IS, which helps in reducing the camera shake to enable you to enjoy handheld photography.
Also, the lens comes with a light macro lens that features image stabilization for the EOS M series digital cameras.
Pros
- Affordable
- Image stabilization
- Smooth and silent focus
- 1.2x magnification
Cons
- Narrow maximum aperture
6. Canon EF 28mm f/2.8 IS USM Wide Angle Lens
Canon’s 28mm f2.8 IS proves to be one of the company’s latest lenses that have wide-angle image stabilization.
The lens is wide-angle stabilized to encourage the photographer that loves shooting wide and also needs an affordable option in the market.
On the flip side, though, the lens has a slower aperture than many people would expect.
Key Features
The lens has a construction of 9 elements and 7 groups. Also, you will enjoy a rear focusing system with USM focus adjustment.
Also, the optical lens comes with canon optical image stabilizer technology that gives you good quality images.
Pros
- Compact lens
- Sharp images
- Solid build
- Wide focal length
Cons
- Slower aperture
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7. Nikon AF FX NIKKOR 28mm f/2.8D Lens
If you are looking for an ideal lens for taking portraits with your friends whenever you are hanging out with your friends in the streets, then this might be the ideal direction to look at.
Key Features
The camera comes with a 74-degree picture angle for candid, travel, and candid photographs.
Additionally, the camera has a super integrated coating that minimizes flare and ghosts and provides excellent color balance.
Also, you will enjoy carrying the camera around as the lens is compact, lightweight, with a wide-angle lens for general photography.
Pros
- Lightweight and compact
- Super integrated coating
- Wide angle lens
Cons
- Not ideal if you’re looking for wider aperture
How to Choose the Ideal 28mm Lens
A lot has been said about these lenses but what are the specific factors to keep in mind when you want to make an informed choice. Here’s a run-down of some of those:
Compatibility
The first thing you need to do before making a purchase is to check if the lens you’re about to select is compatible with your camera model. Most top-tier stores enable you to carry out such checks. For instance, on Amazon, you can easily enter your camera’s model number to confirm if the lens is a good fit or not.
Focusing Distance
One challenge with prime lenses is that they limit your focusing distance quite greatly. The only way to zoom in is by walking as close enough to the subject as possible. Depending on how close you desire to be from your subject, be sure to choose a lens with the appropriate focusing distance.
Aperture
If you like shooting at dusk, you’ll definitely want to go for the widest aperture available. In general lenses with f1.5 to f4 can suffice in most street photography tasks.
Build Quality
As a street photographer, you’ve got to carry your gear with you all the time. So, be sure to go for a resilient lens – one that can provide you with a few more years of service.
Frequently Asked Question (FAQs)
And now it’s time to respond to some questions commonly raised about these lenses. Here we go:
What’s a 28mm lens good for?
Well, these are lenses that capture wide perspectives. And although they typically come with the bokeh or fisheye effect, they do a pretty decent job at street photography.
Which is a wider lens 24mm or 28mm?
The 24mm is the wider one so if you want to capture a wider perspective, you might want to stick with a 24mm. That said, 28mm lenses are cheaper to produce and not so different from their 24mm counterparts. So, a 28mm is a perfect choice if you want to strike a balance between field of view and budget.
Best Choice
The Canon EF 28mm is, in our view, a really good 28mm lens. It has a relatively wide aperture at f/1.8. Above all, it’s quite well-built.
Final Thoughts
Now that you have an idea of what a good lens of this focal length is capable of, it’s time for you to make a decision. Remember, each one of the prime lenses in this write-up made it to the list purely on merit.