Best Lenses under €500 for street photography

Best Pick

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II

84.2 Street Score
18-55mmf/3.5Canon EF-SIS
Why we recommend this

Bundled with a 0.45x wide-angle adapter, close-up lenses, and a three-piece filter kit, this zoom lens offers creative versatility beyond standard kit optics. Its optical 4-stop stabilization and STM autofocus enable smooth handheld video, reflected in a 60.4 video score. Best for Canon APS-C beginners seeking an affordable, all-in-one package for instant wide-angle and macro effects.

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Great Alternatives

These options also score highly and may better suit your specific needs

Rokinon Series II 85mm f/1.4 85mm

60.1 Street Score
85mmf/1.4Canon EFWeather Sealed
Why we recommend this ▼

The bright f/1.4 aperture and one hybrid aspherical element deliver sharp subject isolation with controlled chromatic aberrations, making it a strong portrait lens. Its weather-sealed, lightweight 485g build and Ultra Multi-Coating provide practical durability and contrast in varied conditions. This manual focus prime is best for portrait photographers on a budget who prioritize a smooth bokeh quality over autofocus speed.

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Serounder 01 5-50mm

58.5 Street Score
5-50mmCanon EF
Why we recommend this ▼

The 0.39x magnification and HD coating provide close-up detail within a 100mm minimum focus distance, while the wide-angle element extends spatial depth in a 213g package. Its bundled phone clip and macro lens add versatility across DSLRs, camcorders, and mobile devices, aided by a common 72mm filter thread. This lens is best for casual videographers and vloggers seeking an affordable, lightweight wide-angle option for product close-ups and establishing shots.

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TTArtisan 11mm f/2.8 11mm

52.5 Street Score
11mmf/2.8Canon EF
Why we recommend this ▼

The 180-degree field of view and bright f/2.8 aperture give full-frame shooters a distinct fishbowl distortion and low-light capability in a compact, all-metal body. Its manual focus design and close 17cm minimum focus distance enable dramatic wide-angle perspectives at an affordable price point compared to first-party options. This lens is best for full-frame Canon photographers experimenting with stylized landscapes and creative close-ups who do not require autofocus.

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BROLEO BROLEOr4egxbtv8f 58mm

52.4 Street Score
58mmCanon EOS
Why we recommend this ▼

Its 0.25x fisheye converter threads onto any 58mm filter lens, using low-dispersion optical glass and a protective coating for sharp, high-definition images with minimal aberrations. The aluminum-alloy body weighs just 327g, making it portable and durable, while the removable macro insert adds close-up capability without a separate lens. This accessory is best for hobbyist DSLR shooters with 58mm-thread lenses who want an inexpensive way to experiment with fisheye distortion and macro framing on a single body.

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Xuan XuanLens 32mm F/10 32mm

45.5 Street Score
32mmf/10Canon EF-MIS
Why we recommend this ▼

Its fixed f/10 aperture and focus-free design provide a 1.5m-to-infinity depth of field, making it a unique, recycled body cap lens for instant street shooting. Weighing just 41g and hand-assembled from a disposable camera, it transforms an EOS M camera into a no-settings, snapshot tool. This lens is best for street photographers who prioritize spontaneous capture and a lo-fi aesthetic over technical image perfection.

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Rokinon 8mm f/3.5 HD Fisheye 8mm

31.2 Street Score
8mmf/22Canon EF
Why we recommend this ▼

The manual-focus 8mm f/3.5 lens captures a 180-degree fisheye view on APS-C sensors, with sharp, controlled flare from its 10-element optical design and hybrid aspherical element. A multi-layer coating and removable petal hood further reduce ghosting, while the 12-inch close focus enables dramatic, distorted near-far compositions. This lens suits APS-C shooters needing an affordable, compact creative tool for extreme wide-angle landscapes, architecture, or experimental video.

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AstrHori 120mm f/2.8 2X Macro 120mm

30.5 Street Score
120mmf/22Canon EFWeather Sealed
Why we recommend this ▼

A 120mm focal length paired with 2:1 maximum magnification captures extreme close-ups at a bright f/2.8 aperture on full-frame Nikon Z bodies. The 13-blade diaphragm delivers smooth bokeh, and a weather-sealed build with front screw holes supports external macro lights. Macro shooters who need twice life-size reproduction and deliberate manual focus will find this lens ideally suited.

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Best Lenses under €900 for street photography

Best Pick

Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM

69.4 Street Score
10-22mmf/4.5Canon EF-S
Why we recommend this

With an ultra-wide 10-22mm zoom (16-35mm equivalent) and a fast, quiet ring-type USM autofocus, this lens weighs just 385g, making it ideal for travel. Its 3 aspherical elements and 1 Super-UD element deliver sharp, detailed images across the frame, though the f/3.5-4.5 aperture limits low-light performance. Best for landscape and travel photographers seeking a compact, high-optics wide-angle zoom for Canon APS-C bodies.

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Great Alternatives

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Tokina atx-i TO1-ATXI1120N 20mm

46.8 Street Score
11-20mmf/22Canon EFWeather Sealed
Why we recommend this ▼

The constant f/2.8 aperture across the 11-20mm zoom range, combined with a weather-sealed build and water-repellent coating, makes this lens a reliable tool for challenging light and conditions. Its optical formula, incorporating three aspherical and three ED elements, delivers sharp, high-contrast images while the One-Touch Focus Clutch mechanism allows for instant switching between autofocus and manual focus. This lens is best for APS-C landscape and astrophotography shooters who need a bright, ultra-wide zoom with rugged, all-weather durability.

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Rokinon Series II 14mm f/2.8 14mm

38.3 Street Score
14mmf/22Canon EFWeather Sealed
Why we recommend this ▼

Covering a 115° full-frame field with a fast T3.1 aperture and full weather sealing, this 14mm cine prime captures dramatic wide-angle shots in harsh conditions. Color-matched across the DSX line, it streamlines multi-camera shoots and slashes post-production grading time. It’s best for cinematographers needing a rugged ultra-wide lens for narrative establishing shots and cramped interior work.

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Samyang AF 14mm f/2.8 14mm

37.7 Street Score
14mmf/22Canon EFWeather Sealed
Why we recommend this ▼

The 14mm f/2.8 ultra-wide prime delivers sharp astrophotography images with its fast aperture, two aspherical and two ED elements, and weather-sealed 641g body. A de-clickable aperture ring and smooth manual focus with a lock ring make it equally suited for silent video work and precise night-sky shooting. This lens is ideal for landscape astrophotographers needing a durable, wide-angle manual-focus prime.

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Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM 35mm

58.1 Street Score
35mmf/22Canon EFISWeather Sealed
Why we recommend this ▼

Combining a bright f/2 aperture with a 4-stop Optical Image Stabilizer, this 335g lens enables sharp handheld shooting in low light that unstabilized 35mm primes cannot match. Its ring-type USM motor delivers fast, near-silent autofocus and full-time manual override, making it equally capable for stills and video work. This lens is best for documentary photographers and videographers using full-frame Canon DSLRs who need a stabilized, walk-around wide-angle prime.

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Tokina opera 16-28mm f/2.8 FF 28mm

40.1 Street Score
16-28mmf/22Canon EF
Why we recommend this ▼

Its constant f/2.8 aperture and 15-element optical design prioritize high contrast and rich color gradation, making it particularly suited for landscape and black-and-white work on full-frame DSLRs. The focus ring’s rotation direction matches proprietary Canon and Nikon lenses, while the 939g build features a balanced, slim housing for confident handling. This lens is best for landscape and architecture photographers using Canon or Nikon full-frame DSLRs who need high contrast and precise control, but not for travel due to its weight.

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7Artisans Infinte Series 24T2.1 EF B 24mm

35.1 Street Score
24mmCanon EFIS
Why we recommend this ▼

The T2.1 aperture and advanced floating lens structure deliver strong low-light transmission while effectively eliminating focus breathing for stable, immersive shots. Its nano multi-layer coatings and full-frame coverage ensure edge-to-edge sharpness for 6K resolution with high contrast and minimal flare. This manual-focus cine lens is best for documentary filmmakers and commercial production crews needing consistent, calibrated focus gears across multi-camera setups.

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Rokinon Tilt-Shift TSL24M-N 24mm

30.5 Street Score
24mmf/22Canon EF
Why we recommend this ▼

With a 24mm focal length and ±8.5° tilt, ±12mm shift, this full-frame Canon EF lens delivers precise perspective control for architecture and product shots. Its optical design packs two aspherical and two ED elements with UMC coating to cut flare, housed in a portable 680g body. This manual-focus lens best serves architectural and macro photographers who need to correct converging lines and extend depth of field at close range.

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Best Lenses under €1,500 for street photography

Best Pick

Zeiss Milvus 21mm f/2.8 ZF.2 21mm

37.2 Street Score
21mmf/22Canon EFWeather Sealed
Why we recommend this

Its Distagon optical design with five anomalous partial dispersion elements and ZEISS T* coating delivers distortion-free, high-contrast images with exceptional 4.9-star rated build quality in a weather-sealed, all-metal barrel. The manual focus ring offers long, precise throw with a de-clickable aperture for smooth, silent iris adjustments during video work. This lens is best for landscape and architecture photographers using Nikon F-mount who prioritize optical precision and tactile, deliberate control over autofocus speed.

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Best Lenses under €2,500 for street photography

Best Pick

Canon L EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM

51.7 Street Score
100-400mmf/100Canon EFISWeather Sealed
Why we recommend this

Integrating one fluorite and one Super UD element with Air Sphere Coating, this lens delivers sharp, high-contrast images with minimal aberrations, supported by a 4-stop Image Stabilizer for handheld clarity. A rotating zoom ring with adjustable torque and comprehensive weather sealing with a fluorine coating set it apart for reliable, precise control in tough conditions. It’s best for wildlife and sports photographers who need a rugged, stabilized telephoto zoom for tracking fast-moving subjects from a distance.

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