Best Lenses under €500 for street photography

Best Pick

Samyang SYIO12AF-E

60.2 Street Score
12mmf/22Canon RF-SWeather Sealed
Why we recommend this

With a 12mm focal length (18mm equivalent), f/2.0 aperture, and linear STM autofocus, this lens captures a 99.1° field of view with weather-sealed construction. Weighing just 213g and accepting 62mm screw-in filters, its optical design with 1 aspherical and 2 ED elements ensures sharp, coma-free images for astrophotography. It’s the ideal lightweight ultra-wide prime for Sony E-mount APS-C shooters who need low-light performance and weather resistance for landscape and night sky work.

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Canon RF16mm F2.8 STM 16mm

60.1 Street Score
16mmf/22Canon RF
Why we recommend this ▼

Its 16mm focal length and bright f/2.8 aperture deliver expansive perspectives in a body weighing only 181g, making it one of the lightest ultra-wide primes for Canon RF mount. The lens doubles as a quasi-macro tool with a 0.26x magnification and 130mm close-focus distance, offering creative versatility at a budget-friendly price point. This is best for travel and street photographers needing a compact, no-fuss wide-angle prime for EOS R series cameras.

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Retropia M43 Mount Compatible 32mm

47.9 Street Score
32mmf/11Canon RFIS
Why we recommend this ▼

A repurposed disposable camera lens delivers a guaranteed soft, dreamy film aesthetic straight out of your Nikon Z-mount camera with its fixed 32mm f/11 optics. Its ultra-compact pancake build makes it effortlessly pocketable for spontaneous shooting, while the sustainable design repurposes materials to eliminate single-use plastics. This manual-focus lens is best for casual content creators who prioritize an instant, no-edit retro look over technical sharpness.

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7Artisans 35mm f/0.95 35mm

45.4 Street Score
35mmf/16Canon RFWeather Sealed
Why we recommend this ▼

Its f/0.95 maximum aperture and 12-blade diaphragm produce extremely shallow depth of field and smooth bokeh, enabling handheld shooting in very low light. The all-metal, weather-sealed build weighs just 369g and focuses down to 0.37m, offering a durable yet portable package with a classic 50mm-equivalent field of view. This lens is best for APS-C mirrorless photographers who prioritize creative bokeh and compact manual focus control over clinical sharpness.

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7Artisans Photoelectric 10mm f/2.8 Mark II 10mm

37.9 Street Score
10mmf/16Canon RF
Why we recommend this ▼

Its 185° full-frame fisheye perspective and f/2.8 aperture deliver an extreme, immersive field of view unavailable from rectilinear lenses. The all-metal build and glow-in-the-dark depth of field markings add practical, tactile value for precise manual focus adjustments in low light. This lens is best for astrophotographers and architectural shooters on Nikon Z systems who need an affordable, specialized ultra-wide perspective.

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Best Lenses under €900 for street photography

Best Pick

Canon RF 35mm f/1.8 IS Macro STM 35mm

58.3 Street Score
35mmf/22Canon RFIS
Why we recommend this

Combining a bright f/1.8 aperture with 1:2 macro capability and 5-stop image stabilization, this 304g lens delivers sharp close-ups at a 170mm minimum focus distance. Its compact build and configurable control ring make it a discreet, versatile walk-around prime for the RF system. This lens is best for hybrid shooters who need a single, lightweight optic for both environmental portraits and detailed close-up work.

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Great Alternatives

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Sirui Saturn RF50B-A 50mm

42.6 Street Score
50mmT16Canon RFIS
Why we recommend this ▼

At just 465g, the carbon fiber build makes this the lightest full-frame 1.6x anamorphic, delivering a 2.4:1 or wider 2.8:1 aspect ratio with a T2.9 aperture and 10-blade diaphragm for oval bokeh. Its compact size mounts on gimbals and FPV drones for unique overhead perspectives, and optional blue or natural flare coatings add stylistic control. This manual-focus lens suits solo filmmakers and drone operators prioritizing a portable, cinematic look without heavy rigging.

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Thypoch Simera 35mm f/1.4 35mm

37.4 Street Score
35mmf/16Canon RF
Why we recommend this ▼

The f/1.4 aperture and 14-blade diaphragm create exceptionally smooth, cinema-style bokeh, while an aspherical element and multi-layer coating suppress flare and preserve sharpness. Its 352g all-metal body and fluid manual focus ring deliver durable, tactile control across Canon RF, Nikon Z, and other mirrorless mounts. It’s best for portrait photographers who prioritize dreamy background blur and deliberate manual focusing for artistic expression.

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Laowa Argus 33mm f/0.95 CF APO 33mm

37 Street Score
33mmf/11Canon RF
Why we recommend this ▼

An f/0.95 maximum aperture combined with apochromatic optics gives this 33mm prime exceptionally shallow depth of field and color-accurate rendering on Fujifilm X-mount cameras. Its 35cm minimum focus delivers a 1:2 half-life-size reproduction ratio, turning a manual-focus lens into a capable close-up tool for portraits and details. This lens suits portrait photographers who value extreme bokeh and precise manual focusing over autofocus.

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