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Angle on a black Lumix camera with a large zoom lens attachment on it. Credit: Reviewed

The Best Mirrorless Lenses of 2023

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Angle on a black Lumix camera with a large zoom lens attachment on it. Credit: Reviewed

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Product image of Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II

Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II

The Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II provides the optical quality of a prime lens in a compact, lightweight package. Read More

Pros

  • Compact
  • Stellar optical quality
  • Versatile

Cons

  • Expensive
Product image of Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM

Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM

If you’re looking for a prime lens for everyday use, it doesn’t get much better than Sony’s FE 35mm f/1.4 GM. Read More

Pros

  • Bright f/1.4 aperture
  • Outstanding optical quality
  • Durable design

Cons

  • A little pricey
Product image of Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II

Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II

This lens from Sony features a constant f/2.8 aperture and a long zoom, making it an excellent choice for sports and wildlife photography. Read More

Pros

  • Lightweight
  • Fast aperture
  • Speedy autofocus

Cons

  • Expensive
Product image of Canon RF 50mm f/1.8

Canon RF 50mm f/1.8

This prime lens from Canon is affordable, compact, and produces fantastic images, making it ideal for casual everyday use. Read More

Pros

  • Extra affordable
  • Fast aperture
  • Compact size

Cons

  • Not weather-sealed
Product image of Fujifilm XF 18mm f/1.4 R LM WR

Fujifilm XF 18mm f/1.4 R LM WR

Fujifilm’s lens produces sharp images and renders beautiful colors, making it a great lens for everyday use. Read More

Pros

  • High-quality build
  • Excellent optical performance
  • Fast aperture

Cons

  • A little pricey

The selection of mirrorless camera lenses from various manufacturers is extensive. If you’re unhappy with the kit lens that came with your camera, getting one from our list will be a serious upgrade. Indeed, buying a high-quality camera lens is an important decision for photographers and can significantly impact your photos. Not only can using the right lens unlock new creative possibilities; it can also help you grow as an artist.

The lens you choose depends on multiple factors. The big one is to confirm that the lens you buy is compatible with your camera. You should consider, too, the type of pictures you plan to take. If you plan to take portraits, prime lenses are a good option, while a wide-angle lens is great for landscapes.

There are also excellent all-purpose lenses if you plan to shoot a bit of everything. Remember that there are a lot of great lenses available—more than can be covered in this guide. Ultimately, the best mirrorless lens is the one that fits your situation and camera of choice.

Editor's Note:
The recommendations in this guide are based on thorough product and market research by our team of expert product reviewers. The picks are based on examining user reviews, product specifications, and, in some limited cases, our experience with the specific products named.
Product image of Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II
Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II

The Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II has set a high bar for its optical performance, compact design, and on-barrel controls. While the lens isn’t cheap, it has set the gold standard for zoom lenses and is the perfect option for most scenarios. Whether you’re photographing landscapes or doing videography for a wedding, it should get the results you’re after.

The lens is lightweight, at 1.5 pounds, and measures 4.7 by 3.5 inches, so it’s easy to take hiking. It also offers a durable design that includes rubber gaskets at each seam, making it capable of surviving the elements. Meanwhile, the bright f/2.8 aperture makes it perfect for low-light situations, whether you’re shooting still images or video.

Compared to the previous model, the FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II offers quicker autofocus and on-barrel controls, including two customizable focus hold buttons. The lens also features a zoom tension toggle so you can be much more precise with your zoom shots. It’s not quite a macro lens, but it does produce great close-up images.

For those who need a single lens, the Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II combines the quality of a prime with the utility of a versatile zoom lens.

Pros

  • Compact

  • Stellar optical quality

  • Versatile

Cons

  • Expensive

Product image of Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM
Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM

For many photographers, a 35mm lens offers the perfect focal length for everyday use. The focal length is wide but not too wide, making it an excellent choice for documentary photography. It allows you to include the details of a scene thanks to its ultra-wide-angle view and get up close and personal with a subject.

With the Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM, you get outstanding optics, a durable design, and fast, accurate autofocus. The bright f/1.4 aperture is also excellent for portraits and low-light situations (or portraits in low-light). And it's relatively compact, making it an ideal option for events, landscapes, and everything in between.

The lens also features an AF/MF switch and a programmable function button. Plus, it’s sealed to withstand dust and moisture so that you can take it into the backcountry without worrying it’ll get ruined by dust or water.

Pros

  • Bright f/1.4 aperture

  • Outstanding optical quality

  • Durable design

Cons

  • A little pricey

Product image of Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II
Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II

The Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II is great for sports and wildlife photography because it can make distant subjects look closer. What we love about this lens is it features a bevy of on-barrel controls. It features an iris-lock switch, three function buttons, and four XD linear AF motors for fast autofocus.

While your average telephoto lens tends to be unwieldy, this one is relatively compact, and weighs just over two pounds (29% lighter than the previous version). The lens also performs well in low light and produces beautiful bokeh thanks to the f/2.8 aperture.

Similar to other GM lenses by Sony, this one features a durable design, advanced weather sealing, and excellent optical quality. This makes it a good fit for the company’s premium range of full-frame mirrorless cameras.

Pros

  • Lightweight

  • Fast aperture

  • Speedy autofocus

Cons

  • Expensive

Product image of Canon RF 50mm f/1.8
Canon RF 50mm f/1.8

A 50mm lens is an excellent starting point if you're beginning your photography journey because the focal length is close to what the eye sees naturally. We love the Canon RF 50 f/1.8 STM because it's compact, affordable, and produces still images that rival more expensive alternatives.

The Canon RF 50mm 1.8 STM features a compact size and weighs 0.35 pounds, making it easy to maneuver and transport. The lens also offers a bright f/1.8 aperture, letting in a lot of light and producing a cinematic depth of field. Canon also includes helpful features like a control ring that you can configure to adjust everything from exposure settings to aperture, ISO, and exposure compensation.

Some reviewers have noted that the lens's autofocus can be noisy, but for the price, you can't beat the wide aperture, optical quality, and compact size.

Pros

  • Extra affordable

  • Fast aperture

  • Compact size

Cons

  • Not weather-sealed

Product image of Fujifilm XF 18mm f/1.4 R LM WR
Fujifilm XF 18mm f/1.4 R LM WR

The Fujifilm XF 18mm f/1.4 R LM WR is a 27mm equivalent focal length when paired with an APS-C camera like the excellent Fujifilm X-T4. The lens features a bright maximum aperture, a compact build, and fast autofocus thanks to its linear AF drive. It’s also lightweight, so it’s well suited for everything from street photography to capturing landscapes while traveling.

One major selling point of the Fujifilm XF 18mm f/1.4 R LM WR is its sturdy metal build. Indeed, the lens also features eight weather-resistant seals on the barrel to protect against dirt, moisture, and extreme temperatures. Fujifilm lenses generally offer excellent build quality, and this lens exemplifies the very best of the Japan-based company.

If you’re looking for a lens that performs well in poor lighting and produces good, sharp image quality even wide open, this is the lens to buy.

Pros

  • High-quality build

  • Excellent optical performance

  • Fast aperture

Cons

  • A little pricey

Meet the tester

Brandon Russell

Contributor

Brandon Russell is a valued contributor to the Reviewed.com family of sites.

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