48 21 September 2019 I http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I subscribe 0330 333 1113
Canon EF-S 24mm f/2.8 STM
l Guide price £100-120
This slimline, lightweight ‘pancake’ prime is a great
choice for Canon APS-C users looking to assemble
the most portable package possible. It offers a
40mm equivalent angle of view, which brings a very
natural perspective to your photographs, and the
f/2.8 aperture gathers useful extra light compared
to the 18-55mm kit zooms generally supplied with
DSLRs. Meanwhile the STM drive provides fast,
accurate and silent autofocus. But the best thing
about this lens is its petite size – at just 23mm in
length and a mere 125g in weight, you really
can carry it anywhere without
noticing. This makes it ideal for
unobtrusive street or social
shooting, and the perfect
complement to a standard
zoom. For full-frame users
the equivalent optic is the
equally fine Canon EF
40mm f/2.8 STM
(£90-110), while APS-C
mirrorless EOS M-system
users should grab the Canon
EF-M 22mm f/2 STM
(£13 0 -145).Nikon AF-S DX 16-85mm
f/3.5-5.6G ED VR
l Guide price £160-200
For Nikon users looking to upgrade from
the 18-55mm kit zoom that came with their
camera, the 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6 stands out
for offering a 24mm equivalent field of view
at the wideangle end. We’ve become very
used to seeing this on compact cameras and
lenses for mirrorless cameras, so it almost
comes as a shock to rediscover how relatively
uncommon it is for APS-C DSLR lenses.
The versatile focal-length range extends
to a portrait-friendly 128mm equivalent
at telephoto, making this a real all-rounder.
Optical image stabilisation promises up to
four stops of shake reduction for low-light
work, while the AF-S designation signals
silent autofocus. If you can live without the
wider angle of view and would prefer longer
telephoto reach instead, take a look at the
Nikon AF-S 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR
DX, which can bought for a similar price.Fujifilm XC50-230mm
F4. 5- 6.7 OIS
l Guide price £160-200
The second lens most photographers buy
for their camera is a telephoto zoom, and
this is the most affordable option on offer
for Fujifilm X-system users. It provides a
75-345mm equivalent range in a relatively
lightweight package that adds just 375g to
your camera bag. Optical image stabilisation
promises three stops worth of assistance in
combating camera shake, while a stepping
motor is on board for high-speed autofocus.
Being an XC-series lens, though, it lacks the
physical aperture ring that’s found on almost
all of the firm’s X-mount lenses. However to
get that, you’d have to pay £300 more for
the XF 55-200mm f/3.5-4.8 R LM OIS.
The updated ‘II’ version of the 50-230mm
that’s currently new and on sale promises
smoother operation and slightly more
effective image stabilisation, but commands a
small premium on the second-hand market.Fujifilm XF27mm F2.8
l Guide price £175-200
There aren’t many truly inexpensive
autofocus lenses for Fujifilm’s mirrorless
APS-C X system, even second-hand. This
reflects both the firm’s reluctance to make
budget lenses in the first place, and the lack
of third-party support. But the Fujinon
XF27mm F2.8 is an exception, and possibly
the most under-appreciated optic in the
entire range. It’s a mere 23mm thick and
weighs only 78g, making it by far the smallest
X-mount lens, while its 41mm equivalent
view places it squarely in the general-
purpose ‘perfect normal’ category. Its main
drawback is the lack of an aperture ring,
instead requiring the use of a dial on the
camera body. But for photographers used
to shooting with the budget XC zooms, this
won’t be a problem. If you’d prefer a small
prime with an aperture ring, then consider
the Fujifilm XF18mm F2 R; it combines a
wider 27mm equivalent view with a one-stop
faster aperture, and costs around £260.Canon EF-S 10-18mm
f/4.5-5.6 IS STM
l Guide price £140-170Wideangle zooms open up lots of creative opportunities,
allowing you to shoot everything from sweeping vistas to
expansive architectural shots. Traditionally such lenses
were relatively expensive, but Canon changed that in
2014, when it launched this fine little optic at about half
of the price of its higher-end sibling, the
EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM.
Compact and lightweight for its
class at just 240g, it also uses
smaller 67mm filters than its
competitors, which again
helps save money. Its
relatively slow maximum
aperture is offset by the
built-in optical image
stabilisation for shooting in low
light. It delivers images that are
pleasingly sharp from the centre
into the corners, especially when
it’s stopped down to f/8 to f/11.
Its most obvious flaw is strong
vignetting wide open at
10mm, but this goes away
at smaller apertures.Testbench SECOND-HAND LENSES
ALL PRICES WERE TAKEN FROM W W W.MPB.COM AT THE TIME OF WRITING.