In this guide, we’re taking you through the best lenses for video for all the major camera systems. Whether you’re an aspiring vlogger or an experienced video content creator, having the right lens is crucial to getting the shots you need. Depending on your needs and budget, you might look for a single zoom lens to cover everything, or a selection of zooms and primes to swap between for different eventualities.
We’ve aimed to put together this guide to give you a broad suite of options – for all budgets. When we test lenses at AP, we assess their video capabilities as well as how good they are for photography. This means testing out a lens’s video autofocus speed and accuracy, as well as noting whether there’s any audible focusing noise that could compromise audio recording.
We also take note of any video-friendly features like a clickless aperture ring for smooth focusing transitions, and we test for focus breathing. If a lens has stabilisation, we put it through its paces by shooting handheld video to see how it performs. For more on our testing criteria and how to choose a good video lens, you can check out the .
As mentioned, we’ve included options for a range of different lens mounts, and have also made sure to offer suggestions for a range of budgets. If you’re still searching for the right camera for your video-making, check out our guide to the . We also have a practical guide to , and if it’s sound you’re worried about, check out our run-down of t.