Here is a solid cross‑system list of 25 highly regarded camera lenses for astrophotography as of 2025, covering Milky Way wide‑field work and longer “deep‑sky with a lens” shots.
Ultra‑wide prime lenses
- Sigma 14mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art (Canon EF, Nikon F, Sony E via variant/adapters).
- Sigma 14mm f/1.4 DG DN Art (Sony E, L‑mount).
- Sony FE 14mm f/1.8 GM.
- Samyang/Rokinon 14mm f/2.8 (various DSLR/mirrorless mounts, great budget astro choice).
- Laowa 15mm f/2 Zero‑D (multiple mounts, low distortion ultra‑wide).
Classic 20–24mm Milky Way primes
- Sigma 20mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art (multiple mounts, often rated “best overall” Milky Way lens).
- Sony FE 20mm f/1.8 G.
- Canon RF 20mm f/1.4 L VCM.
- Canon EF 24mm f/1.4L II USM.
- Canon RF 24mm f/1.4 L VCM.
- Sony FE 24mm f/1.4 GM.
- Sigma 24mm f/1.4 DG HSM / DG DN Art (DSLR and mirrorless versions).
- Samyang 24mm f/1.4 (various mounts, popular value option).
Wider zooms for nightscapes
- Nikon Nikkor Z 14–24mm f/2.8 S.
- Canon RF 15–35mm f/2.8 L IS USM.
- Sigma 14–24mm f/2.8 DG (various mounts, strong astro zoom).
- Tamron 17–28mm f/2.8 Di III RXD (Sony E).
- Sony FE 12–24mm f/2.8 GM.
APS‑C and Micro Four Thirds astro standouts
- Sigma 10–18mm f/2.8 DC DN Contemporary (APS‑C: Sony E / L / Canon RF / Fujifilm X).
- Fujifilm XF 18mm f/1.4 R LM WR.
- Olympus / OM System M.Zuiko 8mm f/1.8 Fisheye PRO (MFT).
- Olympus / OM System M.Zuiko 12mm f/2 (MFT).
Medium‑telephoto “deep‑sky with a lens”
- Rokinon/Samyang 135mm f/2 (various mounts, classic deep‑sky lens).
- Tamron 35mm f/1.4 Di USD (excellent for constellation fields).
- Nikon Nikkor Z 70–200mm f/2.8 S (surprisingly strong for deep‑sky).
Quick advice
- For full‑frame Milky Way: prioritize something around 14–24mm at f/1.4–f/2.
- For tracked constellations and nebulae: 35–135mm at f/1.4–f/2.8 on a solid mount works very well.
