Which are the best lenses for astrophotography

Astrophotography is an exciting genre but one that’s heavily dependent on the right gears. There is a misconception that wide-angle lenses are the best for shooting astrophotography. However, if you are serious about astrophotography, you must ensure that you get a telelens because a wide-angle lens will only get you fundamental astrophotography shots. You won’t be able to get close to capturing star clusters, nebulae, and other deep-space objects without telelens. Ideally, a telelens with a wide-open aperture.

This combination of wide-open aperture and telephoto focal length is expensive. This is why astrophotography is an expensive genre to pursue. Anyways, there is always a way around that involves using entry-level lenses to ease yourself into astrophotography.

The Canon EF 100mm f/2 USM is a reasonably inexpensive lens with a focal length of 100mm and a fast aperture of f/2. The fast aperture allows the photographer to capture a lot of light. It allows you to capture deep-space objects much better.

For those just starting out in astrophotography, ensure that apart from the camera and the lens, you should also earmark some money in items like a startracker.

Another lens you can look at is the Sigma 135mm f/1.8 GM. I like the focal length of the lens. At 135, it’s long enough to ensure the lens can look further and focus on deep-space objects. The fast aperture of f/1.8 collects a lot of light, and that’s also beneficial for astrophotography. The lens features Nano AR and fluorine coating to suppress flares and ghosting. Overall the lens offers excellent color fidelity and contrast.

I like another Sigma lens, which is very useful for astrophotography. This is the Sigma 105mm f/1.4. At f/1.4, the lens is fast and captures a lot of light. The focal length is also excellent. Being a Sigma lens, this comes with the good build quality. The lens can focus on objects that are far away and capture stunning photos. The Sigma 105mm f/1.4 is an excellent option to explore for someone starting in astrophotography. The angle of view is 24 degrees, meaning the lens offers a tight angle for you to explore. 

When choosing a lens, ensure that between the camera and the lens, put the bulk of your budget on the lens. This is because this is where the magic happens. Also, you will need a tripod and a star tracker. The last of the two pieces of equipment will be very helpful for tracking and capturing images of stars that require a longer exposure time frame.