8 Cheap Lens for Beginner Photographers

Last Updated on July 9, 2021 by PixelPluck

There are not many cheap options when it comes to camera lenses. Most of the camera lenses come at a premium price tag. However with the correct skillset, one can easily produce stunning professional quality photography with these cheap lenses. Most DSLR and mirrorless cameras come along with the kit lens. For normal use, they will just do the job. To get the full potential out of the camera you will always need more than the kit lens. In this blog post, you will find the 8 Cheap Lens for Beginner Photographers.

Remember that a lens is more important than a camera. A mid-range camera with a professional lens will always outperform a professional camera with a cheap lens. However, the pro lenses are beyond budget for most enthusiast photographers. This brings in the possibility to open up the creative horizons using cheaper lenses. Experimenting and learning with these lenses will certainly improve your photography without breaking the bank.

When you combine these cheap lenses with correct lighting conditions, it is bound to produce professional-looking results. In this blog post, you will find the list of 10 Cheap Lens for Beginner Photographers.

Lens NameApprox Price in USD
Altura Photo Wide Angle Lens$39
Neewer 85mm f/1.8 Manual Focus Lens$90
Yongnuo 50mm f/1.8 Prime Lens$100
Yongnuo 35mm f/2.0 Prime Lens$106
High-Power 500mm/1000mm f/8 Manual Telephoto Lens$120
Opteka 6.5mm f/3.5 Professional Ultra Wide Angle Aspherical Fisheye Lens$149
Tamron 18-270mm VC Lens$250
Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 Lens [TOP CHOICE]$350

Altura Photo Wide Angle Lens

This lens attaches to the top of your kit lens. Pick the right thread size and it will surprise you with the results for its price. The 0.43x Altura Photo Professional HD Wide Angle Lens creates useable wide-angle photos using your kit lens. Make sure to verify the lens thread size on your camera and then order the correct size match. For example, a Nikon 50mm f1.8 lens will have a 52mm thread size. It is compatible with all camera systems including Nikon, Canon, and Sony. This Altura Wide Angle lens is also compatible with mirrorless cameras. In the end, it’s just a fun lens to use for wider perspectives.
Check Latest Price & Reviews: Altura Wide Angle Lens

Price: US $39

Neewer 85mm f/1.8 Manual Focus Lens

The cheapest 85mm prime lens offers crisp images with butter-smooth bokeh. There is no autofocus mechanism in this Neewer 85mm lens. You will be manually setting the focus on the subject. This means that you will have better control over the depth of field. It’s literally a solid lens as the body is made up of metal. Of course, the lens element is made of glass. It is compatible with the entire range of Nikon and Canon Cameras. You can use Neewer 85mm lens with Nikon D5 D4S DF D4 D810 D800 D750 D610 D600 D500 D7200 D7100 D7000 D5500 D5300 D5200 D5100 D3400 and D3100 DSLR Cameras and Canon EOS 80D, 70D, 60D, 60Da, 50D, 7D, 6D, 5D, 5DS, 1Ds, Rebel T6s, T6i, T6, T5i, T5, T4i, T3i, T3, T2i and SL1 Digital Cameras. This lens is best suited for portrait and fashion photography but can do a versatile job when used creatively. Given the wide f/1.8 aperture it performs relatively well under low light conditions.
Check Latest Price & Reviews: Neewer 85mm f/1.8 Manual Focus Lens

  • Lens Construction: 6 Elements in 6 Groups
  • The angle of View: 28.5 Degrees
  • Filter Size: 72mm
  • Lens Hood: Yes; screw-in
  • Aperture Range: F1.8 – F22
  • Minimum Focusing Distance: 2.78 feet / 0.85 meters
  • Weight: 430gm

Price: US $90

Yongnuo 50mm f/1.8 Prime Lens

The nifty fifty is the most popular and affordable portrait lens. Its low price makes it a lens of choice for every beginner photographer. Yongnuo 50mm acts as a perfect mugshot lens when mounted on a crop sensor camera. It is compatible with Nikon as well as Canon DSLR cameras. Just pick the correct configuration for your camera and it will do wonders if you haven’t upgraded your kit lens. It supports both autofocus and manual focus modes with a flick of a switch. This lens will give you way better results than your kit lens. If you haven’t tried anything other than your kit lens, this should be your go-to lens without a second thought. Yongnuo has made a name for itself in the cheap photo gear segment including lenses, Speedlight, and radio triggers. Its products are increasingly reliable now.
Check Latest Price & Reviews: Yongnuo 50mm f/1.8 Prime Lens

Price: USD $100

Yongnuo 35mm f/2.0 Prime Lens

This lens is everything like the 50mm lens but is more suitable for group and full-body portraits. The wider focal length means it has a wider field of view and can be handy when shooting indoors. However, due to the decrease in focal length, it loses to 50mm on bokeh quality. The bokeh in Yongnuo 35mm f/2.0 lens is slightly less creamy than the 50mm f/1.8 lens. You can pick this lens if the primary objective is shooting group photos with beautiful bokeh. 35mm is also an excellent focal length for street photography.
Check Latest Price & Reviews: Yongnuo 35mm f/2.0 Prime Lens

Price: US $106

High-Power 500mm/1000mm f/8 Manual Telephoto Lens

This is a telephoto lens and is aptly named High-Power. It can actually extend your focal reach up to 1000mm using a 2x teleconverter. That means you can literally shoot the moon. For most beginner photographers a beginner wildlife lens will cost almost two to three times the cost of their camera itself. This lens lets you enjoy the reach of a telescope without spending top dollars on expensive lenses. There is obviously a question of the sharpness and lack of autofocus but who cares at this price range. It gets the job done with some decent quality and is a fun choice for beginner photographers who like to do wildlife photography. It is compatible with all Nikon and Canon cameras. For shaky hands, it has a built-in tripod collar for mounting on tripods. Be mindful that you need a good sunny day to shoot with this lens as the aperture is closed at f8. The 500mm f/8 lens is poor man’s Bazooka.
Check Latest Price & Reviews: High-Power 500mm/1000mm

Price: US $120

Opteka 6.5mm f/3.5 Aspherical Fisheye Lens

Just like its name is can accommodate a wide field of view in the photographs. Opteka is a relatively unknown name in lenses but it has many popular photography products. This Opteka 6.5mm fisheye lens is a fantastic addition for shooting landscapes or closed spaces. The distortion adds an element of fun to the photographs. The images immediately stand out from others in terms of perspective. It has no electronics on it whatsoever. In all probability, your camera will not know that there’s a lens attached. But hey, it works and that is all that matters. At this cheap price, you get a fantastic field of view. You can also pick up slightly better built Rokinon 8mm fisheye over this one.
Check Latest Price & Reviews: Opteka 6.5mm

Price: US $149

Tamron 18-270mm VC Lens

A range of 18-270mm means that you will never have to switch lenses unless it’s a special case. From a wide 18mm focal length to all the way 270mm on a crop sensor will accommodate everything from group photos to a bird flying at a distance. The range is perfect for everyday photographers and helps beginners get a better understanding of focal lengths. Tamron lenses are well built and come at a cheaper price than their Nikon and Canon counterparts. There will be no need for a set of wide-angle and telephoto lens once you have this 18-270mm Tamron. It’s a perfect allrounder for the price you have to pay. Affordable and versatile. It has been around for a decade and is out of active production but it still is a popular choice.
Check Latest Price & Reviews: Tamron 18-270mm VC Lens

Price: US $250

Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 Lens

The Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 is the best choice on this entire list. A perfect travel lens that can shoot anything. From group shots, street photography, bokehlicious portraits to landscapes. The 17-50mm f/2.8 is a perfect allrounder lens. The constant f/2.8 aperture means it will suck in more light and will do better in low light conditions. A constant wide aperture also translates into better bokeh quality. It is a large aperture, optically stabilized lens for sharper results. No surprise that Sigma 17mm – 50mm f/2.8 OS is one of the highest-rated value for money lens of all time. If you have the budget then there should be no second thought. Just go for it. Sigma has been known for its Art Series of Lenses which are on par with the best. If you want to further extend the budget then get the latest Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4.0 Lens.
Check Latest Price & Reviews: Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 Lens

Price: US $350

Sigma 17-50mm and Sigma 17-70mm

The indicated prices are from the best available price anywhere online. Do check all the options to save the maximum on your lens choice. These lenses are definitely far from being the best that you can get but are certainly the best that you can get at their price point. If you are not a professional then there is no harm in using these cheap lenses before upgrading to a pro lens in the future. These lenses will expand your creative horizon and will improve your photography skill. To be a pro you need to learn about how to get the best out of mediocre gear before getting the best out of all automated professional gear.

Which one is your favorite Cheap Lens for Beginner Photographers? Let us know in the comments.

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