10 Best Lens for Car Photography: A Comprehensive Guide

Not all photographers or cameras can capture stunning images of vehicles racing at high speeds on a racetrack. To get a terrific photographer of a car in motion, you’ll need to be an expert snapper with an equally excellent camera. It is up to you to acquire the required abilities, but we have compiled a list of the finest cameras for vehicle photography in this article. This would make selecting the correct camera for this exciting and lucrative photography profession much easier.

Car photography is a one-of-a-kind art form and among the trickiest to master. Whether you’re photographing your automobile to sell it or simply have a passion for adventure and speed photos, you must hit it out of the ballpark. A strong sensor, lightning-quick autofocus, a rapid shutter speed, and a higher ISO are all requirements for your camera. It should be able to work with a powerful wide-angle lens as well.

If you want to be an artist with a camera, you should work in various categories and like your work. Professional automotive photographers must consider several incredible factors while concentrating on capturing photographs. However, while purchasing these high-quality cameras, users must consider several factors. We decided to review the Best Lens for Car Photography to address this dilemma. Let’s get started!

Comparison Chart Of 10 Picked Lenses

1. Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM Lens

Key Specifications 

Brand	Canon
Lens Type	Telephoto
Compatible Mountings	Canon EF
Camera Lens Descriptions	50mm
Maximum Focal Length	50mm f/1.4

If you ask a group of photographers what their favorite lens is, the Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM Lens would almost certainly come up. It’s crisp, compact, light, cheap, and quick, thanks to its f1.4 apertures. For various reasons, the 50 f/1.4 is popular among photographers of all levels, from professionals to amateurs. The image quality of this Canon lens is the foremost reason for its appeal. 

Whenever the image has a crowded background or a lot of lights, the bokeh might appear harsh and rough, but that’s not to say it’s not amazing. While using an APS-C camera at f/1.4, there is little to no deformation or vignetting in your photographs; however, others have stated that you would notice both with a full-frame camera at this aperture. However, at f/2.8, the problem is no longer an issue.

The Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM’s f/1.4 and other wide apertures are ideal for low-light photography. This lens’ autofocus is powered by an ultra-small micro USM or Ultra Sonic Motor. While manually focusing, you must also move the focus ring a long way to achieve that ideal focus, as it rotates roughly 200 degrees.

The EF 50mm f/1.4 USM is compatible with full-frame and cropped APS-C cameras. By utilizing an adaptor, it may also be used with Canon mirrorless cameras. A 50mm lens is an excellent all-around performer. Many photographers use it as their primary lens and carry it on their cameras at all times.

2. CANON 24 MM F/2.8 STM

Key Specifications 

Brand	Canon
Lens Type	Wide Angle
Compatible Mountings	Canon EF – S
Camera Lens Descriptions	24mm
Maximum Focal Length	24mm f/2.88

The Canon 24 mm EF-S STM is a versatile wide-angle lens with a full-frame equivalent of 38 mm. It doesn’t have a lot of light (f/2.8). Its extraordinarily slim and light design is a significant benefit. The lens is exceptionally tiny, measuring only 22 mm thick from mount to mount. It is 125 g in weight. 

For street and journalistic shooting, the small size is ideal. The filter mount is 52 mm in diameter. The focusing is quick but not completely noise-free. The testing lab’s focusing accuracy was 7%, a standard figure for a lens on an SLR camera. 

The distortion is 1.33 percent apparent barrel-shaped distortion without rectification. This can either be corrected by the camera during the shoot or, in the case of a RAW file, by using a photo editing tool later. Flare isn’t completely absent from the Canon 24 mm f/2.8 STM lens. 

Although the bokeh appears decent, the blur is quite restricted when using a wide-angle lens with a maximum aperture of f/2.8. The clarity in the center is excellent at full aperture, due in part to the Canon 760D’s 24-megapixel sensor. 

At maximum aperture, the edges and corners are less crisp but not horrible. Chromatic aberration from the Canon 24 mm f/2.8 STM might be corrected in jpg files using the Canon 760D test camera.

3. Fuji XF 56mm f/1.2 R

Key Specifications 

Brand	Fujifilm
Lens Type	Standard
Compatible Mountings	Fujifilm X
Camera Lens Descriptions	7
Maximum Focal Length	56mm f/1.2 R

Photographers have a few options while looking for a small telephoto prime lens for their Fujifilm mirrorless camera system. The XF 56mm, like other Fujifilm lenses, has a luxury feel to it, thanks to its metal barrel and tactile aperture ring. 

It’s a stubby lens with a 56mm front filtering thread, spanning 2.7 by 2.9 inches (HD). With a weight of 14.3 ounces, it’s a tad on the heavier side, but it’s still in line with most of Fujifilm’s mirrorless camera lineup. Even with f/1.2, it has superb image information, scoring 2,227 lines per picture height on a center-weighted sharpness assessment. 

The lens maintains a high degree of picture clarity to the perimeter of the frame, which is just slightly less sharp than the center. In bright light, autofocus seems to be quite quick and precise. Be warned that this lens has a razor-thin depth of field wide open, which is particularly noticeable at close focusing distances. To attain concentration at your chosen place, your aim must be precise. 

The Fujifilm XF 56mm, f/1.2 R’s bokeh, is stunning, and it’s what sets it apart from so many other lenses. It’s smooth, creamy, and buttery. Controlling lateral chromatic aberrations is good for the two extra-low dispersion elements and the double-sided aspheric lenses component. 

Even wide open, the sharpness is incredible. Furthermore, there is very little, if any, loss of clarity at the frame’s edges. Overall, the Fujifilm XF 56mm F1.2 R takes photographs with sharp features and has better light-gathering power than any other lens in the Fuji mirrorless system.

4. Sigma 210101 18-35mm

Key Specifications

Brand	Sigma
Lens Type	Wide Angle
Compatible Mountings	Canon 7D and Nikon D3200
Camera Lens Descriptions	9
Maximum Focal Length	35mm

Sigma 18-35mm f1.8 DSLR lens for automotive photography is the finest lens available today (which we use every day). This lens is ideal for individuals who want to capture photographs of vehicles or other things from the ground level since it has all the current features and the greatest quality available.

Because it contains both wide-angle and zoom features, the lens may be used with Canon, Nikon, and Sony cameras. Lately, this camera lens has been the latest craze among professional photographers who would like to produce custom-made work for clients wanting huge prints done on canvas when paired with Nikon’s D3200 or Canon’s 7D MKII.

Because of the fast aperture, you can catch extra light than non-DSLR cameras. This provides maximum shutter speed versatility, ensuring that no detail is lost.

During the day, the F1.8 maximum aperture allows you to shoot stunning images. When paired with an ISO setting, it may produce exceptional noise performance even in low-light environments. It also has an image stabilizer and a short minimum focusing range for fine details. The minimum focusing range on this lens is 28 cm/ 11.0 in.

5. Sigma 24-70mm F2.8

Key Specifications

Brand	Sigma
Lens Type	Standard
Compatible Mountings	Sony E
Camera Lens Descriptions	70 mm
Maximum Focal Length	70 mm

The Sigma 24-70mm f2.8 lens is suitable for most automated photography applications with a wide focal range and a constant aperture. This telephoto lens features a gap ranging from 2.8 to 22 and manual and autofocus abilities, ensuring that the subject in the photograph is clear as well!

This lens features a fast, continuous aperture of f2.8 and is intended for professional photographers and committed amateur enthusiasts who want quality and adaptability in their lenses. When attempting to take photographs without having to change lenses during the shot.

This auto photography lens is your best choice for sharp images with no blur. With a tight focusing distance of 31 inches, it’s simple to get up close and personal with the beautiful images we all want from our cameras daily.

The range enables you to simply switch between portraiture and long-distance images while still compressing tight designs into your captured image. Even if it’s raining outside, the Optical Stabilizer can assist avoid fuzzy photographs, guaranteeing that all of your photos are at their best!

6. Nikon AF-S Nikkor 50mm

Key Specifications

Brand	Nikon
Lens Type	Standard
Compatible Mountings	Nikon FX
Camera Lens Descriptions	50 mm
Maximum Focal Length	f/1.8 mm

The Nikon 50mm f1.8 is the greatest lens for vehicle photography, and it is ideal for catching the elegance of a scene in a detailed setting. Use it to record every aspect of the car’s interior or the stunning environment surrounding you on the streets, roads, hillsides, and hill valleys with the precision that only this lens’s precise optics can provide.

It boasts a quick (f/1.8) shutter speed and lightweight construction ideal for reaching into tight locations artistically. It is easy to transport and is best employed in a fast-paced environment because of its small size.

The f1.8 apertures are ideal for allowing in all light while capturing superb details of even moving automobiles. It takes all of the nuances in your photograph, from the exterior hues to the reflections of street lights.

The M/a focus mode lever lets you select the focus range of the photo, from infinite to three feet away, ensuring that there is no blur surrounding your subject!

This product’s image angle is 47 degrees, allowing you to get up and personal with your environment without distortions or uncomfortable angles. The high-speed f/1.8 (optional) core has an aspherical element on the interior, resulting in edge-to-edge clarity at 2.0.

7. Canon EF 100-400mm

Key Specifications

Brand	Canon
Lens Type	Telephoto
Compatible Mountings	Canon EF
Camera Lens Descriptions	9
Maximum Focal Length	400 mm

The Canon EF 100-400mm is the finest option for photographers who need to film vehicles on racing tracks. It enables the photographer to capture from a distance and achieve excellent results. This L-series telephoto lens is a small lens ideal for various situations such as wildlife and sports shooting.

It has an enhanced torque adjustment ring that provides the proper tension while zooming in and out. Furthermore, the rotation-type zoom ring allows users to accurately capture moving things, such as vehicles in high-speed races.

This lens also has a New Air Sphere Coating, which helps to decrease flare and ghosting. Furthermore, it is very resistant to both dust and water, making it ideal for various situations.

With a maximum magnification of.31x, the innovative inner focusing AF technology ensures fast and precise focus down to 3.2 ft. It boasts a revamped tripod mounting that can be connected and removed without taking the optics from the camera, as well as an all-new lens cover with a side window that allows you to easily change specialty filters, such as polarizers, without taking the hood.

8. Fujifilm XF55-200mm

Key Specifications

Brand	Fujifilm
Lens Type	Telephoto
Compatible Mountings	Fujifilm X
Camera Lens Descriptions	300 mm
Maximum Focal Length	200 mm

The finest Fuji camera lens, the Fujifilm XF 55-200mm, provides clear clarity due to its excellent light utilization in every scenario, whether inside a car or even outside on a sunny day. This is available in Fujinon’s well-known XF mount for their high-performance interchangeable lens cameras!

For Fuji lovers, this lens may be used in various circumstances. Including previously unachievable shots that could only be obtained by lying on the ground many feet distant with your back to traffic or bending down in a ditch.

The Fuji XF55-200mm lens has been deliberately crafted to be lightweight and compact for automotive photographers who don’t want to miss that perfect snap. When utilizing this Medium Telephoto lens in the dark or indoors, the image stabilization (4.5 stops stated) will also ensure your photos are crystal clear.

On APS C cameras, the focal length of 55 200mm (the widest in its range) and 83 300mm equivalency give a broad focus range ideal for automotive photography. It boasts optical image stabilization, which ensures you can capture snaps and videos with more steadiness and without blur, even in much less lighting circumstances.

9. Sony 35mm f/1.8

Key Specifications

Brand	Sony
Lens Type	Wide Angle
Compatible Mountings	Sony E
Camera Lens Descriptions	35 mm
Maximum Focal Length	35 mm

The Sony 35mm f1.8 basic lens for vehicle photography has made numerous automotive photographers grin and shout as it captures wonderful moments on high-definition sensors or traditional DSLR cameras.

This fantastic lens will provide you with all the strength you need to capture unbroken panoramic vistas and intriguing perspectives suitable for social media marketing or print advertisements promoting auto dealerships.

This fixed focal length lens with View (APS C) 44 ° is lightweight and versatile in various settings. It also has image stabilization built-in, so you can capture stable images even if your hands shake. This lens group’s six/eight elements provide sharpness and outstanding contrast in those delectable motion photos, and it’s a must-have if you appreciate blur-free images.

The Sony 35mm f1.8 is a high-performance basic lens with a fast aperture that produces gorgeous bokeh in small places or showcases the automobile being photographed as a stunning lifestyle item. Furthermore, this lens will perform well on your full-frame A7III as well as your APSC sensor A6000.

10. Samyang AF 35mm

Key Specifications

Brand	Samyang
Lens Type	Wide Angle
Compatible Mountings	Sony E
Camera Lens Descriptions	35 mm
Maximum Focal Length	35 mm

The Samyang 35mm f1.4 is the ideal lens for Sony A6000 vehicle photography. This lens will provide several advantages for vehicle photographers, allowing you to capture clearer shots and greatly improve your experience with better photographs.

The 11 elements in 9 groups are carefully constructed glass that produces extremely crisp pictures with less aberration than most other lenses in this price range. Other characteristics include a maximal aperture value of F1.4, which allows you to take images without using a flash even at night.

This high-quality lens’ auto-focus technology is trustworthy and quick. It will never make you disappointed when another car cuts you off on the way to church during a funeral procession. The autofocus lens features an aperture range of F1.4 to F16 and a minimum focusing distance of 12 inches, allowing it to capture razor-sharp photos.

What Makes a Lens Best for Car Photography?

Many key aspects constitute an ideal lens for car photography. It’s none of that durability, portability, or your common elements. The technical features separate an average lens from a high-end lens. 

Employ a Lens with a Wide Aperture 

Wide apertures take in more daylight, allowing you to increase your shutter speed and eliminate motion blur – very crucial when photographing fast automobiles. To qualify as much light as possible, utilize lenses with an aperture of f/2.8 or smaller.

Even if your exposure isn’t perfect or you get some motion blur, picture editing tools like Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom can help you fix it afterward.

The Right Focal Length

There are about as many varieties of automotive photography as there are diverse kinds of vehicles. Portraits of motionless automobiles or action views of cars speeding around the circuit are also possible. The best lens for you will be determined by what you’re filming.

These are the three most common automotive photographing lenses.

• 35mm f/1.4 – The 35mm is the best lens to use when the automobile is stationary. It allows you to shoot the complete automobile and the background without having to stand too far away. Because it’s a prime lens, you may use it to produce a bokeh effect in the background by shooting at wide apertures (low f-stops).

• 24-70 f/2.8 – The 24-70mm is an excellent all-around lens for automotive photography. With a new lens, you may take close-up or wide-angle images. It’s perfect for filming automobiles in motion because it’s a zoom lens with rapid adjustments if they are at a distance. 

• 70-200 f/2.8 – A 70-200mm lens will allow you to focus on the event from a comfortable distance when you’re photographing from a distance, such as at a racetrack. To avoid motion blur, keep your shutter speed as quick as possible.

Which Type of Lens Are Best for Car Photography?

Please take photos of Formula One’s greatest racers in the paddocks, arrange foreign sportscars in stunning places, or even snap pictures of your friend’s JDM vehicle in the carpark lot of the local mall. Automotive photography has aided us in appreciating, observing, and remembering the automobiles we enjoy. 

But how are these automobiles and events documented? We’ll concentrate on the fundamentals to get you started from the many lenses available: a flexible zoom lens, a prime lens, and a telephoto lens.

Prime Vs. Zoom

We remember having a D600, quite an old and antique one, which we sold to my mother. It appears to be gigantic and weighs a lot, as you can see. It will not fit on a gorilla-pod (a tiny table-top tripod) because it is too hefty and will droop. 

Let’s move on from the camera and glance at the lens. It has a zoom range of 28-85mm. My lenses are prime, so zoom isn’t an option.

A prime lens, for instance, has only one focal length, such as 50mm. A zoom lens zooms because it comprises a wide spectrum of focal lengths. Prime lenses are shorter, clearer, and assist frame a shot better since they only have one focal length.

When you look at a zoom lens, you’ll notice a sequence of numbers. Those weren’t the zoom levels but rather typical focal lengths; the purpose of a zoom lens is to substitute multiple prime lenses. 

This is beneficial for saving costs; however, the focal lengths at each end (28 and 85) generally suffer due to the moving components and curvature of the optics within, and photographs might come out looking weak/blurry. 

Rather than staying in one place and zooming in and out with the zoom lens, expand to a certain figure on the lens (e.g., 35 or 50) and frame the shot at that length.

Prime lenses might be inconvenient since you’ll be switching lenses frequently based on the scenario, but understanding your topic makes the selection much easier. 

Several people recommend using a wide lens on circular automobiles and a regular lens on square autos. This regulation has a few exemptions, such as snapping a snapshot in an open place.

Because prime lenses are manufactured to a set focal length, you can frequently obtain excellent results because you will grasp the lens and understand how to frame shots. 

For instance, if you’re used to a 50mm lens, you’ll be able to recognize a better picture and understand how to exclude/include things for that ideal photograph. Next, we’ll compare an ultra-wide-angle lens to a standard lens.

Wide and Ultra-Wide Lenses

These would be best employed when you’re near your subject since they extend and bend, making it look more curved. They’re also useful for photographing a car’s interior because they can squeeze everything in and provide room appearance.

They could be used as conventional lenses (lying at a similar height, meters away), but they capture everything in the frame. 

They are best utilized in wide spaces – notice the third photo above, where my automobile seems to be sitting during a field. When you’re not level with the ground/horizon, you’ll get a fish-eye effect that’s not always desirable.

They’re great for low-angle photos, but they tend to skew the horizon when directed upward. Excellent for night photography in which you want to see both the automobile and the stars overhead.

Standard Lenses 

These are ideal for automobiles that are square or just not round. We utilized a 50mm lens for this, but we think a 35mm lens performs a good job because you don’t have to stay as far away while shooting shots – the image being at an auto show or auto meet with a large number of people and barriers.

Because they can’t fit it all in, they’re useful for portraying tiny aspects of the interiors – thinking of Speedhunters displaying the gear knob or the speedometer. 

They’re great for displaying natural curves, objects, and forms. They have a smaller depth-of-field (the amount of space in focus) and are thus more suited to photographing badges or tiny pieces.

Things to Consider While Buying the Best Lens for Car Photography 2022

Zoom or Prime Lens

The focal length of prime lenses is preset, and they cannot zoom. The lenses are thinner and clearer, resulting in a superior picture.

Zoom lenses, on the other hand, have a focal range. The lenses allow you to photograph in various focal lengths by zooming in. Zoom lenses are essentially a cost-effective combo of several prime lenses. However, the lenses cannot generate images as crisp as prime lenses.

When matched to prime photos, the pictures may be fuzzy. Prime lenses might be inconvenient whenever you need to alter focal length lenses for different situations.

Lens Format 

APS-C sensors are used in the majority of low-cost SLRs and mirrorless cameras. ‘Full-frame’ lenses are used in high-end cameras. The majority of manufacturers make lenses that work with APS-C cameras.

The lenses built for full-frame cameras function great with APS-C cameras; however, the lenses developed for APS-C cameras do not. Therefore, when you purchase a lens, make sure you check to see whether it will function for you.

Image Stabilization 

Since you may have to photograph automobiles from distinct viewpoints and situations, the picture stabilization function compensates for the blurring caused by the handshake. This feature provides clear shots even within low-light conditions and long focal lengths.

Aperture 

The term “aperture” refers to how much daylight the lens can take in. It’s represented by ‘f’ numbers such as f/2.8, f/4, or 1:4. Lower-numbered lenses capture more light than larger numerical lenses when photographing cars. They’re typically better for night photography, although they’re not very crisp.

Focal Length

This is the first item that everyone searches for when purchasing a camera. This value describes the degree of view of the lens. The lower the numbers, the more comprehensive the image may be. Likewise, the more the numbers, the nicer the portraiture. There is no exact range for the optimal lens length for automotive shooting; however, pros often use 16mm to 105mm.

How to Capture Car Photos with Lens Adequately?

Let’s pretend you’ve already chosen the greatest camera lens and are ready to start shooting vehicles. However, automotive photography needs a great deal of time and creativity and has the greatest lens available. Here are a few vehicle photography tips that can help you succeed in your photography.

• Firstly – First, the automobiles are quite crisp compared to the surroundings. They are gleaming, particularly the recent ones, and curved body lines. As a result, locate a location since there would be no shadows on automobiles. Ensure there isn’t a large home or tree in your rear yard that the car will reflect. Additionally, ensure your reflection isn’t reflected in the automobile. Allow the elegance of the curved lines to entice others.

• Secondly – Shoot at the proper time of day to catch the greatest light possible. Typically, the greatest time for automobile photography is shortly before sunrise or soon after sundown. You’ll get soft light with minimal reflections from the automobile, resulting in the perfect color. Don’t forget to give it a go.

• Thirdly – If done correctly, filming a moving automobile is spectacular. The visuals that emerge are quite cool and beautiful. Remember to adjust the shutter speed between 1/60 and 1/80 of a second when shooting. You will have a nice motion on the roadway and tires if you do so.

• Fourth – Ensure the surroundings isn’t too distracting for the audience. Choose your venue carefully so that there are no distracting elements. The automobile should be the focal point. Every aspect is crucial!

• Fifthly – Apart from eye-level, experiment with other angles. Try introducing the automobile from a unique perspective to pique the public’s curiosity in seeing the images. Sometimes, it’s a good idea to observe what occurs inside the car.

• Lastly – You’ll need to be a master of post-production. Editing may sometimes make a drab, ordinary photograph intriguing. Discover what to do after photographing an automobile with the greatest camera lens.

Frequently Asked Questions 

What Lens Should I Use for Car Photography?

You’ll want to use a 24mm or 35mm lens when you want a wide-angle photo. When photographing in macro settings, use a 105mm lens for close-ups and features. If you’re going to capture all of the angles of the automobile while it’s moving, a 28-75mm lens is a good choice.

What is the Best Lens for Automotive Photography?

All lenses we’ve spoken about are fantastic and ideal for car photography. Choosing the best lens is difficult because what they give appears to be identical. As a skilled automobile photographer, you must analyze and compare the characteristics of each camera before deciding which one to purchase. The amount of experience you have as a photographer will also be considered.

Can I Use the 50mm Lens for Car Photography?

You may use it; a 50mm lens is a great lens for automobile photography since it has a good aperture for photos. The lens produces high-quality images and shoots accurately and quickly.

Conclusion

Car photography is a subject that hasn’t been thoroughly explored on the web. As an expert, you might understand which lens is excellent for vehicle photography. We have selected the Best Lens for Car Photography that you may utilize to produce high-quality and social work in this post. 

To pick the best, you must analyze every lens individually and the characteristics and pricing. Aperture, focal length, and lens type are just a few important characteristics to consider.