We all know there are lots of different ways to achieve the same look. From the lights we choose, to the retouching we do in Photoshop, there are often dozens of different paths a photographer can take to arrive at the same destination. Within still life photography, I believe the same can be said, to a degree, when it comes to lenses. Thatโs why answering the question โwhat are the best lenses for still life photography?โ is surprisingly difficult. Today Iโll be letting you know what a still life photographer needs from their lenses, and Iโll be giving you a few recommendations.
The Best Lenses For Still Life | What Do You Need?
As always, this will depend on what youโre shooting and how youโre shooting it. Things to consider will be; your subjects size, your lighting set up, your set, the space youโre shooting in, and the distance you need to your subject. By knowing that info, youโll be able to answer the question โwhat type of lens do I need?โ; macro, zoom, prime, telephoto, wide-angle and so on.
Leaving the more obvious requirements aside you may be surprised to hear that many lenses will provide you with the quality necessary for still life photography. Why? Still life photography is usually shot at high apertures and if using programs like Helicon Focus, you can shoot at your lenses โsweet spotโ and get the maximum quality.
[REWIND: IS HELICON FOCUS THE BEST FOCUS STACKING SOFTWARE? {REVIEW}]
In addition, it may surprise you to hear but most still life images donโt involve moving subjects, who knew! As such, the latest and greatest focusing system is not needed. Nor do we need any kind of vibration reduction/stabilization technology as weโre almost always shooting on a tripod. There are really only two main things a still life photographer needs from their lens.
- To be sharp in the f8-f11 range (so most lenses)
- to be the appropriate focal length for your subject
Ok, it is nice to have a lens with decent manual focus. One where you donโt turn the barrel a little and suddenly find youโve gone from infinity to close focus. With that in mind, however, Iโve taken many great photos using Nikonโs basic 50mm 1.4g, and Canonโs 50mm 1.8. The most important part of still life photography is knowledge and imagination. On the subject of knowledge, check out one of my recent articles all about photographing watches, find it here.
Best Still Life Lenses For Versatility
Sometimes versatility is a big requirement. Letโs say youโve been asked to shoot 60 pairs of shoes in a day, with multiple angles of each. Not a fun day but weโve all gotta pay the bills. In that situation, Iโd want a zoom lens so I didnโt have to move my tripod too much; saving precious time. There are loads of other situations where versatility is a big consideration and here are my lens recommendations.
[REWIND: WHAT ARE THE BEST LIGHTS FOR STILL LIFE & PRODUCT PHOTOGRAPHY?]
Sigma 24-105mm f/4 DG OS HSM Art
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-120mm f/4G ED VR
While a 24-105 is not going to win many prizes for its sharpness, it will be good enough for a day of ecom. Heck, for most clients it will be good enough full stop, shoot at the f8-f11 sweet spot and youโll be fine. The great thing about a 24-105 is the versatility it offers. Itโs got a decent zoom range and even has some macro capability. For a cheaper version, I encourage you to look back to some of the older incarnations of these lenses, most of which are just as good but lack some modern features.
Best Still Life Lenses For Macro Work
As a still life photographer, youโll often find yourself shooting very little things. At that moment, the lens you need is a macro. I donโt just mean one which says macro on the side but actually only offers a paltry amount of magnification. No, Iโm talking a proper 1:1 macro lenses. The great thing about macro lenses, no matter what the budget, is that they all tend to offer excellent sharpness. The benefits of buying a more expensive macro lens is often just working distance and a slight bump in optical and build quality.
Budget
Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM Macro
Mid-Level
Tamron SP 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 VC USD
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM
Nikon AF-S VR Micro-NIKKOR 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED
Expensive
Sigma 180mm f/2.8 APO Macro EX DG OS HSM
Nikon AF Micro-NIKKOR 200mm f/4D IF-ED
Canon EF 180mm f/3.5L Macro USM
If someone could only afford one lens, I would suggest getting a macro in the 100mm focal range. Macro lenses offer amazing value for money and can be used for a wide range of subjects. If price is an issue, take a look at all the older models of the lenses listed above. Just like with the 24-105mm lenses the older versions are often very similar in optical quality but lack a couple modern features which still life photographers donโt need anyway.
Best Speciality Still Life Lenses
At times, youโll want to get creative. Or you might want a lens that you can parade about in front of your photography buddies despite it being pretty useless for still life. When that moment arises, any of the following will do. Only joking. Although still life photographers generally shoot with lenses on the longer end, a wide-angle lens can often provide an interesting perspective which is different from the norm.
Tamron SP 15-30mm f/2.8 Di VC USD
The Tilt Shift Lens
Tilt shift lenses used to be very popular in still life photography and, to a lesser extent, still are today. With the advent of programs like Helicon Focus, however, the popularity of Tilt-Shift Lenses has diminished somewhat. Although that is the case, there are still lots of times when a Tilt-Shift lens can come in pretty handy. Check out the video below for a quick explanation of what a Tilt Shift Lens can do.
In terms of recommendations, thereโs not a huge selection of these lenses out there. Check out the offering for your particular brand of camera and youโll probably only see 3-4 choices.
Final Thoughts On Lenses For Still Life Photography
In lots of genres youโll often hear the criticism โyou only take good photos because you have that lensโ or โthis amazing cameraโ and so on. Within still life, itโs much harder for that statement to hold any weight; to be honest, it rarely does anyway. With still life photography, your camera and lenses tend to just sit there and wait for a photo to be taken. All the creativity, all the magic of the shot, happens far away from them. Yes, they take the photo, but the creation of the photo has very little to do with them.
An amazing still life photographer can take a good photo with the most basic of cameras and lenses. So donโt get hung up on this. Buy a lens that works for your subject and space. After that, start getting creative and stop obsessing about gear.