Ultimate Lens Kits 2018

Ultimate Lens Kits – 2018

Introduction

The goal of this article is to choose an ultimate set of quality lenses for a selection of the top rated interchangeable lens cameras available in Spring 2018. 
This won’t be pixel-peeping exercise, and we won’t we be fighting brand wars here today. All the cameras and lenses discussed in this article are capable of excellent image quality, and choosing one over another is more about personal preferences than imaging capabilities. If you aren’t getting great photos using any of this equipment, the problem probably isn’t your hardware.

The ability to use legacy glass via lens adapters is an option for mirrorless cameras and greatly increases the lens options available. The downside is that many lens adapters do not couple electronically with camera bodies and result in a loss of lens / aperture information, exif data and autofocus capabilities. Some companies manufacture “smart” adapters that retain exif data, and can even autofocus, but in the interest of scope control, I have eliminated adapted lenses from the ultimate lens selection process, and have focussed purely on native-mount lenses for each system.

Lens selections are based on my personal opinions and may not reflect another photographer’s choices. 


Pricing accurate as of May 2018.

Thanks to www.camerasize.com for providing most of the camera / lens images.

Camera Sensors

The cameras in this comparison feature sensors in one of the following sizes:  
  • APSC (368 mm2)
  • Full Frame (864 mm2)
  • Medium Format (1452 mm2)
Sensor area determines the diameter of a sensor’s image circle, which in turn, determines the minimum diameter of any lens required to cover it.  A lens for a smaller sensor will, therefore, tend to be smaller than a lens for a larger sensor of the same focal length and speed.

This sensor size vs lens size discussion is complicated, however, by the notions of focal length, depth of field and light gathering equivalency.

Focal Length Equivalency

The focal length of a lens is a physical dimension that is fixed in the case of a prime lens and variable in the case of a zoom. Focal length determines the lens’s angle of view, which we tend to think of as the “reach” of the lens. A smaller angle of view gives a longer reach and visa versa. Sensors of different sizes, however, will yield different angles of view given the identical focal length. The comparisons in this article feature lenses for each system that have roughly equivalent reach. 
This apparent change in reach is called the sensor’s crop factor. The crop factor of APSC to FF is 1.5 which means that an APSC lens that has an actual focal length of 24mm will have the same apparent reach as a 36mm FF lens. Likewise the crop factor of FF to MF is 0.79, so a FF lens with an actual focal length of 50mm will have the same apparent reach as a 63mm MF lens. The table below illustrates how sensor size affects reach equivalency.

Equivalent Focal Lengths (Reach)

APSC
(mm)
FF
(mm)
MF
(mm)
12
18
23
16
24
30
23
35
45
35
50
63
56
85
110
90
135
170

Depth of Field Equivalency

Crop factor affects the apparent reach of a lens, but does not affect the lens’s depth of field, bokeh, and distortion characteristics, which are functions of the lens’s actual rather than its equivalent focal length. For example, a 16mm APSC lens has the same depth of field and bokeh characteristics as a 16mm FF lens even though it has the equivalent reach of 24mm. Larger sensors offer increased subject isolation, perspective flattening and bokeh over smaller sensors at the same focal length and fstop. Whether this is an advantage or disadvantage largely depends on your style of photography.  

Light Gathering Equivalency 

A FF sensor is 2.3 times the area of an APSC sensor, and at the same aperture, it will allow 2.3 times the amount of light to reach the sensor. This is equivalent to about 1 1/3 additional stops of light sensitivity over APSC. Likewise, a MF sensor is 1.7 times the area of a FF sensor and 4 times the size of an APSC sensor. This results in an additional 2/3 stop of light sensitivity over FF and about 2 stops of light gathering over APSC. 

Camera Bodies

I have divided the camera systems discussed in this article into categories determined by sensor size. I have included at least 2 systems for each category.

As a general rule of thumb, camera and lens prices tend to rise proportionately with sensor size.

ASPC

All of the APSC cameras discussed in this article feature Sony 24 MPx sensors. The flagship Fuji X-H1 and the much smaller Fuji X-E3 also share the same processor, XTrans color array, and the Fuji X-Mount. The Sony a6500 features a Bayer color array, and the Sony E-Mount (also used by Sony A7 cameras). The MRSP of the a6500 falls roughly midway between the 2 Fuji models.

Full Frame (FF)

Both the Sony A7rIII and the Nikon D850 feature state-of-the-art high resolution BSI sensors. The D850 is significantly larger/heavier than the mirrorless A7rIII, but offers greater resolution. Camera body prices are competitive with one another.

Medium Format (MF)

Both the Fuji GFX 50S and the Hasselblad X1D-50C feature 44 x 33mm Sony medium format sensors. Both are priced significantly under medium format cameras using 54 x 40mm and larger sensors. The X1D is smaller than the GFX and features a touch screen interface. The GFX takes the opposite approach and offers a full complement of external dials and buttons on a larger body. Camera body prices are currently competitive between the 2 systems.

Camera Body
Sensor Type
Resolution (MPx)
Pixel Size (microns)
Weight (gm)
MSRP
($US)
MSRP
($CDN)
Fuji X-E3
APSC
24.3
3.88
337
$900
$1150
Sony a6500
APSC
24.2
3.89
453
$1300
$1750
Fuji X-H1
APSC
24.3
3.88
673
$1900
$2450
Sony A7rIII
FF
42.4
4.51
657
$3200
$4000
Nikon D850
FF
45.7
4.35
1005
$3300
$4300
Fuji GFX 50S
MF (44×33)
51.4
5.3
825
$6500
$8125
Hasselblad X1D
MF (44×33)
51
5.3
725
$6495
$8526

Wide and Ultra-wide Angle Lenses

I use wide and ultra-wide angle lenses for landscapes, cityscapes, astrophotography, and for getting really close to my subjects. My preferences are an ultra-wide prime (18-21mm equivalent) for the great outdoors and a tighter prime (24-28mm equivalent) for interiors and the street.

APSC

Sony does not currently manufacture an ultra-wide prime for APSC. Fortunately, Zeiss has stepped up to the plate with the Touit 12mm F/2.8 for both Sony E-Mount and Fuji X-Mount. The Touit 12mm is featured here on the Sony a6500.

In addition to the Touit,  the Fuji cameras can also use the Fuji 14mm F/2.8 – giving them a choice ultra-wide lenses. Fuji owners may be more comfortable with the styling of the 14mm, but 12mm and 16mm is arguably a more versatile lens combo.

The Fuji 16mm F/1.4 is ultra sharp and an excellent match for either of the ultra-wides. It looks at-home on either of the Fuji bodies.

Sony makes a 16mm F/2.8 pancake lens, but I much prefer the Sony NEX 10-18mm F/4 zoom. At F/4, it is slower than the primes, but with its combination of  excellent optics, useful 15-27mm equivalent range and compact size, the Sony 10-18 may well be the only wide-angle lens that you need.

FF

On the A7rIII is a matched set of the Zeiss Batis 18mm F/2.8 and Zeiss Batis 25mm F/2. I like the Batis lenses because they are high quality, lightweight, and balance perfectly on the A7rIII.

Alternatives to the Batis lenses include the Zeiss Loxia 21mm F/2.8 (manual focus), Zeiss Loxia 25mm F/2.4 (manual focus) and the Sony GMaster 16-35 F/2.8.

Nikon offers a choice of primes in both 20 and 24mm focal lengths. For this comparison, I have chosen the Nikon 20mm F/1.8 and the Nikon 24mm F/1.4. Both are excellent lenses, and a stop faster than the equivalent Batis lenses. The Nikon 20mm weighs about the same as the Batis 18mm, but is close to half the cost. The Batis 25mm, on the other hand, weighs much less than the Nikon 24mm and is significantly less expensive.

Alternatives to the Nikon lenses include the Nikon 20mm F/2.8, the Nikon 24mm F/1.8, and the Nikon 24mm F/2.8.

MF

The Fuji GFX system offers a 23mm (18mm equivalent) while the Hasselblad X1D offers a 21mm (17mm equivalent). Both lenses are F/4 and have excellent optics, but the Hasselblad 21mm is significantly smaller than the Fuji GF 23mm. At time of writing, the Canadian MSRP for the Hasselblad 21mm is unknown but potential buyers should expect it to be significantly more expensive than the Fuji GF 23mm.
The Hasselblad X1D system also offers a second wide angle prime lens: the 30mm F/3.5 (24mm equivalent). The 30mm sacrifices about half a stop of speed in order to keep the overall lens size smaller. This is in keeping with the scale and styling of the other XCD lenses, and I think the tradeoff of size vs speed is a valid one. 
The Fuji GF system does not currently offer a lens in this focal length.

Ultra-wide Angle Lens Data

Camera Body
Lens
Aperture
Weight (gm)
MSRP
($US)
MSRP
($CDN)
Fuji X-E3
Fuji 14mm
F/2.8
337
$800
$1150
Sony a6500
Zeiss Touit 12mm
F/2.8
270
$1000
$1370
Fuji X-H1
Fuji 14mm
F/2.8
337
$800
$1150
Sony A7rIII
Zeiss Batis 18mm
F/2.8
330
$1500
$2070
Nikon D850
Nikon 20mm
F/1.8
355
$800
$1030
Fuji GFX 50S
Fuji GF 23mm
F/4
845
$2600
$3250
Hasselblad X1D
Hasselblad XCD 21mm
F/4
600
$3750
?

Wide Angle Lens Data

Camera Body
Lens
Aperture
Weight (gm)
MSRP
($US)
MSRP
($CDN)
Fuji X-E3
Fuji 16mm
F/1.4
375
$900
$1300
Sony a6500
Sony NEX 10-18mm
F/4
225
$948
$1030
Fuji X-H1
Fuji 16mm
F/1.4
375
$900
$1300
Sony A7rIII
Zeiss Batis 25mm
F/2
335
$1300
$1800
Nikon D850
Nikon 24mm
F/1.4
620
$2000
$2500
Fuji GFX 50S
N/A
–
–
–
–
Hasselblad X1D
Hasselblad XCD 30mm
F/3.5
550
$3995
$5345

Standard Focal Length Lenses

I use standard focal length lenses for street photography and for situations where I only want to carry one camera and one lens with me (my “one-gun” solution). As a result, I value compactness, sharpness, and speed in that order in standard lenses. For this comparison, I will select lenses for each system that roughly equate to the common 35 and 50mm (FF equivalent) focal lengths.

APSC

Fuji offers a choice of lens in both the 23 (35mm equivalent) and 35 (50mm equivalent) focal lengths. I have shown the X-E3 with the smaller and less expensive F/2 versions and the X-H1 with the larger and more expensive F/1.4 versions. The F/1.4 versions are optically superior, but the F/2 versions are lighter, much less expensive and offer reduced viewfinder blockage when using hybrid viewfinder cameras.

The Sony a6500 is shown with the Sony / Zeiss 24mm (36mm equivalent) F/1.8, one of Sony’s finest APSC lenses. It is marginally heavier than the F/2 Fuji lenses and more expensive than either version.

For the a6500’s 50mm equivalent lens, I have selected the Sony / Zeiss ZA 35mm F/2.8. The 35mm F/2.8 is actually a FF lens, but because Sony APSC and FF cameras share the common E-Mount, it can do dual duty on both the a6500 and on the A7rIII camera bodies. The Sony 35 is 1 stop slower than the Fuji F/2 and 2 stops slower than the Fuji F/1.4, and is more expensive than either Fuji option, but is the smallest one-gun solution of all of the selected combinations by a significant margin.

FF

Sony produces two 35mm lenses: the Sony 35mm Distagon F/1.4 and the Sony / Zeiss ZA F/2.8. While the F/1.4 lens is optically superior, it is more than twice the cost, five times the weight and much larger than the F/2.8. I value compactness in a street lens and I think Sony has made a good call in trading the 2 stops of speed against the much smaller size of the F/2.8. 
Another good alternative is the Zeiss Loxia 35mm F/2. I prefer autofocus lenses for the street, but The Loxia’s build quality, rendering characteristics and F/2 speed make it another viable option.
Sony offers a lot of options around 50mm. There is the Sony / Zeiss ZA Planar F/1.4, the Sony / Zeiss ZA 55mm F/1.8, the Sony 50mm F/2.8 macro, the budget friendly Sony 50mm F/1.8 and the Zeiss Loxia 50mm F/2 (manual focus). Of all of these, my favorite is the Sony / Zeiss ZA 55mm F/1.8 with its winning combination of exceptional sharpness and compact size. 

Nikon has been making 35 and 50mm lenses for many years and offer a wide variety of quality street-friendly primes. For this comparison, I have chosen the Nikon 35mm F/1.8 and the Nikon 50mm F/1.4 which offer an excellent combination of compact size, lens quality and speed at prices which are significantly lower than my Sony selections.

There are a number of great alternatives to the selected Nikons including: the Nikon 35mm F/1.4, the Sigma 35mm Art F/1.4, the Zeiss Milvus 35mm F/2 (manual focus), the Nikon 50mm F/1.8, Sigma 50mm Art F/1.4, the Zeiss Milvus 50mm F/1.4 (manual focus), and the Zeiss Otus 55m F/1.4 (manual focus).

MF

Both the Fuji GFX and the Hasselblad X1D systems offer 45mm (35mm equivalent) prime lenses. The Fuji GF 45mm F/2.8 is about a half a stop faster than the Hasselblad XCD 45mm F/3.5 and is significantly less expensive, but the Hasselblad 45mm is much smaller. 
Both are excellent lenses, but the diminutive size of the Hasselblad X1D and 45mm combo give it the edge as a one-gun street solution.  
The Fuji GF system also offers the Fuji 63mm F/2 (50mm equivalent). The 63mm is currently the smallest lens in the GF system and tied for the fastest. It is well balanced on the GFX, and is my choice for the GFX’s one-gun solution.
The Hasselblad 90mm F/3.2 (71mm equivalent) is at the long end of what I consider a standard focal length, is no smaller than the GF 63mm, more than a stop slower, and costs twice as much.  

Camera Body
Lens
Aperture
Weight (gm)
MSRP
($US)
MSRP
($CDN)
Fuji X-E3
Fuji 23mm
F/2
180
$450
$600
Sony a6500
Sony / Zeiss ZA 24mm
F/1.8
225
$1100
$1400
Fuji X-H1
Fuji 23mm
F/1.4
187
$800
$1180
Sony A7rIII
Sony / Zeiss ZA 35mm
F/2.8
120
$750
$950
Nikon D850
Nikon 35mm
F/1.8
305
$527
$670
Fuji GFX 50S
Fuji GF 45mm
F/2.8
490
$1700
$2125
Hasselblad X1D
Hasselblad XCD 45mm
F/3.5
417
$2695
$3540

Camera Body
Lens
Aperture
Weight (gm)
MSRP
($US)
MSRP
($CDN)
Fuji X-E3
Fuji 35mm
F/2
170
$400
$600
Sony a6500
Sony / Zeiss ZA 35mm
F/2.8
120
$750
$950
Fuji X-H1
Fuji 35mm
F/1.4
187
$550
$780
Sony A7rIII
Sony / Zeiss ZA 55mm
F/1.8
281
$998
$1250
Nikon D850
Nikon 50mm
F/1.4
280
$300
$560
Fuji GFX 50S
Fuji GF 63mm
F/2
619
$1500
$1875
Hasselblad X1D
Hasselblad XCD 90mm
F/3.2
405
$3195
$4195

Portrait and Telephoto Lenses

When it comes to telephoto lenses, I like a prime lens in portrait length (80-100mm equivalent) and a longer telephoto with a reach of at least 200mm. 

APSC

In portrait focal length, Fuji offers a pair of 56mm lenses both rated at F/1.2. The original Fuji 56mm F/1.2 is one of Fuji’s highest performing prime lenses and either lens makes a great portrait solution. The APD version of the 56mm offers an additional apodizing element which enhances its bokeh, but increases its cost over the non-APD version by about 50%. If you shoot wide-open a lot, you may find the bokeh enhancement worth the additional cost.

The a6500 has been outfitted with the Sony / Zeiss ZA 55mm F/1.8 which was discussed in the FF section of the Standard Focal Length section above. Both the 55mm F/1.8 and the 35mm F/2.8 Sony / Zeiss lenses are equally at home on the a6500 and on the A7rIII, and provide excellent value for photographers who own both cameras or who are considering a migration to FF sometime in the future.

Pricing for the non-APD version of the Fuji 56mm and the Sony / Zeiss 55mm is competitive. The APD version of the Fuji 56mm costs significantly more than either.

For a Fuji telephoto solution, I have selected the Fuji 50-140 F/2.8 zoom (75-210mm equivalent). It covers the most popular short telephoto focal lengths and is well balanced on the Fuji bodies – particularly on the larger X-H1. Its not cheap, but then none of the telephoto lenses in this comparison are.

Sony does not offer a zoom lens in this range, but the superb Batis 135mm F/2.8 (203mm equivalent) is a light, compact and optically excellent prime that looks and feels great on the Sony a6500. It is the smallest of all the telephoto solutions in this comparison by a healthy margin but costs 35% more than the Fuji zoom.

FF

For portrait length, I have selected Sony’s flagship GMaster 85mm F/1.4 and Nikon’s classic 85mm F/1.4. Both lenses offer exceptional sharpness, and class-leading bokeh. The GMaster 85 is a more modern design and offers superior image resolution but costs about 20% more than the Nikon and is about 20% heavier.

Alternatives to the Sony GMaster 85mm F/1.4 include the excellent Zeiss Batis 85mm F/1.8, the Zeiss Loxia 85mm F/2.4 (manual focus), the Sony 90mm F/2.8 macro and the budget friendly Sony F/1.8. Alternatives to the Nikon 85mm F/1.4 include the Nikon 85mm F/1.8, the Sigma 85mm ART F/1.4, the Zeiss Milvus 85mm F/1.4 (manual focus) and of course the iconic Zeiss Otus 85mm F/1.4 (manual focus) which is significantly larger than the Nikon 85mm F/1.4 and costs three times as much.

Both Sony and Nikon offer 70-200 F/2.8 zooms. In the case of the A7rIII, I have matched it with the GMaster 70-200 F/2.8. The Nikon has been matched with the Nikkor AF-S 70-200 F/2.8 VR. Both lenses are approximately the same size, weight, and price and both offer excellent telephoto capabilities.

Both Sony and Nikon also offer lower cost F/4 versions of their 70-200 zooms. In both cases, the F/4 lenses are smaller and lighter and cost about half of the F/2.8 version.

MF

Both the Fuji GF and Hasselblad XCD systems offer a quality portrait length telephoto. The Fuji GF 110mm F/2 (85mm equivalent) and the Hasselblad XCD 120mm F/3.2 macro (95mm equivalent) are both about the same size and nearly the same weight. The Hasselblad 120mm has additional macro capabilities over the GF 110mm but costs about 60% more.
The Fuji GF system also produces the Fuji GF 250mm F/4 (198mm equivalent) for use as a telephoto solution. The Hasselblad XCD system does not currently offer a lens of an equivalent focal length.

Camera Body
Lens
Aperture
Weight (gm)
MSRP
($US)
MSRP
($CDN)
Fuji X-E3
Fuji 56mm
F/1.2
405
$900
$1300
Sony a6500
Sony / Zeiss ZA 55mm
F/1.8
281
$998
$1250
Fuji X-H1
Fuji 56mm APD
F/1.2
405
$1650
$1900
Sony A7rIII
Sony GMaster 85mm
F/1.4
820
$1800
$2400
Nikon D850
Nikon 85mm
F/1.4
660
$1597
$2000
Fuji GFX 50S
Fuji GF 110mm
F/2
1010
$2800
$3500
Hasselblad X1D
Hasselblad XCD 120mm
(macro)
F/3.5
970
$4495
$6015
Camera Body
Lens
Aperture
Weight (gm)
MSRP
($US)
MSRP
($CDN)
Fuji X-E3
Fuji 50-140mm
F/2.8
995
$1450
$2050
Sony a6500
Zeiss Batis 135mm
F/2.8
614
$1700
$2740
Fuji X-H1
Fuji 50-140mm
F/2.8
995
$1450
$2050
Sony A7rIII
Sony GMaster 70-200mm
F/2.8
1480
$2600
$3300
Nikon D850
Nikon 70-200mm
F/2.8
1540
$2797
$3600
Fuji GFX 50S
Fuji GF 250mm
F/4
1425
$3300
$4130
Hasselblad X1D
N/A
–
–
–
–

Conclusions

Its hard to go wrong with any of these camera and lens combinations. All are capable of capturing exceptional images, and personal style and preference will undoubtably prove be the deciding factor in the end. Its a great time for camera and lens technology and a wonderful time to be a photographer.