10 Best Lenses for Night Photography in 2024

Choosing the right lenses for night photography can make a huge difference in the quality of your shots. We’ve selected 10 lenses that are perfect for capturing stunning images in low light. Our top pick is the Nikon Z 58mm f/0.95 S Noct, chosen for its exceptional light-gathering ability. It’s the best for low-light scenes. However, there are 9 other lenses that are also great options for night photography enthusiasts, whatever camera system you use.

What Is the Best Lens for Night Photography?

Selecting the best lens for night photography involves considering aperture size, weight, and focal length. Brands like Nikon, Canon, Sony, Fujifilm, Sigma, Panasonic, Pentax, and Leica offer lenses with wide apertures, ensuring ample light capture and sharp images in low light. These lenses are chosen for their ability to reduce noise, minimize distortion, and provide versatility in night-time shooting scenarios.

Our Favorite Lenses for Night Photography

Let’s take a closer look at our favorite lenses for night photography. From ultra-wide apertures to exceptional sharpness, there’s a lens here for every night scene imaginable. Explore these options to find the perfect fit for your bag.

The Nikon Z 58mm f/0.95 S Noct is a very rare, very heavy, and very expensive specialist lens. You can tell by the “Noct” in the name that night photography is one of the targets for this extraordinary lens. But it’s also designed for archivists, art copyists, or any genre that needs incredibly precise, sharp photos with zero distortion. And that is what this lens delivers. It’s crazy fast at f/0.95, so night photography is a natural fit.

However, its weight of 4.4 lbs (2 kg) makes it a bit of a challenge for handheld shooting over long periods. Photographers planning to trek to remote locations for night shots might find this a drawback. The manual focus, while precise, requires practice to use effectively in quickly changing scenes. But this lens is all about slow, careful framing and shooting. So neither of these factors is a negative.

This lens’s optical performance, including minimal distortion and well-controlled chromatic aberration, makes it a top choice for professionals. Its build quality and weather sealing also mean it can withstand tough shooting conditions. For those dedicated to capturing the beauty of the night, the Nikon Z 58mm f/0.95 S Noct is a powerful tool, albeit with a learning curve and the need for a sturdy tripod.

The Nikon AF-S 24mm f/1.4G ED is a well-loved wide-angle lens, with an f/1.4 aperture that makes it ideal for night shooting. This wide aperture lets in a lot of light, making it easier to shoot in low light without raising the ISO too much. And this makes it ideal for film cameras, where high ISOs are either impossible or horrible. It’s great for capturing sharp, detailed night scenes from city lights to stars. The lens’s construction reduces flare and ghosting, which is key when shooting bright points of light against dark backgrounds.

It only weighs 1.36 lbs (620 g), so it’s not too heavy for carrying on night-time adventures. Its 24mm focal length offers a wide view, perfect for expansive night skies or cityscapes. Autofocus is quick and very accurate, which is often a challenge in low light.

This lens is a good option for those serious about night photography. Its optical performance is impressive, with minimal distortion and chromatic aberration. While it lacks image stabilization, using a tripod at night solves this issue. For photographers looking to capture the night in all its glory, the Nikon AF-S 24mm f/1.4G ED is a powerful tool.

The Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L USM shows just how good a 50mm prime lens can be. And it does it with a very fast maximum f/1.2 aperture. And it delivers distortion-free, edge-to-edge sharp images at every aperture.

This is a big lens at 2.09 lbs (950 g), but its build quality is unmatched, designed to endure tough conditions. Its 50mm focal length offers a natural view, similar to the human eye, which is versatile for various night scenes. Autofocus is very accurate and pretty fast, and because of the design of mirrorless cameras, is available across the whole frame.

This is an exceptional lens, but you pay a price for that. But what you get is a fast lens, with some of the best bokeh that money can buy. For those serious about capturing the beauty of the night, the Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L USM offers great optical performance and creative control, and it will serve as a superb standard lens as well.

The Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM excels in night photography, thanks to its f/1.2 aperture. This is a very specialized lens, and you pay a premium for that very fast aperture. It’s especially good for capturing sharp, detailed images of the night sky or dimly lit streets. The lens’s ability to minimize distortion ensures that architectural lines and night skies are accurately represented.

Weighing 2.26 lbs (1 kg), this lens is a bit heavy, but its optical performance makes it worth the extra weight for those who are serious about night photography. Its 85mm focal length is ideal for portraits and detailed shots at night, offering a flattering compression and beautiful bokeh. However, manual focusing might be necessary in very low light, as autofocus can become less reliable.

This lens stands out for its exceptional sharpness and minimal chromatic aberration, ensuring that night photos are clear and crisp. While it lacks image stabilization, using a tripod at night can easily overcome this. If you understand the limitations of an f/1.2 aperture on an 85mm lens, then the Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM offers you outstanding optical quality and creative control.

The Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM is a standout choice for night photography, thanks to its f/1.2 aperture. This wide aperture is crucial for letting in plenty of light, minimizing the need for high ISO settings that can introduce noise. It’s perfect for capturing detailed, crisp images in low light, from cityscapes to starry skies. The lens’s design minimizes distortion, so architecture or night sky objects will look natural.

This 50mm lens weighs 1.71 lbs (778 g), so it’s relatively light for its class, making it easier to carry on night-time shoots. Its focal length offers a versatile view, suitable for a variety of subjects under the night sky. Autofocus is accurate and reliable.

This lens impresses with its sharpness and minimal chromatic aberration, ensuring that night photos are clear and vibrant. While it lacks built-in image stabilization, using a tripod at night can easily overcome this. It’s not just at night that the Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM comes into its own. Once you have a lens like this that offers exceptional optical quality and creative control you’ll probably use it every day (as well as night).

The Fujifilm XF 50mm f/1 R WR shines in night photography with its wide f/1 aperture, allowing a significant amount of light to reach the sensor. It’s fast and incredibly sharp even wide open, and even in the corners. It’s quite a feat, and although it’s quite a lot of money, it is a lot, lot cheaper than similar lenses from other brands.

Weighing about 1.86 lbs (845 g), this lens is somewhat heavy but manageable, especially for those who prioritize optical performance during night shoots. This is an APS-C-only lens, so its 50mm focal length is equivalent to 75mm. This makes it suitable for a variety of subjects under the night sky.

This lens impresses with its sharpness and minimal chromatic aberration, ensuring that night photos are clear and vibrant. While it lacks built-in image stabilization, using a tripod at night can easily overcome this. For photographers dedicated to capturing the beauty of the night, the Fujifilm XF 50mm f/1 R WR offers exceptional optical quality and creative control, making it a very useful tool in their photography bag.

The Sigma 35mm f/1.2 DG DN | A for Sony E is an excellent value fast prime lens that is ideal for night photography, thanks to its exceptionally wide f/1.2 aperture. Many photographers simply love a 35mm lens, and this is a fine example of the type. The lens’s design effectively minimizes distortion, preserving the natural shapes of the night sky and architecture.

Its 2.4 lbs (1 kg) weight is notably heavier than many other primes, but its optical performance makes it worth the extra weight for those serious about night photography. The 35mm focal length offers a wide view, ideal for expansive night skies or cityscapes. 

This lens impresses with its edge-to-edge sharpness and minimal chromatic aberration, ensuring that night photos are clear and vibrant. While it lacks built-in image stabilization, using a tripod at night can easily overcome this. Sigma’s Art lenses are popular for a reason. They offer excellent quality at a price that undercuts many brands. The Sigma 35mm f/1.2 DG DN | A is available for several lens mounts and offers exceptional optical quality for a wide range of photographic tasks.

The Panasonic LUMIX S Pro 50mm f/1.4 is a great night photography choice for Lumix users, thanks to its wide f/1.4 aperture. It’s fast, very sharp, and minimizes distortion very effectively.

Weighing 2.1 lbs (955 g), this lens is on the heavier side for a prime lens, but its optical performance makes it worth the extra weight for those serious about night photography. Its 50mm focal length offers a very natural view, suitable for a variety of subjects under the night sky. 

This lens impresses with its edge-to-edge sharpness and minimal chromatic aberration, ensuring that night photos are clear and vibrant. The Panasonic LUMIX S Pro 50mm f/1.4 offers exceptional optical quality and creative control, making it an attractive choice for Panasonic Lumix users.

The HD Pentax-D FA* 50mm f/1.4 SDM AW is a big, fast prime lens with exceptional low-light capabilities, thanks to its wide f/1.4 aperture. It’s quite bulky, but it’s built to withstand the rough and tumble of daily use. The lens’s design effectively minimizes distortion, preserving the natural shapes of celestial bodies and architecture.

With a weight of 2 lbs (910 g), this lens is somewhat heavy but manageable, especially for those who prioritize optical performance during night shoots. Its 50mm focal length gives a very familiar point of view. Autofocus is reliable, but not the fastest you can find.

This lens impresses with its edge-to-edge sharpness and minimal chromatic aberration, ensuring that night photos are clear and vibrant. It is notable for just how sharp it is across the whole frame, even at f/1.4, and for its very pleasant bokeh. For night photography, and as a go-to standard lens, this is an attractive choice for Pentax users.

The Leica NOCTILUX-M 50mm f/0.95 ASPH is an absurdly expensive ultra-fast prime lens with an incredibly wide f/0.95 aperture. If you own a Leica, then you probably won’t be put off by the price. And you will love the clarity of this lens, even when opened up to its very fast f/0.95.

Weighing about 1.5 pounds (700g), this lens is relatively heavy for a prime lens but manageable, especially for those who prioritize optical performance during night shoots. It’s a 50mm lens for those who like to take their time composing. And even though it costs more than I’ve ever spent on a car, it is a manual focus lens. So you’ll have to take that into account.

This lens impresses with its edge-to-edge sharpness and minimal chromatic aberration, ensuring that night photos are clear and vibrant. Leica users will not balk at choosing a lens like this. And they almost certainly won’t be disappointed.

Conclusion: The Best Lenses for Night Photography

Having looked at the best lenses for night photography, and considering their key features, we think you should find something to your liking. We have looked at a range of lenses suitable for various cameras, focusing on their ability to capture detailed and vibrant images in low light. Each lens is evaluated based on its aperture, weight, focal length, and optical performance, ensuring photographers can make an informed choice based on their specific needs.

Our top pick, the Nikon Z 58mm f/0.95 S Noct, stands out for its exceptional low-light performance. Its ultra-wide aperture and sharpness make it the best choice for night photography. However, there are nine other lenses listed that also offer great options for capturing stunning night-time images.