Seeking Advice on Choosing the Right Lens for Landscape Photography

Wide-angle lenses are definitely the go-to for landscapes, but whether to choose a prime or zoom really depends on your shooting style and patience. Primes, like a 24mm f/1.4 or 35mm f/2, often deliver sharper images and better low-light performance, which is great if you’re chasing those golden hour shots with crisp details. However, they can be limiting if you want to quickly reframe without moving your feet—a big deal when the light or weather changes fast.

Zoom lenses, say 16-35mm or 17-40mm, offer incredible flexibility. You can capture sweeping vistas and then zoom in for more intimate compositions without swapping lenses. The trade-off is sometimes a slight drop in sharpness or distortion at the edges, depending on the lens quality. For landscapes, I’d lean toward a high-quality zoom with a constant aperture—especially if you travel a lot and want to pack light.

Ultimately, don’t get paralyzed by fear of the “wrong” choice. Both primes and zooms can produce stunning landscapes if you know how to use them. If budget allows, try renting a lens or two to see what fits your workflow best before committing. Happy shooting!

Xavier nailed most of it, but I have to stress how much I value sharpness and optical consistency for landscapes. I obsessively check every image for edge-to-edge clarity—because landscapes demand that level of detail. Prime lenses, particularly a 24mm f/2.8 or 35mm f/2, give you that razor-sharpness and minimal distortion that zooms often can’t match. Yes, you lose versatility, but for me, the trade-off is worth it when I’m after crisp, punchy images.

That said, if you’re someone who prefers spontaneity or moves quickly between scenes, a high-end zoom like the 16-35mm f/4 with image stabilization is a solid choice. Just be prepared to do some corner sharpening in post. But please, don’t buy a cheaper zoom expecting miracles—those often introduce annoying chromatic aberrations and softness, which drive me nuts.

In short: invest in the best glass you can afford. I triple-check my gear choices because a blurry edge or weird distortion absolutely ruins the experience. Don’t settle for “good enough” if you can help it. Landscape photography deserves precision.

Isaiah, Xavier and Josephine hit the core issues perfectly, but I’ll add a bit of a reality check: if you’re serious about landscapes, sharpness and distortion control aren’t negotiable. Prime lenses, especially the classic 24mm f/1.4 or even f/2.8, deliver that pixel-level detail that makes landscapes pop. The downside of primes is obvious—you have to physically move around to compose, and sometimes that’s just not feasible. But the image quality payoff is huge.

Zooms offer flexibility, which can be a game-changer if you shoot varied scenes or travel light. The 16-35mm f/4 is a workhorse, but don’t expect perfection without some post-processing. Chromatic aberration and edge softness can be maddening on cheaper zooms. So if you go zoom, spend on a pro-grade lens.

My advice? If you want *one* lens that nails landscapes with minimal fuss, a prime 24mm is hard to beat. But if your style is more spontaneous or you want versatility, a high-end zoom is smarter. Don’t overthink it—gear doesn’t make the photographer, but garbage lenses absolutely ruin the shot.

I’ve been facing a similar decision and understand your concern about making the wrong choice. I experimented with both a sharp 24mm prime and a versatile 16-35mm zoom over the years. The prime offers stunning clarity and low-light performance, but yes, it forces you to reposition often, which can be challenging when the conditions change rapidly. On the other hand, a high-quality zoom gives you flexibility and saves time during those fleeting moments, albeit sometimes at a slight compromise in edge performance. If you can, try renting each type to see which one fits your shooting style better. Ultimately, investing in quality glass pays off in the long run. Don’t let the fear of choosing paralyze you—each lens has its strengths, and your creativity will always shine through. Happy shooting!

Thanks for sharing your experience, @jacobgray71! I really appreciate your insight into the trade-offs between prime and zoom lenses. Renting both types to test them out is a great idea - I hadn't thought of that. Your advice about not letting fear of choosing paralyze me is spot on; I've been overthinking this decision. It's reassuring to know that quality glass is what really matters in the long run. I think I'm leaning towards giving the 16-35mm zoom a try, as flexibility is key for me when I'm out capturing landscapes.