Every manufacturer has a capable f/1.8 prime to suit any budget in its range, but the most coveted lenses are usually those with the widest apertures, thanks to their ability to let in more light than traditional kit lenses, allowing us to work handheld in much darker conditions than normal.
So for this month’s group test we’re exploring the wider world of primes, with a range of focal lengths on offer from 24mm to 135mm.
Let’s take a look at the top 10 wide-aperture primes under £1000...
Description
This lens has a versatile focal length and fast f/1.4 aperture. With 13 elements packed into 11 groups, the image quality is amazing. It is a bit heavy but itu2019s fine for larger cameras.
Specs
Max aperture: f/1.4
Min aperture: f/16
Elements/groups: 13/11
Min focusing distance: 30cm
DxL: 77x94mm
Weight: 665g
Want to know more? Read our full review of the Sigma 35mm F/1.4 DG HSM prime lens.
Description
With a super-fast aperture of f/1.2 and 7 rounded diaphragm blades you can shoot amazing bokeh with this lens. The 70cm minimum focusing distance and 28.5u00b0 angle-of-view also makes this an excellent portrait lens.
Specs
Max aperture: f/1.2
Min aperture: f/16
Elements/groups: 11/8
Min focusing distance: 70cm
DxL: 73x70mm
Weight: 405g
Want to know more? Read our full review of the Fujinon XF 56mm F/1.2 R prime lens.
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Description
This lens has a deserved reputation as the king of portrait lenses due to its sharp results and amazing bokeh. It has the longest focal length in test but when shooting wide-open vignetting is noticeable. Itu2019s a very heavy lens but feels balanced on-camera.
Specs
Max aperture: f/2
Min aperture: f/32
Elements/groups: 10/8
Min focusing distance: 90cm
DxL: 83x112mm
Weight: 750g
Want to know more? Read our full review of the Canon EF 135mm f/2L USM prime lens.
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Description
This lightweight lens boasts fantastic sharpness, excellent build quality smooth bokeh. The vignetting is noticeable when shooting wide open and there is a little barrel distortion, but nothing that canu2019t be fixed with editing.
Specs
Max aperture: f/1.4
Min aperture: f/16
Elements/groups: 8/7
Min focusing distance: 45cm
DxL: 74x54mm
Weight: 280g
Want to know more? Read our full review of the Nikon AF-S 50mm f/1.4Gprime lens.
Description
50mm is a very popular focal length for wide-aperture prime lenses, and this Canon u2018nifty fiftyu2019 features a maximum f/1.4 for superb bokeh in out-of-focus areas, bringing your portraits to life.
Specs
Max aperture: f/1.4
Min aperture: f/22
Elements/groups: 7/6
Min focusing distance: 45cm
DxL: 74x51mm
Weight: 290g
Want to know more? Read our full review of the Canon EF 50mm F/1.4 USM prime lens.
Description
The fast aperture and 9 rounded diaphragm blades produce beautiful bokeh, making this a great portrait lens, it also has a Hyper Sonic Motor that provides near-silent autofocusing. It is very weighty at 1131g but it does feel very high quality.
Specs
Max aperture: f/1.4
Min aperture: f/16
Elements/groups: 14/12
Min focusing distance: 85cm
DxL: 95x126mm
Weight: 1131g
Want to know more? Read our full review of the Sigma 85mm F/1.4 DG HSM | Art prime lens.
Description
This wide-angle from Nikon is very highly regarded, offering great image quality at an affordable price. It offers fantastic sharpness, itu2019s lightweight and the AF performance is impressive too.
Specs
Max aperture: f/1.8
Min aperture: f/16
Elements/groups: 12/9
Min focus distance: 23cm
DxL: 78x83mm
Weight: 355g
Want to know more? Read our full review of the Nikon AF-S 24mm f/1.8G EDprime lens.
Description
A member of Tamronu2019s SP (superior performance) family, this 35mm features a fast aperture of f/1.8 and a focal length which gives it a superb level of versatility. Itu2019s a little bulky, though a reasonable weight. The USD motor makes auto-focus quick and accurate.
Specs
Max aperture: f/1.8
Min aperture: f/16
Elements/groups: 10/9
Min focus distance: 20cm
DxL: 80x81mm
Weight: 480g
Want to know more? Read our full review of the Tamron SP 35mm f/1.8 Di VC USD prime lens.
Description
This Lumix G 25mm is an exceptional lens for portrait or travel photography, given its 35mm equivalent length of 50mm, and the wide f/1.7 aperture makes it easy to shoot handheld in low light conditions. It doesnu2019t feel as premium as other lenses and lacks sharpness at max aperture but a great lens nevertheless.
Specs
Max aperture: f/1.7
Min aperture: f/22
Elements/groups: 8/7
Min focus distance: 25cm
DxL: 61x52mm
Weight: 125g
Want to know more? Read our full review of the Panasonic Lumix G 25mm F/1.7 ASPH prime lens.
Description
Korean optics company Samyang is known for fully manual lenses and superb optical quality, and this ultra-wide 14mm has a fast maximum aperture of f/2.8 which lets you capture stunning scenes in low light. The build quality is excellent but as itu2019s fully manual, you wonu2019t be able to shoot in auto modes.
Specs
Max aperture: f/2.8
Min aperture: f/22
Elements/groups: 14/10
Min focus distance:20cm
DxL: 87x96mm
Weight: 505g
Want to know more? Read our full review of the Samyang 14mm F/2.8 IF ED UMC prime lens.
If you're still undecided what type of camera lense is right for you, read our tried and tested guides on these incredible lenses from Canon to Nikon and even Tamron.
Discover Nikon lense reviews:
Discover Canon lense reviews:
Discover Fujinon lense reviews:
Discover Panasonic lense reviews:
Discover Samyang lense reviews:
Discover Sigma lense reviews:
Discover Tamron lense reviews:
Discover Tokina lense reviews:
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Kirk Schwarz is a tech-addicted photographer with over a decade's experience; Kirk’s used to putting new gear through extreme field testing. He's previously written for Practical Photography.