Best prime lens of 2020 Ah, prime lenses. Historically lauded as being less expensive, less bulky and generally sharper than average zooms, there were more than a few primes released over the course of 2020 that will challenge some of those long-held assumptions.

We had our say already, in our annual DPReview Awards, but which lens was your favorite? This your chance to let us know. And if you think we missed something, please leave a comment. So get ready to zoom with your feet and cast your vote for the best prime lens of 2020.

Voting in three categories (cameras, prime and zoom lenses) runs through December 20th, and once the vote has closed we'll run a fourth and final poll drawn from the winners of the first three to determine your choice for overall product of the year.

Canon

When Canon first introduced the RF mount, it did so with a bevy of ultra-fast, ultra-pricey prime lenses. But in 2020, we've seen a bit of a shift in strategy (or maybe just the evolution of one). There's the return of the 'nifty fifty,' an affordable 50mm F1. 8 that will be many users' first-ever prime lens. Then there's an 85mm F2 Macro, a reasonably affordable and portable staple for portrait and event shooters.

Lastly, Canon's 600mm and 800mm F11 lenses, with their relatively affordable pricetags and modest size, open up a new world of super-telephoto shooting to many photographers who might otherwise have never experimented with it.

All of these lenses are welcome additions to the RF lineup, but the question is, are any of them a 'must-have' for you? Cast your vote and let us know.

Canon RF 50mm F1. 8 STM

Canon RF 600mm F11 IS STM

Canon RF 800mm F11 IS STM

Canon RF 85mm F2 Macro IS STM

Fujifilm

Fujifilm already has offers of the most filled-out lens lineups for its APS-C cameras, but that didn't stop it from releasing two interesting new options this year. The first, an XC 35mm F2, is basically the same optically as the XF 35mm F2 WR, only without weather-sealing or an aperture ring. It's essentially the 'nifty-fifty' for their X-series photographers.

Fujifilm also released the XF 50mm F1. 0 WR, which is a sort of halo lens for the system; huge, expensive, and with an exotic F1. 0 maximum aperture, it's a lovely lens for portraits.

Lastly, the GF 30mm F3. 5 is a 24mm-equivalent prime for the company's medium-format GFX system. As with all GF lenses, it's optically superb and built like a tank. But is it the lens you've been waiting for? What about the XC 35mm or XF 50mm? Let us know by casting your vote.

Fujifilm GF 30mm F3. 5 R WR

Fujifilm XC 35mm F2

Fujifilm XF 50mm F1. 0 WR

Hasselblad

The Hasselblad XCD 45mm F4 P is a 35mm-equivalent prime for the company's mirrorless X1D cameras; it's also the lightest and most compact lens available for the system, so the 'P' may as well stand for portable. Or maybe pancake, or maybe even 'platt' which (we just learned) is Swedish for 'flat'. It's lovely optically, and could be the perfect walk-around lens for anyone with a Hasselblad X1D. Is it your favorite lens of 2020? Well, cast that vote and let your voice be heard.

Hasselblad XCD 45mm F4 P

Irix

The Irix 45mm F1. 4 is a solid lens for the manual focus purist. That's 'solid' not just in terms of performance, but also in terms of build; it's extensively sealed and its metal body is scratch-resistant. Helping you get critical focus is a long 140-degree focus throw, and its laser engravings and luminescent paint are designed to help with operation in low light. If it's your favorite lens of 2020, cast your vote and let it be known.

Irix 45mm F1. 4

Nikon

With the Z 50mm F1. 2 S, Nikon is offering users a bit more speed than the (already excellent) 50mm F1. 8 S but without the bulk and manual-focus compromise of the 58mm F0. 95 Noct. It should be a fantastic option for low-light portraits and event shooters. Honestly, the same is true of the Z 20mm F1. 8 S; reasonably speedy and compact, the 20mm is going to be great for interiors shooting and video work, as well as night skies.

Do either of them hold a coveted spot in your camera bag? or is there a spot reserved? Let us know by casting your vote.

Nikon Nikkor Z 20mm F1. 8 S

Nikon Nikkor Z 50mm F1. 2 S

Panasonic

Panasonic continues to expand its L-mount lens lineup, and the Lumix S 85mm F1. 8 fills a much needed role. It provides excellent image quality without breaking the bank (or your back), and balances really well on the company's smaller S5 mirrorless camera. Is this the L-mount lens you've been waiting for?

Panasonic Lumix S 85mm F1. 8

Pentax

Pentax also went the portrait prime route in 2020 with its FA* 85mm F1. 4. The '*' designation means this lens joins a capable cohort of lenses atop Pentax's lens range. And, like almost all of the Pentax DSLRs for which it's designed, the 'AW' designation means it's extensively sealed against the elements, so you don't have to stop shooting if the weather takes a turn. If it's your favorite lens of 2020, cast your vote and let us know.

HD Pentax-D FA* 85mm F1. 4 ED SDM AW

Samyang / Rokinon

Holy bologna, Samyang (or Rokinon depending on which B&H page you find yourself on) has been busy in 2020. Perhaps most significant is the arrival of one of the first third-party autofocus lenses for Canon's RF mount, the AF 85mm F1. 4. But we've also long been fans of Samyang's affordable AF lenses for Sony's E-mount, and the 35mm and 75mm F1. 8's look solid.

Are any of these lenses going to find their way into your gear collection? Cast your vote and let us know if one of them is your favorite lens of 2020.

Samyang AF 35mm F1. 8 FE / Rokinon AF 35mm F1. 8 FE

Samyang AF 75mm F1. 8 FE / Rokinon AF 75mm F1. 8 FE

Samyang AF 85mm F1. 4 RF / Rokinon AF 85mm F1. 4 RF

Samyang MF 14mm F2. 8 Mk2 / Rokinon MF 14mm F2. 8 II

Samyang MF 85mm F1. 4 Mk2 / Rokinon MF 85mm F1. 4 II

Sigma

The year 2020 saw Sigma bring its popular 16mm and 56mm F1. 4 APS-C primes into new mounts, and meanwhile the 85mm F1. 4 DG DN Art is a stellar offering with great optical quality in a smaller-than-you-might-expect package. The 105mm F2. 8 Macro is likewise a really attractive option for many fans of portraits and close-up work alike.

Meanwhile, as 2020 drew to a close, Sigma released three all-new compact primes in the 'Contemporary' line, for Sony E-mount and Leica/Panasonic/Sigma L-mount shooters. Are any of these your favorite lens of 2020? If so, you know what to do. (Vote!)

Sigma 105mm F2. 8 DG DN Macro

Sigma 16mm F1. 4 DC DN | C (L-mount)

Sigma 56mm F1. 4 DC DN | C

Sigma 85mm F1. 4 DG DN Art

Sigma 24mm F3. 5 DG DN

Sigma 35mm F2 DG DN

Sigma 65mm F2 DG DN

Sony

The Sony 20mm F1. 8G is, simply, an extraordinarily good ultrawide lens. It's also impressively compact, and compared to the competition, it's not outrageously priced, either. For landscapers, architectural photographers, event and video shooters, it's a great option. But is it your favorite lens of 2020?

Sony FE 20mm F1. 8G

Tokina

Mirror lenses aren't dead! Tokina's 400mm F8 Reflex MF is a modern super telephoto lens that uses, well, mirrors, to get you 400mm of reach in a compact and very inexpensive package. It's manual-focus only, so you're probably not going to be shooting your local club matches with it, but for landscapes and not-so-fast-moving wildlife, it's a neat option that we're glad to see. Likewise, the atx-m 85mm F1. 8 FE provides a solid portrait option for users of Sony E-mount cameras. Cast your vote if either of these makes the grade as your favorite lens of 2020.

Tokina atx-m 85mm F1. 8 FE

Tokina SZX Super Tele 400mm F8 Reflex MF

Venus Optics

Venus Optics makes weird, awesome lenses. It's a fact. None of these is quite as bonkers as 2018's 24mm F14 'Probe' lens, but they are all likely to be optically excellent and we love that these lenses offer something truly outside the mainstream. But are any of them your favorite lens of 2020?

Venus Laowa 14mm F4 FF RL Zero-D

Venus Laowa 15mm F4. 5 Zero-D Shift

Venus Laowa 50mm F2. 8 2X Ultra Macro APO

Venus Laowa 65mm F2. 8 2x Ultra Macro APO

Venus Laowa 9mm F5. 6 FF RL

Vote now!

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Have your say$(document). ready(function() { Poll({"pollId":"9545660626","openForVoting":true,"mainElementId":"poll1","slot":null,"isSingleChoicePoll":false,"minNumberOfChoices":1,"maxNumberOfChoices":33}); })Have your say: Best prime lens of 2020Your answers1. Required2. Optional3. Optional4. Optional5. Optional6. Optional7. Optional8. Optional9. Optional10. Optional11. Optional12. Optional13. Optional14. Optional15. Optional16. Optional17. Optional18. Optional19. Optional20. Optional21. Optional22. Optional23. Optional24. Optional25. Optional26. Optional27. Optional28. Optional29. Optional30. Optional31. Optional32. Optional33. OptionalYou need to login to voteCanon RF 50mm F1. 8 STMCanon RF 600mm F11 IS STMCanon RF 800mm F11 IS STMCanon RF 85mm F2 Macro IS STMFujifilm GF 30mm F3. 5 R WRFujifilm XC 35mm F2Fujifilm XF 50mm F1. 0 R WRHasselblad XCD 45mm F4 PHD Pentax-D FA* 85mm F1. 4 ED SDM AWIrix 45mm F1. 4Nikon Nikkor Z 20mm F1. 8 SNikon Nikkor Z 50mm F1. 2 SPanasonic Lumix S 85mm F1. 8Samyang / Rokinon AF 35mm F1. 8 FESamyang / Rokinon AF 75mm F1. 8 FESamyang / Rokinon AF 85mm F1. 4 RFSamyang / Rokinon MF 14mm F2. 8 Mk 2Samyang / Rokinon MF 85mm F1. 4 Mk 2Sigma 105mm F2. 8 DG DN MacroSigma 16mm F1. 4 DC DN | CSigma 24mm F3. 5 DG DN | CSigma 35mm F2 DG DN | CSigma 56mm F1. 4 DC DN | CSigma 65mm F2 DG DNSigma 85mm F1. 4 DG DN ArtSony FE 20mm F1. 8GTokina atx-m 85mm F1. 8 FETokina SZX Super Tele 400mm F8 Reflex MFVenus Laowa 14mm F4 FF RL Zero-DVenus Laowa 15mm F4. 5 Zero-D ShiftVenus Laowa 50mm F2. 8 2X Ultra Macro APOVenus Laowa 65mm F2. 8 2x Ultra Macro APOVenus Laowa 9mm F5. 6 FF RL

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2020-12-8 18:59