The world of photography has come a long way, with technology advancing in leaps and bounds. Photographers can access various tools to capture the perfect shot, from basic cameras to professional-grade equipment and accessories. One of the most important accessories a photographer can own is a high-quality camera lens.
But if you want to take your photography to the next level, you’ll want to invest in one of the most expensive camera lenses money can buy. Each lens offers advanced features, superior performance, and an eye-watering price tag.
From the latest and greatest models to classic optics that are still highly sought after, these lenses will surely offer any photographer premium results. So, here are the 10 most expensive camera lenses you can purchase.
10. 23mm f/5.6 HR Digaron-S Lens
Brand: Horseman
Type of Lens: Ultra-Wide
Weight: 0.76 kg
photo source: Specular
The 23mm f/5.6 HR Digaron-S Lens is a high-end ultra-wide lens produced by Horseman, a Japanese manufacturer of photographic equipment. The lens has a focal length of 23mm and a maximum aperture of f/5.6, making it ideal for landscape, architectural, and interior photography.
The lens is designed for use with large format cameras, and it offers a large image circle that can cover the 4×5 format with ease. It also has a Copal #0 shutter that can be adjusted from 1 second to 1/500th of a second.
Moreover, it is a top-quality lens built to last and offers outstanding performance for professional photographers who demand the best image quality and precision.
Did You Know?
It features a high-resolution design with six elements in four groups, which provides excellent image quality and sharpness across the entire image frame.
9. AF-S Nikkor 800mm f/5.6E FL ED VR lens
Brand: Nikon
Type of Lens: Telephoto
Weight: 4.58 kg.
photo source: Photography Life
The AF-S Nikkor 800mm f/5.6E FL ED VR lens is a telephoto lens produced by Nikon, a renowned Japanese manufacturer of photographic equipment. It features advanced optical technology, including two fluorite elements and four extra-low dispersion (ED) elements, which help to minimize chromatic aberration and produce sharp, clear images with accurate colors.
The lens is also equipped with Nikon’s Vibration Reduction (VR) technology, which minimizes camera shake and allows handheld shooting at slower shutter speeds. It also has a fast and accurate autofocus system, making tracking and capturing fast-moving subjects easier.
Did You Know?
The Nikon AF-S Nikkor 800mm f/5.6E FL ED VR lens is a professional-grade lens designed to withstand harsh conditions and deliver outstanding results.
8. 200-500mm f/2.8 APO EX DG
Brand: Sigma
Type of Lens: Telephoto
Weight: 7.12 kg.
photo source: SonyAlpaRumors
The Sigma 200-500mm f/2.8 APO EX DG is a professional-grade lens designed for sports and wildlife photography. It has a focal length range of 200-500mm, making it ideal for capturing distant subjects. In addition, the lens has a maximum aperture of f/2.8, allowing fast shutter speeds and better low-light performance.
The lens also has a Hyper Sonic Motor (HSM) autofocus system that provides fast and accurate focusing. It also has a detachable tripod collar and a dedicated carrying case for easy transport. However, it has a price tag of $25,999, which puts it in the upper range of telephoto lenses.
However, this lens may be worth the investment for professional photographers who require the highest quality images and performance.
Did You Know?
The lens features advanced optical technology, including three Extraordinary Low Dispersion (ELD) glass elements and one Special Low Dispersion (SLD) glass element, which help minimize chromatic aberration and produce sharp, clear, clear images.
7. 5200mm f/14 lens
Brand: Canon
Type of Lens: Telephoto
Weight: 99.80 kg.
photo source: MIR
The Canon 5200mm f/14 lens is rare and unique, and only a few were ever made. This lens has an extremely long focal length of 5200mm, making it one of the longest. Its maximum aperture is f/14, which is relatively narrow, but achieving sharp and detailed images at such a long focal length is necessary.
Due to its rarity and unique capabilities, the Canon 5200mm f/14 lens is highly sought by collectors and photographers alike. It has a price tag of around $45,000, but due to its rarity, the actual price may be much higher. This lens is not recommended for everyday photography due to its size and weight, but it can produce stunning images when used in the right conditions.
Did You Know?
It was first introduced in the 1980s and was primarily used for surveillance and scientific purposes.
6. 1200-1700mm f/5.6-8.0 Lens
Brand: Nikkor
Type of Lens: Super Telephoto
Weight: 16 kg.
photo source: Camera News at Camaraegg
The 1200-1700mm f/5.6-8.0 lens is a super telephoto lens produced by Nikkor, a renowned Japanese manufacturer of photographic equipment. This lens has an incredible focal length range of 1200-1700mm, making it ideal for capturing distant subjects. In addition, it has a variable maximum aperture of f/5.6-8.0, which means the aperture will change as you zoom in and out.
This aperture range can still provide good low-light performance despite being relatively narrow at the long end of the zoom range. The lens also has a fast and accurate autofocus system, making tracking and capturing fast-moving subjects easier. It also has a built-in tripod mount for stable support.
Did You Know?
The lens is a push-pull zoom design, meaning you extend or retract the lens by pulling or pushing on the zoom ring.
5. EF 1200mm f/5.6 L Lens
Brand: Canon
Type of Lens: Super Telephoto
Weight: 16.50 kg.
photo source: Flickr
The Canon EF 1200mm f/5.6 L lens is one of the longest telephoto lenses in the world, with a focal length of 1200mm. It is designed for professional sports, wildlife, and photojournalism applications, where a long focal length is required to capture distant subjects. The lens is incredibly large and heavy, weighing in at 16.5kg, measuring 461 mm in length and 160 mm in diameter, and comes with a custom-made hard case for storage and transport.
The lens has a built-in drop-in filter holder that can accept 48mm drop-in filters. This allows you to use specialized filters like polarizers and neutral density filters with the lens. The lens is compatible with all Canon EOS cameras but requires a tripod or other stable support to use effectively. It also requires a skilled operator to focus and frame shots due to its long focal length.
Did You Know?
Due to its high cost and specialized application, professional photographers have used the Canon EF 1200mm f/5.6 L lens for events like the Olympics and the World Cup.
4. APO Sonnar 1700mm f/4
Brand: Zeiss
Type of Lens: Super Telephoto
Weight: 709.42 kg.
photo source: DPReview
The APO Sonnar 1700mm f/4 is a manual focus lens, meaning that the user must manually adjust the focus ring to get a sharp image. This can be challenging due to the narrow depth of field and the lens size, making it difficult to see through the viewfinder.
Additionally, the lens has a fixed aperture, meaning that the user cannot adjust the aperture to control the depth of field or exposure. Instead, they must adjust the shutter speed or ISO to get the desired exposure.
Due to the specialized nature of this lens, it is typically only available on a custom-order basis. The lens is handcrafted by Zeiss’s most skilled artisans, with high precision and attention to detail.
While the price of this lens may seem exorbitant to many, it is a testament to the incredible craftsmanship and engineering that goes into creating such a unique and high-quality piece of photographic equipment.
Did You Know?
The lens is built to last, with a rugged and durable construction that can withstand the elements and the demands of professional use.
3. 50mm Planar f/0.7 lens
Brand: Carl Zeiss
Type of Lens: Standard
Weight: Unspecified
photo source: DPReview
The 50mm Planar f/0.7 lens from Carl Zeiss is a legendary lens that Stanley Kubrick famously used to shoot the candlelit scenes in his movie “Barry Lyndon.” The lens has a maximum aperture of f/0.7, one of the widest apertures ever produced for a photographic lens.
This wide aperture allows the lens to capture images in shallow light conditions, making it ideal for shooting in candlelight, dimly lit rooms, or at night.
The lens was handcrafted by Zeiss’s most skilled artisans and was made in very limited quantities. Today, the lens is extremely rare and sought after by collectors and photographers alike, and it can command prices of $146,000 or more at auction. Yet, despite its high price, the lens remains one of the most unique and valuable photographic equipment ever produced.
Did You Know?
The lens was originally designed for use by NASA in the 1960s as a part of the Apollo program. It was designed to be used in extremely low light conditions in space, and the wide aperture was necessary to capture images in the darkness of space.
2. 6mm F/2.8 Fisheye lens
Brand: Nikkor
Type of Lens: Ultra Wide
Weight: 5.2 kg.
photo source: Nikon Rumors
The Nikkor 6mm F/2.8 Fisheye lens is an ultra-wide-angle lens that can capture a 220-degree field of view, making it one of the widest-angle lenses ever produced. It has a unique appearance, with a bulbous front element that protrudes from the lens barrel, giving it the appearance of a giant eye.
The lens is manual focus and has a fixed aperture of f/2.8, which allows for a relatively narrow depth of field despite the wide angle of view. Due to its unusual appearance and unique capabilities, the lens has been used for a variety of specialized applications, including scientific research, architectural photography, and creative filmmaking.
Did You Know?
The lens was originally produced in the 1970s in very limited quantities, and it is extremely rare and valuable today.
1. APO-Telit-R 1:5.6/1600mm
Brand: Leica
Type of Lens: Telephoto
Weight: 60 kg.
photo source: DPReview
The Leica APO-Telyt-R 1:5.6/1600mm lens is the most expensive camera lens you can ever buy, costing $2 million. It is one of the longest telephoto lenses ever made, with a massive focal length of 1600mm. The lens was developed in the 1980s for scientific and industrial applications, such as photographing satellites in orbit and tracking missiles in flight.
Due to its high price and specialized use, the lens was produced in limited quantities and is extremely rare today.
Today, the Leica APO-Telyt-R 1:5.6/1600mm is considered a highly collectible and valuable photographic equipment, prized for its rarity, extreme focal length, and exceptional optical performance.
Despite its high price and specialized use, the lens remains a testament to the remarkable feats of engineering and optical design that are possible in photography.
Did You Know?
The lens is constructed using high-quality materials and is built to very high precision and optical performance standards, contributing to its high cost.
