New to photography and don’t want to break the bank? Check out these all-in-one affordable zooms

If you’re new to photography, you might think the power comes with the camera. But it’s quite the opposite. Invest in your lenses, and you’ll be able to rely on them for fast, accurate autofocus, leaving you with optimal results.

But you don’t have to empty your bank account to get a great zoom. Here’s a look at some of our favorite all-in-one zoom lenses for photographers.

Tamron 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6 for Sony E mount

Tamron’s Sony E mount lenses have become known for their great optical quality, and the 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6 is no different. It features a nice background separation, and some impressive bokeh given the type of lens it is.

It’s a great lens for capturing outdoor activity. Autofocus is fast and accurate, and picture quality is very good. Here’s what I had to say in my review:

“The Tamron 28-200mm provided with a great view of what I was photographing, and was what I expected from an all-purpose lens of this kind. It does what it’s supposed to — capturing the world around you — without any complaints. It certainly fills the need for a budget-friendly lens with quite the reach.”

Bryan Esler

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Olympus M.Zuiko 14-150mm f/4-5.6 II

Prepare to be amazed. And despite being small and compact, this 14-150mm f/4-5.6 lens by Olympus is anything but a lightweight when it comes to image quality. Creating a beautiful background separation, this lens features weather sealing that can withstand the toughest conditions. Here’s what I had to say in my review:

“Where the 14-150mm excels is twofold. One, this lens boasts a full-frame equivalent view of 28-300mm. That’s simply astonishing. If you’re traveling or just want to use one lens on a photowalk, this really is the perfect lens. Two, the image quality is surprisingly strong for something this affordable.”

Bryan Esler

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Canon RF 24-105mm f/4-7.1

The Canon RF 24-105mm f/4-7.1 is a very affordable RF mount lens, and the cheapest lens on this list. But don’t let that stop you — this lens can do it all, capturing everything from macro nature and flowers to outdoor activities.

The lens features a Center Macro Focus position, which lets you work with close-up objects at a 1:2 maximum magnification ratio. It also features image stabilization, meaning you can shoot without worrying about camera shake.

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Nikon Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3

This 8.3x zoom for Z mount cameras gives a great, broad reach. Featuring seven rounded diaphragm blades, this lens can put the focus on your subject, blurring out the background and creating a shallow depth of field. It’s dust and moisture resistant, and it also has image stabilization, making it perfect for any use case.

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Tamron 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 for Sony E and Fuji X mounts

This new APS-C lens by Tamron is incredibly versatile, and is a lens that cover nearly every shooting situation. With Tamron’s VXD image stabilization system, rest assured you can capture anything you aim at.

The minimum focusing distance of just 5.9 inches makes this great for capturing up-close objects like flowers. With its 16.6x zoom range, this lens really can do it all! Here’s what Darren Miles had to say in his review of the Fuji X mount version:

“If you’re a working pro, then a lens like this might be a fun one to keep in your bag to capture far away subjects on bright sunny days. It’s a nice all rounder, with some important compromises. However, it’s likely those considering this lens will be well aware of those shortcomings and will buy the 18-300mm for the 16.6x zoom capability alone.”

Darren Miles

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