Using prime lenses is all well and good. Still, sometimes you just want to have one lens in your arsenal that can do it all and then some. We’re blessed as photographers because there are affordable versatile zooms for all major platforms that perform miracles.
If you’re in the market for versatile zooms that won’t break the bank, this roundup is for you. The lenses below are fantastic as they’re great for street photography, landscape photography, portraits, travel photography, event work and so much more. All of the versatile zooms we have listed below are rock solid when it comes to their build quality. They all have rapid autofocus speeds, sharp optics, and they’re wallet-friendly. If you want a lens that will have your back no matter what, check out the lenses below.
As solid as versatile zooms come — Fujifilm XF16-80mm f/4 OIS WR
Fujifilm took forever to come out with a versatile zoom with a constant f/4 aperture. Still, when it landed it checked all the boxes it needed to. With an APS-C equivalent focal range of 24-120mm, this lens is well suited to a variety of photography genres from street photography to landscapes and event photography to portraits.
With fast autofocus motors, six stops of optical image stabilization, coatings to reduce ghosting and flaring, and tons of weather sealing, this lens will help you get the shot no matter what. At under $800, this is one of the best bang for your buck versatile zooms on the market. Fujifilm shooters are blessed!
Small in size big on performance — Olympus 12-45mm f/4 PRO
The Olympus 12-45mm f/4 is a tiny versatile zoom with a big heart. It also has a big set of skills in its bag. Thanks to the 2x crop factor of micro four-thirds sensors, this tiny lens will give users a full-frame equivalent focal range of 24-90mm. The range makes it perfect for multi-tasking photographers. Its minimum focusing distances of 4.7 inches at the wide end and 9.1 inches at the long end even make it suitable for close-ups. In our review we said:
“After using the lens for a few weeks in various shooting environments, I have to say that the 12-45mm lens is perfect for travel photographers, as well as anyone looking for an ultra compact lens.
Bryan Esler, Managing Editor
Being a Pro series lens, the Olympus 12-45mm f/4 is dust, freeze and drip-proof. It will work as hard as you do. Throw in rapid autofocus speeds, seven rounded aperture blades for nice smooth bokeh, and stunning sharpness and you have a small lens that delivers big results. It’s a must-have in the world of versatile zooms for micro four-thirds shooters.
One of Sigma’s best versatile zooms — Sigma 28-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Contemporary
Sigma has been releasing some fantastic and affordable contemporary lenses of late. The Sigma 28-70mm f/2.8 DG DN for Sony E mount and L mount cameras is one of the best of them. This full-fat f/2.8 versatile zoom is well made, it has some weather sealing at the mount and it offers up razor-sharp optics.
This lens uses stepping motors that provide fast and quiet autofocus performance. You’ll find nine aperture blades that help create nice bokeh, there are even three aspherical elements inside this small beauty. Oh, did I mention that this lens weighs just 1.03lbs (470g). It’s unheard of to have an f/2.8 zoom like this weigh so little. When it comes to versatile zooms that won’t break the bank (it’s under $800), this one is hard to beat!
A great update to a classic — Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III VXD G2
Tamron had a winner on their hands with the original 28-75mm f/2.8 for Sony E mount cameras, now, they have improved upon it with the G2 version. This new versatile zoom features an updated optical design and a more refined autofocus system. This means you can expect sharper images, more contrast, better colors and faster autofocus performance.
The new 28-75mm G2 from Tamron has a minimum focusing distance of just 7.1 inches which makes close-up work easy, The lens is fully weather-sealed, it takes 67mm filters and it weighs less than the original version. It’s a stunner. If you want to find out more and see lots of image samples from this versatile zoom, check out our full review.
A hard working versatile zoom — Nikon Z 24-70mm f/4 S
The Nikon Z 24-70mm f/4 comes packaged with the Z6 II, but it’s far better than a run-of-the-mill kit lens. It sings! I absolutely loved this lens when we had it in for review. Here’s what I said about it:
“The Nikon Z 24-70mm f/4 S may come packaged as a kit lens with various Nikon cameras but it performs like a lens that’s anything but. To start with the lens is well made, it has weather sealing galore, and it feels nice when in use. You also can’t forget that this lens has solid optics. They produce images with nice colors, decent bokeh, and great overall sharpness. The autofocus performance isn’t too shabby either.”
Brett Day, Gear Editor
The lens has seven rounded aperture blades that help create nice bokeh. There’s a customizable control ring that comes in handy. The lens zooms nice and smoothly and the manual focus/control ring is a joy to use. This is just a solid lens that will not let you down. It’s a hard worker that’s always up to the task. If you shoot with Nikon Z mount cameras and need a do-it-all lens, this versatile zoom should be on your radar.
