One focal length, and usually the widest aperture the money buys
A prime does not zoom, and everything it gives back follows from that constraint. Designing for one focal length allows a wider maximum aperture at a given size and price than any zoom manages, which is why this is the shelf people arrive at when a room is too dark or a background needs to fall away. That aperture is a single figure rather than a pair, and it does not change as anything extends. The blade count and whether the blades are rounded describe how out-of-focus highlights are rendered and how many points a star pattern shows around a bright light — a property makers publish and rarely explain. Autofocus motor type is stated and decides whether the lens is quiet enough to sit near a microphone. Minimum focus distance varies more here than on zooms, and a prime that focuses close is a different lens in practice from one that does not. Because the barrel usually does not extend, the filter thread is often small and the lens often light — a combination that makes these the lenses people actually carry. Then sealing, the presence of an aperture ring on mirrorless designs, and the published weight and length. We compare focal length and format, maximum aperture, blade count and shape, autofocus motor, minimum focus, filter thread, sealing and weight.
Nikon F, FX · 50mm · f/1.8 · 47° angle of view on FX · 0.45 m (1.48 ft) close focus · 0.15× · SWM · 58mm filter
Nikon’s classic 50 mm f/1.8 for F-mount DSLRs, with 10,193 ratings at 4.8 stars and a price around $167.
Best for: Nikon DSLR owners buying their first fast prime.
≈ $167
Sony E, full frame · 50mm · f/1.8 · STM autofocus with eye AF · no focus ring · 156 g (5.5 oz) · glass-fiber composite body · 0.48 m close focus · 45° view
An $89 autofocus 50 mm f/1.8 for Sony full frame, at 156 grams, with no focus ring at all. Sold by TTArtisan, with 15 ratings so far.
Best for: Beginners on Sony full frame who want a cheap, light, bright lens.
≈ $89
Canon EF and EF-S mount · 85mm · f/1.8 · fully manual focus and aperture · no electronic contacts · 6 rounded blades · internal focus
A fully manual 85 mm f/1.8 portrait lens for Canon DSLRs at about $97. It has no electronic contacts, so the camera must be set to manual exposure.
Best for: Canon DSLR owners who want to try 85 mm portraits cheaply and are happy to focus by hand.
≈ $97
Micro Four Thirds · 25mm (50mm equivalent, per Panasonic) · f/1.7 to f/22 · 47° diagonal · 125 g (4.4 oz) · 46mm filter · 0.25 m close focus
A light 25 mm f/1.7 for Micro Four Thirds bodies, Panasonic and Olympus, that frames like a 50 mm on full frame. It ships from Amazon Germany at about $179.
Best for: Micro Four Thirds owners who want a small, bright standard lens.
≈ $179
Sony E, full frame · 75mm · f/1.8 · 9 blades · linear STM AF · Custom Switch for aperture via the focus ring · 10 elements in 9 groups · 58mm filter · 8.1 oz (230 g)
A light 75 mm f/1.8 portrait lens for Sony full frame and APS-C, with a nine-blade aperture and a video-friendly Custom Switch, sold by Amazon.com for about $314.
Best for: Sony owners who want a light portrait lens for weddings, street and video.
≈ $314
Canon RF, full frame · 45mm · f/1.2 · STM · one PMo aspheric element · digital distortion correction
Canon’s affordable f/1.2 standard prime for RF bodies, made possible by digital distortion correction, sold by Amazon.com for about $429.
Best for: Canon RF owners who want a bright everyday lens for low light and soft backgrounds.
≈ $429
Sony E, full frame · 35mm · f/1.4 · Art line, designed for mirrorless · lightweight, compact
Sigma’s mirrorless update of its classic 35 mm f/1.4 Art for Sony E, rated 4.7 stars on 435 ratings, about $820 from a camera dealer.
Best for: Full-frame Sony shooters who want one bright lens for street, events and environmental portraits.
≈ $820
Sony E, full frame · 35mm · f/1.8 · 63° angle of view · linear motor AF · 9 rounded blades · dust and moisture resistant · focus hold button
Sony’s compact full-frame 35 mm f/1.8, with linear-motor autofocus, a focus hold button and dust and moisture resistance, sold by Amazon.com for about $698.
Best for: Full-frame Sony owners who want a light, sealed everyday lens.
≈ $698
It is brighter and often sharper than a zoom for the price.
About 50 mm equivalent for daily use, 85 mm for portraits.
A calculation of the field of view on full frame; the engraved focal length never changes.
Check the mount on each review.
More than two stops of light.
Yes, with focus aids; the Lightdow needs manual exposure.
Choose the focal length you use most, then the brightest aperture you can afford.
Only values stated by four references in five open a column. A sparse column sets silences against each other, not products.
| Model | Price | Aperture | Focal length | Mount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TTARTISAN AF 50mm F1.8 Neo FE | $89 | f/1.8 | 50 mm | Sony E, full frame |
| Lightdow 85mm F1.8 manual (EF) | $97 | f/1.8, set on the lens | 85 mm | Canon EF and EF-S DSLRs |
| Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8G | $167 | f/1.8 | 50 mm | Nikon F, FX (full frame); works on DX |
| Panasonic Lumix G 25mm F1.7 (H-H025E-K) | $179 | f/1.7 to f/22 | 25 mm; Panasonic gives 50 mm equivalent | Micro Four Thirds (Panasonic and Olympus/OM System) |
| Samyang AF 75mm F1.8 FE (SYIO75AF) | $314 | f/1.8 | 75 mm | Sony E, full frame and APS-C |
| Canon RF 45mm F1.2 STM | $429 | f/1.2 | 45 mm | Canon RF, full frame |
| Sony FE 35mm F1.8 (SEL35F18F) | $698 | f/1.8 | 35 mm | Sony E, full frame |
| Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG DN Art (Sony E) | $820 | f/1.4 | 35 mm | Sony E, full frame |
$314 – $820
4 models
Samyang AF 75mm F1.8 FE (SYIO75AF), Canon RF 45mm F1.2 STM, Sony FE 35mm F1.8 (SEL35F18F)
Specifications: manufacturer sheets for photo equipment and the matching Amazon product pages. Prices and availability: Keepa. Every figure in this table names its source.
Most recent revision in this category: November 2, 2026.
Each amount in a write-up is what the listing showed when that page was written. The figure next to the product is pulled in as you read, and it is the one that counts.
