Bright zooms, versatile all-in-ones, and unusually affordable optics are among the most popular lenses of the year. US retailer B&H has shared a list of the top lenses for 2025 overall, and it’s a list that crosses several different brands and multiple formats – and highlights the trendiest lenses that photographers are looking for.
The list is dotted with both oldies like a longstanding nifty fifty to new arrivals. Surprisingly, there’s even a lens there that has only been available for a few weeks, but has already managed a spot near the top: the Canon RF 45mm f/1.2 STM. And, Nikon’s 24-120mm even managed to make the list twice!
The most popular lenses of 2025 at B&H are:
- Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN Contemporary (Sony E)
- Nikon Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR
- Canon RF 45mm f/1.2 STM
- Nikon Z 24-120mm f/4 S UV filter kit
- Nikon Z 28-400mm f/4 S
- Sony FE 16mm f/1.8 G
- Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM
- Nikon Z 24-120mm S Lens (no filter)
- Nikon Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S II
- Fujifilm XF 16-55mm f/2.8 R LM WR II
Let’s break it down and see what’s unique about each of the most popular lenses of 2025.
An affordable, bright zoom: Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN Contemporary for Sony E
The Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN Contemporary is a crop-sensor lens meant for Sony’s four-digit Alpha cameras like the Sony A6400 and A6700.
This lens has been around since 2021, but it’s not hard to take a guess as to why it’s still popular. The Sigma 18-50mm is a bright f/2.8 zoom, yet it’s also rather compact and affordable.
A massive zoom without a massive price: Nikon Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR
The Nikon Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR certainly isn’t an impulse buy – but the price is still far more palatable than the likes of Nikon’s 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S, the Nikon Z 400mm f/4.5 VR S, and in an entirely different price category the brand’s high-end telephoto primes.
Despite sitting at less than comparable zooms, this lens packs in a rather versatile 180-600mm reach, ousting more popular zoom ranges like the 100-400mm.
An exceptionally affordable f/1.2 prime: Canon RF 45mm f/1.2 STM
I find the Canon RF 45mm f/1.2 STM one of the biggest surprises on the list – because it has only been available for a few weeks, yet it’s already sold enough to rank among the top lenses of the entire year. This 45mm was only announced in November 2025 and just began shipping earlier this month – and it seems it’s popular enough that Canon is having a hard time keeping up with demand.
The reason behind the lens’s popularity? It’s a bright f/1.2, yet it sells for $469 / £479.99 / AU$699.95.
An all-in-one zoom for under US$1K: Nikon Z 24-120mm f/4 S
The Nikon Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S is actually on the list twice – once in a bundle with a UV filter and once on its own. That’s impressive for a lens introduced in October 2021.
But, there’s a lot that a lens with a 24-120mm zoom range can do, and, unlike many all-in-one zooms, the aperture doesn’t narrow down at the telephoto end with an f/4 throughout.
A wide to super-telephoto all-in-one: Nikon Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR
The Nikon Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR is even more versatile than the 24-120mm, offering a wide and super telephoto all packed into a single lens. While the aperture drops down to f/8 at the long end, the zoom range is versatile, and the image quality is quite good for a lens that packs in such a wide range.
An ultra-wide without an ultra price: Sony FE 16mm f/1.8 G
Introduced in February 2025, the Sony FE 16mm f/1.8 G likely rose to the top ranks because it mixes a wide view with a wide aperture but without the price of lenses like the Sony FE 14mm f/1.8 GM. The lens is also surprisingly compact for such a bright ultra-wide.
An affordable nifty fifty: Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM
The nifty fifty is such a popular lens choice that I would have been surprised if one didn’t make the top list. The Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM gives beginners access to a wider aperture than a kit lens, but without the high price of Canon’s pro-level primes.
A new take on a classic: The Nikon Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S II
Another new lens introduced in 2025, the Nikon Z 24-70mm f/2.8 II updates a classic workhorse. The second-generation lens is a bit lighter, but delivers fast autofocus and fantastic sharpness. Reviewer Matthew Richards gave the lens five stars for that mix of build and image quality, calling it a “pretty spectacular upgrade.”
A bright pro zoom with an unusually compact design: Fujifilm XF 16-55mm f/2.8 R LM WR II
I’m not entirely surprised that the one Fujifilm lens to make the top lenses overall is the XF 16-55mm f/2.8 R LM WR II. This lens is quite small for an f/2.8 zoom, but despite that is built for the high-resolution 40MP cameras in Fujifilm’s lineup. That earned this lens a spot on the best Fujifilm lenses.
Stick around – we’ll be breaking down the most popular lenses of the year by mount later this week.
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