12 Most Expensive Camera Lenses in the World [2024]
As you all know, interchangeable lens cameras make use of separate camera lenses. So, you can attach different types of camera lenses to the same camera body, provided they are compatible with each other. These lenses are available at various prices, starting from less than 100 dollars to thousands of dollars. So, in this article, we will have a look at the various most expensive camera lenses in the world. These are some insane lenses.
Here, we will not look at cine lenses but only lenses that are primarily used for photography.
1. Leica APO-Telit-R 1:5.6/1600mm – Most Expensive Camera Lens in the world
💵 Cost: $2 million
The 1600mm f/5.6 super telephoto lens from Leica is currently the most expensive camera lens in the world. It was specially designed and built for Sheikh Saud Bin Mohammed. It comes with a Leica R-mount. This Leica lens is an extreme telephoto lens that comes with a massive focal length of 1600mm.
It has a wide-open aperture of f/5.6 at 1600mm. A lens hood is also provided for this lens. The length of the lens is 1.2 metres without the hood and 1.55 metres with the hood. The weight of the lens is 60 kg.
2. Nikkor 6mm F/2.8 Fisheye lens
💵 Cost: $160,000
The Nikkor 6mm f/2.8 fisheye lens is the most expensive camera lens in the fisheye lens category. It comes with an angle of view of 220 degrees. This lens weighs around 5.2kg. It is specially designed for 35mm SLR Nikon camera bodies. It was introduced in 1972.
The fast aperture of f/2.8 makes it possible to use in low light conditions. There are 12 elements in 9 groups inside this lens. The overall dimension of the lens is 23.6 x 17.1 x 16 cm. This lens is the most expensive Nikon lens so far.
3. Carl Zeiss 50mm Planar f/0.7 lens
💵 Cost: $150,000+
This 50mm lens from Carl Zeiss is an extraordinary lens. This camera lens was built in 1966. It is specifically made for the Apollo Lunar program of NASA. It is designed to capture the far side of the moon.
The wide-open aperture of f/0.7 makes it possible to capture images in any lighting conditions. Out of the 10 lenses manufactured by Carl Zeiss, 6 units were sold to NASA, three were sold to Stanley Kubrick for shooting film, and the last piece is still there with Carl Zeiss.
4. Zeiss APO Sonnar 1700mm f/4
💵 Cost: $100,000+
This massive super telephoto lens is designed by Zeiss. It comes with a massive focal length of 1700mm with a wide-open aperture of f/4.0. This Zeiss lens is specifically made to work with the Hasselblad 203FE camera body. It weighs around 255 kg. It does not come with any focus ring.
5. Canon EF 1200mm f/5.6 L Lens
💵 Cost: $ 89,579
This lens from Canon supports a focal length of 1200mm with a maximum aperture of f/5.6. The close focusing distance is 14m. This telephoto lens is the most expensive Canon lens.
It was first seen in the 1984 Olympics. It supports an angle of view of 1.45 degrees. The weight of the lens is 16.5 kg. It supports a 48mm filter. Canon has discontinued this lens.
6. Nikkor 1200-1700mm f/5.6-8.0 Lens
💵 Cost: $60,000
This zoom focal length range of 1200 to 1700mm is the longest telephoto focal length range supported by any lenses. So, you can call it, the mother of all zoom telephoto lenses. It is also the most expensive camera lens in the zoom lens category.
It comes with 18 elements in 13 groups. The angle of view supported is 2 degrees at 1200mm and 1.5 degrees at 1700mm. It comes with 9 diaphragm blades. The minimum focusing distance of this camera lens is 10 m. It supports 52mm filters. The size of the lens is 23.7 x 88 cm. The lens weighs around 16 kg.
7. Canon 5200mm f/14 lens
💵 Cost: $45,000
The other name of this lens is the mirror lens. It uses a series of mirrors to photograph subjects that are miles away. So, it is easy to do astrophotography with this lens.
The massive focal length of 5200mm is only possible with the help of this mirror arrangement. The minimum focusing distance of this lens was 394 feet.
8. Sigma 200-500mm f/2.8 APO EX DG
💵 Cost: $25,999
This massive telephoto lens from Sigma comes with a wide aperture of f/2.8. It supports a zoom range of 200mm to 500mm. This lens is available in Sigma, Nikon, and Canon mounts.
It comes with 17 elements in 13 groups. There are 9 diaphragm blades inside. It weighs around 15.7 kg. The length of the lens is 726mm. It supports filters of 72mm thread size (rear drop-in type). It is useful for photographing sports and wildlife.
9. Nikon AF-S Nikkor 800mm f/5.6E FL ED VR lens
💵 Cost: $16,296
This lens is the expensive, super telephoto lens from Nikon which anyone can buy. It is an excellent choice for wildlife and sports photography.
The nanocrystal coating in the glass elements helps to improve the image quality.
10. Horseman 23mm f/5.6 HR Digaron-S Lens
💵 Cost: $15,620
This wide angle lens from Horseman comes with a viewing angle of 112 degrees. You can use this lens with Horseman SWD PRO, SWDII PRO, and SW612D cameras.
It comes with a maximum aperture of f/5.6 and a minimum focusing distance of 0.5m. It is a manual focus lens and comes with a leaf shutter.
11. Cambo WRS Lenspanel with HR Rodenstock 138-Float Lens in Rodenstock eShutter
💵 Cost: $14,710
This lens comes with exceptional sharpness. So, you can even capture tack sharp images with extreme camera movements. It is compatible with the PhaseOne XT system.
12. Leica Noctilux-M 75mm f/1.25 Lens
💵 Cost: $14,295
The Noctilux-M 75mm lens from Leica comes with a wide-open aperture of f/1.25. It will help you to capture portraits with excellent background blur. It consists of 9 elements in 6 groups.
👉🏻 📖 READ MORE: 13 Most Expensive Cameras