Choosing a lens for landscapes

Landscape work asks for two things that have little to do with each other: a focal length wide enough to hold the scene, and a lens that keeps working in rain, spray and blowing sand.

Why 16–35mm equivalent

Below 16mm the perspective becomes the subject — a look worth having, but a specialist one. Above 35mm you are into general-purpose territory. 16–35mm holds a wide scene while keeping the foreground readable.

That said, plenty of the best landscape photographs are made at 70mm or 200mm, picking out a detail. Treat this as where to start, not where to stay.

Why weather sealing is on the list

Landscapes happen in weather. A sealed lens on a sealed body will take rain and spray that would end a session otherwise. This is one of the few filters here that is about the lens surviving rather than the picture looking better.

Aperture matters less than you would think

Landscape work is usually done at f/8 to f/11 with everything in focus, so a fast maximum aperture is not the point — which is why sealed f/4 zooms are often the sensible choice over their f/2.8 siblings. They are lighter, cheaper and just as sharp stopped down.

The exception is shooting at night, which has its own guide.