What to look for…

There’s a suitably wide range of features on offer

Built-in hood

Ultra-wide lenses tend to have a built-in lens hood, and this can make it difficult or impossible to attach filters, without an additional specialist filter system.

Zoom range For wide-angle zoom lenses, the minimum focal length is usually a greater consideration than the size of the zoom range. Aperture rating

A wider aperture rating enables faster shutter speeds in low-light photography, but generally results in a larger, heavier construction.

Optical stabilization

Stabilization is less of a ‘must have’ feature than in telephoto zooms, but can still be useful for handheld shooting in dark conditions.

Filter thread

Of the lenses with a filter thread, the Nikon and Tamron 10-24mm plus the Nikon 16-35mm have a 77mm thread. The Nikon 10-20mm has a 72mm thread.

Distance scale

Featured on all the lenses on test apart from the Nikon 10-20mm, this can be useful for setting the hyperfocal distance.