Zooms Dominate Map Camera’s Best-Selling Lenses of 2025

Alongside sharing its 10 best-selling digital cameras of 2025, major Japanese photography retailer Map Camera also revealed last year’s 10 best-selling lenses. It’s a diverse mix of affordable, versatile zoom lenses, compact primes, and professional-grade f/2.8 “holy trinity” zooms.

While Map Camera is just a single photography retailer in Japan, the retailer’s sales charts provide key insights into what passionate photographers are purchasing. It is a specialist retailer, akin to B&H in the United States, so Map Camera’s sales charts speak directly to the preferences and buying behaviors of enthusiast- and professional-level photographers. Its data is among the best available in an industry where rich data is tough to come by.

Although Map Camera’s best-selling digital camera of 2025 was the trendy Kodak PixPro FZ55 point-and-shoot camera, its best-selling lenses are all made by the expected industry juggernauts. In fact, while Nikon had just one model on the list of best-selling cameras, the fantastic Z5 II in third place, the resurgent Japanese photo company excelled in 2025 when it came to lenses, scoring four spots on Map Camera’s top 10 best-selling new lenses (and three on the top 10 best-selling used lenses of 2025).

The best-selling new lens of 2025 was the Nikon Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S, a very popular and versatile zoom lens. Although it’s included as a kit option alongside many Nikon cameras, Map Camera’s data shows that photographers are also purchasing the lens separately in large numbers. It was also the best-selling lens of 2024 at Map Camera.

While the 24-120mm f/4 S is a beloved zoom for many levels of photographers, Map Camera’s second-best-selling lens is a Nikon zoom aimed squarely at professionals. The brand-new Nikon Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S II launched just a few months ago and surged up the sales charts before the end of 2025.

It is a stellar, albeit pricey, lens that earned an “Official Selection” in the 2025 PetaPixel Awards. In nearly any other year, it would have been the best new zoom lens. But competition was very stiff this year.

“This new Nikon lens seems to achieve an incredibly high level of optical performance throughout its focal range and has essentially no bad qualities. It’s versatile, fast focusing, and sharp, which is exactly what you want out of a professional lens. Nikon has also made sure to add to its cinematic potential by controlling breathing well and allowing for a smooth aperture and internal balance as well. The fact that the lens is lighter and smaller only adds to its appeal,” Chris Niccolls wrote in his review.

The third lens on Map Camera’s list was released around the same time as the 24-70mm f/2.8 S II, the compact, affordable, and fast Canon RF 45mm f/1.2 STM. Announced alongside the excellent Canon R6 Mark III camera, the RF 45mm f/1.2 STM offers photographers a super-fast prime lens that doesn’t break the bank.

In a photo industry where new products seem to get more expensive all the time, it’s not surprising the new $479 Canon RF 45mm f/1.2 has struck a chord with photographers. It makes beautiful portrait photography more accessible, and that’s fantastic news for Canon shooters. PetaPixel hopes to see more new lenses in this same spirit in 2026 and beyond.

The next two spots on the list go to Sony, and both the lenses are professional G Master zooms. In fourth is the excellent Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II while the outstanding 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lands in fifth spot. These are both go-to zoom lenses for professional photographers and hybrid creators, and mainstays in many enthusiast and pro Sony kits.

Canon returns to the list for the second and final time with its RF 100-400mm f/5.6-8 IS USM telephoto zoom lens. It’s a highly capable and affordable telephoto zoom lens that is a favorite among nature and wildlife photographers.

The next lens on the list is a brand new zoom for 2025, the Sigma 20-200mm f/3.5-6.3 DG Contemporary. This new travel zoom is the first of its kind to start at 20mm, offering photographers unprecedented versatility at the wide end.

In eighth place is the Nikon Nikkor Z 50mm f/1.8 S, one of the three lenses Nikon released alongside its very first Nikon Z cameras, the original Z6 and Z7. It’s a classic “nifty fifty,” although it is perhaps slightly surprising that Nikon’s faster and more affordable Nikkor Z 50mm f/1.4 didn’t make the cut instead.

In ninth spot is Tamron’s direct competitor to the Sigma 20-200mm above, the Tamron 25-200mm f/2.8-5.6 Di III VXD G2. While not as versatile as Sigma’s new travel zoom, Tamron’s lens, the successor to the classic 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6, offers a faster aperture across the board. For some photographers, the extra light-gathering may be worth the slightly reduced focal length range. The Tamron 25-200mm f/2.8-5.6 Di III VXD G2 is also available in Nikkor Z mount, while the Sigma lens isn’t (it’s E and L-Mount only).

Rounding out the top 10 is the Nikon Nikkor Z 26mm f/2.8, Nikon’s thinnest and lightest Nikkor Z lens.

Map Camera also shared its top 10 best-selling used lenses of 2025, which includes some of the same lenses featured above, like the Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S, which was also the best-selling used lens last year.

Image credits: Header photo created using an asset licensed via Depositphotos.