Best Lens for Street Photography: 28, 35 or 50mm?

Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC DN

A fast APS-C wide prime with pro-level sharpness at a third-party price — wide enough to keep the surrounding scene as much a subject as the person.

Best for: Scene-and-subject shots

Sony E 11mm f/1.8

A fast, compact APS-C wide prime — small enough to be genuinely unobtrusive on a street walk.

Best for: Discreet, wide-context street work

Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM

A natural, tighter field of view for isolating a single subject from a busy background, at almost no cost.

Best for: Selective, isolated subjects

Panasonic LUMIX S 20mm F2.5

A 142 g full-frame L-Mount prime with a dust-, splash- and freeze-resistant build (down to -10 °C). Panasonic calls it a walkaround lens for spontaneous shots and narrow alleyways. 20mm is wider than the classic 28-35mm, so you work close to your subject.

Best for: Wide, close-in street work on L-Mount