These are the best prime lenses for aerial photography when you want edge-to-edge sharpness, honest geometry (so streets and rooflines stay true), fast and reliable AF, and coatings that punch through haze and backlight—whether you’re shooting doors-off helicopter cityscapes, fixed-wing countryside grids, coastal patterns, or cine-lifter FPV— and here’s what to look for as you buy: prioritize rectilinear designs with low distortion and even field illumination at working apertures (ƒ4–ƒ8), strong flare/ghost resistance around sun glints and water, fast linear/STM AF that won’t hunt on distant subjects, gentle field curvature for crisp corners, and filter-friendly fronts for ND; stabilization can fight airframe vibration (sometimes it helps, sometimes it jitters—test IBIS/IS vs off on your rig), avoid CPLs for wide skylines (uneven polarization from altitude), and favor lenses with short, balanced barrels that play well in gimbals and tight doorways. Full-frame prime heroes (Sony/Nikon/Canon/L-mount) for crisp aerials: Sony FE 24mm ƒ1.4 GM (light, sharp, flare-tough), FE 20mm ƒ1.8 G (sweeping patterns with threads), FE 35mm ƒ1.8 (tiny, fast, reliable), FE 50mm ƒ1.8 or 55mm ƒ1.8 ZA (tight grids with bite), Zeiss Batis 25mm ƒ2 and 40mm ƒ2 CF (clean rendering, OSS on Batis helps on some rigs), Nikon Z 24mm ƒ1.8 S, Z 35mm ƒ1.8 S, Z 50mm ƒ1.8 S and Z 85mm ƒ1.8 S (all neutral color, tidy corners), Canon RF 24mm ƒ1.8 Macro IS and RF 35mm ƒ1.8 IS (handy IS for slower passes), RF 50mm ƒ1.8 (featherweight city slicer), Sigma DG DN Art 20/24/35/50mm ƒ1.4 (modern coatings, consistent look), Sigma 65mm ƒ2 DG DN (micro-contrast monster for patterns), and Laowa 12mm ƒ2.8 / 15mm ƒ2 Zero-D (manual straight-line specialists when you need true ultra-wide without fisheye bend). APS-C standouts for lighter bodies and cine-lifters: Sony E 15mm ƒ1.4 G and E 11mm ƒ1.8 (sharp, threaded, balanced), Sigma 16mm/23mm/30mm ƒ1.4 DC DN (legendary value and bite), Sony E 35mm ƒ1.8 OSS and E 50mm ƒ1.8 OSS (stabilized classics), Fujifilm XF 16mm ƒ1.4, XF 23mm ƒ1.4 LM WR, XF 33mm ƒ1.4 LM WR, and XF 56mm ƒ1.2 WR (street-to-sky story primes with confident AF), plus budget-light XF 16mm ƒ2.8 WR for clean travel aerials. Micro Four Thirds picks for ultralight aircraft and gimbal drones: OM SYSTEM 12mm ƒ2, 17mm/25mm/45mm ƒ1.8 (tiny, sharp), 17/25/45mm ƒ1.2 Pro trio (rounded blades, weather-sealed, superb contrast), Panasonic 20mm ƒ1.7 (pancake legend), and Panasonic Leica 15mm ƒ1.7 (crisp, flare-savvy); pair with strong ND for cinematic shutters. Drone note: most consumer drones use fixed primes—match the look of a ground camera with 24–35mm-eq primes when you need intercut consistency; cine-lifters (carrying FX3/RED/etc.) favor compact, internal-focus primes with minimal breathing (e.g., Sony 24/1.4 GM, Sigma 24/1.4 DN, Voigtländer 21/1.4 MF for weight/size). Practical buyer tips: build a two-prime aerial spine—24/25mm for broad context + 35/50mm for pattern compression; pick lenses with tight hoods and good nano coatings for sunballs off water and windows; standardize front diameters (67/72/77mm) for one ND set; skip CPLs at altitude (blotchy skies), rely on ND and dehaze in post; if you map/orthomosaic, favor 35/50mm with low distortion and consistent illumination and shoot perpendicular to ground; for gimbals, prefer internal-focus designs and short overall length for easy balance; keep firmware current and carry a lint-free cloth—wind throws dust at everything. Aerial technique that keeps files sharp and honest: use high shutter speeds—start around 1/1000–1/2000s for stills to beat vibration and buffeting—then lower only if your rig is rock-steady; shoot mechanical shutter when possible to avoid rolling-shutter wobble in prop wash; fly/ride with sun angle—cross-light sculpts textures, backlight needs extra shielding; stop to ƒ4–ƒ8 for corner crispness and consistent exposure, pre-focus to infinity and use AF-C with a small area, fire short bursts to land a tack frame; keep the camera roughly level to avoid unintentional stretch, mind rotor/wing intrusion at ultra-wide, and remove petal hoods in high wind if they catch air; for video, lock a 180° shutter with ND, set gentle AF transition speeds or run MF with peaking, and balance your gimbal with internal-focus primes; always tether gear, tie down loose straps, and follow safety/airspace rules. Whether you’re carving graphic farmland, skimming skylines at blue hour, tracing river deltas, or intercutting drone and door-off shots, the best prime lenses for aerial photography combine low distortion, flare-savvy coatings, compact, balanced builds, and confident corner sharpness—so your scenes stay stable, truthful, and striking from altitude.