Who Makes Sony Camera Lenses

So, you've just picked up your showtime Sony camera? Or peradventure you've had ane for a piddling while and are looking to expand your camera setup beyond the included kit lens? Entry-level or experienced photographer? Whatever the case may exist, the great news is that the Sony mirrorless camera ecosystem is a versatile and capable system that offers something for everyone.

Sony mirrorless cameras are broad-ranging both in price and features, mostly offering something for every level of lensman, and are as well capable for nigh every type of photographic pursuit, be it landscape photography, portraiture, sports and wildlife or astrophotography. But, the fundamental to capturing stunning photos (or video) of your desired subject area is getting the right lens for the chore. While your kit lens may be pretty good, making a modest investment in additional lenses can dramatically heave the creative flexibility of your photographic camera -- and the quality of your photos.

So, what lens should yous buy?

The answer involves several factors. Much similar other photographic camera and lens manufacturers, Sony makes a broad variety of lenses in dissimilar quality levels and toll points. At that place are two very of import considerations. The first being what blazon of images you are looking to create. The other being your upkeep. When looking for the "Best Lens," it might be tempting or easy to merely wait downward the list and choose the highest-priced one. Chances are, information technology's a fantastic lens. Truth be told, an expensive lens is often a very good one, too. But, most of us out there, ourselves hither at IR included, must proceed an eye on our budget. As such, we've tried to keep the price in mind when it comes to making lens recommendations.

For arrangement's sake, nosotros've too broken downwardly our lens recommendations beneath into separate categories depending on the type or mode of photography.

Without farther ado, if you're looking to upgrade the lens or lenses for your Sony mirrorless photographic camera, then read on!

Navigation - employ the category links below to jump directly to the specific section:

• All-time Sony Lens for Landscape Photography
• Best Sony Lens for Travel & Street Photography
• All-time Sony Lens for Portrait Photography
• Best Sony Lens for Sports Photography
• Best Sony Lens for Wildlife Photography
• All-time Sony Lens for Astrophotography

• • •

Best Sony Lens for Landscape Photography

1 of the cardinal characteristics of a typical landscape lens is a wide-angle or ultra-broad-bending focal length, which for full-frame cameras is generally 24mm or shorter. These types of lenses let you capture more of the scene, which makes them ideal for mural photography. Imagine a dramatic mountain vista, a wide-open field or a massive waterfall: A wide-angle lens is a practiced option for all of these shooting scenarios. Wide-bending lenses are too great for emphasizing a foreground subject. Shoot wide and arrive close, and your subject area will dominate the frame.

Full-frame: Sigma fourteen-24mm f/two.8 DG DN Art

When it comes to recommending a mural lens for a Sony mirrorless camera, there are several options to consider, ranging from the ultra-wide 12-24mm range to a more than versatile 24-70mm. Our top pick for a Sony mirrorless mural lens, one that offers a archetype ultra-broad to wide zoom versatility, high image quality and a solid value, is the Sigma 14-24mm f/ii.eight DG DN Art lens.

We reviewed the DSLR version of this xiv-24mm f/2.8 lens a few years agone and praised its image quality performance and build quality. Plus, with its constant f/ii.viii aperture, it'southward also a groovy choice for low-light shooting and night photography tasks, too. Nosotros've not yet reviewed the mirrorless version, and while Sigma has updated the optical design of the 14-24mm f/2.8 DG DN Fine art, the user reviews are overwhelmingly positive. Given our experience with Sigma Art-series lenses, we can't assist merely expect fantastic optical performance from this updated 14-24mm f/2.8 DG DN Fine art lens. And with a price signal of $1,399 (currently $one,299 on sale, as of publishing), it'southward much more friendly to the wallet compared to most of Sony's comparable ultra-wide-angle lenses.

Buy now: $1,299

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Alternatives:

Sony FE 12-24mm f/4 G

If your budget tin handle it, or you lot really want a Sony-brand mural lens, there are quite a few options to consider. Our top pick in this loonshit is the Sony FE 12-24mm f/four G. Offering fantastic epitome quality and rugged build quality, the Sony 12-24mm f/four is sharp and ultra-broad; wider than the 14mm maximum of the Sigma lens. The F/4 aperture design helps keep the size and weight downwardly, too. For landscape photography, you're too often shooting with a deep depth of field, so having a brighter aperture isn't e'er necessary. The price is a scrap steep compared to the Sigma, all the same, with the FE 12-24mm f/4 Thousand coming in at $ane,773.

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Sony Fe 12-24mm f/2.8 GM

If you lot desire to go all-out and have the budget to handle it, the Sony Fe 12-24mm f/2.8 GM is the ultimate ultra-wide-angle lens for Sony mirrorless cameras. Function of the G Primary line, FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM is a elevation-of-the-line lens with fantastic optical performance. It's tack-sharp wide open and has excellent handling of CA and flare, for example. AF speeds are swift and build quality is not bad, plus the f/two.viii discontinuity gives it a leg upwardly for low-light work. The downside is the toll tag: a whopping $2,999.

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Crop-frame: Sony E 10-18mm f/4 OSS

For crop-frame shooters, with cameras such as the A6600, A6400, or A6100, using a native APS-C-format lens for landscape photography and other wide-angle shooting is important. Yous can, of course, use full-frame "Atomic number 26" format lenses on a ingather-frame Sony camera (they all use the same lens mount). The crop-factor introduced by the smaller sensor will reduce some of the wide-angle field of view if you use a full-frame lens.

Our choice for ingather-sensor photographers is the Sony Eastward x-18mm f/4 ED OSS. Offering the widest-bending zoom range in the Sony E-mount lens lineup, the ten-18mm lens offers a fifteen-27mm-equivalent field of view, which makes information technology a versatile and capable landscape photography lens. Though we take not reviewed this lens, user reviews and other reviews are more often than not extremely positive, with praise going to its optical functioning in most situations, its lightweight and meaty design, congenital-in image stabilization and the ability to use front spiral-on filters. With a cost of around $800, it won't set you dorsum too much.

Buy At present: $798

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Best Sony Lens for Travel & Street Photography

Picking a lens for travel and street photography can be a difficult task. For street photography, you lot might lean towards something pocket-sized, lightweight and unimposing, whereas for travel purposes, yous'll likely practice well with some zoom versatility. In both cases, though, you lot'll probably want to keep your Sony camera kit as simple and as lightweight every bit possible; in other words, a single-lens setup. Think: walking around on vacation, exploring a new city or going on a hike. Having a light just versatile photographic camera setup is key.

Total-frame: Sony FE 24-105mm f/4 1000

It's hard to ignore the versatility of a 24-105mm lens. At that place's a reason why these lenses are often kitted with full-frame cameras; they are super versatile -- landscapes, portraiture and, of grade, general travel and street photography. The Sony FE 24-105mm f/4 Chiliad OSS is no exception. This all-in-i wide-to-tele zoom lens is a fantastic option for a Sony photographer looking for a unmarried-lens setup for a day out shooting. Though nosotros have not reviewed this lens notwithstanding, the user reviews are overwhelmingly positive, with owners praising its image quality, sharpness and versatility. The F/4 design isn't cracking for low-light, simply with modern Sony cameras, the high ISO performance is fantastic, plus the 24-105mm lens has image stabilization (every bit do most Sony mirrorless cameras).

Buy Now: $1,098

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Crop-frame: Sony East sixteen-70mm f/4 Z

For crop-sensor photographers, Sony has y'all covered there as well. The Sony E 16-70mm f/4 Zeiss offers a similar 24-105mm-eq. zoom range, simply in a more compact and lightweight class-factor designed for smaller APS-C Sony mirrorless cameras. In our review, the Sony E 16-70mm f/iv Zeiss proved to be an excellent performer, with very good image quality (even when shot wide open), and the AF was very fast. The lens is as well surprisingly small, making it an excellent walk-effectually lens. It is a bit pricey, unfortunately, with a price tag of around $m, but if you lot're looking for a highly-portably and loftier-quality all-in-1 zoom for your crop-sensor Sony mirrorless cameras, await no further than the Sony E xvi-70mm f/4 Zeiss.

Purchase now: $998

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Best Sony Lens for Portrait Photography

When it comes to picking a lens for portraiture, yous'll most likely want something with some telephoto attain. Wide-bending lenses, on the other hand, can misconstrue and accentuate facial features in an unflattering way, whereas a longer standard-focal length or brusque telephoto lens will capture a more than natural, more pleasing representation of your subject. Traditionally, an 85mm prime lens has been a classic portrait become-to, offer a good focal length for natural-looking portraits and skilful subject field isolation cheers to the wider aperture than what you typically detect on a kit zoom lens. The wide aperture helps blur out the groundwork of your shot and help your subject stand out more.

Full-frame: Sony FE 85mm f/1.8

The compact and lightweight Sony FE 85mm f/one.eight might not be the brightest or fanciest 85mm prime number on the market for Sony mirrorless cameras, but it more than than makes upward for it in its firmness, its overall excellent image quality and budget-friendly cost bespeak. Sure in that location are faster 85mm lenses, but the Atomic number 26 85mm f/ane.8 maximum f/i.eight discontinuity is enough vivid for low-light scenarios and still provides ample field of study isolation and pleasing background blur. Plus, despite not being a higher-end G-series or G Main lens, the petty FE 85mm f/i.eight however comes equipped with a dust- and wet-resistant construction.

Though we've not yet reviewed the Fe 85mm f/1.8 in-house, user reviews, as well every bit other reviews from industry colleagues, are overwhelmingly positive for this compact full-frame prime lens. Reviewers praise the lens' sharpness, size and bokeh as well as its overall value, with a price correct at or a little under just $600, depending on sales or discounts. Overall, on a budget or not, the little Sony FE 85mm f/1.8 hits all the high marks for a solid portrait prime number for Sony photographers.

Buy at present: $548

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Upgrade Pick: Sigma 85mm f/ane.iv DG DN Fine art

For those who want one of the best 85mm primes for their Sony gear bag, the recently redesigned Sigma 85mm f/1.iv DG DN Art is an absolutely wonderful pick. While Sony too offers a high-finish 85mm f/i.8 GM lens, this ultra-bright Sigma prime is both less expensive and lighter in weight, yet even so captures incredible images and offers rugged build quality. In fact, later on shooting with information technology for a while, the Sigma 85mm f/one.4 DG DN Fine art lens was an like shooting fish in a barrel winner as our Best Prime number Lens of 2020.

Though Sigma already released an 85mm f/1.4 HSM Art DSLR lens some years back, this "DG DN" version has been redesigned for mirrorless cameras, namely Sony E-mount and L-mount cameras. The lens has been redesigned for mirrorless, utilizing a new optical formula and a new AF system powered by a stepper motor. All in all, the updated 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art is a stunning portrait prime for Sony (or 50-mountain) mirrorless cameras.

Buy at present: $1,199

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All-time Sony Lens for Sports Photography

For sports photography, you'll most likely desire a telephoto lens, something with reach to assistance bring the action up close. You'll well-nigh likely not exist able to get right upwardly adjacent to the sidelines, then a longer telephoto lens will exist critical to getting pleasing, action-packed sports photos. Now, depending on the item sport you lot're photography, how much telephoto reach you lot'll need tin can vary dramatically, but a archetype go-to for many different popular sports, such equally football, soccer, basketball and tennis, is a 70-200mm lens -- and a 70-200mm f/2.8 variety, if possible.

The zoom blueprint of a 70-200mm lens provides excellent versatility for a diverseness of sports subjects, and the 200mm reach at the long end is a really solid telephoto focal length for distant subjects. An f/two.8 discontinuity, though not absolutely disquisitional for every sports photography endeavor, helps in several ways, including more pleasing subject area isolation (out-of-focus backgrounds) and simply letting more calorie-free into the lens. The latter volition let yous shoot with faster shutter speeds, helping you become well-baked, blur-free action shots; plus, it will help if you need to shoot indoors or in other lower-light situations, letting yous likewise shoot with a lower ISO setting (and thus less noise and grain).

Full-frame: Tamron 70-180mm f/two.8 Di Iii VXD

Though non technically a seventy-200mm lens, the recent Tamron seventy-180mm f/two.viii Di Iii zoom is a solid pick for a telephoto zoom lens for sports photography applications. It comes upwardly simply a bit short in telephoto reach with its 180mm maximum focal length, but it offers a fixed f/2.8 aperture for fast shutter speed capabilities, low-low-cal work and skillful subject isolation. Plus, it's significantly lighter in weight than a competition 70-200mm lens, such as the Sony Iron 70-200mm f/2.8 GM lens. It's also considerably less expensive than this Sony competitor, at $1200 compared to a whopping $2600.

Image quality is excellent, even wide-open, at both ends of the zoom range, and the weight savings really go a long mode at making the Tamron zoom a pleasance to utilize for long periods of fourth dimension. Plus, if yous're an APS-C Sony shooter, the lens too works very well with these smaller cameras compared to longer, heavier telephoto options. All in all, with first-class image quality, fast AF functioning, meaty construction and a fantastic cost betoken, it'due south no surprise that the Tamron lxx-180mm f/ii.8 Di III VXD got the nod onto our Lens of the Year picks for 2020 as a Telephoto Zoom Lens of Distinction. It'south an excellent telephoto zoom for Sony sports photographers.

Buy now: $1,099

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Upgrade pick: Sony Fe 70-200mm f/2.8 GM

If price is no object and you want the top-of-the-line telephoto zoom lens for sports photography, the Sony FE 70-200mm f/two.8 GM lens is the get-to lens. Sony's flagship mid-telephoto zoom lens, the lxx-200mm G Master lens, features fantastic image quality, swift autofocus and rugged, durable construction. It'south besides quite pricey, as 1 might imagine, at around $ii,600.

Reviews of this lens are all overwhelmingly positive, with users noting the lens'southward excellent sharpness, color rendition and it's versatility -- not merely due to its zoom design only also past the fact that information technology readily accepts teleconverters for fifty-fifty more attain. The lens is a bit heavy and expensive, but if you can await past those factors, the Sony Fe seventy-200mm f/2.8 GM is an accented stunner.

Buy at present: $2,598

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All-time Sony Lens for Wild fauna Photography

Much like a lens for sports, you're going to want a lens that offers a squeamish, longer telephoto focal length. In fact, in some cases, your "sports photography" telephoto lens can exercise double-duty equally a wildlife photography lens. That said, a 70-200mm-way lens may not be telephoto plenty for wildlife photography, especially if you want to photo birds. When choosing a proper wildlife-focused telephoto lens, finding something that reaches out to a least 300mm to 400mm is a good starting signal. When photographing wild animals, you probably won't exist able to get very close to your subject, and so having a long telephoto lens will permit you bring that furthermost field of study up shut.

Now, much like the other categories on this list, you as well have a choice of prime (single focus length) or a zoom lens. Prime wildlife lenses tin can often be quite large and expensive, with some of the benefits there being fantastic optical quality and brighter apertures, which let them perform in lower light and accept gorgeous shallow depth of field. That said, information technology'due south difficult to look by the versatile of a zoom lens, which is why we're focusing on zoom lenses hither for our recommendations.

Total-frame: Sony Fe 200-600mm f/five.6-6.3 G OSS

Though large and somewhat long in and of itself, the Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens is amazingly meaty and lightweight given its broad, versatile focal length range, on-board optical image stabilization and full-frame image format. This Chiliad-serial supertelephoto zoom lens offers wildlife photographers a fantastic zoom range for all sorts of outdoor photographic adventures. Plus, it provides that critical 400-600mm focal length range that really helps when photographing small or far-away subjects, such equally birds. What fifty-fifty better is that despite its appearance as an all-out professionally-oriented lens, the toll tag is well within the range of the serious enthusiast photographer, at around $2000.

Image quality from this super-zoom lens is outstanding, offering very sharp performance across the zoom range. The narrower and variable aperture blueprint helps maintain the lens'south smaller size but at the expense of low-light performance. That said, modern Sony cameras practice very well with high ISOs, so the dimmer discontinuity it probably a tradeoff that most will overlook. The build quality is besides first-class, with rugged, conditions-sealed construction, and the internal-zooming blueprint keeps the lens balanced and avoids lens creep that we often see with long-zoom lenses that extend. All in all, one of our favorite Sony lenses for wild animals photography!

Buy now: $i,998

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All-time Sony Lens for Macro Photography

For macro photography, one of the mains characteristics to look for is a lens'southward close-focusing capabilities, or "minimum focusing distance." You want a lens that can focus very closely on a subject and still maintain crisp focus. Generally, a lens that is labeled equally a "macro lens" offers a magnification factor of at to the lowest degree 1.0x, or a one:1 magnification ratio. In other words, for a i:1 macro lens at the closest focusing altitude, the discipline captured in the frame will exist the same size as in the real world. There are other flavors of macro lenses, some with half-size (ane:2) magnification ratios too as more than powerful lenses that offering 2:i or even 5:1 magnification ratios for larger-than-life-size macro photography.

Sony themselves do not (nevertheless?) make macro lenses higher than i:1 mag. ratio, and by and large, most of these high-powered macro lenses are manual-focus but. For our recommendations, we will stick to the more common and more than versatile lenses that offer autofocus. Not simply can they exist used for macro photography, but they also piece of work for more full general-purpose photography, even portraiture.

Budget option: Sony Iron 50mm f/2.8 Macro

Sony's simple, meaty Fe 50mm f/ii.8 Macro lens provides excellent close-upward macro performance without weighing you lot down or hitting the wallet besides hard. The focal length of the FE 50mm Macro lens is somewhat short as most macro lenses go. They tend to get more than telephoto, allowing you to have some more working distance between you lot and your subjects. However, the Fe 50mm f/two.8 Macro lens however offers total 1:1 macro capabilities, and the 50mm focal length lets the lens work nicely for general-purpose photography uses, besides.

Though we've not seen this lens in our lab, user reviews for the lens are largely positive, with owners noting the lens's nifty sharpness, good shut-focusing performance and affordable price betoken. Some criticize its slower AF operation, so keep that in mind if you shoot lots of moving subjects -- however, the lens is designed for macro photography, so AF speed isn't generally a priority. Overall, a sharp and affordable lens that serves as a nifty entry into the world of macro photography.

Buy at present: $548

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Upgrade pick: Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro G

The premier Sony macro lens. The Sony FE 90mm f/ii.8 Macro G lens was awarded a Lens of Distinction in the Best Prime Lens category of our 2015 Lenses of the Yr awards for skillful reason. The lens is exceptionally sharp, features a rugged build, has on-board optical image stabilization, and despite its "Macro" moniker, offers surprisingly fast AF speeds. It's a bit on the pricey side, at effectually $yard, but the lens offers fantastic image quality performance. The lens is tack-sharp, offers total 1:1 magnification, and the 90mm focal length offers a squeamish working altitude with your shut-up subjects. Plus, the focal length combined with fast AF speeds and the bright discontinuity brand the 90mm Macro lens a versatile optic for portraits and other mid-telephoto applications. An all-effectually fantastic lens.

Buy now: $998

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Best Sony Lens for Astrophotography

When it comes to photographing the night sky, astrophotography isn't really tied to any one focal length lens, technically, only oftentimes you lot want to capture a broad, expansive view of the nighttime sky, stars, galaxies and the like. To practise that, 1 needs a broad-angle or ultra-broad-bending lens, something very short, often less than 24mm, in order to capture a broad perspective. Additionally, another key factor for a good astrophotography lens is a wide or brilliant maximum aperture -- the brighter, the better in society to gather as much light every bit possible and keep the ISO levels down every bit much every bit possible. And then while astrophotography compositions can come in all sorts of framing and perspectives, nosotros're going to recommend a couple more than common types of lenses: ultra-wide-angle lenses with vivid apertures.

Full-frame: Sony FE 20mm f/1.8 Grand

Sony compact Iron 20mm f/one.8 G fits both main requirements for a solid astrophotography lens: ultra-wide and ultra-bright. The 20mm focal offers a fantastic ultra-broad perspective for expansive scenes, and the f/1.eight discontinuity allows for great low-cal-gathering potential. The lens isn't as broad as some other ultra-wide lenses in the 12-14mm range, nor as bright equally an f/one.4 lens, just these two factors help keep the size and weight too as the price down to reasonable amounts.

The Sony Iron 20mm f/one.8 is very new, debuting merely this past twelvemonth. Nosotros've not reviewed the lens ourselves yet, but user reviews beyond the spider web note the lens'south abrupt paradigm quality performance, fast AF, small-scale size and expert control over coma (or comatic aberration) -- a type of optical distortion that can occur to point light sources, such equally stars. A lens with depression comatic aberration is an important quality to consider when looking for an astrophotography lens.

All in all, at around $800, the Sony Atomic number 26 20mm f/i.eight G isn't the most affordable lens, merely information technology offers a lot of bang for your cadet.

Buy now: $798

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Upgrade pick: Sigma 14mm f/one.viii DG HSM Art

Choosing an upgrade choice here is quite tricky because, at the time of publishing this article, Sony has just recently announced an Fe 14mm f/1.8 GM lens that appears to be an all-out stunning lens, particularly for astrophotography. However, as information technology'south so new, nosotros've not yet had any chance to get easily-on with the lens, and reviews around the web are besides few and far between -- especially from other owners since the lens is not still in stock.

Every bit such, our other top recommendation for an upgrade option is the Sigma 14mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art lens, the only other total-frame format lens with a 14mm focal length and an f/ane.viii aperture. As an Art-serial lens, the Sigma 14mm f/i.8 offers excellent and robust build quality as well every bit fantastic image quality operation, just like nosotros've seen from most, if not all other Sigma Art-series lenses.

In our review, we praised the lens's prototype quality performance, even when used wide open -- which is very impressive. The super-wide aspect ratio is also very fun to use, offering a unique perspective for some very dramatic images. We besides noted the lens performed very well in controlling comatic aberrations. Though originally designed as a DSLR lens, Sigma has since come up out with a native Sony E-mount version of this lens, helping do away with the need to use a mount adapter.

If you want one of the all-time super-wide and super-bright lenses for night sky photography, the albeit pricey Sigma 14mm f/1.8 Art lens is worth considering.

Buy now: $1,599

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• • •

Curious about more lens recommendations for other brands and photographic camera platforms? See our other articles:

• 8 best lenses for your new Canon DSLR •

• xi best lenses for your new Nikon DSLR •

• The best Olympus lenses for pretty much everything •

• The Best Portrait Lenses for Every Camera Brand •

• • •

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Source: https://www.imaging-resource.com/articles/the-best-lenses-for-your-sony-mirrorless-camera

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