The Best Sony Camera Lenses of 2022

Sony is one of the largest Japanese giant companies that produces first-class equipment and electronics, which takes pride of place in the ranking of quality products. In addition to well-known popular models of smartphones, tablets and monitors, the company produces decent cameras not only for amateurs, but also for professionals.

Many beginners are lost in the question of how to choose the right lens for a Sony camera, and which one is better to buy for a particular camera model. There is no single answer about the best lens, since each option is good and performs its function. Therefore, the review will be devoted not only to the usual description of specific models, but also to the analysis of each type of lens, its functionality, so that a novice photographer can choose a product that is suitable for the price and quality and satisfies his selection criteria.

The rating of the best lenses for Sony cameras is compiled based on voting and positive user reviews. Before proceeding to the very description and technical characteristics, it is necessary to understand the classification and types of lenses and their manufacturers.

The Best Lens Manufacturers for Sony

The first thing you should pay attention to is that almost all lenses in the review are equipped with an FE mount (for non-full-frame shots) or an E mount, the A mount (for full-frame shots) is not the best-selling one, as it is only suitable for DSLRs used by professionals.

Top 3 Producers:

1. Carl Zeiss can be called the best manufacturer of quality lenses. Despite the fact that the models equipped with their optics cannot be called budget-priced, the high cost does not affect the popularity in any way. German quality and durability speak for themselves.Since the middle of the 19th century, the company has been engaged only in the production of optical glasses not only for lenses, but also for microscopes, telescopes, and mobile phones.
2. Tamron - specializes in the production of photographic equipment, but the main share falls on the production of optics, lenses and special glasses. In addition, a huge number of special accessories for beginners and professionals are produced. Their products can be called inexpensive compared to the "Germans". Their accessories are also produced not only for Sony, but also for Canon and Nikon.
3. Sony is one of the most common lenses, at the moment the company ranks third in production. Few people know, but initially accessories, lenses and optics were produced by the company - Konica Minolta, but at the end of 2005 it was absorbed by the giants from Sony, and now all optics are produced according to their standard and quality.

Specifications

Before choosing a suitable lens for the camera and deciding which company is better to buy, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the table of summary parameters of the rating products below:

	Sony 16-50mm f/2.8 (SAL-1650)	Sony 50mm f/1.4	Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di LD Aspherical (IF) Minolta A	Sony Carl ZeissVario-Tessar T* 24-70mm f/4 ZA OSS (SEL2470Z)	Sony 50mm f/1.8 (SAL50F18)
Classification	standard zoom lens	portrait for mirror	standard zoom lens	standard zoom lens	portrait for mirror
Material	plastic	plastic	plastic	plastic	plastic
Diameter (mm)	81	43	67	67	49
Dimensions (mm)	81 x 88	65 x 46	73 x 92	73 x 94	70 x 45
Weight (g)	577	220	510	426	170
Focal length (mm)	16 – 50	50	28 - 75	24 - 70	50
Minimum distance (m)	0.3	0.45	0.33	0.4	0.34
Viewing Angle (deg)	32 - 83	32 - 47	32 - 75	34 - 84	32 - 70
Zoom ratio	3.1x	1.5x	2.7x	2.9x	1.5x
Diaphragm	F2.80	F1.40	F2.80	F4	F1.80
Average price (rub)	39 000	29 800	27 000	49 700	14 100

	Sony FE 85mm f/1.8 (SEL85F18)	Sony 50mm f/1.8 OSS (SEL-50F18)	Sony Carl Zeiss Sonnar T* 55mm f/1.8 ZA (SEL-55F18Z)	Sony 70 - 300mm f/4.5-5.6G SSM (SAL-70300G)	Sony 75 - 300mm f/4.5-5.6
Classification	portrait for mirror	portrait for system	portrait for system	telephoto lens	telephoto lens
Material	plastic	plastic	plastic	metal	metal
Diameter (mm)	67	49	49	62	55
Dimensions (mm)	78 x 82	62 x 63	64.5 x 71	82.4 x 135.7	71 x 122
Weight (g)	371	203	281	760	460
Focal length (mm)	85	50	55	70 - 300	75 - 300
Minimum distance (m)	0.8	0.39	0.41	1.2	1.5
Viewing Angle (deg)	41 - 73	32	-	-	8.2 – 32.0
Zoom ratio	3.2x	-	-	4.3x	4x
Diaphragm	F1.80	F1.80	F1.80	F4.50 - F5.60	F4.50 - F5.60
Average price (rub)	41 000	17 800	54 600	83 500	75 600

Best Standard Lenses

All-purpose or standard lenses are ideal for pioneering photographers, with their main feature being a 50mm focal length. And the viewing angle is 46 degrees, which corresponds to the perception angle of the human eye.

With this lens, you can create a variety of lively and high-quality images without having a rich experience with the camera. However, the camera's viewing angle depends on the crop factor, so the ideal "fifty kopeck" will go to the camera on a cropped matrix.

Standard lenses differ in aperture or aperture. The most inexpensive and compact photo lens with aperture - 1.8f, is distinguished by its miniature size and light weight. This is the only inexpensive fixed focal length lens. Ideal for night photography.

Universal lens with aperture - 1.4f, with advanced optical system and ultrasonic drive. The image is of high quality even in the complete absence of light.

A professional lens that produces truly high-quality photos in macro mode, and with the highest aperture - 1.2 f. Despite the bulkier dimensions and considerable weight, a lens with such aperture creates truly stunning pictures.

Sony 16-50mm f/2.8 (SAL-1650)

A worthy choice for a beginner, according to buyers and professionals. Usually this model is advised to students and beginners in photography schools. The lens is good in all respects and is ideal for subject and night shooting.

A lens with a constant aperture and good optics pleased many with decent stabilization, capable of capturing moving objects that turn out clearly in the picture. The wide angle allows you to create sharp and detailed portraits with beautifully blurred backgrounds. Thanks to optics that hold color well, you can shoot beautiful sunsets and sunrises.

The price, of course, is high for a lens of this line, but the functionality and build quality are worth it, since the optics are protected from moisture and dust.

• Constant depth of field;
• Fast autofocus;
• Good build;
• High quality.

• Dimensions;
• High price.

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di LD Aspherical (IF) Minolta A

An ideal lens for macro photography, capable of capturing a small object at a scale of 1:1. In addition to macro, it perfectly creates detailed portraits with a blurred background. Also, with its help, you can easily catch a face in the crowd, thanks to autofocus.

The main requirement for good macro photography is detail and maximum image sharpness.

• Wide range of depth of field;
• Manual focusing;
• Multifunctionality;
• Stabilization;
• Good price;
• Light weight.

• Slow focus and noise.

Sony Carl ZeissVario-Tessar T* 24-70mm f/4 ZA OSS (SEL2470Z)

The Germans offer a truly amazing and functional lens model of perfect assembly, with high moisture protection. But the main disadvantage is the price. Not everyone can afford such a lens, and not all beginners and amateurs will not be able to appreciate what this wonderful lens is capable of.

The shots are perfect, even in the complete absence of light. Thanks to variable cropping, you can add a fisheye effect to your shots.

• Reactive focus;
• Decent sharpness and color reproduction;
• Metal case;
• Protection against dust and moisture;
• Low chromatic aberration.

• Huge weight;
• High price.

Portrait lens for SLR camera

Many people confuse standard zoom lenses with fixed focal length portrait lenses. The huge difference is that it is impossible to zoom in or out on the subject. But due to the prime lens, you can get perfect photos with good focus, aperture and a complete absence of distortion.

Lenses of this kind are suitable for amateurs and novice photographers, not only because of the affordable price, but also because of the high-quality images and the specifics of optics, which are similar in perception to the human eye.

The best fixed focus portrait lenses are listed below.

Sony 50mm f/1.4 lens

A decent lens at an affordable price - that's what we can say about this model. It allows you to create quite sharp and detailed pictures.The large opening aperture contributes to a very high aperture ratio, which makes it possible to photograph in low light. Also, do not forget about good stabilization.

The only negative is the plastic case and the lack of dust protection. Almost all inexpensive lenses suffer from these shortcomings, but nevertheless this fact does not affect the quality of portrait shooting in any way.

• Affordable price;
• High aperture and sharpness;
• Compact size and light weight.

• Noisy motor;
• Plastic case.

Sony 50mm f/1.8 (SAL50F18)

A decent lens at an affordable price - that's what we can say about this model. It allows you to create quite sharp and detailed pictures. The large opening aperture contributes to a very high aperture ratio, which makes it possible to photograph in low light. Also, do not forget about good stabilization.

The only negative is the plastic case and the lack of dust protection. Almost all inexpensive lenses suffer from these shortcomings, however, this fact does not affect the quality of portrait shooting in any way.

• Affordable price;
• High aperture and sharpness;
• Compact size and light weight.

• Noisy motor;
• Plastic case.

Sony FE 85mm f/1.8 (SEL85F18)

The model is ideal for discerning photographers who are looking for portrait lenses with a wide range without loss of quality. The standard focal length range, aperture and maximum distance just allow you to create three-dimensional portraits without loss of quality, noise and distortion.

In addition to voluminous portraits, the lens allows you to create beautiful bokeh, bright pictures in the complete absence of light.

• Low cost;
• No distortion;
• Good luminosity;
• Average dimensions.

• Fragile body.

Portrait lens for system camera

Many consider this type of lens to be more versatile and convenient for amateurs and beginners. Since they are sharpened not only for portraits, but also for subject photography and landscapes.

Variable focus allows you to play with perspective, light and distance, allowing you to create unusual shots and experiment. However, it is worth knowing that almost all variable zoom cameras are not capable of capturing such high-quality pictures as cameras with constant zoom.

Sony 50mm f/1.8 OSS (SEL-50F18)

 A good find for the owner of a non-SLR camera. For a low price, the manufacturer offers good build quality, a powerful optical stabilizer, and brightened lenses.

Cameras with such a lens are superior in build quality and shooting to many DSLRs. Super-optics allows you to get truly sharp shots. Also, a fairly wide aperture will allow you to create juicy pictures in low light.

The only negative is the lack of a focus scale, but for autofocus lovers, this drawback is completely insignificant.

• Quality assembly;
• Low price;
• Medium dimensions;
• Precise autofocus;
• Optical stabilization.

• No focus bar.

Sony Carl Zeiss Sonnar T* 55mm f/1.8 ZA (SEL-55F18Z)

A lens with a rather non-standard focal length. But this does not prevent him from creating bright and sharp pictures. In addition, the model boasts a fairly wide aperture and a small number of lenses.In addition to juiciness and high sharpness, the lens allows you to beautifully blur the bokeh. There is no distortion, distortion or glare in the photo.

The lenses work well with backlight. The only drawback is the lack of a stabilizer, but thanks to such optics, it is enough just to make the shutter speed faster and the frames will turn out to be blurry.

• Value for money;
• Quality assembly;
• Lenses and optics;
• Good sharpness and luminosity.

• Lack of stabilization.

Best telephoto lens

A telephoto lens is a complex system of optics, the focal length of which can reach from 150 to 600 mm. What is the complexity of optics? The fact is that, despite the same principle of operation of the lens, as in telescopes, microscopes, the essence of which is to increase or approximate an object, a person himself focuses his eyes on a particular object. But with the lens, everything is more complicated, since it has to be focused manually to avoid smearing the picture.

Manual focusing of a photographic lens is necessary with the help of such complex elements as special motors. They are difficult to manufacture, plus, it is necessary to specially embed a lens system for the correct approximation. Therefore, such lenses are expensive, bulky and heavy. Suitable for experienced photographers who know how to properly set up the camera, otherwise the pictures will be blurry, dirty and distorted.

Lenses with a variable focal length are common on sale, since fixes are extremely difficult to work with. They have to be constantly adjusted, and it’s impossible to photograph a moving object normally. And it is not always possible to approach or move away from the object.But, fixed focus photographic lenses can still be found on sale.

One of the main features of a telephoto is a large focal length, the larger the focus, the smaller the viewing angle. Therefore, wide-angle telephoto lenses do not exist. Due to the complexity of the assembly and the specifics of the design, it is difficult to find a camera with a high aperture, especially if the focus is variable. Therefore, some photographers choose primes, because among them you can find a lens with aperture - f / 2. But in principle, with good lighting with such optics, there should be no problems with photographs. Below are the two best models, according to photographers, telephoto lenses.

Sony 70 - 300mm f/4.5-5.6G SSM (SAL-70300G)

The model is endowed with an increasing first-class optics, which is protected from dust and moisture. The photographer is not afraid of wind or rain. The lens, according to many users, is endowed with almost perfect focus coverage. The only negative, as mentioned, is a small viewing angle. But, when shooting distant objects, its value is not critical, since the lens itself focuses on a specific object. In addition to this, the rejection of the wide-angle has reduced the volume, dimensions and weight of this model.

The second minus is not a wide aperture and a weak aperture. For sophisticated professionals, such a lens is unlikely to suit, since it can create good and high-quality pictures only in good lighting. But for amateurs and less demanding pros, this model is suitable due to the simplified design.

• Light weight for a TV set;
• Not bulky and easy to carry;
• The interior is completely protected from moisture and dust;
• "Quiet" autofocus;

• Weak aperture;
• Housing made of plastic.

Sony 75 - 300mm f/4.5-5.6

This model is able to bring the object closer to 7 times without losing the quality of the photo. At the same time, the subject being photographed will not lose its brightness and color saturation, and the background will acquire a professional blur. The viewing angle is slightly larger than the previous model, plus good stabilization.

The bulky size, weight and weak aperture ratio spoil the picture a little. But due to stabilization and autofocus, shooting problems at dusk should not arise. In extreme cases, there is a special manual setting.

Due to the simple design, fully automated system and a simple menu of options, the model can also be suitable for a novice photographer. But you should be aware that perfect shots in the absence of light cannot be obtained.

• Easy to manage;
• Suitable even for beginners;
• Good price;
• Creates rich and juicy pictures;
• No distortion and smearing in good lighting;
• There are manual adjustment functions;
• Adheres tightly to the thread;
• Protection against moisture and dust;
• Nimble autofocus.

• Small luminosity;
• Great weight and dimensions.

Lens Selection Tips

Difficulties in choosing the right lens model are experienced not only by beginners, but also by more advanced photographers. Since the market offers a considerable number of new and advanced models, it is very difficult to sort out and find exactly the one you need. A few tips will help you avoid the most common and common mistakes when choosing.

The first, albeit obvious for many, rule is that both the lens and the camera must be of high quality. Some, indeed, firmly believe that the camera is more important than the lens. This is not true.It is also difficult to agree that the lens model is more important than the camera itself. Both parts of the camera are important. And the type of lens and its characteristics perform a certain function. Just as with a weak camera and a good photo lens it is difficult to achieve good images, so with a good camera, coupled with a poor-quality or incorrectly selected lens model, decent pictures will not work.

Brand lenses, despite the inflated price tag, are mostly of high quality, because any well-known company values ​​​​its reputation. Of course, there are also a lot of worthy models from little-known manufacturers, but there is a chance of falling for low-quality goods. There are two options here: fork out for a model from a well-known manufacturer or ask more experienced photographers for a budget brand.

And the last, main point is the question: how much does a good and high-quality lens for a camera cost. As mentioned in the previous paragraph, the more famous and popular the brand, the higher the price. But if we talk about new and little-known brands, then the average price should not be lower than 10,000 rubles, and for a TV set, not less than 40,000-50,000.

This review smoothly comes to an end. The types, types and functions of lenses were described in detail: from universal to telescopic. A rating of the best models has also been compiled, grouped by the number of positive reviews from experienced photographers.

For beginners, basic advice was given: what to look for when choosing the right lens. There are many different models, but finding a more suitable one among them will not be difficult.