If You Just Got Your First Sony Camera, Check Out These E Mount Lenses

If you got your hands on a Sony camera over the holidays and you aren’t sure which E Mount lenses to reach for first, this roundup is for you.

If you are new to the world of Sony cameras, you should know that there are some genuinely fantastic E Mount lenses available on the market. But, it can be hard to tell if you should stick with first-party lenses, or branch out and try third-party offerings as well. We’re here to tell you that’s it’s hard to go wrong with either. Sony and companies like Rokinon, Sigma, and Tamron have been producing absolute gems for Sony cameras. While there aren’t as many quality options under $1,000 when compared to Fujifilm, Canon, and Nikon lens markets, the lenses available make up for the low numbers with their outstanding quality. After the break, we share with you eight lenses that Sony shooters should take a closer look at.

The lenses we have picked are perfect for first-time camera owners, and photographers who have been playing with photography for years. All the lenses offer excellent optics, and their output will not let you down. The best part is that each of these lenses are under $1,000, and honestly, some of them represent the best glass you can get on the Sony platform. If you’re not sure which lenses to grab for your new Sony camera, check out these E Mount lenses first.

Sigma 16mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary

Sigma’s 16mm f1.4 Contemporary should be considered a must-have for Sony APS-C shooters. This weather-sealed prime gives an equivalent focal length of 24mm on cameras like the a6400 and a6600. It has excellent optics which produce sharp images, and it’s built well too. It’s also very affordable. Here are the pros and cons from our full review:

Pros

• Fast aperture
• Weather sealing to a point
• Fast autofocus performance for the most part
• Nice bokeh
• Sharp, surprisingly sharp

Cons

• To be honest, nothing

Buy now: $399

Sony 28mm F2

This small, fast prime from Sony is perfect for those who just picked up a Full Frame Sony camera and want a wide, lightweight lens to play with. It’s ideal for street photography and documentary work, and would also be great for environmental portraits and some landscape work too. Here are the pros and cons from our full review:

Pros

• Very sharp at any aperture
• Beautiful bokeh
• Nice, small size
• Lightweight
• Pretty affordable

Cons

• Metal build on the exterior, though almost hollow feeling because it’s so lightweight

Buy now: $448

Sony 35mm F1.8 FE

This little gem of a lens from Sony is one of the best primes available on the platform. We have talked before about how versatile the 35mm focal range is, and this lens knocks it out of the park. This lens has excellent weather sealing, and produces razor-sharp images and the best colors from any Sony lens we have tested to date. Here are the pros and cons from our full review:

Pros

• Small
• Weather sealing
• Sharp, very sharp
• Beautiful bokeh
• The best colors we’ve seen from a Sony lens
• Can focus very closely
• Fast aperture
• With AF-C on the Sony a7r III, it is fast enough for street photography

Cons

• Though this is minor, we wish Sony gave us a working distance and zone focus scale for street shooting

Buy now: $748

Pro Tip: Are you feeling a little overwhelmed because of your new camera and all of the features and daunting menus? We get it. It can be hard to learn all the ins and outs of your new gear. You have two options. You can spend hours going through the manual (boring), or you can grab an easy to follow tutorial that will put you on the path to success with your new gar in no time. There are camera guides available for the Sony A7 III, the A7R III, the a9, the a6XXX series, and many more. Check them out and get up to speed in no time at all.

Rokinon 50mm F1.4 AF FE

There is a cheaper Sony 50mm f1.8 lens on the market, but when that is compared to this masterpiece from Rokinon, it’s simply no contest. This Rokinon 50mm f1.4 is simply stunning. You’ll get sharp images, gorgeous bokeh, beautiful colors, and great autofocus performance with this lens. Perfect for event photography, portraiture, and more, it’s a steal at under $500. Here are the pros and cons from our full review:

Pros

• Contrasty images
• Sharp photos
• Beautiful bokeh
• Metal feeling build on the exterior
• Autofocus that works pretty darned well

Cons

• Autofocus isn’t as fast as Sony’s
• Really wish it had weather sealing, but the price point isn’t really for that
• Pretty big

Buy now: $499

Sony 85mm F1.8 FE

The Sony 85mm f1.8 FE is one of the best lenses on the Sony platform. If you’re on a budget, this is the lens to get if you want to shoot portraits. It’s sharp, the bokeh is dreamy, it focuses as fast as lightning, it has some weather sealing, and it’s priced right. Here are the pros and cons from our full review:

Pros

• Great image quality
• Fast-focusing with the Sony a7r II and in good lighting, it will focus quickly with the Sony a7
• Nice feel, though not as great as the G Master 85mm f1.4 lens
• Weather resistance built-in
• Compact size

Cons

• Honestly, not a darn thing

Buy now: $598

Tamron 17-28mm F2.8 Di III RXD

Tamron has been making a name for themselves with their latest E Mount lenses, and they have helped Sony shooters out a lot by bringing quality, affordable lenses to the platform. The 17-28mmm f2.8 Di III RXD is an excellent lens for those who love landscape, cityscape, and astrophotography. It’s also a great lens for street work and documentary too. It’s nicely weather-sealed, built incredibly well, and costs well under $1,000. Here are the pros and cons from our full review:

Pros

• Weather sealed
• Sharp image quality
• Fast autofocus – nearly on the same level as Sony’s
• Compact
• Lightweight
• Overall pretty useful

Cons

• Our qualms aren’t as much with this lens as they are with Tamron’s f2.8 zoom trinity

Buy now: $899

Pro Tip: As with all lenses (and gear for that matter), to get the most out of them, you absolutely must take care of them by cleaning them regularly. Giving them a quick wipe down before and during use will prevent dust spots from ruining your shots, and deep cleaning them bi-weekly will ensure that they work well over their life span. You don’t need a fancy cleaning kit that costs a fortune either. This one will do the job just fine.

Sony 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 OSS

If you shoot with a Sony APS-C camera and you want one of their E Mount lenses that can replace the need for having many lenses, the Sony 18-135mm f3.5-5.6 OSS will grab your attention. This lens covers the most popular focal lengths and makes travel light. If you plan on traveling, or just like the idea of having a minimalist setup, this is the lens to reach for. Here are the pros and cons from our full review:

Pros

• Variety of focal lengths in a small body
• Lightweight
• Fun
• Pretty darned good image quality

Cons

• Price could be a bit lower

Buy now: $648

Tamron 28-75mm F2.8 Di III RXD

The Tamron 28-75mm f2.8 Di III RXD is a fantastic lens for the working pro who does not wish to drop over four figures on a lens with this focal range. Don’t let the price fool you: this lens is spectacular. The optics are insanely good, its all-around performance matches that of the Sony G Master, and it costs less than $1,000. What’s not to love? Here are the pros and cons from our full review:

Pros

• Weather sealing
• Sharp optics
• Fast-focusing in pretty much any situation
• Nice bokeh
• Small and lightweight
• Considerably under $1,000
• More than good enough for what most photographers will need to do: there is going to be much less measurbation in this review than normal.

Cons

• Some folks may gawk at the fact that it isn’t a Sony G Master lens and will fetishize the G Master series in the same way Canon shooters put L glass on a pedestal vs many others

Buy now: $879