If you were to look at the 35mm lens lineup for Sony FE cameras, you’d be shocked. There are tons of 35mm lenses for them. That means there’s some overlap and a large variety of options. Want something cheaper? It’s available. How about something more premium? There are options for that too. We dove into our Reviews Index and our Sony FE Lens Guide to help you find you the best 35mm lens for Sony FE cameras. Take a look!
The Phoblographer’s various product round-up features are done in-house. Our philosophy is simple: you wouldn’t get a Wagyu beef steak review from a lifelong vegetarian. And you wouldn’t get photography advice from someone who doesn’t touch the product. We only recommend gear that we’ve fully reviewed. If you’re wondering why your favorite product didn’t make the cut, there’s a chance it’s on another list. If we haven’t reviewed it, we won’t recommend it. This method keeps our lists packed with industry-leading knowledge. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
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Pro Tips on Using a 35mm Lens for Sony FE Cameras
Here are some pro tips on choosing a 35mm lens for Sony FE Cameras.
- Sony has a few 35mm lenses that they make themselves. In fact, they make four 35mm lenses as of publishing this roundup.
- 35mm lenses for Sony FE cameras cover lots of different criteria. Need something weather-resistant? Well, our reviews literally go deep into covering this aspect.
- Just because a lens is big and heavy doesn’t mean it will suit you. Editor in Chief Chris Gampat adores his 35mm f1.8 FE. He used to own the Sigma 35mm f1.2 Art lens, but it’s too heavy.
- Don’t get suckered into faster apertures. They don’t always mean you’ll get the image quality you want.
- Sony’s lenses tend to be very clinical. So too are Sigma’s. Take that for what it’s worth.
Sigma 35mm f1.2 DG DN Art
In our review, we state:
“One of the reasons why you’d buy the Sigma 35mm f1.2 Art DG DN is the bokeh. Of course, the photographer who really enjoys bokeh will go for this lens. But for most of us, there is very little practical reason for it unless you plan on working with special lighting and delivering a unique look. Canon’s 50mm f1.2 RF provides an almost medium format look, but the Sigma doesn’t give me that vibe. Besides bokeh, the argument for an f1.2 lens would be to use it in low light. But with ISO abilities at 12,800 being fairly decent, I’d make an argument that this is rubbish. So why go for f1.2? Honestly, it’s the bokeh. You really want that slim sliver of the scene in focus. Again, couple this with off-camera lighting for a more unique look.”
Buy Now: $1,499
Sigma 35mm f2 DG DN Contemporary
In our review, we state:
“The Sigma 35mm f2 DG DN Contemporary is part of the I series of Sigma lenses. As part of the company’s contemporary lineup, it’s not at all innovative. There are tons of 35mm f2 lenses on the market. And they’re all very good. But nothing really makes the Sigma stand out.”
Buy Now: Usually around $594
Rokinon 35mm f2.8 FE
In our review, we said:
“The Rokinon 35mm f2.8 has very typical Rokinon colors. They’re saturated but not uber contrasty the way Sigma tries to make an image appear sharper than it really is. But Rokinon’s lenses have good color overall. The Rokinon 35mm f2.8 is no exception here.”
Buy now: $229
Tamron 35mm f2.8 Di III OSD
In our review, we said:
“The Tamron 35mm f2.8 Di III OSD M1:2 (Model F053) renders colors accurately with buttery smooth bokeh and negligible chromatic aberrations. When it comes to sharpness, the Tamron 35mm f2.8 wins against the pricier Sony 35mm f2.8 Zeiss, hands down. If the Tamron were any sharper, you’d have to handle it with gloves on.”
Buy now: $299
Sony 35mm f1.4 GM
In our review, we said:
“The Sony FE 35mm f1.4 GM is a joy to use, and the photos a joy to look at. I found little to complain about. The lightweight design is excellent; the de-click aperture ring a pleasure to spin. The weather-sealing handled some light snow. I love both the colors and sharpness of this lens, while distortion and flare are kept to a minimum.”
Buy now: $1,399
Sony Zeiss 35mm f2.8
In our review, we said:
“In fact, it’s an incredible lens. On the A7 it will focus like a speed demon. On the A7r it will resolve more detail than your mom will want to see in her face. Then, when you’re all done with that, you can take it out into inclement weather with no problems. Then, there is your excellent color rendition and class-leading sharpness.”
Buy now: $798
Sigma 35mm f1.4 DG DN Art
In our review, we state:
“The Sigma 35mm f1.4 Art lens is plenty sharp. Bokeh is very decent, especially when shooting wide open or with plenty of background separation. There is nothing majorly wrong with this lens. Yet, the heart and soul of what made this lens series so popular has gone missing in the quest for perfection. The nearly perfect images feel a bit flat and clinical without a significant amount of editing. If post-processing is your jam, you will love the opportunities this lens presents to get creative.”
Buy Now: $899
Sony 35mm f1.8 FE
In our review, we said:
“This lens is small, lightweight, weather-sealed, fast to focus, and can deliver excellent image quality. For the photographers who need speed, like street photographers, event photographers, and documentary shooters, it’s there. For those who want details and beautiful bokeh like portrait shooters, it’s also there.”
Buy now: $748
Zeiss 35mm f2 Loxia Biogon T*
In our review, we said:
“The Zeiss 35mm f2 Loxia for Sony full-frame E mount cameras overall exhibits incredible image quality that you can’t complain about.”
Buy now: $794.95
Sony Zeiss 35mm f1.4 ZA
In our review, we said:
“The image quality is sharp, saturated, and overall very beautiful. It beats much of the previous lenses Sony has offered, but in many ways also rivals the company’s 55mm f1.4 for their A-mount.”
Buy now: $1,598