The Sony E Mount is home to tons of great lenses not just from Sony, but from other manufacturers. They’ve got the most third-party support of any manufacturer for their mirrorless gear. But more than that, they also have a ton of their own products. We’ve reviewed a bunch of the best Sony E Mount lenses and we think that the best offerings are their prime lenses. So we’re rounding up the best ones right here for you.
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Table of Contents
Pro Tips on Using The Best Sony E Mount Lenses
Here are some pro tips for photographers interested in the best Sony E Mount lenses.
- We’ve tested all these lenses ourselves. Further, all images in this roundup were shot by our staff. So you can know for sure that we know what we’re talking about. The links to our reviews are in each section.
- For lots of professional photographers, the best Sony E Mount lenses have a clinical image quality that emphasizes smooth bokeh, no lens flare, and as little distortion as possible. Check the corners too, because you’ll see pretty much no issues there.
- The best Sony E Mount lenses that we’re listing here have weather resistance built-in. But it’s best realized using cameras newer than the Sony a7s III.
- We’re listing out prime lenses here! Photographers tend to like these more than zooms. But zoom lenses are more useful in a bunch of situations.
- Turn of exposure preview (Live View Setting Effect) for the absolute fastest autofocus performance.
Sony 50mm f1.2 GM
Pros
- Fast to use on both the Sony a7r III and the Sony a7r IV
- Weather sealing
- Nice render
- Very sharp
- Wow, Sony actually listened to us and allowed a little bit of flare in. Bravo!
- I actually think that over $2,000 is a fair price.
- Pretty lightweight
Cons
- A few autofocus issues with strong backlighting
- Two different hard function buttons are a bit odd.
- Still has this render that’s nowhere as gorgeous as Canon’s
How’s the Image Quality?
In our review, we state:
“The Sony 50mm f1.2 G Master is great. For the folks who want clinical sharpness, you’re getting it. For the folks who complained about onion bokeh, there is none. And if you are bothered by beautiful lens flare, its soul has been sucked dry. You’ll need to put all that stuff in via post-production instead. Basically, if you don’t like sitting in front of a computer, create a camera profile instead. Otherwise, get a Pro-Mist filter or something. You’ll probably need it. Sony does this thing that adds extra contrast, clarity, and sharpness. Lots of you will like it.”
Is It Worth the Price?
For tons of photographers, this lens is very worth the price. You can pick this lens up from Amazon.
Sony 35mm f1.4 GM
Pros
- Lighter than competing lenses
- Fits in the palm of my hand
- Spectacular images
- Weather-sealed
- De-click aperture ring
Cons
- Pricey
- Some photographers won’t like the bokeh.
How’s the Image Quality?
In our review, we state:
“As part of Sony’s pro-oriented G Master series, images from the 35mm f1.4 GM did not disappoint. Both color and sharpness are excellent. Sony also did an excellent job of controlling the distortions that usually plague wide-angle lenses. Barrel distortion is barely detectable, and light fall off on the edges is soft and minor.”
Is It Worth the Price?
Of any of the lenses on this list, this one might be the one that interests you the most. You can pick this lens up from Amazon.
Sony 135mm f1.8 GM
Pros
- Excellent image quality
- Preferred focal length for portraiture
- Dust and moisture resistant
- Sturdy magnesium alloy construction
- Lighter than most 135mm lenses on the market
Cons
- Lacks stabilization
- Priced higher than Sigma’s 135mm f1.8 Art lens
How’s the Image Quality?
In our review, we state:
“When the company announced their Sony 135mm f1.8 G Master lens, we were curious to see how it would perform. The lens Sony offered for their A mount system amazed us for years. In fact, this is the fastest aperture 135mm lens on the market with autofocus. So it would only make sense that Sony improved it for the E mount and higher megapixel sensors. Indeed, images created with the Sony 135mm f1.8 G Master are consistently sharp throughout the frame, even when shooting wide open, thanks to its optics design consisting of 13 lens elements made of Super ED (Extra-low Dispersion), ED, and XA (Extreme Aspherical) arranged into 10 groups, and are paired with an 11 blade circular aperture.”
Is It Worth the Price?
If you really like the clinical look, then this is a no-brainer purchase. You can pick this lens up from Amazon.
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.