The best zoom lenses for Sony FE cameras don’t have to cost tons of money. For a professional photographer, that means a lot! What’s more, you often don’t want something that’s going to weigh you down if you’re shooting for an entire day. That’s why we dove into our Reviews Index to find some of the best zoom lenses for Sony camera users just like you. If you’re a passionate photographer who does this as a hobby, you’ll be amazed at how great and affordable these lenses are. Check this out!
Table of Contents
Why These Are the Best Zoom Lenses for Sony Cameras That You Can Get Your Hands On
The best zoom lenses for Sony cameras pack a fair amount of innovation in them. But let’s tell you a bit more about this round-up:
- The Phoblographer’s staff has reviewed nearly every single lens available for the Sony E mount. All the images in this roundup were shot by our staff. And each section has a link to our fuller review for you to peruse and make your decisions.
- All these lenses boast weather resistance that’s some of the best we’ve seen for Sony camera offerings.
- Why are these the best zoom lenses for Sony cameras? We considered a few factors: weight, durability, reliability, image quality, autofocus performance, and cost. We don’t need to spend an exorbitant amount of money to get great performance.
- These lenses are in a really special place. They’re good enough for a professional photographer, but they’re also priced for passionate photographers who call themselves enthusiasts.
- For the best autofocus performance, turn off the Live View Setting Preview/Effect on your camera.
Tamron 17-28mm f2.8 Di III RXD
How’s the Autofocus?
In our review, we state:
“The autofocus on the Tamron 17-28mm f2.8 Di III RXD is mostly what surprised me. Of course, it’s going to be fast to focus because it’s a wide angle lens. But then I remembered that Sony owns part of Tamron. And so I’m pretty sure the two are probably working together in some ways. Photographers using the AF-C function with face detection and AF-Lock tracking will have a lot of joy using the Tamron 17-28mm f2.8 Di III RXD. Not only is it fast, but it’s also accurate most of the time.”
Who Should Buy It?
The photographer who is traveling and/or needs to capture candid scenes in tight spaces will find great joy with this lens for its solid price. Together with the 35-150mm lens featured in this roundup you can cover pretty much anything you’ll shoot.
Tamron 28-75mm f2.8 Di III VXD G2
How’s the Autofocus?
In our review, we state:
“…it focused perfectly fine on both cameras providing that the autofocus was set to the correct subject type. This worked with both moving subjects and stagnant ones. More importantly, it also worked very well in low-light.”
Who Should Buy It?
The photographer who needs a standard zoom that reaches a bit further will surely reach (pun intended) for this lens. It’s affordable, packed with weather resistance, and reliable for the price point. For that reason, it’s well-suited for portrait photographers. It’s also terrific for event photographers who can’t get as close to a subject.
Tamron 35-150mm f2-2.8 Di III VXD
How’s the Autofocus?
In our review, we state:
“…the Sony a7r III and the Sony a1 had nearly imperceptible autofocusing speed with this lens. They tracked quickly, accurately, and satisfactorily. Better yet, they did this in both good and low lighting.”
Who Should Buy It?
The professional photographer who wants more utility should pick up this lens. For the price point, this could really be the only lens you need. It’s that sweet spot between a 24-70mm and a 70-200mm and integrates an f2 aperture on the wider end. Professional photographers will also find the build-quality and other features of the lens outstanding.
This piece is presented in partnership with TAMRON. We’ve independently and ethically reviewed all the products in this post already without sponsorship. And we worked with them to recommend a few key gems to you.
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 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.