This post has been fully updated to reflect 2019 lenses and camera options.
The a6500, a6400, a6300, and a6000 are great mid-range mirrorless options in the Sony lineup. These APS-C (crop sensor) cameras are compact but powerful and good for people who want to take excellent photos but don’t want to haul around a heavy DSLR or full frame mirrorless camera.
Let’s take a look at the best lenses for the a6500, a6400, a6300, and a6000 cameras. We break up this list into 2 main categories: zoom and prime lenses, each of which has their own benefits. Zoom lenses give you the versatility of multiple focal lengths in one package. Prime lenses have a fixed focal length but are known for being exceptionally sharp and also can be more portable.
Intro to the a6000 Series
If you don’t already own an a6000 series camera, or are thinking about upgrading, here is a quick primer:
Though this series came out before the a7 series did, people think of the a6000 series as a “younger sibling” of Sony’s flagship full frame mirrorless collection. They sport a small 23.5 × 15.6mm sensor size and, thus, are smaller all around. They are simpler than the a7 series but still pack in a lot of useful features, including ultra fast autofocus.
Sony a6000
• Released in 2014.
• Maxes out at Full HD for video.
• No ports for external mics or headphones.
• No touch features on LCD.
• 360-shot battery life.
Sony a6300
• Released in 2016.
• Shoots UHD 4K video and 120 FPS slow motion.
• 1/8″ Microphone port.
• No touch features on LCD.
• 400-shot battery life.
Sony a6500
• Released in 2016.
• Shoots UHD 4K video and 120 FPS slow motion.
• 1/8″ Microphone port.
• Touchscreen LCD
• Built-in stabilization.
• 350-shot battery life.
Sony a6400
• Released in 2019.
• Shoots unlimited UHD 4K video and 120 FPS slow motion.
• 1/8″ Microphone port.
• Touchscreen LCD with larger tilting range.
• 410-shot battery life.
Choosing between the a6400 and a6500 looks tricky at first. Their numerical title order is out of step with their actual release date – the a6500 is older than the a6400. The a6400 is benefited from newer technology, with a 180° flipping screen, fast AF, and superb tracking – not to mention the long-awaited “limitless” video recording capabilities. It also sports a deeper grip. But the a6500 still boasts a wider ISO range, larger buffer for continuous shooting in RAW, and 5-axis in-body stabilization. Both feature 4K shooting, 3.5mm microphone ports, and slow motion capability.
E Mount Lenses for Sony a6500, a6400, a6300 and a6000
- Sony 10-18mm f/4 OSS
- Sony 16-70mm f/4 ZA OSS
- Sony PZ 18-105mm f/4 G OSS
- Sony 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS
- Sony 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 OSS LE
- Sony 55-210mm f/4.5-6.3
- Sony 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G OSS
- Zeiss Touit 12mm f/2.8
- Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary
- Sony 20mm f/2.8
- Sony 24mm f/1.8 ZA Carl Zeiss Sonnar
- Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary
- Sony 50mm f/1.8 OSS
- Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 G OSS Macro
7 Recommended Zoom Lenses for a6000 Series E Mount Cameras
All of the cameras in the a6000 line use the same system. They have the same size sensor and mount type. These cameras work with all Sony E mount lenses and can work with lenses of other mount types with the use of an adapter.
Photographers who are switching from a DSLR to the Sony system (or those who have a specific lens they love) often use adapters so their E mount cameras can work with almost any lens. With a good adapter, lens options aren’t a limiting factor with these mirrorless cameras.
Each of these cameras are sold as standalone bodies or as part of a kit with Sony’s 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 lens. The 16-50mm kit lens covers a versatile focal range, but other lenses can offer different perspectives, wider apertures, better bokeh, and faster autofocus. If you want to level up your photography, you may want to go beyond the kit zoom lens.
Sony 10-18mm f/4 OSS ($35* for a 3 Day Rental)
The Sony 10-18mm f/4 is one of the best E mount landscape lenses for Sony a6000-series users – especially for those who like to shoot ultra wide. The 10-18mm f/4 is tack-sharp in the center with only minor softening at the sides of the frame. Distortion is minimal for a lens this wide.
The built-in Optical SteadyShot image stabilization system provides a 4-stop shutter speed advantage, making it significantly easier to achieve crisp, blur-free images and video. The internal focusing system allows for a rapid AF response time and extra-low dispersion glass prevents chromatic aberration and increases contrast. The Sony 10-18mm f/4 is super solid and well built, which is good considering that it is most likely to be used by landscape photographers who are out in the elements. With a minimum focusing distance of under a foot, you can also create exaggerated perspectives when shooting up close.
Summary:
• Sharp in the center, softer in the edges.
• Relatively limited focal range.
• Has image stabilization.
• Has a constant maximum aperture, so you get f/4 even at the longer end of the range if you need it.
• Minimum focusing distance lets you get close to your subject.
• Great for landscapes, architecture, cityscapes, interiors.
Sony 16-70mm f/4 ZA OSS ($46 for a 3 Day Rental)
The Sony 16-70mm f/4 ZA OSS is among the best E mount zoom lenses for the Sony a6000, a6300, a6400, and a6500. This lens has a wide focal range, allowing it to capture all types of subjects. Want to take closeup portraits as well as wide landscape shots? This lens will let you do it. The 16-70mm f/4 lens has Carl Zeiss anti-reflective coatings to cut down on glare and ghosting. The Optical SteadyShot image stabilization minimizes the appearance of camera shake on the long end of the focal range or when shooting in low light.
This lens does have a small amount of chromatic aberration in the form of purple fringing near the edges of the frame but it is fairly minor and can be managed by stopping down your aperture. The 16-70mm f/4 has some barrel distortion typical of wide angle lenses but it is not severe. If you want one super versatile lens to take on your travels or use while walking around town, this is an excellent choice.
Summary:
• Perfect “walking around” range.
• Has image stabilization.
• Constant maximum aperture, so you get f/4 even at the longer end of the range if you need it.
• Exhibits some barrel distortion.
• Great for events, candids, and street photography.
Sony PZ 18-105mm f/4 G OSS ($30 for a 3 Day Rental)
Sony’s E mount 18-105mm f/4 G OSS lens is a well-priced option for photographers wanting an upgrade from the kit lens in terms of quality and focal range. This solidly-built, metal-barreled lens has a quiet motor and smoothly-turning focus rings which make shooting both photos and video a breeze. Handycam technology is used, along with a floating axis design, to provide smooth, quiet zooming performance that is also well-suited to movie recording. The dedicated focusing ring allows for direct manipulation of focus along with separate power zoom and manual focus controls for greater precision.
This lens produces images that are very sharp at the center, especially when shot between f/4 and f/5.6. Sharpness near the edge of the frame deteriorates at apertures from f/18 to f/22 but it is not enough to be a problem for most people. This is a versatile lens that performs well in a variety of conditions and is a great option for video.
Summary:
• Handycam technology for quiet performance.
• Perfect “walking around” range.
• Solidly built with a metal barrel.
• Has image stabilization.
• Sharpness declines at the extreme ends of the range.
• Great for videography, travel, events.
Sony 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS ($28 for a 3 Day Rental)
The Sony 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS lens is an incredibly versatile lens for the beginner photographer. With the crop sensor, the 18mm wide end is solidly wide without going into ultra wide territory. The 135mm telephoto end will also provide a fair amount of reach for when you want to zoom in.
The variable maximum aperture is probably not fast enough for demanding photographers, but the image stabilization will help keep your photos sharp even when you need to slow your shutter speed a little bit to compensate in low light. Variable maximum apertures means that on the 18mm end of the range, you can open your aperture as wide as f/3.5. But on the telephoto end, your maximum is limited to only as wide as f/5.6. However, for a lens of this range, it does have a relatively close 1.5′ minimum focusing distance, which is nice in smaller spaces. This is a great and affordable travel lens.
Summary:
• Expansive focal range.
• Variable maximum aperture reduces low light performance at telephoto end.
• Affordable.
• Has image stabilization.
• Great for beginners, travel, events.
Sony 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 OSS LE ($32 for a 3 Day Rental)
This lens is a lot like the lens above but with a little bit more reach on the telephoto end (but that includes a sacrifice in maximum aperture at that range). The 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 OSS LE is a good option for photographers looking for a high quality wide-to-long-range zoom. While this lens is known for taking very sharp images, especially at the long end, its biggest asset is probably its wide focal range, which allows for one lens to be used in a variety of settings – and even for video! Its quiet, linear motor is inherited from higher-end Sony camcorders.
Because of its variable aperture range of f/3.5-6.3, it is not as adept as some of the others in low light situations. But if you are shooting in well-lit areas, it is more than capable. This lens produces no noticeable fringing throughout most of its focal length and only a tiny amount at both 18mm and 200mm.
As expected with a lens with this wide of a focal range, some barrel distortion will occur – especially near 18mm. Post-processing in Lightroom or Photoshop may correct these effects. The massive focal range makes this one of the best travel lenses for Sony E mount cameras.
Summary:
• Expansive focal range.
• Variable maximum aperture reduces low light performance at telephoto end.
• Has image stabilization.
• Linear motor adopted from higher-end camcorder lenses.
• Great for beginners, travel, events, wildlife, sports, and video.
Sony 55-210mm f/4.5-6.3 OSS ($21 for a 3 Day Rental)
The Sony 55-210mm f/4.5-6.3 lens is a great sports lens for the Sony a6000, a6300, a6400, and a6500. It’s also a superb choice for safari because you get all this range for under 1 pound. This lens will zoom in on your subjects from far enough away that you would never miss the action while also being just wide enough to capture environmental shots. This lens doesn’t have significant distortion but it does exhibit a fairly large amount of sun flare when the sun is near the frame – a bonus to some, depending on your style.
The Optical SteadyShot image stabilization minimizes the appearance of camera shake by up to 4 stops and does an excellent job of preventing image blur. While this lens may not be able to handle low light as well as some others, when it comes to well-lit sports and wildlife shooting it does a good job, especially for the price.
Summary:
• Mid-to-telephoto focal range.
• Variable maximum aperture reduces low light performance at telephoto end.
• Has image stabilization.
• No distortion but tendency to flare.
• Great for birding, outdoor sports, and safari.
Sony FE 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G OSS ($51 for a 3 Day Rental)
Providing a super telephoto range in a portable form factor is rare. The Sony FE 70-200mm is a sports-and-wildlife-dedicated lens that is also under 2 lbs. It features dust and moisture resistance for use outdoors and has a convenient Focus Hold button for critical shots. Its focal range equivalent on a crop sensor is 105-450mm, which is phenomenal reach. A special Focus Range Limiter lets you constrain the usable focusing range to either 9.8′ to infinity or the full range of 3′ to infinity for fast focusing during sports and wildlife shooting.
Equipped with Optical SteadyShot image stabilization, this lens can perform admirably when shooting with slower shutter speeds but do note that it has a variable maximum aperture which will sacrifice your wide aperture options at the long end of the range. It’s sharp throughout but is a hair sharper at the wide end of the range. Stopping down your aperture will improve your results – typical of many zooms in this range. Do note that this lens does not have any panning or tripod-sensing modes, which might be sorely missed in a lens of this type meant for sports and wildlife.
Summary:
• Incredible telephoto range in a portable package.
• Dust and moisture resistant.
• Variable maximum aperture reduces low light performance at telephoto end.
• Has image stabilization.
• Sharp but best stopped-down.
• Great for birding, outdoor sports, and safari.
7 Recommended Prime Lenses for a6000 Series E Mount Cameras
Prime lenses are favored for their fast apertures, crisp detail, and relatively small size. While zooms are more versatile in situations where you need 1 lens to perform for a bunch of different subjects, primes are great for getting to know and love a certain focal length since each prime supports only 1 angle of view. You have to “zoom with your feet”, as they say. Primes are often easy to handle, great in low light, and ideal for beginners and pros alike.
Zeiss Touit 12mm f/2.8 ($42 for a 3 Day Rental)
Zeiss is known for making high quality lenses that take crystal-clear photos and the Touit 12mm f/2.8 is no exception. This E mount lens is designed for landscape photographers who love shooting with ultra wide prime lenses – and it excels at its job. While this lens does produce some moderate barrel distortion, this can be almost entirely corrected in post processing.
Ghosting and sun flare are very minimal with this lens, although its bokeh leaves something to be desired. If you’re looking for a wide angle lens with sharp optics and a high build quality, the Zeiss Touit 12mm f/2.8 is a great option. Touit is pronounced like “do it” and is the name of a small and agile parrot. This lens represents agility and mobility. It is designed to have a long working life with its rigid metal bayonet mount and rubberized control ring. It is designed specifically for crop sensor cameras like the a6000/a6300/a6400/a6500.
Summary:
• Reliable Zeiss construction.
• Exhibits some barrel distortion and unremarkable bokeh.
• Very little ghosting or flare.
• Great for street photography, landscapes, and cityscapes.
Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary ($21 for a 3 Day Rental)
From Sigma’s Contemporary line of high-performance lenses, this 16mm lens offers ultra fast, wide angle capabilities to E mount shooters. With the very wide f/1.4 aperture, photographers can get smooth, beautiful out of focus backgrounds. Sigma’s Contemporary line is known for having high quality optics in lightweight and affordable packages. It’s equipped with a stepping motor which provides, fast, smooth and quiet autofocus for shooting video.
This lens is well suited for landscapes, cityscapes, and interiors. It’s also optically designed to minimize sagittal coma flare, which means this lens a very good choice for night sky shooting. It is built with a special emphasis on quiet performance and corrected optical distortion.
Summary:
• Low distortion.
• Stepping motor suitable for video.
• Ultra wide field of view with fast maximum aperture.
• Great for landscapes, cityscapes, architecture, interiors, astrophotography.
Sony 20mm f/2.8 ($28 for a Three Day Rental)
One of the primary reasons people purchase mirrorless cameras like the a6000 series is because of their small size – which is largely negated when you put a heavy lens on the front. The Sony 20mm f/2.8 is a “pancake” style lens that represents a solid upgrade from the kit lens in a tiny, flat package.
This lens produces images that are fairly sharp in the center at f/2.8 and very sharp when you stop down to f/5.6. The 20mm pancake weighs just 2.5 ounces and is under an inch thick, making it a really good choice for people whose primary concern is weight. Photographers who want their mirrorless camera to feel like a point and shoot will love this lens. It’s equipped with a stepping motor which provides, fast, smooth and quiet autofocus for shooting video. It is designed for crop sensor format which gives you an equivalent field of view of 30mm – a great length for street photography.
Summary:
• Sharp when stopped down.
• Stepping motor suitable for video.
• Unique wide-normal field of view.
• Ultra portable.
• Great for street photography, travel, events, candids.
Sony 24mm f/1.8 Carl Zeiss Sonnar ($40 for a 3 Day Rental)
If you are upgrading from the kit lens and only the best will do, the Sony 24mm f/1.8 Carl Zeiss Sonnar lens is an excellent choice. Sure, you’ll be losing some flexibility by switching from a zoom to a prime lens, but you will be rewarded with sharper images and better low light performance. The 24mm focal length is wide enough for landscapes but not so wide as to be unusable for portraits.
This lens has strong light falloff at f/1.8 which can be mitigated by enabling the camera’s “shading compensation” feature. This lens’ minor pincushion distortion can be controlled with in-camera distortion compensation. This lens produces good bokeh, especially for being so wide. The autofocus system operates with a linear motor and a stepping motor that is quiet enough for video shooting.
Summary:
• Very sharp.
• Exhibits some pincushion distortion.
• High amount of bokeh for its angle of view.
• Stepping motor suitable for video.
• Great for landscapes, group portraits , street photography.
Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary ($18 for a 3 Day Rental)
From Sigma’s Contemporary line of high-performance lenses, this 30mm lens offers an ultra fast aperture and a unique wide-normal angle of view. Sigma’s Contemporary line is known for having high quality optics in lightweight and affordable packages. It’s equipped with a stepping motor which provides, fast, smooth and quiet autofocus for shooting video.
Equipped with a high-refractive index element, this lens produces little-to-no spherical aberrations and distortion for increased clarity and definition. It has a minimum focusing distance of under a foot, which is great for closeup work. It is ranked in the top 5 of primes for crop sensor E mount shooters according to DXOMARK.
Summary:
• Sharp with very few aberrations.
• Unique wide-normal field of view.
• Stepping motor suitable for video.
• Scores highly against other lenses in its class.
• Great for group portraits, street photography, candids.
Sony 50mm f/1.8 OSS ($19 for a 3 Day Rental)
Every brand has their own version of the affectionately-called “nifty fifty” – a fast, though inexpensive, 50mm lens that is a great entry point prime for many photographers. Sony’s version offers good low light performance and bokeh. This lens is very sharp around f/4 and, for the price, produces very good bokeh.
The Sony 50mm f/1.8 OSS is equipped with both a linear motor and stepping motor for exceptionally quiet and continuous AF, making it suitable for video projects. It offers Optical Image Stabilization, which is uncommon in a lens of this class, and also sports a Direct Manual Focus feature to give you fine manual focus control even after the AF has locked onto the subject.
Summary:
• High quality and affordable.
• Stepping motor suitable for video.
• Has image stabilization.
• Great for street photography, candids, beginners.
Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 G OSS Macro ($48 for a 3 Day Rental)
While a bit big for an a6000 series camera, the Sony FE 90mm is worthy of any E mount list. It’s very popular and scores excellently on DXOMARK. Offering a 1:1 magnification ratio and a fast f/2.8 maximum aperture, this lens works as well for portraits as it does for macro work. It features a focus hold button that, when pressed, keeps the lens locked to that focusing distance. This makes delicate macro shooting and wildlife tracking easier.
This lens is equipped with a linear motor which provides, fast, smooth and quiet autofocus for shooting video. It also offers Optical Image Stabilization to minimizes the appearance of camera shake when shooting at slower shutter speeds. The 90mm focal length is long enough to give you distance between you and your macro subject (you often don’t want to be too close to insects and other small living creatures) while also being long enough for some wildlife subjects. The bokeh potential is strong with this lens, a great feature for portraits.
Summary:
• Scores excellently for its class.
• 1:1 magnification ratio.
• Relatively large and heavy.
• Has image stabilization.
• Great for macro work, portraits, some wildlife, some indoor sports.
Tips for Choosing a Sony Lens
Sony E mount lens offerings have exploded in the last few years. So much so that it’s getting more and more difficult to narrow down the best ones – especially that combine quality with versatility and price without being too large or complex. More brands are coming on board with E mount versions of their lenses, particular for cinema. The future of E mount looks very bright. Here are some general tips to supplement the recommendations above to help you find the perfect lens:
• Gold Master Series: If you see “GM” in the lens title, that means it’s part of Sony’s G Master series. These are designed for full frame cameras, like the a7 series, but mount perfectly well to a6000 series cameras. They support high resolution sensors and feature beautiful bokeh, superior handling, and leading technology for the fastest, most precise autofocus. They are also expensive.
• Gold Series: A predecessor to G Master. High-grade lenses with fast maximum apertures.
• Optical SteadyShot: When you see “OSS” in a lens title, you’ll know it comes with image stabilization.
• Power Zoom: Somtimes you’ll see “PZ” in a Sony lens title. On these lenses, there is the option to activate zoom using a rocker switch instead of just zooming by hand with a control ring. This can provide much smoother results when shooting video. Its technology is borrowed from Sony’s Handycam line.
• Special Note on FE: You will see lens titles with “FE” in them and others that just say “E Mount”. This is confusing because FE looks like a mount type – it’s not. “FE” designates that it’s built for full frame sensors. Fortunately, Sony’s full frame mirrorless cameras – like the a7 III or a7R IV – are E mount just as the APS-C mirrorless cameras (a6500, a6300) are. All FE lenses are compatible with both types of camera. However, not all non-FE E mount lenses are compatible with full frame – some are built specifically for crop frame. But the a7 series cameras all have a crop frame mode, so if you’re ever stuck using a crop frame lens on one, just switch into that mode!
We hope this helps you find your perfect lens – whether to rent for a one-time occasion or to purchase and have forever. Check out all of our rentals here and our used gear sales here.
*As of this writing. Pricing subject to change.
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Hi, I noticed the Sony FE 24-240mm f/3.5-6.3 OSS Lens is not on the zoom list. Is it because it’s a full frame lens so maybe not necessarily designed particularly for the 6300 series? Or do you not like it as much?
That lens is also suitable for a crop sensor camera and will provide a field of view closer to 36-360mm when paired with something like an a6300. That lens is on the more expensive side to purchase (or at least it was when this was published) so I believe the author was trying to keep the list below $800-ish for each lens (with the exception of the Sony Vario-Tessar T* E Mount 16-70mm f/4 ZA OSS Lens, but at f/4 across the entire zoom range, that is a relatively fast lens and those always ring up a little higher brand new).
For macro i prefer the zeiss 50mm macro.
Hello this is really good information but which lense would you recommend for video??
This list might help narrow it down for you. These are good, portable crop sensor-specific E mount lenses that are designed for video shooting while still being perfectly suitable for still photography as well: https://www.borrowlenses.com/products/Mount+Type/Sony+E+Mount/blp_hybridlens/hybridlens?sortBy=numOrders
These Sony are worthless to me for what I want as there is no equivalent and small 35mm or 50mm equivalent lenses. Deal breaker as it makes the camera big. Even aps-c dslr like canon have smaller available lenses.
What about the 35 mm ONS f1.8?
In addition to a 35mm f/1.8mm for a low light prime lens. Are both 2. Sony 16-50mm f/2.8 A Mount Lens and 3. Sony 16-70mm f/4 ZA OSS serving a similar purpose of replacing a mid-zoom kit lens? And if so, other than price is there any reason to recommend the 16-50 over the 16-70 presuming I’ll sacrifice zoom for the 35mm prime lens in low light?
Yeah, that’s a little tough. You are losing a little reach with the 16-50, but it is faster at f/2.8 (note that I mean faster from a light-gathering perspective – not necessarily from an AF perspective). However, the 16-70 f/4 is made with Zeiss glass, which is high quality, and has image stabilization. As you said, they both serve the purpose of being a mid-range zoom that you can just leave on your camera and use in just about all situations. I personally think the 16-70 f/4 is a little more versatile in this respect. But people really love the 16-50, too. Of course I would say this working here, but – really – you can just rent both and get a feel for which one is truly right for you.
I want to take really good action photos. Which lens should I purchase for the Sony a600. I would like it for basketball and soccer.
Hi, I am looking to move to an A6500 from A-mount.
I have currently
Tamron 17-50/2.8 Aspherical LD XR DiII SP
Sony SAL35F18
Sony SAL20F28
Tamron 28-300/3.5-6.3 Macro Aspherical XR LD (IIF)
Are any of these worth using on an A6500 with the LAE-A4 adapter, or should I just bite the bullet and go E-mount all at once? ( I use the SAL20F28 and the Tamron 17-50 the most)
thanks
Other folks – please feel free to disagree with me since saving money is definitely a good thing. But, personally, I’d bite the bullet and go E mount. That’s a super great camera that could use some glass that’s designed specifically for it. I used the a6300 and the 16-70mm E mount lens on a trip last year (https://www.borrowlenses.com/product/Sony-VarioTessar-T-E-Mount-16-70mm-f4-ZA-OSS-Lens) and if I HAD to only buy 1 lens for an a6500, that would probably be it. Here are some sample images: http://www.alexandriahuff.com/Sony-a6300-1670mm-Sample-Images/n-3PNxQZ/
Thank you…. great article and very helpful…..
One question, I have Sony A6000 with lens kit and I’d like to upgrade the lenses….
I need:
1. Portrait with great bokeh
2. Mid Wide (not too wide), at least can take average landscape
3. Prefer can zoom, not fix
I know there is no perfect lenses for all my wishes…. I put number 1 to 3 following my most priority.
which lenses will you recommend for me?
Ok, some things for you to think over:
I really love this lens when paired with anything in the a6000 series: https://www.borrowlenses.com/product/Sony-VarioTessar-T-E-Mount-16-70mm-f4-ZA-OSS-Lens
It is the equivalent to about a 24-105mm lens in full frame terms (see this article if you don’t know what that means: https://www.borrowlenses.com/blog/new-dslr-owners-what-you-must-know-about-full-frame-vs-crop-frame-sensors-before-choosing-a-lens/), which is a really standard range for just about any portrait/event/landscape/everyday shooter.
However, it doesn’t have a super wide maximum aperture. f/4 is good but not great – and if you really like that bokeh/out-of-focus background look, you’ll want something “faster”. Unfortunately, the lenses with the widest maximum apertures tend to be primes, or “fixed”, which I know you don’t want.
So another option would be to go with an FE lens. The Sony FE lenses are designed for full frame cameras, like the a7 series, but mount perfectly fine onto crop sensor cameras like your a6000. But they are expensive. Here’s an example lens that has a nice maximum aperture of f/2.8 and an “equivalent” field of view of 24-52.5mm for a camera like yours. Wide enough for landscape and just long enough for portraits: https://www.borrowlenses.com/product/Sony-FE-16-35mm-f-2-8-GM-Lens
But do test out the 16-70mm. This isn’t a fantastic example since I didn’t take a lot of portraits in Iceland, but you can see the out-of-focus background quality on this candid shot at f/4 and it’s pretty ok, especially on a crop sensor camera: http://www.alexandriahuff.com/Misc-Photos-for-Blog-Posts-Comments-Etc/n-TtM55p/i-wrpC4HC/A
Which is a good lens which i could use on my A6000 to shoot interview videos? Will 50mm 1.8f do the job? Anything that keeps two people in focus with a bit of bokeh thrown in.
I bought a Sigma, 30mm, F1.4 lens with an e-mount so it adapts directly to my Sony a6500. Overall, it is a good lens for indoor photography when used in the aperture, shutter, or manual mode of the a6500, because it tends to give lower ISO values allowing for larger prints. When used in the “auto” mode, the software of the a6500 seems to select higher ISO in favor of short shutter speeds. I’m not a professional photographer and this is my first attempt with an interchangeable lens camera. I bought the Sony 18-105mm, F4 at the recommendation of the camera shop where I purchased my camera, but for indoor photos the ISO values are much higher with F4 than the Sigma 30mm, F1.4. Still learning how to use both lenses with a recently acquired external flash. Perhaps, my opinion will change, but I think lower ISO offers greater clarity and detail especially when people are in the photos.
Thank you for the very informative post! I want to try to take some close up videos of insects but I can’t seem to find the right lense. I have a Sony A6300. And when I say close up, I mean to the point of being able to see detail on an eye of a fly. Kind of like the Sony 100mm f/2.8 A Mount Macro lense which is the last on your list but a little bit closer would be even better. And would it even be possible to shoot video at that close range? Any suggestions would be awesome! Thank you!
I have an A6000 – trying to determine which adapter I should get to use my SAL18250 from old A55 that no longer works…should I get the LAE3 or 4
thanks for your assistance
I would go with the LA-EA4 because it has more expansive AF support over the LA-EA3. You can compare the 2 here: https://www.borrowlenses.com/product/LAEA3-Sony-AMount-Lens-to-EMount-Camera-Adapter vs https://www.borrowlenses.com/product/LAEA4-Sony-AMount-Lens-to-EMount-Camera-Adapter-with-Translucent-Mirror
Thank you … appreciate the quick response
Thanks for the article, an excellent summary of what’s available. Still pathetic and makes absolutely no sense given m4/3 and Fuji.
I received the the Sony a6000 with the 16-50mm and 55-210mm kit lenses. I purchased the LA-EA4 adapter so I can use my old (Minolta Maxxum 7000i) AF 50mm f/1.7 and ProSpec (Minolta licensed) FA 28-200mm f/3.6-5.6 on my a6000.
My wife and I are going on a vacation trip to travel by canal boat in France this summer and I’ve been binging YouTube to better understand what is possible with the lenses I already own, and whether I should consider adding to, or replacing the lenses I already have. It is also possible that we will meet a friend in Istanbul, Turkey for a few days.
From what I’ve gathered so far, the old Minolta 50mm f/1.7 prime lens is the only low-light lens in my collection, which is a bit to limiting for inside shots, considering with the a6000 it is really a 75mm. My other concern is that I have my kit 55-210mm f/4.5-6.3 lens and my old 28-200mm-infinity f/3.5-5.6 lens which are different in many areas of consideration, yet have similar reach.
Based on all the research I’ve done, I narrowed the search for the low-light/indoor lens candidates to the Sony 35mm f/1.8 and/or the Sigma 16mm f/1.4. Given the wide vistas along the canals and the close-quarters, hustle-bustle of Istanbul, I’m not sure which is best, or if I’ve missed another great candidate all together.
I guess you could boil all this down to a single question. If you had this existing equipment, and were going on a once-in-a-lifetime trip such as this, what lenses would you bring with you? I should also add that i may only be able to spend between $300-$500 max.
You’ll always be a little caught in the middle when it comes to reach vs speed (at least, where budget is also an issue). Primes are famously faster and great candidates for low light shooting. But they are, as you mentioned, limiting on the road (granted – some people love that constraint for artistic reasons). I think you have to ask yourself some questions before you decide. For example, if I am taking a trip where I will mostly be going to museums and churches, will mostly be just walking around in cities, and taking portraits of who I am traveling with, then I will most certainly take a fast-maximum-aperture prime – maybe even several. If I am going to be mostly on-the-go and bouncing around various kinds of transportation and environments and generally just trying to take in the sights (while mostly being outside), then you’ll thank yourself for only take 1 good-for-most-stuff style zoom lens, even it the max aperture isn’t astounding. I pack really differently if I am going to be in 1 spot for a long time vs trying to soak in a bunch of locations. If your trip is more the latter, I’d try and narrow down to a single wide-range zoom, since carrying this stuff around gets to be a bit much. Ok, rambling over. My recommendation? I personally love the Sony E mount 16-70 f/4 (it’s outside your purchasing price budget but it can be rented: https://www.borrowlenses.com/product/Sony-VarioTessar-T-E-Mount-16-70mm-f4-ZA-OSS-Lens). I took it to Iceland and Jordan and was pleased with its versatility: http://www.alexandriahuff.com/Sony-a6300-1670mm-Sample-Images/n-3PNxQZ/
I shoot with the sigma 16mm 1.4 I have to tell you it’s very sharp even at 1.4. Now I’m comparing it too my Sony 50mm 1.8 witch is fantastic very sharp also but the sigma has it beat.
I’m not a pixel popper or a pro at this. But I have eyes and you can definitely tell the difference. Maybe the Sony A6300 can get a software update one day and take care of the small dogs.
Great article. Hoping for recommendation for a lens for my A6000 to take sports/action pics. I have traditionally done landscape and have a couple of wide angles but looking to branch out.
If you’re not worried about staying portable, this is a great choice: https://www.borrowlenses.com/product/Sony-FE-70200mm-f28-GM-OSS-Lens. But, again, it’s a pretty big lens and on the a6000 the balance might not be comfortable. If you’re going to be mostly stationary, though, then pairing the lens collar with a monopod would be a great setup for sports (https://www.borrowlenses.com/product/Induro_monopod).
thanks – was looking for something a bit less expensive. may try out the F4 version though. any other suggestions? in the 100mm type range?
This one might be more suiting for you: https://www.borrowlenses.com/Product.do?code=Sony-E-Mount-55-210mm-f45-63-OSS-Lens. You’re sacrificing a bit on maximum aperture but if you don’t plan on shooting wide open anyway then it won’t be missed. It has a lot of range flexibility and is a lot more affordable.
Hi! What would be the equivalent or closest to a 35mm full frame on the Sony a6000
Also, what do you suggest as must haves for wedding photography?
This 24mm will “read” more like a 36mm on the a6000 and would be a good prime lens choice for street photography and candids: https://www.borrowlenses.com/product/Zeiss_24mm_sony
For weddings, if you want to stick with just 1 lens for your a6000 for the entire event, I would consider a zoom. A good option to rent is this one: https://www.borrowlenses.com/product/Sony-EMount-PZ-18105mm-f4-G-OSS-Lens
Is there a reason the Sony 18-135 mm lens wasn’t mentioned on here? I’m undecided what to get for travel lenses for all purpose (portraits, landscape, street, indoor). Which one is better among these: 18-105mm / 18-135 mm/ or 18-200mm?
I have sigma 30mm f 1.4 and canon manual FD 70-210 mm for now
This was written in 2016 and the new Sony 18-135mm (rentable here: https://www.borrowlenses.com/product/sony-18-135mm-OSS-E-Mount-Lens) hadn’t been released yet. It is very suitable for all-purpose shooting and it’s very compact for its focal range.
Hello everyone,
i have a Tamron 70-300mm F/4-5.6 LD DI which i bought for my Pentax k-30(no more in use).
I want to know if i can i use it for my Sony A6000?
You cannot. Pentak uses a K mount system and the a6000 series uses an E mount system. Here are some lenses to consider instead: https://www.borrowlenses.com/products/Lenses/Sony+E+Mount/Photo/APS-C+Coverage
Harry, you can buy adapters on amazon and use lenses that are of different mounts. I have a6500 and use Pentax and Canon lenses besides mount E lenses.
I am a Nikon user with several lenses. I recently purchased a refurbished Sony Nex 7 to see if I like the size of the alpha camera. I do; I like it very much. I bought the 16-50mm pancake lens and the 55-210 lens. Going to the sea shore soon for a vacation and want a nice mid wide lens. So thinking of the Sigma 30mm 1.8. I am assuming it fits the Nex 7.
A 30mm on the crop sensor of the NEX-7 will “read” more like a 45mm, which is closer to a normal field of view than a wide one. If you want to use a semi-wide prime, I would consider the Sigma 16mm for E mount (https://www.borrowlenses.com/product/Sigma-16mm-Contemporary-E-Mount-Lens). It will read like a 24mm on your camera. Learn more about that here: https://www.borrowlenses.com/blog/new-dslr-owners-what-you-must-know-about-full-frame-vs-crop-frame-sensors-before-choosing-a-lens/.
I appreciate any help or comments. I am looking for a relatively long zoom lens for one of these camera bodies that is particularly good in low light conditions (volcano at night, northern lights). Given all of the trade-offs, which would you recommend, price not being a consideration? Many thanks!
Why was the 100mm macro f2.8 A-mount chosen over the 90mm macro f2.8 FE-mount for best Macro lens? The 90mm macro f2.8 needs no adapter and IMHO is the sharpest lens available for E-mount.
Good day,
I have the Sony-E-Mount-55-210mm / f4.5-6.3 Lens with an a6000. I want to do a bit more wildlife shooting and while this lens has been fine, I find that I want a longer range.
This is a great write-up and the comments section has been extremely informative. Is there a specific higher zoom lens you’d recommend for my purposes?
Thanks in advance.
It’s a jump in price for sure, but do check out (even if just renting for a bit) this lens: https://www.borrowlenses.com/product/Sony-FE-100-400mm-GM-OSS-Lens. People really love it for birding and wildlife. But it is a beast and will especially feel so on your a6000. This lens is designed for full frame sensors, like on the a7 series cameras, but it will definitely mount to the a6000. It will just provide a narrower perceived field of view due to the smaller sensor size inside the a6000. Your effective focal range with this lens will read more like 150-600mm. If you do spring to purchase it, then you have a lens that will work with your existing camera as well as any full frame E mounts you may upgrade to in the future.
What is the difference between
Sony E 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 OSS and
Sony E 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 OSS LE Lens
Maximum Reproduction Ratio
1:2.9 // 1:3.7
Magnification
0.35x // 0.27x
Minimum Focus Distance
11.81″ / 30 cm // 1.64′ / 50 cm
Weight
18.48 oz / 524 g // 16.23 oz / 460 g
Rather – how significant are these differences
They are not significant differences at all. The LE is a little newer, so it’s a little more compact. The non-LE has a slightly closer minimum focusing distance but not enough to appreciably change how close you’re going to stand to your subject.
Hi i recently bought the Sony a6500 with the 35mm prime lens. I am looking for a lens that could take good indoor family photos and landscapes as well for vacations. Something not too large. I would appreciate any recommendations you have. Thanks you
Sounds like you should invest in a zoom that is suitable for a wide variety of scenes. You’ll need something with a relatively fast maximum aperture and built-in stabilization for low-light indoor shots but also can go wide enough for landscapes. Explore this option: https://www.borrowlenses.com/product/Sony-EMount-PZ-18105mm-f4-G-OSS-Lens. It retails just shy of $600.
Hello, I would like to make portrait pictures , with blurred background. Besides the kit lens, which lens do you suggest me to buy, the cheapest (but still good) option please. Thank you.
I would check out the 50mm f/1.8: https://www.borrowlenses.com/product/Sony-FE-50mm-f18. Nice, fast maximum aperture and no distortion. However, it’s a prime lens so you’re limited to just the one focal length. It retails for around $250.
This web site really has all the info I wanted concerning this subject and didn’t know who to ask.
I just got the a6300 body and couldn’t be more stoked.
I tend to take a lot of candid photos of people, oftentimes across the table from them at a restaurant, etc. Any recommendations on a lens that would take great images at that range indoors?
I am stoked for you. The a6000-series of cameras are among my absolute favorite. My favorite lens for these cameras is the Sony Vario-Tessar T* 16-70mm f/4 ZA OSS E Mount Lens (https://www.borrowlenses.com/product/Sony-VarioTessar-T-E-Mount-16-70mm-f4-ZA-OSS-Lens). See samples taken with it from a vacation of mine: https://www.alexandriahuff.com/Sony-a6300-1670mm-Sample-Images/n-3PNxQZ/
I own the Sony a6000 and would like to purchase a very good quality lens to use for indoor portraits. What is the best recommendation?
My favorite lens for the a6000-series of cameras is the Sony Vario-Tessar T* 16-70mm f/4 ZA OSS E Mount Lens (https://www.borrowlenses.com/product/Sony-VarioTessar-T-E-Mount-16-70mm-f4-ZA-OSS-Lens). See samples taken with it from a vacation of mine: https://www.alexandriahuff.com/Sony-a6300-1670mm-Sample-Images/n-3PNxQZ/
Hello, I’ve owned my Sony a6000 for about two years now and I have the 16-50mm and 55-210mm lenses. I love taking pictures of landscapes and so I want to purchase a lense that will capture sceneries very well. What lense(s) would be recommended for landscapes? Thank you.
If you want to stick to zooms for the flexibility, I’d explore the Sony 10-18mm f/4 OSS E Mount Lens (https://www.borrowlenses.com/product/Sony_1018mm_f4_OSS_Alpha_Emount_WideAngle_Zoom_Lens).
Also, make sure that it is the proper size and that it is affordable within your budget.
Do Sony do any macro lenses with an inbuilt light source, like this Canon?- https://www.canon.com.au/camera-lenses/ef-s-35mm-f-2-8-macro-is-stm
I have just purchased an A6000 and am making my first foray into mirrorless so I can take better insect pictures. Getting close to the subject usually obscures good light so a lens with its own lighting would be really helpful.
I don’t believe so. I think with all the of the E mount macros, you’d need to use a separate ring light.
Hello Alexandria,
Currently I only got the basic 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6, for my a6000
Would like to upgrade with a lens to support my hobby of filming butterflies and other insects
Typically, keeping a distance of ~3 to 5 meters from the butterfly helps keep it friendly and calm.
Fast fucus might be a wish as well …
What zoom lens are recommended to get a fair quality images?
The sony 18-105mm constant f4, fast focus, is the best lens for video in my opinion.
Great article! but unfortunately I’m not into cameras and still don’t get it. I’m quite frustrated with this camera and I’m just thinking to sell it and get something better.
I use it to make videos at my store and the final result is a very poor quality image, I think my phone can do it better. Here is my channel so you can see how the videos are recorded:
https://www.youtube.com/user/wwwRockMa/videos
I have the A6000 with a SELP1650 Lens Kit. I also use this photography lightning kit I purchased to see if the problem was that the light was not enough:
http://amzn.eu/d/a15MuGK
But still nothing. What can you recommend me?
Thanks!
Yes, it is. Read the whole article. It has been updated. Honestly, if you wanna buy a zoom lens for sony mount E just get Tamron 28-75 or sony 24-105. Sony didn’t invest much in cropped sensor lenses. They’re not the best. It’s better to buy FF lenses so many someday when we update camera body we have good lenses already.
can I use sigma 16mm f1.4 lens without an adapter in sony a6000
Most certainly. This lens pairs natively with E mount cameras, like your a6000. https://www.borrowlenses.com/product/Sigma-16mm-Contemporary-E-Mount-Lens