Published: December 21, 2015 / Updated: February 4, 2024
Here’s a round-up of APS-C E-mount lenses for Sony a5000, a5100, a6000, a6100, a6300, a6400, a6500, a6600, a6700, ZV-E10 & Sony NEX mirrorless cameras and FX30, FS5 & FS7 Super35 XDCAMs.
All of these lenses can also be used with Sony a7-Series, a1 & a9 Fullframe E-mount cameras in APS-C or Super 35 crop mode. In addition to the lenses listed here, you should also consider fullframe E-mount lenses – especially if you’re considering stepping up to fullframe in the future.
See the full list of Fullframe E-Mount lenses.
Sony E-Mount APS-C Zoom Lenses
Sony PZ 10-20mm F4 G lens | Price: $748
World’s Smallest Ultra-wide APS-C Zoom features Two ED glass elements, One ED Aspherical element for corner-to-corner sharpness. Dual Linear AF Motors offer Ultra Fast and Accurate A. Designed for Minimal Focus Breathing with almost no shift with change in focal length. Internal zoom and internal focus maintain consistent length and balance ideal for gimbal or drone use.
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Sony E 10-18mm f/4 OSS Lens | Price: $548
Ultra wide-angle E-mount zoom lens offers a constant maximum aperture of f/4 through the entire focal length range. This 10-18mm (35mm fullframe equivalent of 15-27mm) provides an ultra wide angle zoom for shooting landscapes, in tight quarters or for creative exaggerated perspectives and built-in Optical SteadyShot image stabilization system. Optical design features one Super ED and three aspherical elements to minimize aberrations throughout the range.
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Sony E 16-55mm f/2.8 G Lens | Price: $1,398
Sony’s new premium quality 16-55mm f/2.8 zoom lens features four aspherical elements and three extra-low dispersion elements to control spherical and chromatic aberrations for greater sharpness and clarity. Nano AR Coating reduces surface reflections and flare for improved contrast. Linear tracking provides Real Time Tracking and lightning fast Eye AF. Compact size & weight are perfectly suited to Sony a6000 Series cameras.
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Sony E 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS Retractable Zoom Lens | Price: $298
Compact retractable zoom lens 16-50mm (35mm fullframe equivalent of 24-75mm) covers shooting lengths from true wide angle to standard portrait length and is a great day-to-day type compact lens. When powered on, the lens expands, but in its off position the lens is only 1.2″ (30mm) which will fit in your pocket.
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Sony E 16-70mm F4 ZA OSS Lens | Price: $798
Mid-range zoom lens (35mm fullframe equivalent of 24-105mm) covering wide-angle to short telephoto perspectives. Constant f/4 maximum aperture offers consistent performance throughout the zoom range. Optical SteadyShot image stabilization, which serves to minimize the appearance of camera shake by up to four shutter speed steps.
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Sony E 18-105mm F4 G OSS Lens | Price: $598
This zoom lens (35mm fullframe equivalent of 27-158mm) covers wide-angle to telephoto. It has two extra-low dispersion elements and three aspherical elements to minimize distortion and chromatic aberrations with enhanced contrast and clarity. Constant f/4 maximum aperture and Optical SteadyShot image stabilization.
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Sony E PZ 18-110mm F4 G OSS Lens | Price: $3,648
Featuring Smooth Motion Optics (SMO) resulting in no axial shift and no focus shift while zooming along with minimal focus breathing which makes it ideal for video filmmakers and cinematographers using Sony FX30, FS5 & Sony FS7 Super 35 XDCAMs, Sony a6700, a6600, a6400, a6300, a6100, a6000, a5100, a5000, ZV-E10 and NEX mirrorless cameras.
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Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS APS-C E-Mount Lens | Price: $648
This versatile zoom for APS-C-format E-mount mirrorless cameras offers Optical SteadyShot image stabilization for sharper handheld shooting. Its linear autofocus motor, delivers quick and accurate focusing that’s also quiet for video recording. Intelligent optical design uses both extra-low dispersion glass and aspherical elements to control spherical and chromatic aberrations for high sharpness and clarity throughout the zoom range.
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Sony E 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 OSS Lens | Price: $898
This 11x optical zoom (35mm fullframe equivalent of 27-300mm) lens can handle everything from wide landscape photos to portraits to sports, action and even wildlife photography with the telephoto up to 300mm. Four aspherical elements which reduce aberrations across the entire zoom range, a quiet AF motor for improved sound recording with video, and optical Steady Shot image stabilization for steadier handheld shots.
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Sony E 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 OSS LE Lens | Price: $848
With the broad focal length coverage of the lens, from 18mm wide angle to 200mm telephoto, it is also an ideal high-magnification “travel” lens. With it, you can capture grand landscapes, charming portraits, and even sports and nature shots. Optical SteadyShot (OSS) technology aids in this by cutting down on blur caused by camera shake, reducing the reliance on high ISO settings when shooting in dark environments.
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Sony E PZ 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 OSS Lens | Price: $1,198
Powerful, yet compact zoom lens for APS-C format E-mount mirrorless cameras with an internal linear stepping motor that provides quiet and smooth focusing that’s ideal when shooting video. Power Zoom offers three variable zoom speeds, plus it offers constant speed zooming for slow, smooth zooms when shooting video. Zoom can be controlled from camcorders that feature built-in zoom levers and by the standard control on the lens barrel.
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Sony E 55-210mm f/4.5-6.3 OSS Lens | Price: $298
Two extra-low dispersion elements, combined with Optical SteadyShot (OSS) image stabilization, improve the overall quality of images captured at the telephoto end of the zoom range, especially while shooting in low-light. Internal focusing and linear motor-driven AF system provide responsive yet quiet focus while minimizing mechanical noise. A separate manual focusing ring is capable of Direct Manual Focus.
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Sony E 70-350mm f/4.5-6.3 G OSS Lens | Price: $998
Sony newest telephoto zoom is the longest lens in the Sony APS-C lens line-up yet weights just 22 ounces and features linear tracking for lightning fast Eye AF and Real Time Tracking. Optical design includes one aspherical element and three extra-low dispersion elements that reduce aberrations to provide sharp, clear imagery throughout the zoom range.
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Sony E-Mount APS-C Prime Lenses
Sony 11mm F1.8 Lens | Price: $548
Ultra wide-angle prime offers excellent image quality with smooth bokeh at an affordable price. Features Three Aspherical elements for corner-to-corner sharpness. Dual Linear AF Motors for Ultra Fast and Accurate Internal AF designed for Minimal Focus Breathing. MF/AF Switch, Focus Hold Button.
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Sony 15mm F1.4 G Lens | Price: $648
Premium quality wide-angle prime offers Sony G quality, great bokeh and fast AF for stills and video. Features Three Aspherical elements in optically advanced design for corner-to-corner sharpness. Dual Linear AF Motors for Ultra Fast and Accurate Internal AF with Minimal Focus Breathing. Aperture Ring with de-click control, MF/AF Switch, Focus Hold Button.
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Sony E 16mm f/2.8 Lens | Price: $248
This lightweight and compact lens is exceptionally portable (it will fit in your pocket). It features an internal stepping motor for smooth, accurate, and very quiet auto-focusing for photos and videos. Its fast f/2.8 maximum aperture helps to deliver clear images in low lighting.
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Sony E 20mm F2.8 Lens | Price: $348
Compact 20mm prime lens for the Sony APS-C mirrorless cameras. Its f/2.8 maximum aperture is bright enough for low-light capture and shallow depth of field imaging and its optical design consists of three aspherical elements which correct distortions and aberrations and provide clear, high contrast, detailed images. A smooth, quiet internal stepping motor is used for both focus drive and aperture actuation. makes it ideal for shooting video.
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Sony E 24mm/1.8 ZA Lens | Price: $798
Versatile medium wide-angle lens (equivalent of 36mm in full-frame 35mm format) with superb Zeiss Sonnar optical design. The lens design includes aspherical lenses which compensate for distortion and an ED element which suppresses chromatic aberration, for excellent corner-to-corner sharpness – even wide open. The wide maximum aperture of f/1.8 is ideal for shooting under low-light conditions and to create photos with shallow depth-of-field.
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Sony E 30mm f/3.5 Macro Lens | Price: $298
Featuring a 1:1 magnification ratio so subjects can be captured at full size on the camera’s image sensor. Ideal for macro close-ups of flowers, insects, and small objects. ED glass and multi-coating minimize chromatic aberration and color bleeding to produce clear, crisp photos and video. Internal stepping motor and rear-focusing design provide the quiet, smooth operation that’s required for high-quality video capture.
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Sony E 35mm f/1.8 OSS Lens | Price: $473
This compact prime lens (35mm fullframe equivalent of 52.5mm) offers a fast f/1.8 maximum aperture ideal for blur-free capture of fast moving subjects and shooting in low light. Quiet linear motor controls focus and in-lens stepping motor controls aperture offer smooth and virtually silent lens action, ideal for shooting video. Sony’s built-in Optical Image Stabilization system provides approximately 4-stops worth of anti-shake control.
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Sony E 50mm f/1.8 OSS Lens | Price: $348
This prime portrait-length lens (35mm fullframe equivalent of 75mm) features a bright f/1.8 maximum aperture with a seven-blade circular aperture that provides a smooth out-of-focus backgrounds. Optical SteadyShot image stabilization, which works to minimize the appearance of camera shake by up to four shutter speed steps to support use in low-light conditions.
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THIRD-PARTY E-MOUNT APS-C LENSES:
Zeiss Touit E-Mount APS-C Lenses
Here’s a great trio of Auto-Focus Zeiss Touit lenses that offer great optical quality:
Zeiss Touit 12mm/2.8 Lens | Price: $999
Wide-angle prime lens suited for landscape, architecture, and interiors. Sophisticated Distagon optical design includes two aspherical elements and three low dispersion elements, which help to control a variety of aberrations, distortion, and color fringing for sharp, well-corrected imagery. A floating elements system is used, too, to maintain consistent image quality throughout the focusing range. ZEISS T* anti-reflective coating has been applied to individual elements to control lens flare and ghosting for improved contrast and color accuracy.
Zeiss Touit 32mm/1.8 Lens | Price: $720
Normal prime lens with bright f/1.8 maximum aperture for low-light performance and depth of field control. Planar optical concept is a tested design that yields consistently high sharpness throughout the focusing range with even illumination throughout the aperture range. ZEISS T* anti-reflective coating has been applied to individual elements to control lens flare and ghosting for improved contrast and color accuracy.
Zeiss Touit 50mm/2.8 Macro Lens | Price: $999
Moderate telephoto macro prime lens suitable for both portraiture as well as close-up shooting. Features life-size 1:1 maximum magnification ratio and a minimum focusing distance of 5.9″. Avanced Planar optical design includes two aspherical elements and two low dispersion elements, which help to control a variety of aberrations, distortion, and color fringing in order to produce sharp, well-corrected imagery. Floating elements maintain consistent image quality throughout the focusing range. ZEISS T* anti-reflective coating has been applied to individual elements to control lens flare and ghosting for improved contrast and color accuracy.
Sigma E-Mount APS-C Lenses
Sigma 10-18mm f/2.8 DC DN Contemporary Lens | $599
This fast wide-angle zoom is designed for travelers, vloggers, and family photographers looking for excellent image quality as well as mobility. It features f/2.8 maximum aperture and 7-blade diaphragm, pleasant bokeh and strong low-light performance. Optical Design features 13 Elements in 10 Groups and active image stabilizing system reduces camera shake and improves handheld image quality.
Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN Contemporary Lens | Price: $549
Compact and lightweight standard zoom featuring a f/2.8 constant aperture is ideal for a wide range of photo and video applications including landscapes, portraits, street photography, architecture and events. Lens design includes three high-precision glass-molded aspherical elements coupled with a special low dispersion element. Minimum focusing distance of 4.8″, enables macro close-up photography and a rounded seven-blade diaphragm provides pleasing bokeh.
Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary APS-C E-Mount Lens | Price: $449
Designed for APS-C-format Sony E-mount mirrorless cameras, this 16mm f/1.4 is provides a 24mm equivalent focal length. Fast f/1.4 maximum aperture excels in low-light conditions and allows focus control for shallow depth of field. Optical design incorporates three FLD elements, two SLD elements and two molded aspherical elements to help reduce color fringing, chromatic aberrations, and spherical aberrations for edge to edge sharpness, clarity and color accuracy. Super Multi-Layer Coating helps minimize lens flare and ghosting in backlit conditions.
Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary E-mount Lens | Price: $339
Fast, versatile prime designed for APS-C Sony E-mount mirrorless cameras, where it provides a 45mm equivalent focal length. The bright f/1.4 maximum aperture is ideal for shooting in low-light and allows selective focus. Optical design includes one aspherical element and one double-sided aspherical element pair to significantly reduce spherical aberrations for increased clarity and definition for sharp image quality,
Sigma 56mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary APS-C Lens for Sony E | Price: $479
This lens completes the Sigma large aperture series of portable wide-angle, standard, and telephoto prime lenses in Micro Four Thirds and Sony E mounts. Featuring compact design, light weight and outstanding image quality offered in Sigma’s Contemporary line, this lens stuns with a beautiful bokeh effect and the amount of brightness expected from F1.4 lenses even in the mid-telephoto range for cropped sensor cameras.
Tamron E-Mount APS-C Lenses
Tamron 11-20mm f/2.8 Di III-A RXD Lens for Sony E | Price: $829
Fast-aperture ultra wide-angle zoom lens features fast f/2.8 maximum aperture with a compact and lightweight design. This ultra-wide lens is particularly suitable for landscape, astrophotography, and architectural photography. Optical design incorporates one XLD element, two LD elements, and two glass-molded aspherical elements to reduce chromatic aberrations and color fringing for improved clarity and color.
Tamron 17-70mm f/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD Lens for Sony E | Price: $699
Versatile super-wide to moderate telephoto zoom with a fast f/2.8 constant maximum aperture ideal for shooting in low light with control over depth of field. Lens design features a series of specialized optics, including aspherical and low dispersion elements, that produce well-corrected imagery with high sharpness, clarity, and color accuracy. Individual elements also feature Tamron’s BBAR coating, which suppresses flare and ghosting.
Tamron 18-200mm F/3.5-6.3 Di III VC E-mount Lens | Price: $399
Designed as an “all-in-one” lens to eliminate the need to change lenses, this APS-C zoom lens (35mm fullframe equivalent of 27-300mm) incorporates a stepping motor that is optimal for Sony mirrorless which only have contrast-detection AF systems. It’s equipped with Tamron’s VC (Vibration Compensation) to eliminate the blur from handheld shots for cleaner, crisper shots. Optical design provides a Minimum Focus Distance of 1.5′ (45 cm) over the entire zoom range.
Tamron 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di III-A VC VXD Superzoom Lens | Price: $699
This 16.6x “all-in-one” zoom ratio has a minimum focus distance of just 5.9″. A fast and precise autofocus mechanism, Tamron’s VXD (Voice-coil eXtreme-torque Drive) linear motor, offers some of the best performance in its class, and it’s aided by the proprietary Vibration Compensation system that supports stable photography even at ultra-telephoto focal lengths.
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Tokina E-Mount APS-C Lenses
Tokina SZ 8mm f/2.8 Fisheye Lens for Sony E | Price: $299
Featuring a dynamic 180° angle of view, this all-manual lens for APS-C-format Sony E-mount cameras produces unique perspectives and creative distortions. Minimum focusing distance of just 4″, and its wide f/2.8 maximum aperture is well suited for handheld shooting in a variety of lighting conditions. Lightweight and compact design also features a clickless aperture ring for smooth operation while recording video.
Tokina 11-18mm f/2.8 ATX-M Lens for Sony E | Price: $599
Ultra-wide zoom lens engineered to meet the high-performance requirements of APS-C-size cameras provides a bright f/2.8 constant maximum aperture well-suited for selective focus and working in challenging lighting conditions. Nearly silent STM AF motor enables fast and precise autofocus operation. The lens also supports Sony’s in-camera 5-axis image stabilization. Optical design features two aspherical elements and two super-low dispersion elements to suppress chromatic aberrations and eliminate coma for superior contrast and color reproduction.
Tokina SZ 33mm f/1.2 Lens for Sony E | Price: $399
Featuring a standard angle of view and fast f/1.2 maximum aperture allows shooting in challenging lighting conditions and enables you to control depth of field when utilizing selective focus techniques. This manual focus APS-C lens offers a minimum focusing distance of just 1.6′ for working with close-up subjects. Combined with the optics’ 11-blade diaphragm, this creates a pleasing bokeh quality, which makes the lens an excellent choice for portraits, travel, and street scenes.
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Tokina SZ 300mm f/7.1 Pro Reflex MF CF Lens for Sony E | Price: $399
This compact and lightweight telephoto lens features a unique catadioptric optical design well-suited for travel, wildlife and outdoor photography. Fixed f/7.1 aperture and manual focus that is compatible with focus peaking and in-body multi-axis image stabilization. Rendering everyday scenery in a dramatic and iconic manner, this telephoto lens also offers distinct doughnut-shaped bokeh rings.
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Tokina SZ 600mm f/8 Pro Reflex MF CF Lens for Sony E | Price: $599
This compact and lightweight telephoto lens features a unique catadioptric optical design well-suited for travel, wildlife and outdoor photography. Fixed f/8 aperture and manual focus that is compatible with focus peaking and in-body multi-axis image stabilization. Rendering everyday scenery in a dramatic and iconic manner, this telephoto lens also offers distinct doughnut-shaped bokeh rings.
Tokina SZ 900mm f/11 Pro Reflex MF CF Lens for Sony E | Price: $699
This compact and lightweight super-telephoto lens features a unique catadioptric optical design well-suited for travel, wildlife and outdoor photography. Fixed f/11 aperture and manual focus that is compatible with focus peaking and in-body multi-axis image stabilization. Rendering everyday scenery in a dramatic and iconic manner, this telephoto lens also offers distinct doughnut-shaped bokeh rings.
Viltrox E-Mount APS-C Lenses
Viltrox AF 13mm f/1.4 XF Lens for Sony E | Price: $459
Ultra-wide prime lens features fast f/1.4 maximum aperture for working in available lighting and greater control over depth of field and provides a soft bokeh effect at wider apertures. Designed for smooth video capture, the lens effectively eliminates focus breathing when changing focusing distances while shooting video, and an STM autofocus motor provides fast and responsive AF down to a minimum focus distance of just 8.7″.
Viltrox AF 23mm f/1.4 E Lens for Sony E | Price: $299
Wide-angle prime lens designed for APS-C-format Sony E-mount mirrorless cameras offers bright f/1.4 maximum aperture ideal for working in low light and enables enhanced control over depth of field. Optical design incorporates a pair of extra-low dispersion elements and a pair of high refractive index elements, which combine to suppress a variety of aberrations and produce high sharpness, clarity, and color accuracy.
Viltrox 27mm f/1.2 Lens for Sony E | Price: $545
Fast wide-angle prime lens features advanced autofocus performance, sophisticated optical design, and professional handling and reliability. Offering a large maximum aperture and shallow depth of field, this lens provides excellent low-light performance and exceptionally sharp image quality. A newly designed STM stepping motor provides fast and precise autofocus performance. MF/AF switch enables you to quickly switch back and forth between manual and automatic focus
Viltrox AF 33mm f/1.4 E Lens for Sony E | Price: $279
Normal-length prime lens suitable for a wide range of subjects, from portraiture to reportage. Fast f/1.4 design excels in low-light conditions and for shallow depth of field applications. Optical design incorporates extra-low dispersion and high refractive index elements to suppress a variety of aberrations and distortion and an HD Nano multi-layer coating reduces flare and ghosting for greater contrast in bright and backlit conditions.
Viltrox AF 56mm f/1.4 E Lens for Sony E | Price: $279
Compact portrait-length prime lens designed for Sony E-mount mirrorless cameras. The short telephoto focal length pairs with a bright f/1.4 maximum aperture to help achieve notable control over depth of field and also benefits working in difficult lighting situations. Optical design incorporates extra-low dispersion and high refractive index elements to reduce various aberrations and distortion for high clarity, color accuracy, and sharpness.
Viltrox 75mm f/1.2 AF Lens | $549
This fast, portrait-length large maximum aperture prime offers shallow depth of field, excellent low-light performance and exceptionally sharp image quality. A newly designed STM stepping motor provides fast and precise autofocus performance, and an easily-accessible MF/AF switch enables you to quickly switch back and forth between manual and auto focus. The lens features robust all-metal lens body and weather-resistant design. Electronic contacts support EXIF information.
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MANUAL FOCUS E-MOUNT APS-C LENSES:
Rokinon/Samyang/Bower E-Mount APS-C Lenses
Rokinon, Samyang and Bower offer manual focus E-mount lenses designed for Mirrorless APS-C cameras. Despite different branding, the optical construction of all these lenses is identical.
Rokinon 8mm f/2.8 UMC Fisheye II E-mount Lens | Price: $299
Fisheye lens specifically designed for APS-C sized image sensors providing a full 180 degree angle of view. With three extra-low dispersion elements and two aspherical elements to minimize chromatic aberrations and UMC coating has been applied to the lens elements to reduce surface reflections and prevent lens flare and ghosting.
Rokinon Available in Black & Silver
Samyang Available in Black
Bower Available in Black
Rokinon 8mm f/3.5 UMC Fisheye CS II E-mount Lens | Price $280
180 degree fisheye lens provides a 35mm-equivalent focal length of 12mm. With one hybrid aspherical element reduces chromatic aberrations. One hybrid aspherical element reduces chromatic aberrations and distortion. UMC coating improves light transmission and suppresses lens flare and ghosting for more contrast-rich, color-neutral images. Removable lens hood also helps to reduce lens flare and surface reflections.
Rokinon 10mm f/2.8 ED AS NCS CS E-mount Lens | Price: $399
Wide-angle prime lens provides 35mm-equivalent focal length of 15mm for a 109.5 degree angle of view, this lens is well-suited for interior, architectural, and landscape photography. One extra-low dispersion element and two aspherical elements have been incorporated into the optical design to minimize chromatic aberrations and distortion. Nano Coating System (NCS) reduces surface reflections to prevent lens flare and ghosting.
Rokinon Available in Black
Samyang Available in Black
Rokinon 12mm f/2.0 NCS CS E-mount Lens | Price: $399
With it’s fast f/2.0 maximum aperture this lens excels in difficult lighting conditions and also enables greater control over focus placement. It has a rounded nine-blade diaphragm to produce a quality of bokeh and one extra-low dispersion element and a three aspherical elements to control aberrations and distortions for increased clarity and sharpness.
Rokinon Available in Black & Silver
Samyang Available in Black & Silver
Rokinon 16mm f/2.0 ED AS UMC CS E-mount Lens | Price: $379
Manual focus wide-angle APS-C lens (35mm fullframe equivalent of 24mm) with fast maximum aperture of f/2.0 is effective in low light shooting and provides shallow depth of field. With two aspherical lens elements and one extra-low dispersion element, chromatic aberrations are minimized and sharp, color-accurate images are the result. UMC lens coating facilitates even light transmission and reduces ghosting and flares.
Rokinon Available in Black
Samyang Available in Black
Bower Available in Black
Rokinon 21mm f/1.4 E-mount Lens | Price: $399
With it’s fast f/1.4 maximum aperture this lens excels in difficult lighting conditions and also enables greater control over focus placement. It has a rounded nine-blade diaphragm to produce a quality of bokeh and one extra-low dispersion element and a three aspherical elements to control aberrations and distortions for increased clarity and sharpness.Ultra Multi-Coating has been applied to all lens elements in order to suppress lens flare and ghosting for increased contrast and color accuracy.
Rokinon 35mm f/1.2 ED AS UMC CS E-mount Lens | Price: $499
This standard angle manual focus lenses for mirrorless cameras with APS-C sensors offers a bright F1.2 aperture to allow fast shutter speed even under the restricted lighting conditions. It also offers shallow depth of field with beautiful Bokeh. Samyang Optics Ultra Multi Coating and two aspherical lenses have been included among nine glasses in seven groups to minimise aberrations.
Rokinon 50mm f/1.2 E-mount Lens | Price: $499
Fast prime offering a portrait lens provides a 75mm equivalent focal length with a bright f/1.2 maximum aperture and rounded nine-blade diaphragm for a smooth bokeh quality. The lens construction incorporates a pair of aspherical elements to minimize chromatic aberrations and distortions for a cleaner, sharper image quality void of color fringing. Ultra Multi-Coating boosts contrast by suppressing lens flare and ghosting.
Rokinon Reflex 300mm f/6.3 ED UMC CS E-mount Lens | Price: $260
The lens’ Cassegrain design enables it to achieve a 450mm 35mm-equivalent focal length perspective within a compact and lightweight lens design that is significantly smaller than a traditional 300mm lens. It features a fixed f/6.3 aperture and utilizes manual focus operation for focusing as closely as 2.95 feet. One extra-low dispersion element and the inherent mirror construction of the lens work to eliminate chromatic aberrations.
Rokinon Available in Black & Silver
Samyang Available in Black & Silver
Bower Available in Black & Silver
Venus Optics E-Mount APS-C Lenses
Laowa 8-16mm f/3.5-5 Zoom CF Lens | $549
With an angle of view spanning from 82.8 degrees to 120.9 degrees, this lens opens up new horizons for capturing expansive scenes and diverse perspectives for APS-C users. Like most of the Laowa wide-angle lenses, the 8-16mm also has well-controlled optical distortion. It is also able to focus at a close distance and has an 86mm filter thread for more creative options. An aperture ring with de-click option, ensures smooth and seamless aperture adjustments during video shooting.
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Laowa 9mm f/2.8 Zero-D APS-C E-Mount Lens | Price: $499
This ultra wide-angle prime lens is designed for landscape, architectural, interior and night sky photography. With 15 elements in 10 groups, it features three special low dispersion (ED) lenses and a pair of aspherical lenses. Manufacturer claims distortion has been reduced to “zero”
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Venus Optics Laowa 10mm f/4 Cookie Lens | $299
This pancake-style lens specifically designed for APS-C mirrorless cameras is extremely compact at 25mm long and weighs only 130g. It is the world’s widest rectilinear pancake offering a remarkable 109.3° angle of view. Featuring super-low distortion and excellent image quality, this is your go-to lens for street, landscape and everyday photography. Available in silver & black.
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FAST Glass for APS-C E-Mount
Feeling the need for speed? These manual focus lenses all offer maximum aperture faster than F 1.0!
Mitakon Zhongyi Speedmaster 35mm f/0.95 Mark II Lens for Sony E | Price: $399
Designed for low-light performance and refined depth of field control, this f/0.95 manual focus prime lens is ideally suited to working in difficult lighting conditions and for creative focus control. Maintaining a high degree of image quality throughout the aperture range, a sophisticated optical design features both low dispersion and high refractive index elements to control chromatic aberrations and reduce color fringing.
Meike 50mm f0.95 APS-C E-Mount Lens | Price: $240
Another extremely fast manual focus prime lens (35mm fullframe equivalent of 75mm) with a maximum aperture of f/0.95. Its wide maximum aperture is particularly useful in low light and for its extremely shallow depth of field. Designed to be equally effective for still photographers and cinematographers who want pleasing out-of-focus backgrounds created by the shallow depth of field. It has a geared, stepless aperture ring.
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7artisans 50mm F0.95 APS-C E-Mount Lens | Price: $236
Designed for portraiture, street, nightscape, landscape, and reportage. Fast f/0.95 maximum aperture suits working in low-light conditions and also offers great control over the depth of field. A 13-blade diaphragm contributes a pleasing out-of-focus quality when working with selective focus.Optical design features 7 elements in 5 groups, which including 2 HOYA ultra-Low dispersion elements to improve contrast and color rendering in a variety of lighting conditions.
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Kamlan 50mm F1.1 II Lens for APS-C Sony E-Mount | Price: $159
Kamlan’s 2nd generation 50mm F/1.1 manual focus lens. While F1.1 may seem a tad bit slow compared to the F0.95 lenses listed above, snagging a 50mm F1.1 manual focus lens for under two bills is pretty impressive… because in the words of Spinal Tap’s Nigel Tufnel, “the numbers go to 1.1…”
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Circular Fisheye Lenses for APS-C E-Mount
7artisans Photoelectric 4mm f/2.8 Circular Fisheye Lens | Price $149
Ultra wide-angle 4mm f/2.8 circular fisheye offers an extremely wide 225° angle of view characterized by its noticeable distortion. The greater-than-180° angle of view enables making 360° stitched panoramas with just two shots. Well-suited for low-light conditions, the lens sports a bright f/2.8 maximum aperture and manual focus design permits working with subjects as close as 3.3″ away for close-up shooting’ Lightweight design and compact form factor makes it well-suited for use on drones and gimbals.
Meike MK 6.5mm f/2.0 Circular Fisheye APS-C E-Mount Lens | Price: $130
Manual focus Ultra-wide circular fisheye lens offers an impressive 190° angle of view along with a unique circular image shape and strong distortion for a surreal quality. Individual lens elements feature a multi-layer nano coating to control surface reflections, flare, and ghosting in order to realize a high degree of contrast and color accuracy, even when working in bright and backlit conditions.
Yasuhara Madoka 180 Fisheye APS-C E-Mount Lens | Price: $279
This 7.3mm circular fisheye lens was specifically designed for Sony NEX E-mount cameras. Called the “Madoka”, which means round in old Japanese, the lens offers a 180º angle of view and is the first compact mirrorless camera lens to provide circular fisheye images.
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Specialty Lenses for APS-C E-Mount
AstrHori 18mm F8 Shift Lens | $199
This compact, lightweight and inexpensive wide angle shift lens features robust metal construction yet it’s lightweight, weighing just 164 grams. Whether shooting in cramped quarters, in front of vast landscapes, or in any other situation where a wide field of view is required, the 18mm f/8.0 shift lens will have you covered. When not shifted, it featuring a 99.2º angle of view on full-frame mirrorless cameras well-suited to architecture and interior photography
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Yasuhara Momo 100 28mm f/6.4 Soft Focus E-mount Lens | Price: $179
Characterized by its simple doublet optical design, this lens relies on spherical aberration to produce a soft and glowing image quality, while still delivering in-focus results, for an ethereal look. Softness can be adjusted by manually adjusting the aperture setting, and manual focus control is also available for working with subjects as close as 11.8″ away. This lens has a slim, pancake profile that measures just over 1″ long for portability and sleek form factor.
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Yasuhara Nanoha 5:1 Macro Lens for Sony E-Mount | Price: $400
This macro lens offers 4:1 or 5:1 magnification. Its removable lighting module has three LEDs for lighting very small objects. It includes four plastic holders that can be mounted to the front of the lens to maintain a consistent distance of 0.43-0.75 inches (11-19mm) between lens and subject.
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Budget Lenses for APS-C E-Mount
Here’s a round-up of budget-priced Chinese Manual Focus E-Mount APS-C Lenses.
7artisans E-Mount APS-C Lenses
7artisans Photoelectric 4mm f/2.8 Circular Fisheye Lens | Price $149
Ultra wide-angle 4mm f/2.8 circular fisheye offers an extremely wide 225° angle of view characterized by its noticeable distortion. The greater-than-180° angle of view enables making 360° stitched panoramas with just two shots. Well-suited for low-light conditions, the lens sports a bright f/2.8 maximum aperture and manual focus design permits working with subjects as close as 3.3″ away for close-up shooting’ Lightweight design and compact form factor makes it well-suited for use on drones and gimbals.
7artisans Photoelectric 7.5mm f/2.8 II Fisheye Lens | Price $139
Featuring an expansive 190° angle of view, this manual fisheye lens produces unique perspectives and creative distortions. The f/2.8 maximum aperture allows working in low light while maintaining a small and lightweight form factor for handheld shooting. Optimized 11-element, 9-group features a higher refractive index is used in the front glass group, while the rear group of optical glass is crafted from HOYA ED glass to reduce chromatic aberration.
7artisans Photoelectric 18mm f/6.3 Mark II Lens | $59
This small, wide-angle pancake prime well-suited for street and documentary photography as well as casual walkaround shooting. As small as it is simple, featuring a fixed f/6.3 aperture, durable metal construction yet weighs only 58g. A smooth manual focus ring provides precise focus control.
7artisans 25mm F1.8 Manual Focus Lens for Sony E-mount | Price: $74
This budget-priced APS-C 25mm manual focus wide angle prime lens features optical construction with 7 Elements in 5 Groups and a 12 Blade aperture diaphragm. This Compact lens is built with an aluminum body and copper core construction yet remains light weight at just 0.31 oz/143 grams.
7artisans Photoelectric 35mm f/1.2 Mark II Lens for Sony E | Price: $139
Versatile prime well-suited for everyday, available light photography. Its slim and lightweight design mixes well with the fast f/1.2 maximum aperture to suit working in low-light and offers increased control over depth of field. Optical design is also complemented by a multi-layer coating, which serves to minimize surface reflections, flare, and ghosting for greater contrast and color accuracy in various lighting conditions. Manual focus design permits working with subjects as close as 1.1′ away and its rounded nine-blade diaphragm contributes to a pleasing bokeh.
7artisans 50mm F0.95 APS-C E-Mount Lens | Price: $236
Designed for portraiture, street, nightscape, landscape, and reportage. Fast f/0.95 maximum aperture suits working in low-light conditions and also offers great control over the depth of field. A 13-blade diaphragm contributes a pleasing out-of-focus quality when working with selective focus.Optical design features 7 elements in 5 groups, which including 2 HOYA ultra-Low dispersion elements to improve contrast and color rendering in a variety of lighting conditions.
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7artisans Photoelectric 50mm f/1.8 Lens for Sony E | Price: $89
Budget-priced compact portrait-length prime lens features a bright f/1.8 maximum aperture well-suited for everyday shooting. Multi-layer coating to reduce ghosting and flare for contrast and color fidelity in harsh lighting and backlit conditions. Manual focus design permits working with subjects as close as 1.6′ and 12-blade diaphragm produces a smooth, rounded bokeh.
7artisans Photoelectric 60mm f/2.8 Macro Mark II for Sony E | Price: $179
Featuring improved optics and a more robust build quality, 7Artisans 60mm f/2.8 Macro Mark II is a short-telephoto prime lens engineered to excel with nearby subjects. Designed for macro shooting, its life-size, 1:1 maximum magnification pairs with a 6.9″ minimum focusing distance and a floating elements design to achieve high sharpness and clarity throughout the focusing range. The lens also sports a manual focus design, benefitted by focus distance and depth of field scales.
7artisans Photoelectric 60mm f/2.8 Macro Lens for Sony E | Price: $159
Short telephoto macro prime lens designed for life-size, 1:1 maximum magnification pairs with a 10.2″ minimum focusing distance and a floating elements design to achieve high sharpness and clarity throughout the focusing range. Manual focus design includes focus distance and depth of field scales, along with a de-clicked aperture ring for smooth, silent rotation to suit video applications. Its 10-blade diaphragm provides pleasing bokeh.
TTArtisan E-Mount APS-C Lenses
TTArtisan 7.5mm f/2 Fisheye Lens with ND1000 Filter for Sony E | Price: $139
This dynamically wide 7.5mm f/2 Fisheye Lens fills the image area of an ASP-C image sensor from corner to corner, but also acts as a circular fisheye when used on a full-frame format image sensor. The all-manual lens design renders a 180° angle of view to produce a distinct visual appeal characterized by dramatic distortion and a creative depiction of space, which helps to make wide and innovative landscape and interior photos. The included rear-mount ND1000 neutral density filter allows 10-stop exposure increase for extended exposure time.
TTArtisan 25mm f/2 Lens for Sony E | Price: $55
Compact and inconspicuous, this low-profile all-manual wide angle prime lens is well-suited for portraiture, street scenes, and everyday shooting requiring a natural field of view. The lens allows you to work with subjects as close as 9.8″ away, and its bright f/2 maximum aperture offers greater control over depth of field for isolating subjects with selective focus techniques. Additionally, a seven-blade diaphragm produces a pleasing bokeh.
TTArtisan 27mm F2.8 Autofocus Lens | $159
This compact and lightweight pancake lens is perfect for photographers who want to carry a versatile lens with them wherever they go. Its 41mm equivalent focal length on APS-C cameras is ideal for street and travel photography. The wide-angle design gives you a 56° angle of view, providing a unique and distinct visual perspective. Autofocus utilizes STM stepping motor for fast and precise performance.
TTArtisan 35mm f/1.4 Lens for Sony E | Price: $73
Compact normal prime features bright f/1.4 maximum aperture for control of depth of field and working in low-light conditions. The lens uses a Sonnar optical design, which prioritizes sharpness and low distortion for clear and accurate rendering. Small form factor features a durable anodized finish with a stylized engraving on the lens barrel of the optical design.
TTArtisan 40mm f/2.8 Macro Lens for Sony E | Price: $99
Versatile short-tele lens with an exceptionally fast f/1.2 maximum aperture offers impressive control over depth of field, for isolating subject matter, as well as for enhanced low-light performance. The lens uses a Sonnar optical design, which prioritizes sharpness and low distortion for clear and accurate rendering. Manual focus design, capable of focusing as close as 1.6′ away, and a 10-blade diaphragm that contributes to smooth bokeh.
TTArtisan 50mm f/1.2 Lens for Sony E | Price: $98
Versatile short-tele lens with an exceptionally fast f/1.2 maximum aperture offers impressive control over depth of field, for isolating subject matter, as well as for enhanced low-light performance. The lens uses a Sonnar optical design, which prioritizes sharpness and low distortion for clear and accurate rendering. Manual focus design, capable of focusing as close as 1.6′ away, and a 10-blade diaphragm that contributes to smooth bokeh.
Neewer E-Mount APS-C Lenses
Neewer 35mm f/1.7 Manual Focus Prime Lens for Sony E-Mount | $105
Manual focus large aperture normal APS-C prime lens for Sony E-mount cameras features smooth focusing operation and a metal mount for added stability and multi-coated to reduce flare. Wide F/1.7 large aperture helps you achieve a blurred background effect and increases the brightness of your images in dark environments.
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Meike E-Mount APS-C Lenses
Meike MK 6.5mm f/2.0 Circular Fisheye APS-C E-Mount Lens | Price: $130
Manual focus Ultra-wide circular fisheye lens offers an impressive 190° angle of view along with a unique circular image shape and strong distortion for a surreal quality. Individual lens elements feature a multi-layer nano coating to control surface reflections, flare, and ghosting in order to realize a high degree of contrast and color accuracy, even when working in bright and backlit conditions.
Meike 12mm f/2.8 Ultra Wide Angle APS-C E-Mount Lens with Removable Hood | Price: $170
Manual focus Ultra-wide angle lens for Sony APS-C E-Mount cameras. Constructed of 12 glass elements in 10 groups with aperture range of f2.8 – f22. Minimum focusing distance of only 3.94 inches.This lens takes a 72mm filters and includes a removable lens hood.
Meike MK-E 28mm f/2.8 Manual Focus APS-C E-Mount Lens | Price: $65
Manual focus wide-angle prime lens The f/2.8 maximum aperture promotes a thinner, pancake-like form factor that is ideal for travel and everyday use. Individual lens elements feature a multi-layer nano coating to control surface reflections, flare, and ghosting in order to realize a high degree of contrast and color accuracy, even when working in bright and backlit conditions. Manual focus design allows shooting as close as 9.8″
Meike MK-E 35mm f 1.7 APS-C E-Mount Lens | Price: $65
This manual focus normal prime lens for Sony APS-C E-mount mirorrless cameras features super multi-coated lens coatings and 6 elements in 5 groups. Bright f/1.7 maximum aperture to suit working in low-light conditions and for achieving shallow depth of field effects. Individual lens elements feature a multi-layer nano coating to control surface reflections, flare, and ghosting in order to realize a high degree of contrast and color accuracy, even when working in bright and backlit conditions,
Meike 50mm f0.95 APS-C E-Mount Lens | Price: $250
Another extremely fast manual focus prime lens (35mm fullframe equivalent of 75mm) with a maximum aperture of f/0.95. Its wide maximum aperture is particularly useful in low light and for its extremely shallow depth of field. Designed to be equally effective for still photographers and cinematographers who want pleasing out-of-focus backgrounds created by the shallow depth of field. It has a geared, stepless aperture ring.
Meike MK-E-50mm f/2.0 APS-C E-Mount Lens | Price: $75
Manual focus telephoto prime lens for Sony APS-C E-mount mirorrless cameras features super multi-coated lens coatings and 6 elements in 5 groups. Multi-layer nano coating has been applied to individual elements to suppress flare and ghosting for improved contrast and color accuracy.
Mitakon E-Mount APS-C Lenses
Mitakon Zhongyi Speedmaster 35mm f/0.95 Mark II Lens for Sony E | Price: $399
Designed for low-light performance and refined depth of field control, this f/0.95 manual focus prime lens is ideally suited to working in difficult lighting conditions and for creative focus control. Maintaining a high degree of image quality throughout the aperture range, a sophisticated optical design features both low dispersion and high refractive index elements to control chromatic aberrations and reduce color fringing.
AstrHori E-Mount APS-C Lenses
AstrHori 18mm F8 Shift Lens | $199
This compact, lightweight and inexpensive wide angle shift lens features robust metal construction yet it’s lightweight, weighing just 164 grams. Whether shooting in cramped quarters, in front of vast landscapes, or in any other situation where a wide field of view is required, the 18mm f/8.0 shift lens will have you covered. When not shifted, it featuring a 99.2º angle of view on full-frame mirrorless cameras well-suited to architecture and interior photography
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APS-C E-MOUNT CINE LENSES:
Sony E-Mount AF Cine Lenses
Before jumping to manual focus cine lenses, it’s first worth look at this Sony E-mount AF lens featuring Smooth Motion Optics (SMO) resulting in no axial shift and no focus shift while zooming along with minimal focus breathing:
Sony E PZ 18-110mm F4 G OSS Lens
Format: Super 35/APS-C | Price: $3,648
Featuring Smooth Motion Optics (SMO) resulting in no axial shift and no focus shift while zooming along with minimal focus breathing which makes it ideal for video filmmakers and cinematographers using Sony FS5 and Sony FS7 XDCAM Super 35 video cameras and Sony a6300, a6000, a5100 and a5000 mirrorless cameras.
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Zeiss Super 35 E-Mount Cine Lenses
Zeiss 21-100mm T2.9-3.9 Lightweight Zoom LWZ.3 Lens | Price: $10,400
Priced a hair over Ten-Thousand-Dollars, this Super 35 E-Mount lens features a 21-100mm zoom range, making it a one-size-fits-all alternative for budget-constrained productions. The lens is optimized for digital cinematography with focus markings in feet. It will cover image sensors sizes up to Super 35mm.
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Fujinon MK Cine Zoom Lenses
Fujinon MK18-55mm T2.9 E-Mount Lens | Price: $3,799
This lightweight cine-style zoom lens for E-mount cameras with a Super 35mm-sized sensor. It features a mechanical design with three independent lens control rings: focus, iris, and zoom. Each ring incorporates a cine-style gear with a 0.8 MOD for interfacing with standard cine-style lens accessories. The focus ring features approximately 200° of rotation, which provides room or precise focus pulls, and the iris is clickless, enabling smooth iris pulls. The lens also incorporates a macro mode for close focusing.
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Fujinon MK50-135mm T2.9 E-Mount Lens | Price: $3,999
This lightweight cine-style zoom lens for E-mount cameras with a Super 35mm-sized sensor. It features a mechanical design with three independent lens control rings: focus, iris, and zoom. Each ring incorporates a cine-style gear with a 0.8 MOD for interfacing with standard cine -style lens accessories. The focus ring features approximately 200° of rotation, which provides room or precise focus pulls, and the iris is clickless, enabling smooth iris pulls. The lens also incorporates a macro mode for close focusing.
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Sigma E-Mount APS-C Cine Lenses
Sigma’s new line of E-Mount Cine Lenses based on their DSLR lenses. [Please Note: Manufacturer images show EF-mount instead of E-mount]
Sigma 18-35mm T2.0 High Speed Zoom Lens
Format: Super 35 | Price: $3,999
High Speed Super 35 Zoom Line offers the constant aperture of T2 throughout the zoom range, and the optical performance is ready for high-resolution shooting such as 6K – 8K. According to Sigma, despite offering the highest image quality in its class, the High Speed Zoom Line has a compact construction.
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Sigma 50-100mm T2.0 High Speed Zoom Lens
Format: Super 35 | Price: $3,999
High Speed Super 35 Zoom Line offers the constant aperture of T2 throughout the zoom range, and the optical performance is ready for high-resolution shooting such as 6K – 8K. According to Sigma, despite offering the highest image quality in its class, the High Speed Zoom Line has a compact construction.
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SLR Magic Cine MicroPrime Super 35 Lenses
SLR Magic MicroPrime Cine lens features similar size and weight with consistent lens gear positions for rapid lens changes and easier re-balancing when changing lenses on a gimbal.
SLR Magic MicroPrime Cine 12mm T2.8 Lens | Price: $499
Ultra wide compact cine prime covers Super 35 format E-mount. Internal focus mechanism minimizes breathing and prevents the front of the lens from rotating while pulling focus. An 82mm front filter thread enables mounting filters directly to the lens without using a matte box.
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Veydra Mini Prime APS-C Lenses
Manual Focus cine lenses designed for Sony E-Mount cameras covering formats up to APS-C/Super 35. Constructed of aircraft-grade aluminum and has optical glass elements with multi-coating for color consistency with other Veydra Mini Prime lenses.
Veydra 25mm T2.2 Mini Prime Sony E-Mount Lens | Price: $949
This cine prime lens has a 300° barrel rotation and a constant volume focus design (internal focus) wherein the front of the lens doesn’t come out when you change focus, providing for compatibility with rod-mounted accessories such as matte boxes. It also incorporates 0.8 MOD focus and iris gears, allowing it to interface with standard lens accessories, and the bright yellow dual focus scales allows the lens to be easily read from either side.
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Veydra 35mm T2.2 Mini Prime Sony E-Mount Lens | Price: $949
Features an internal focusing design, so the lens does not change its physical size when changing focus, which makes it compatible with rod-mounted accessories such as matte boxes. It incorporates standard 0.8 MOD focus and iris gears, allowing it to interface with standard lens accessories, and the bright yellow dual focus scales allows the lens to be easily read from either side of the lens.
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Veydra 50mm T2.2 Mini Prime Sony E-Mount Lens | Price: $949
Features an internal focusing design, so the lens does not change its physical size when changing focus, which makes it compatible with rod-mounted accessories such as matte boxes. It incorporates standard 0.8 MOD focus and iris gears, allowing it to interface with standard lens accessories, and the bright yellow dual focus scales allows the lens to be easily read from either side of the lens.
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Veydra 85mm T2.2 Mini Prime Sony E-Mount Lens | Price: $949
The length, 80mm front diameter, and gear ring positions of the 85mm lens matches that of other Veydra Mini Prime lenses, allowing you to swap between them without having to adjust the position of your follow focus or matte box. The lens also features a common T2.2 maximum T-stop as well as multi-coated elements for color consistency.
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Tokina ATX APS-C Cinema Lenses
Tokina Cinema ATX 11-20mm T2.9 Wide-Angle Zoom Lens
Format: Super 35 | Price: $2,399
Featuring a super-wide field of view and cine-style design elements. It covers Super 35mm image sensors and is a parfocal lens, holding focus throughout zoom moves. The Cinema ATX 11-20mm maintains a constant T2.9 aperture throughout its zoom range, eliminating the need for exposure compensation as you zoom in. Durable metal housing withstands the rigors of cine production and incorporates 0.8 Mod lens gears for compatibility with FIZ (focus/iris/zoom) control systems.
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Tokina 50-135mm T2.9 Mark II Cinema ATX Lens
Format: Super 35 | Price: $3,499
Updated from its T3.0 predecessor, the lens features a constant T2.9 maximum aperture over the entire zoom range and has a 2.7x zoom ratio, this tele zoom lens covers Super 35mm image sensors and does not exhibit focus shift while zooming. Enhanced all-metal housing optimized for video and digital cinema use and provides manual focus control with 300° rotation. Easy-to-read distance scale measured in feet and a clickless aperture ring for smooth iris pulls. The focus, aperture, and zoom rings all have standard 0.8 pitch gears for use with follow focus systems.
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Read More: Ultimate Guide to Sony E-Mount Video and Cine Lenses
Looking for Fullframe E-Mount Lenses?
In addition to the lenses listed here, you should also consider fullframe E-mount lenses – especially if you’re considering stepping up to fullframe in the future.
Read More: Ultimate Guide to Fullframe E-Mount FE Lenses for Sony Mirrorless Cameras
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175 thoughts on “Ultimate Guide to E-Mount Lenses for Sony APS-C Mirrorless Cameras”
Fyi re the typo for the description of the Zeiss Touit 12mm/2.8 lens, it is designed for APS-C-Sized Sensors.
Good catch, thanks. Fixed now.
I’m rather late to the party but as a new A6400 owner, I currently have the Viltrox 23mm, the Sigma 56mm and the Tamron 17-70mm 2.8. I wondered if you could recommend a lens to compliment the 17-70mm? Either super tele zoom or greater then 70mm prime.
Sony E 70-350mm f/4.5-6.3 G OSS would be an ideal choice.
Great guide, here’s one more native emount lens:
Yasuhara Nanoha Macro Lens 5:1 for Sony E-Mount
Thanks! I’ll add it to the list…
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i have not see on your list the 55 f1.8 prime zeiss lens
That’s on the fullframe E-mount lens list. The link is at the bottom of the post.
Rokinon/Samyang is F2.0 not F1.4 🙂
“Rokinon 12mm f/2.0 NCS CS E-mount APS Lens
With it’s fast f/1.4 maximum aperture this lens excels in difficult lighting conditions”
You are absolutely correct. Thank you!
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Is it possible to manually focus the E 10-18mm for astrophotography?
Yep
This is VERY, VERY thorough and helpful. Thanks a lot for putting it together.
Very helpful. I am waiting for a good prime 24 mm lens that has a reasonable price tag. F2.8 would be plenty of speed. I shoot either scenics or snapshots with my A6000 – I have no use for bokeh or for paying for high speed lenses so they might have “good bokeh”. A good 23 or 24 mm high-resolution lens for APS-C that does not try to cover full frame should be a relatively easy lens to design. But if anyone has done it yet I don’t know about it.
The Sony E 20mm F2.8 APS Lens is pretty close to that request.
How do you feel the Rokinon 21mm f/1.4 compares to the Sony 24mm f/1.8 ZA?
I came across this video on youtube comparing the 2 lenses. I felt he is biased towards the Rokinon as he really doesn’t like the price of the Sony 24mm, however the side by side pictures are interesting to compare. Let me know what you think!
Rokinon E-mount lenses are generally good optical designs. Bear in mind that unlike the Sony E 24mm/1.8, the Rokinon 21mm f/1.4 Lens is manual focus.
Thanks for getting back to me! That was exactly something I worried about. I shoot in Manual normally, but it’s nice to have the option to autofocus. Are there any other wide angle prime lenses you would recommend ? The other than caught my eye is the Sigma 16mm f/1.4, but I fear it might be too wide for my purposes.
Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens is an excellent choice!
Wonderful job Brian.
Thanks Stratis!
I have the Sigma 19mm but I found the focus is way too slow compared to the Sony 35mm.(for example the tracking focus doesn’t work in the whole focusing area. Is there any limitation with this lens? Or it’s a piece that should be replaced as guarantee?
Thanks
That’s a potential drawback of ANY third-party lens.
Thanks a lot for this article. I bought a sony camera for my video gigs and it saved to find the best lenses on this page !
Glad I could be of help. Happy shooting!!!
Hmm. October 2017:
I’m new to all this, but from my amateur/potential enthusiast enquiries it appears that if there was a native, equivalent to the Sigma 18-35 1.8* for either aps-c or M 3/4’s with OIS then that lens would own the prosumer compact/mirrorless market at around $1500.
It would still be a ‘big’ lens for either APS-C or M 3/4, but smaller overall than FF.
One lens to rule them all.
*I’m aware of Crop Factor, and… all its contentiousness 🙂
It would likely be slightly longer but otherwise similar is size of the the Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM Lens. There is no native E-mount version but either the EF or Sony A-mount versions are adaptable to E-mount.
Great list… I ordered the Sony 30mm in silver… and some other stuff. 😉
Thank you Carlin! Happy shooting…
This list is incredibly helpful. Thank you!
This list is amazing, I hope you will continue to keep up to date! Such a helpful resource! Thank you!
Very helpful! One of the best resources for people with a Sony APS-C camera i’ve seen (mine is the a6500). I know it might be not easy. Thanks a LOT!
Thanks Wagner! Much appreciated..,
Thanks for the well compiled list Brian.
Came here looking for ideas on teleconverters for the Sony E55-210 OSS. Want to shoot birds at a distance. Can’t afford another lens.
Sorry. There are none that fit that lens.
Thank you for that info…I guess if I want to shoot long distance, I better spend some money.
I want to shoot wildlife photos, birds, what would be my options for the A6000? I currently have the E55-210. I will budget about $2000.
Thanks for your response.
BTW, I started following your blog in Dec, I find it most helpful and interesting….Nice job! Thank you.
The best lens for that in terns of both sharpness and AF performance would be the Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS Lens. It’s a bit over your target – but it’s a great lens.
Thank you for the great recommendation! Yep, a bit over my budget. But I want a great lens. That’s the price to play.
At least I get a free UV filter.
Gotta go buy some glass. Love B&H!
Took your advice and bought the FE 100-400mm, beautiful!
Thanks so much.
Amazing job! The best list i’ ve found ! Thank you very much. Is the Meike MK-E 35mm f 1.7 and the Neewer 35mm f/1.7 Manual Focus actually the same lens? And if not which would be the best then?
Yes. Same lens. Different name.
Great guide Brian. Thanks for collecting all the information and making it easy reading.
Thanks Adrian!
Great guide! I love it.
Wonderful site!
Cool and really helpful, Brian! Thanks, man!
You’re welcome.
Thanks. That’s awesome!
Thank you for this list. It’s a marvelously useful resource.
Hi Brian, thanks for such a detailed information about e-mount Sony cameras. I’m a new owner of a Sony a6000 + 35mm f/1.8 Sony prime lens. The results are great so far, but there’re moments that I can’t use my feet to “zoom”, so I decided to add another lens. The logical option would be a wide angle to mid telephoto range lens according to my needs. But, I can’t find any with really good reputation. Even the 18-105 mm or the new 18-135 mm have bad reviews or downsides. Is there any better option than those? (budget of 600-800 USD, only for stills) or should I buy 2 more primes? Since I’m new on photography, I’m not sure if this option would be complicated since I should be changing lens most of the time. Any advice from you will be greatly appreciated. Great article, and regards from Argentina!
Some online reviews are worth the paper they’re not printed on. Either of those lenses are a great choice.
Sony E 18-105mm F4 G OSS offers F4 max aperture throughout the range, while Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS Lens offers longer range on the telephoto side and corner-to-corner sharpness at all focal lengths.
I received my Sony E18-135 f/3.5-5.6 OSS lens last week for my Sony A-6000. I also have the Sigma 30 f 1.4 and the Sony 85 mm f 1.8. I have been running tests on the lens. The quality of the zoom really amazes me for how sharp the lens is – really superlative – very close to the fixed lenses. I try to shoot one f-stop smaller than maximum aperture. I mostly shoot scenics so have the time to set up, and generally use manual focus – the focus magnifier in the A-6000 when used with a manual focus lens is a huge help. And to my surprise, the optical stabilization of the lens feature really does work. I am in my 70’s and not as steady as once I was. It really helps.
Hello. Your work is beautiful. A recommendation, please. For travel: street, dim interior buildings, exterior shots for details and landscape beauty (yes, the full gamut!) all hand-held what two or three lenses might you suggest for a soon to be purchased 6500? Prefer sharp, quality lenses. Thank you!
Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens
Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens
Sony FE 55mm F1.8 ZA Lens
The first two are bargains for good quality, sharp, fast glass. The third is a bit of a splurge since it’s a fullframe lens. But it’s an EXCEPTIONAL lens that’s both a great normal lens on fullframe and a great portrait lens for APS-C. So start with the first two and add the third when you can.
Fabulous suggestions! I noticed no zoom included. Any thoughts on that? Can’t wait to place the order…getting close. You are a great help. Thank you very much.
Dear Brian,
I am actually planning to get a Rokinon 10mm f2.8 for my A6000, I already have Rokinon 8mm fisheye 2.8, question is if you recomend me 10mm 2.8 or 12mm2.0, mainly for shooting stars. Will such a shooting drastically improve if I get an A7s paired with Rokinon 14mm 2.8? thx!!! I also have 24.240 Sony zoom, now only for my couple of A6000, but maybe later for A7s, is the lens much better used with A7s or same results as on my A6000?
for astrophotography with a7S, I’d suggest Venus Optics Laowa 15mm f/2 FE Zero-D Lens. It’s a better lens than the Rokinon 14.
Fantastic resource, thank you so much for compiling this.
Can you speak to the difference between the Sony E 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 OSS APS-C and the Sony E 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 OSS LE APS-C? What does the LE mean?
LE may refer to the two low-dispersion elements. However…while the Sony E 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 APS Lens only has one low-dispersion element, it’s actually slightly sharper and focuses closer than the LE.
Wonderful, thank you.
Hello,
Can you tell me for sure if the Touit 12mm 2.8 can fit the Sony PXW FS5, without black corners ?
And if the Aperture and focus is fully controlled by the camera?
Carl Zeiss official importer in Israel claims it won’t fit.
Thank you
Sony PXW-FS5 XDCAM is a Super 35 camera, so yes, APS-C E-mount lenses like the Zeiss Touit 12mm/2.8 lens will more than cover Super 35.
Thank you Brian,
Does anyone know if the aperture in that lens controlled by the PXW-FS5?
Brian – I am a poor girl with a rich love of shooting photos of birds and wildlife. Which would be the best quality and affordable (zoom) lens for this experience?
Your best budget-priced super-telephoto option would be Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM Contemporary Lens + Sigma MC-11 Mount Converter. It doesn’t match the AF speed or sharpness of Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS, but it’s half the price with a longer range.
Brian, I purchased the A6500 along with the Sony 18-135 and Sony 10-18 to take with me to Cuba. I have read plenty of great comments about the 18-135 but a very mixed review on the 10-18. What is your opinion on this lens? If it will work better on a FF I do have the A7R3 but did not want to take it with me but can if needed. My trip will be in December.
Both are very nice lenses. That will give you a great range.
Fantastic guide – thanks for pulling it all together and publishing
Sigma just announced 5 new lenses for the e mount system. Great time to be a sony e mount shooter.
“Leaked” might be more accurate at the moment than “announced”, but either way I’d expect all future Sigma DSLR lenses to include an E-mount version. Still waiting for them to step up with lenses actually designed for fullframe mirrorless cameras – but I suspect they’re in development.
Why can’t Sigma just make their 18-35 1.8 an e-mount lens. Does the flange make it all that difficult to convert a lens they’ve already created? Or at least more fast lenses with autofocus would be nice. Thanks a lot for this guide man. I look at it constantly to see any new lenses.
Sigma is starting with their Fullframe Art Primes. I imagine they’ll get to one at some point.
Very good review. I have Sony a6000 and want an inexpensive wide manual lens for taking Milky Way and Star Trails photos. This covers it all in one place. Thanks
I was looking to upgrade the kit lense that came with my Sony a6300- any suggestions? I am so overwhelmed by all the choices!
This is amazing! I am trying to upgrade my a6300 kit lens…do you have any good recommendations? Pretty much looking for a better version of it
There are currently three good options:
Sony E 16-70mm F4 ZA OSS ($998 US) is the priciest of the three because it uses Zeiss glass and optical design.
Sony E PZ 18-105mm F4 G OSS ($598 US) is a great choice for video since ‘PZ’ means it’s a power zoom lens.
Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS ($598 US) is the newest of the three and though it lacks the fixed F4 max aperture – it’s the sharpest of the three corner-to-corner throughout the entire zoom range.
What about the 500mm opteba/gloxy/samyang lens
Those lenses were T-Mount – not E-mount – and they’re discontinued.
hi Mr. Brian can u tell me the necessary lenses for a6500 for wedding.
Start with a wide to tele zoom like either the Sony E 16-70mm F4 ZA OSS or Sony E 18-105mm F4 G OSS.
Then you’ll want a fast prime or two like Sony E 35mm f/1.8 OSS, Sony E 50mm f/1.8 OSS, or Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC DN, Sigma 20mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art, Sigma 24mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art, Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art or Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art Lens.
And yet, Brian, what should I choose 18-105 or 18-135, if video is the significant thing for me. Do I need a Power Zoom if this is considered a bad practice (for pros, not for travelers like me)? In short, which one would you choose travel zoom (equally photo / video). Thanks.
Power Zoom is actually a GREAT feature for video. Ask any news videographer…
If your main emphasis is video go with Sony E 18-105mm F4 G OSS
If your main emphasis is stills go with Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS
Both great lenses – just different strengths…
Hi Brian,
Your post is so helpful to me, but at the same time a lot of information for a newbie to the photography world. I have an a6000 and the 2 lens that comes with it.
I like taking landscape, scenery, city view and some time with people in it and i think wide angle would allow me to capture the most.
I was wondering which lens would you recommend for a wide angle?
However, I was wondering which lens would you recommend for a wide angle?
If you want a wide zoom, check out the Sony E 10-18mm F4 OSS. Or if you prefer a wide prime Zeiss Touit 12mm f/2.8.
I will read about those 2 lens and might have some follow up questions. Thank you for taking the time to a answer my question.
Will this work with the Sony a7iii?
A7 III is a fullframe camera, so you’ll want to stick to this list of fullframe E-mount lenses.
Thanks for providing this list! I am currently investigating about Sony on the APS-C end since they are about to announce a new camera, however the lenses I see on this list, there is no good option for something like a 24-70mm f/2.8 as far as I can see right?
Correct. The closest APS-C option is Sony E 16-70mm F4 ZA OSS which is a great lens – but not 2.8
Hi Brian, How are you doing??
I currently own a SLT-A65 camera with the following lenses: 18-55 kit and 55-200 kit lens, 50mm 1.8f prime.
I was planning on getting a sigma 18-35mm f1.8;
and after a year or so switch to a6500 mirrorless. My main concern is if the 50mm prime and the sigma 18-35 1.8 would work on the a6500 and by using which adapter
When adapted to E-mount, Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM Lens for Sony may be a bit sluggish in terms of AF speed due to the size of its focus elements.
Thanks Brian
I am trying to find a good all-round lens for my a6500 that is capable of shooting landscapes and wildlife. Ideally with a zoom which amounts to 400mm. Should I settle on the fact that I’ll need to carry two lenses?
Thanks in advance
Yes. Any wide angle to 400mm lens would be a total piece of crap.
I’m shooting with a Sony FS7M2 and I am considering purchasing the Sony FE 100-400mm. This lens is advertised by Sony as being compatible with the FS7M2 as it has an E-mount but unfortunately as it is a full frame-lens massive loss of pixels will be inevitable. Can you suggest another (aps-c) solution ?
You won’t lose a single pixel shooting with a FE lens on APS-C cameras like FS7 II
Great list! Thanks!
I’m looking to buy a fast lens for bokeh experiments 🙂
I think I will get the Sony E 35mm f/1.8 OSS Lens, since it has OSS as well and AF.
Option B would be Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN. But it has no built in stabilization..
It’s for an a6000 body.
If you’re shooting wide open, OSS should not be quite as much of a concern, but I do like it for other purposes.
Two-thirds of a stop doesn’t make a huge differences in the background so either lens is a good choice. However if you want the MOST Bokeh at that focal length and can deal with manual focus, check out the Mitakon Zhongyi 35mm f/0.95 Lens for Sony APS E-Mount
Thanks for your opinion. You’re right about the OSS.
Hhi !
I’m reading, looking your site all the time. 🙂
I have 2 Sony cameras. Sony a5100 and Sony a5000 full spectrum.
From lenses i have Sigma 30mm 1.4, Samyang 12mm 2.0, 7artisan 7.5mm 2.8 fish eye, Sigma 19mm 2.8, other …. Tamron 16-200mm DC II (with a-mount to e-mount adapter) and Tamron 200-400mm a-mount.
I like to shoot landscapes, nature and night photos too.
So, astrophotography and deepsky is on the menu recently. I’m also using tracker for night photography, not all the time, but mostly for deepsky.
I need your opinion about telephoto lenses.
Is Sony 50-210mm better then my Tamron 16-200mm DC II? Also it’s easier to manual focus for nightsky then auto, but anyway, what’s your opinion ?
Thanks for any kind of information,
Best,
Matej
Are you referring to the Sony E 55-210mm f/4.5-6.3 OSS Lens? If so, it offers good performance for its price and it’s native which offers better AF than adapted lenses.
Tamron 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II has a considerably wider range which makes it handy as an all-in-one walk-around lens – but 10X zooms rarely perform as well as those with a more confined range.
As for night sky focusing, yes, I would say that manual focusing using focus magnification is generally the best way to go.
Yes, I was thinking Sony e55-210mm.
Is this lens more sharp than Tamron 16-200mm and can i also use it in manual mode ?
Tamron 16-200mm DC II is not that bad, but i’m looking something little more sharper.
You can use any lens in manual mode by setting Focus Setting > Manual
Yes it is sharper.
Thank you very much for your info,
best regards
Hi !
I have one question about full frame e-mount lenses.
I’m looking for two lenses, Samyang 21mm F1.4 AS UMC CS (apc-s) and
The Rokinon 24mm f/1.4 ED AS UMC (full frame).
Does attaching full frame lens to apc-s is fine ?
I already have Samyang 12mm f/2.0 NCS CS, so , will i benefit from any of those 2 lenses i’m looking ? I’d like to have second lens in future for astrophotography.
Best regards
Yes. Fullframe lenses will cover APS-C. Just not the other way around.
cool, thank you very much !
Hi Brian!
Help me, please!
I need the glasses 18 200 f 3.5 6.3 for sony a6000. Whith 300usd, there is Tamron Di III VC. Should buy it? What will the image quality look like?
Thank so much!
Not good. See below
Hi Brian!
Review Tamron 18 200 3.5 6.3 DiIILD Aspherical IF Macro more.
And I have lens 55 Artison, what do I need to do to make it work best with my a6000 ?
Thank so much!
Tamron 18-200 3.5 6.3 Di II LD gets a DxO sharpness score of 4, which is pretty horrendous.
A MUCH better option would be Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS. It has a shorter range, but it’s incredibly sharp corner-to-corner at all focal lengths.
I would need to know the lens mount of your 55 Artisan in order to advise you about an adapter.
Thanks for Sony E 18-135mm suggestion !
How it is , if I want to add teleconverter for more focal lenght ?
Do I loss quality too or ?
HiBrian! Thank you for interest.
The 55 artison is for sony E mount, it suits my sony a6000. I just do not know, what kind of shooting mode to shoot for the best results?
Lens Tamron 18 200 Di III VC for Sony E mount with price 330 USD should buy? It is good with the lens sony 18 200 F 3.5 5.6 OSS?
I just played, had no experience, so I asked a lot, hope you sympatize.
Than so much!
Yes, the both the Sony E 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 OSS LE and Sony E 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 OSS are sharper than the Tamron.
Brian, thank so much.
Brian, what do you think about a good portrait lens for Sony APS-C. Sony 50, Zeiss 55, the new Sigma 56, Sony 85, something else? And what about the bright wide-angle lens for shooting in places like dark cafes and so on. The priority is video, in both cases. Your blog is the best on the net!
Thanks Igor, Sony FE 55mm F1.8 ZA and Sony FE 85mm F1.8 are both excellent choices for portraits with Sony APS-C cameras. It just depends if you prefer a shorter or longer focal length.
As for fast wide angles for APS-C video, I’d recommend Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens for Sony E
Thanks Brian. I hope Sony will soon release a new Hi-End APS-C camera + a new lenses. Mr. Tanaka gave us hope!
Depends what you mean by that.
If you mean a Sony a6500-replacement with the new features found on Sony a6400 the chances are excellent.
Tanaka-san also hinted at the possibility of a 12mp APS-C camera with pixel-for-pixel 4K recording like a7S series cameras.
But…if you mean an a9 with an APS-C sensor, such a camera would likely cost $4000, yet most people who’ve been floating the idea fantasize about a price much lower. It. Ain’t. Gonna. Happen.
Mr. Smith,
I just recently enrolled in a visual communication class where we are learning the DLSR camera systems. I bought a Sony a6000 after finding a kit with two lenses on sale for $500.00 and I want to thank you for all the time you took in making this list. It really saved me a lot of time and effort . I am an amateur photographer as I now really enjoy it as a hobby, I really don’t care if I ever make money doing it, as I enjoy it. Thank you for your help.
Wishing you great success and enjoyment!
Hi Brian, superb article and site. I am an enthusiast photographer enjoying landscape, birds and candid shooting. I have a Sony NEX 5n which up to now has served well but I want to get better results for shooting restless birds in less than perfect light. I am also considering upgrading to A7 III or A7 IIIR. I have been mainly using Sony 55-210 with two limitations very obvious. Slow autofocus and poor low light (forest shade) performance. Can you suggest a long prime that might be more optimal with the NEX 5n and perhaps could also be a good option should I upgrade to the A& series? Thank you Andrew in New Zealand
The only E-mount prime long enough for your needs is the FE 400mm F2.8 GM, but I’m betting you’d lie something lower in price so have a look at the FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM OSS instead.
Hi Brian…
I possess a Sony A9 and I’m looking for a 35 mms Lens for both Portraits and Astrophography, weather sealed by preference (Sony , Sigma , etc)… which one would you recommend me? Please
I highly recommend the Sony FE 35mm F1.4 ZA.
hello, i have sony A7iii & i am a videographer, i have to purchase e mount lenses, i am confused that what will be better full frame lens or aps-c lens, actually full frame lenses are too expensive, if i use aps-c lens on A7iii so what will be effect in my video, particularly on depth of field.
Yes. APS-C lenses will drop a7 III into Super 35 crop mode resulting in greater depth-of-field than when shooting in fullframe.
It would be helpful to include the Sony VCLECU2 ultra wide converter and VCLECF2 fisheye converter, for Sony E16 and E20. Both offer an autofocus UWA solution with reasonabe IQ and a very competitive price tag.
Those are tricky to include as they are not lenses – they’re lens accessories. The quality is not bad for the price, but not equal to the ultra-wide primes on this list.
Well that’s true. If accessories are considered then adaptors are also to be included, and then there would be way too many options.
Hello, I have a sony a6500 and I want to buy the sony 70-200 F4.0 do you think it has some difficulty if I use it in apsc format?
Not at all. Fullframe lenses are always usable on APS-C cameras like a6500 and if you’re in North America, Sony FE 70-200mm F4 G OSS is $100 OFF until 6/22 at B&H Photo & Amazon.
Is it worth paying $ 1000 more for the 70-200 f2.8, since I can compensate with ISO in low light conditions, lowers the quality much? taking into account that the noise in the son and at 6500 does not show much
I shoot boxes of drill core for mining. I need to log the core photographically and wish for jewelry shots but the microscope approach is too slow. Sometimes I have to identify minerals that are 0.1-0.5 mm and very fine inclusion textures and cleavage angles. It’s so impossible few people do it very well…even in multi-million dollar projects. I’m an independent mining geologist spending my own money…I buy at the $1000 dollar level but not at the $10,000 level. Anyway, I want one lens on an articulated body to do it all overhead hand held! Sad. So, what macro? The Zeiss Touit Macro 50mm seems OK for macro but I don’t think I can get the 50mm on an Aps-c lens to do the overhead hand held shot without a stool. 50 mm is like 70mm…and I can’t reach high enough to frame the box, most likely. That’s a guess and a fear. Stools are not always available…dirt floors at 12,000 ft. on a table, a warehouse if I am lucky. I have been forced to use two cameras to do both…and two people…bad work flow. If I have two cameras, I want each to do macro and “meso” shots without lens changing. The boxes measure 2×3 ft. and I have 2,000 of them in a warehouse very very far away that I get to once every 10 years. Long story. I shot about 1500 boxes last time using a Sony a-6000 with the kit lens but I got delayed with microscopy and did not finish. If I get to finish…time is usually pressing. I can do the 2×3 overhead using the articulated screen on the A6000 fine but I didn’t get macros because the lens was wrong and couldn’t focus closer than about 2-3 ft. Bad move on my part. I’m a geologist, not a photographer. Luckily the little old Leica C-lux did…and it was good. I got to 10x with jpeg’s on snapshot mode using the telephoto macro setting. It turned out OK. I would upgrade to the newer Leica C-lux but I can’t shoot overheads without articulating screens and I don’t think I can use a wireless interconnect effectively to center the shots. I never get enough time. Shoot and scoot. The new way is to use some kind of stitching software and do a macro-panorama of the core…2000 meters…overlapping macros 15 cm at a time and stitching. I have my doubts because I’d have to rehandle every piece of rock or shoot it in the cardboard boxes…row by row…5 rows to a box…inch by inch. At that point video would be more plausible…but I’m not a photographer…so I make mistakes…last time I tried video I didn’t have good enough close up capability…and my results defaulted to a crude mix of box by box stills and videos at a resolution that was only so-so. I don’t have $50,000+ to scan using high tech imaging systems…but I’m hunting for it. Meanwhile…do I experiment with the Zeiss Touit macro at 50mm and send lenses back and forth to B&H or should I move to another format…micro 4/3 or full frame or what. That C-lux was a lucky break…really lucky but it can’t do overheads without stools or wi-fi or something to help frame the shots.
Sony E 30mm f/3.5 Macro Lens is your answer
Thank you…I just got notified I have to go to Chile again. I’ll hunt down that lens and give it a go. Seems like a cheap fix. I’ve been using a 200x 5meg digital scope…a “dinolite” for close-ups but I can’t shoot the whole core that way.Question…given the A6000 has a 24m pixel sensor is there any reason to try for more pixels? I think moving to say 45m pixels will only give me 2x higher resolution and what I really need is maximum depth of field. Stacked shots are the answer. That’s how the Dinolite works. I can’t recall if the a6000 does stacked shots offhand.
None of the Sony cameras do focus stacking, but focus stacking requires you to be locked down on a tripod and that isn’t your workflow.
APS-C is a nice middle ground. More depth-of-field than fullframe and much better quality than smaller sensors.
The biggest improvement you can make is lighting. I’m not totally clear on your set-up, but setting up an LED light on a stand will make a big difference.
Please update! Kamlan and viltrox
It looks like NO ONE makes a good APS-C size (smallest possible) PRIME telephoto lens for the A6000 series longer than 85mm. I love my Samyang-Rokinon 21mm and the Sigma 60mm, but want something 200mm or higher that isn’t a zoom, for clarity and cost reasons. The Rokinon Reflex 300mm does not have good reviews for sharpness. Do you know of any good options, now or in the pipeline?
I would not expect any. Size, weight and cost savings would be fairly minimal and not worth losing out on the fullframe market.
I am a pensioner and basic amateur family/landscape photographer and I’m trying to understand the myriad of shooting variables/options available. Could you please help me with following question comparing two Sony cameras please. The cameras are Sony RX100 V with f/1.8 zoom lens set at 24mm and Sony a6400 with prime Sony E 35mm f/1.8 OSS lens. If I stood on the same spot with both cameras set on “superior auto” to take a family group photo in an outdoor “dim light” evening dinner setting, which camera (if any) would have the wider view on the LCD screen, and which camera (if any) would produce the better quality photo? Any other comments would be appreciated. Thanks, Tim.
A 35mm is a “normal” lens on a6400. It would be the equivalent of 50mm setting on RX 100 V.
If you wanted to match the 24 mm setting on RX 100 V you’d want to use an 16mm lens on a6400.
APS-C cameras like a6400 will give you better image quality than RX100 1” sensor cameras
Hey Brian ! Since i’m getting here the most useful answers and I like this site a lot, i’d like to ask you for recommendation.
I own Sony a5000,5100 and 6000 model. From lenses i use mostly, Sigma 30mm, Samyang 12mm,16mm,19mm and 135mm, Sony 55-300mm A-mount with adapter and few vintage lenses, which works really well with Sony cameras.
Would i benefit for getting new lens, something arround 650$, maybe zoom lens or prime lens, i like focal lenght arround 16-50mm. ? Mainly for landscape and nightphotography, nature.
Best,
Matej
You’ve got that range covered pretty nicely with manual focus primes which are a great choice for Astro. If you’d like more AF lenses like the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN, have a look at Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens for Sony E or Sigma 56mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens for Sony E
Thanks for your reply !
What about Sony SEL1670Z Vario Vario-Tessar T * E F4 ZA OSS.
I read it’s a great lens. I know it’s not that much for night photography, but maybe for nature and landscape ? And it has stabilization too.
Second hand in excellent condition are arround 490$.
Sorry, you threw me for a loop when you mentioned night photography, otherwise the Sony E 16-70mm F4 ZA OSS is an excellent lens
It’s ok. Maybe I wrote that way, that i wasn’t clear about what i’m looking for 🙂
Hola Brian, realmente necesito tu ayuda, estoy hace meses deliberando cuál lente comprar entre la 18-105 y la 18-135 para sofá, tengo el sigma 30mm y pienso también en comprar el 16 1.4, pero quiero una lente zoom versátil para viajes y que dentro de lo qué hay ofrezca lo mejor, lamentablemente no contamos al día de hoy con lentes premium zoom para apsc por eso me veo obligado a elegir entre ambas, conozco sus beneficios y limitaciones pero cual de las dos ves más adecuada como la mejor lente zoom versátil sin tener en cuenta el peso que no me afecta. Desde ya muchas gracias
Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS is optimized for corner-to-corner sharpness at all apertures.
Sony E PZ 18-105mm F4 G OSS offers a constant F4 max aperture and powerzoom for video but is not as sharp corner-to-corner
Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens for Sony E is an extremely good prime lens – but obviously not a zoom.
Still not decided for OSS zoom lens.
Since there are few shops which they have some good prices and my budget is near those prices, i have checked 2 models, which they seems to be very similar but anyway:
Sony E 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 OSS Lens and Sony E 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 OSS LE
are those 2 better than E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS ?
Sony E 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 is considerably sharper than either of the 18-200 zooms.
Thanks for your answer !
Hey Brian, I have recently taken up photography and am mainly interested in Wildlife, Landscape and Macro photography. I’m using a borrowed a5100 and am on a tight budget for now, can you suggest appropriate budget lenses for the same…also do u think its better to wait and get better(pricier) lenses later or will budget lenses do the job.
The new Sony E 70-350mm f/4.5-6.3 G OSS is a great start!
Hey Brian, I feel stuck. I got the 30mm sigma f1.4 to do all my videos and found that it’s too tight on the apsc 6400.. so I just am using the 16-50mm kit lens 🙁 I dont feel good about any wide lower light primes except the sigma 16mm which feels too wide… besides the sigma 18-35mm f1.8, what could I use for that 28-35mm full frame natural look for you tube videos? Specifically where I need a little background in shots? 19mm 2.8? Was hoping for a low light prime to keep on the 6400. Thanks
Sigma 19mm f2.8 & Sony E 20mm f2.8 are both great choices in that focal range.
Hi Brian,
Could you please help me to decide whether I should purchase the new 16-55 f.2.8 for my a6500, to cover both medium and portrait need, or better I use the money to buy an f4 APSC zoom lens and a fast lens (maybe Sigma 30mm or Sony 35mm)?
I use the camera mainly for family travelling or street photography. Thank you.
When it comes to lenses, I always recommend quality over quantity. Invest in good glass like the Sony E 16-55mm f/2.8 G as you can afford it, then add more quality glass only when needed.
Forgot to mention the Sony E 18-50mm f/4-5.6 lens. This is kit lens for a3000 and a3500, very cheap on ebay.
That lens was sold exclusively in Australia, Mexico, Russia, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Not available in the rest of the world.
Hi Brian,
Great Site! Thanks for keeping it up to date!
I have an a6000 w/ kit lenses and ready to upgrade. But I keep going back and forth on solutions.
I’m in Africa a lot and am fortunate to be able to get to photograph some wildlife. The vast majority of the time this is at dusk.
Looking through my images, the biggest issue I face is low-light noise. Most problematic photos are near or at the end of the 55-210.
Since I travel so much I like the form factor (and of course cost) of APSC solutions but willing to go full frame if I need to. I would definitely like options with the equivalent of at least full-frame 200mm+.
What would you recommend as a reasonable target body/lens solution for this type of shooting along with any recommended migration steps from my current setup?
Thanks much
First Choice: Sony FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
Compact Budget Option: Sony E 70-350mm f/4.5-6.3 G OSS
Hi there !
I’m about to purchase my first zoom OSS lens for my Sony a5100 & a6000.
I like shooting landscape, nature, night photos.
Soon, in a few months, i’m also going to shoot wedding, so that’s also why i’d like to purchase OSS lens.
I’m looking for a few choices and i’d like to hear your opinion or your choice.
Lens should also have low light properties and no light flares.
-E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS
-E PZ 18-105mm F4 G OSS
-E 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 OSS (there’s also silver edition, little more expensive)
is there any difference between black and silver edition ?
My budget is arround 550$.
Best regards
Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS is by far the sharpest on that list and a great all-around lens. But for weddings you might want to pick up a fast prime for shooting in low light.
Thanks for your answer.
I have few prime lenses, but none of those are OSS.
“Sigma 30mm 1.4, Samyang 24mm 1.4, 16mm 2.0, 12mm 2.0.”
In that case you should be fine.
Hi Brian, I don’t think the Tamron 11-20 2.8 appears on your list, I haven’t seen any Tokina either.
Hope you update it soon. Greetings.
Thank you Francisco, there’s been a flurry of new lens releases. I’ll get those added soon.
Hello,
Based on a recommendation from a friend I purchased the A6400 for my partner for her birthday. Now she’s looking for a macro lens for shooting flowers and mushrooms and what not. I am wondering if you could recommend something? I am not experienced with cameras at all so I have very little idea what to shoot for.
Hello Warren, Sony makes three excellent macro compatible with a6400:
Sony E 30mm f/3.5 Macro
Sony FE 50mm f/2.8 Macro
Sony FE 90 F2.8 Macro G OSS
The later two will also cover fullframe – but all are a good choice for APS-C cameras like a6400. The FE 50mm f/2.8 Macro hits a nice sweet spot for a6400 since it’s a slight telephoto – but nothing extreme. Optically, the FE 90 F2.8 Macro G OSS is one of the sharpest macro’s ever made and a great choice if you want a moderate telephoto for greater working distance.
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