Best Sony lenses 2023

Welcome to my Buyer’s Guide for Sony lenses! I’ll start with a quick guide to their ranges and what to look out for, followed by my personal suggestions for building a system, and finally a list of all the models I’ve reviewed or tested and can recommend. So if you’re looking for a Sony lens, you’ve come to the right place!

Sony lens terminology

Sony has two lens systems, one designed for its E-mount mirrorless cameras and the other for its older A-mount DSLR and SLT cameras. Older A-mount lenses can also work on E-mount mirrorless cameras using a Sony adapter, but for the best performance and greatest compatibility on mirrorless bodies, I’d recommend using native E-mount lenses when possible.

While Sony’s mirrorless lens mount is generically-known as the E-mount, the single letter E on a model name specifically refers to lenses that are only corrected for cameras with cropped APSC sensors, like the A6000 series, or full-frame bodies running in cropped / Super-35 modes; in either case, the crop reduces the field-of-view by 1.5 times, so a 50mm becomes equivalent to 75mm. Note older NEX bodies also employ cropped APSC sensors, but may not have the firmware to correct distortion on some of the latest lenses; they’ll still work, but you may see more distortion that you would on an A6000 series body.

Sony’s mirrorless lenses corrected for use on full-frame bodies like the A7 and A9 series, are labeled FE and have no reduction in their field-of-view when shooting in full-frame modes; these also work on cropped bodies or in cropped modes, albeit again with a 1.5x field-reduction. Sony’s A-mount lenses have SAL in their product codes, but models additionally labeled with DT are designed for bodies with cropped / APSC sensors.

As a general rule, if you have a full-frame Sony mirrorless camera, you should buy FE lenses, and if you have a cropped-frame Sony mirrorless camera, you can use either FE or E lenses; choosing FE will give you the option to use them on full-frame bodies if you upgrade in the future, but E models will be smaller, lighter and cheaper.

Within each series, Sony indicates its superior models by the letter G and names its flagship mirrorless lenses G Master or GM for short. Models involving a partnership with Zeiss are labeled ZA, and are generally pitched between Sony’s own G and GM lenses in quality. Meanwhile, lenses labeled PZ have a Power Zoom for smooth motorized zooming while filming, while those with OSS refer to Optical SteadyShot stabilisation. Phew, enough of the specs and now on to my recommendations; the text links in the next section take you to B&H to check prices, while links to my full reviews and sample galleries are lower on the page.

Recommended Sony lenses for cropped APSC bodies

If you own a cropped / APSC sensor body like the A6000 series, the best general-purpose lens is the Sony E 18-135mm, which represents a decent step-up in quality and range over the basic E 16-50mm kit zoom. If you’re willing to trade range for brightness, then there’s three main options with constant f2.8 apertures: the Sony E 16-55mm f2.8 is a great option for those on a bigger budget, but at a lower cost there’s also the Sigma 18-50mm f2.8 DC DN and the Tamron 17-70mm f2.8, the latter the largest of the three but including optical stabilisation. See my Sony E 18-135mm review, Sony E 16-55mm f.8 review and Sigma 18-50mm f2.8 DC DN review for more details.

If you’d like to shoot portraits with a blurred background, go for the Sony E 50mm f1.8 OSS which also sports optical stabilisation or the Sigma 56mm f1.4 DC DN which may lack stabilisation but delivered better results in my tests. If you prefer general-purpose shooting at 35mm equivalent, I’m very fond of the Sony E 24mm f1.8 ZA which boasts a bright aperture and close-focusing. If you favour a 50mm equivalent, then also consider the Sigma 30mm f1.4 DC DN or Sony E 35mm f1.8 OSS. If you’re into vlogging or ultra-wide angle photography, the Sony E 10-18mm is a great choice, or perhaps the Sigma 16mm f1.4 DC DN if you’re fond of 24mm equivalent coverage with a bright aperture, and if you want to get close to distant subjects without breaking the bank, then the Sony E 55-210mm is a good option. Telephoto shooters on a higher budget should weigh-up the Sony E 70-350mm and Sony FE 70-300mm, with the former giving more reach but the latter working with full-frame if you upgrade in the future; see my Sony E 70-350mm review for more details. There’s also the Sigma 100-400mm DG DN to consider. Finally, if you’d like the smallest shooting combo, consider the Sony E 20mm f2.8 or Sony E 16mm f2.8. Remember all lenses have their field-of-view reduced by 1.5 times when mounted on a cropped / APSC sensor body.

I’ll now move onto full-frame lenses, although remember all of them will also work on APSC bodies without an adapter, albeit again with a 1.5x field reduction.

Recommended Sony full-frame lenses

If you own a full-frame mirrorless body like the A7 or A9 series, my favourite general-purpose zoom is the surprisingly affordable Sony FE 24-104mm f4G, although if you’re a pro event shooter, you may prefer to invest in a model with a constant f2.8 aperture. Most obviously there’s the Sony FE 24-70mm f2.8 GM, but look for deals as it’s one of the earliest G Master lenses and ripe for an update . Alternatively if you desire a general-purpose zoom with a f2.8 aperture at a lower price, check out the Sigma 24-70mm f2.8 Art DG DN which costs roughly the same as the FE 24-105mm f4, or if you can sacrifice some coverage at the wide-end, the Sigma 28-70mm f2.8 DG DN or Tamron 28-75mm f2.8 Di III RXD come in cheaper still; see my Sigma 24-70mm f2.8 Art DG DN review, Sigma 28-70mm f2.8 DG DN review and Tamron 28-75mm f2.8 Di III RXD review for more details. If you’re into an all-in-one super-zoom range, check out my Sony FE 24-240mm f3.5-6.3 review or Tamron 28-200mm f2.8-5.6 review, or for something truly unique, how about the Tamron 35-150mm f2-2.8.

If you’re looking for a standard lens with a 50mm or thereabouts focal lengths, there are plenty of options for Sony full-framers. If you’re on a tight budget, it’s hard to beat the entry-level Sony FE 50mm f1.8 on value and while it lacks the performance and finesse of the higher-end models, it’ll still deliver shallow depth-of-field effects at a low price; see my Sony FE 50mm f1.8 review for more details. At the other end of the scale, the best native 50mm I’ve tested is the Sony FE 50mm f1.2 GM, although the Sigma 50mm f1.4 Art comes close in many respects (even beating it in some) at a lower price, but I’d expect a truly native DG DN version in the near future; see my Sony FE 50mm f1.2 GM review and Sigma 50mm f1.4 Art review for more details. Alternatively if you’re looking for a compact 50mm prime lens that out-performs the budget model, then consider the Sony FE 50mm f2.5 G or the slightly wider Sony FE 40mm f2.5 G and Sigma 45mm f2.8 DG DN? See my Sony FE 50mm f2.5 G review and Sony FE 40mm f2.5 G review for more details. Some also remain fond of the older Sony FE 55mm f1.8 ZA, although I’d only choose it over the newer options now at the right price; see my Sony FE 55mm f1.8 ZA review for more details.

If you’re a portrait photographer looking for a short telephoto, Sony offers two FE 85mm lenses: the relatively low-priced Sony FE 85mm f1.8 and the high-end Sony FE 85mm f1.4 GM that’s very crisp; see my Sony FE 85mm f1.8 review and Sony FE 85mm f1.4 GM review for more details. In-between those models lies the Sigma 85mm f1.4 DG DN Art which delivers excellent performance for the money; see my Sigma 85mm f1.4 DG DN review for more details. If you prefer shooting tighter portraits or from a little further away, the Sony FE 135mm f1.8 G Master is one of the sharpest lenses I’ve tested; check out my Sony FE 135mm f1.8 GM review for more details.

Wide shooters are well-catered by the Sony FE 12-24mm f4G, Sony FE 12-24mm f2.8 GM, Sony FE 16-35mm f2.8 GM and the Sigma 14-24mm f2.8 Art DG DN, the latter offering particularly good value, although if you can sacrifice a little at the wide-end, the Tamron 17-28mm f2.8 Di III RXD is even cheaper and a perfect match for the Tamron 28-75mm f2.8; see my Tamron 17-28mm f2.8 Di III RXD review, Sigma 14-24mm f2.8 DG DN review, Sony FE 12-24mm f2.8 GM review and Sony FE 16-35mm f2.8 GM review for more details. If you’re willing to trade the flexibility of a zoom for a fixed focal length with a brighter aperture, then the Sony FE 14mm f1.8 GM, Sony FE 20mm f1.8 G and Sony FE 24mm f1.4 GM are impressively light, sharp and relatively affordable too compared to rivals; see my Sony FE 14mm f1.8 GM review, Sony FE 20mm f1.8 G review and Sony FE 24mm f1.4 GM review for more details. If milder wide-angle primes are your thing, then I can recommend the Sony FE 35mm f1.8, Sony FE 35mm f1.4 GM, Sigma 35mm f2 DG DN or the unusually bright Sigma 35mm f1.2 Art DG DN; check out my Sony FE 35mm f1.8 review, Sony FE 35mm f1.4 GM review, Sigma 35mm f2 DG DN review and Sigma 35mm f1.2 Art review for more details. Alternatively if you’re willing to sacrifice a little light-gathering power in return for a smaller and lighter lens, both Sony and Sigma have a bunch of compact primes to consider that are ideal for smaller bodies: check out the Sony FE 24mm f2.8 G, Sigma 24mm f2 DG DN or Sigma 24mm f3.5 DG DN (see my Sony FE 24mm f2.8 G review, Sigma 24mm f2 DG DN review or Sigma 24mm f3.5 DG DN review for more details).

Close-range sports or distant portrait photographers will aspire to the high-end Sony FE 70-200mm f2.8 GM II, while those who need greater reach for distant sports or wildlife will find the Sony FE 100-400mm f4.5-5.6, Sigma 150-600mm f5-6.3 DG DN and Sony FE 200-600mm all perform very respectably; see my Sony FE 70-200mm f2.8 GM II review, Sony FE 100-400mm GM review, Sigma 150-600mm f5-6.3 DG DN review and Sony FE 200-600mm review for more details. If you’re on a tighter budget, the Sony FE 70-300mm f4.5-5.6 and Tamron 70-180mm f2.8 Di III are popular choices, as is the Sigma 100-400mm f5-6.3 DG DN; see my Tamron 70-180mm f2.8 Di III review and  Sigma 100-400mm f5-6.3 DG DN review for more details. Meanwhile for the big-budget pros out there the Sony FE 400mm f2.8 GM or Sony FE 600mm f4 GM will be tempting investments; see my Sony FE 400mm f2.8 GM review-so-far. And if macro photography is your bag, there’s Sony FE 90mm f2.8 Macro G or the Sigma 105mm f2.8 DG DN to choose from; see my Sigma 105mm f2.8 DG DN review for more details.

If you want to put together a system of primes without breaking the bank, I can recommend the Sony FE 28mm f2, Sony FE 50mm f1.8 and Sony FE 85mm f1.8 lenses, and if you want the smallest possible general-purpose combination, I’m very fond of the original Sony FE 35mm f2.8 ZA. If your budget is much higher, you can splash-out on three of Sony’s best prime lenses: the Sony FE 24mm f1.4 G Master, Sony FE 50mm f1.2 GM and Sony FE 85mm f1.4 GM will delight any lucky owner. If you want a triplet of top-end zooms, the Sony FE 12-24mm f2.8 GM, Sony FE 24-70mm f2.8 GM and Sony FE 70-200mm f2.8 GM II will take you from 12 to 200mm with a constant f2.8 focal ratio and G Master quality – expensive but very high-performance. Tamron also offers an alternative and more affordable approach to f2.8 zooms with the 17-28mm f2.8, 28-75mm f2.8 and 70-180mm f2.8. Meanwhile Sigma offers more affordable versions of the classic ranges, including a 14-24mm f2.8, and 24-70mm f2.8 – just look out for DG DN in the model name, indicating the latest versions in the native Sony mirrorless mount.

Keep reading for my detailed reviews of Sony lenses and sample image galleries! Check prices at Amazon, B&H, Adorama, eBay or Wex. Alternatively get yourself a copy of my In Camera book, an official Cameralabs T-shirt or mug, or treat me to a coffee! Thanks!

All my Sony lens reviews

Best Sony Lenses

Sony FE 50mm f1.8 review

The Sony FE 50mm f1.8 is an affordable standard prime lens for Alpha mirrorless cameras. It delivers standard coverage on full-frame bodies making it an ideal walk-around lens, and becomes a short telephoto on APSC bodies, equivalent to 75mm, making it perfect for portraits. Meanwhile the bright f1.8 focal ratio lets you shoot more easily in low light while also delivering shallow depth-of-field effects. Sony's lens catalogue isn't short of 50mm options with many higher-end alternatives available with better quality (especially regarding corner sharpness and rendering) and quieter focusing. But none come anywhere near the low price of the FE 50mm f1.8, making it a no-brainer for Alpha owners starting out in prime lenses. It's also possible to assemble an affordable threesome by adding the FE 28mm f2 and FE 85mm f1.8. All come recommended if you can't stretch to the higher-end options.

Check prices on the Sony FE 50mm f1.8 at Amazon, B&H, Adorama, or Wex. Alternatively get yourself a copy of my In Camera book or treat me to a coffee! Thanks!

Sony FE 55mm f1.8 ZA review

The Sony FE 55mm f1.8 ZA from 2013 is a very successful standard lens: small, light, sharp across a 42MP full-frame sensor, with excellent resistance against flare and glare in adverse contra-light situations It may only offer an f1.8 focal ratio but its slightly longer 55mm focal length compensates a bit when it comes to background isolation. It focuses reliably and pretty fast, and it is well protected against the elements only missing a rubber sealing at the lens-mount. Its Bokeh may produce onion rings on specular highlights and a pretty strong cat's-eye effect but with a less challenging background it can be less nervous than the FE 50mm f1.4. All-in-all the Sony FE 55mm f1.8 ZA is a compact and well-rounded package that still justifies its price and deserves a Highly Recommended!

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Tamron 17-28mm f2.8 Di III review

The 17-28mm f2.8 Di III RXD is Tamron's second native lens designed specifically for Sony's full-frame mirrorless E-mount bodies. From my tests Tamron's 17-28mm seems to follow in the footsteps of their 28-75mm f2.8 Di III RXD standard zoom: it offers a constant f2.8 focal ratio, is sharp to very sharp, shows very good resistance against flare and glare in challenging contra-light situations, and offers useful performance in close-up shooting. The lens is also pretty small and light. So light in fact that both the 17-28mm plus the 28-75mm f2.8 Tamron zooms together weigh only 1kg although they offer a constant f2.8 aperture throughout the zoom-range. And crucially you can get both at a price below that of Sony's FE 16-35mm f2.8 GM. What's not to like? Well, the 1.6x zoom range can feel pretty limited at times, the working distance at close-up shooting is a very short 6cm making it pretty hard not to throw a shadow on your subject and scare little critters away, and the full-frame corners are a bit soft when shooting at around 1-2m distance. But most of us want an ultra-wide zoom for more distant subjects where the Tamron excels, indeed equalling or even surpassing the sharpness of the Sony GM at times. So if you can live with the somewhat limited 1.6x zoom range, Tamron's second native E-mount lens earns a clear recommendation and becomes even more compelling when paired with the 28-75mm.

Check prices on the Tamron 17-28mm f2.8 Di at B&H, Adorama or WEX. Alternatively get yourself a copy of my In Camera book or treat me to a coffee! Thanks!

Sony FE 35mm f1.4 ZA review

The Sony FE 35mm f1.4 ZA is a wide-angle prime lens for Sony's mirrorless cameras and corrected for full-frame sensors. It’s one of several 35mm options for the e-mount, including Sony’s own dimmer but smaller f2.8 model as well as alternatives from Sigma, Samyang and Zeiss. In my tests the Sony FE 35mm f1.4 ZA left a mixed impression: It’s pretty sharp in the center but loses definition in the APS-C-corner, while its control of coma and longitudinal color aberrations is not the best. It may not be the largest, heaviest wide-angle prime but is still far from compact. It has thorough weather-sealing throughout the body, a large f1.4 focal ratio and a de-clickable aperture-ring but it has no rubber grommet at the lens mount and it's also pretty expensive. In Sony’s own range, the FE 35mm f1.4 ZA may be the best at its focal length, but its rivals are tougher competition: Sigma corners the lens with its 35mm and 40mm Art lenses which are either much cheaper with comparable performance or better quality at a similar price. And Sony's more recent 24mm f1.4 GM sets a high bar regarding size and performance; indeed you have to wonder if an improved G Master version of the 35mm f1.4 is in the pipeline. But nonetheless the Sony FE 35mm f1.4 ZA is a clear step-up over its smaller f2.8 ZA sibling with a two stops greater light gathering power, much superior Bokeh, and the de-clickable aperture-ring. It may miss out on our top award, but still earns a recommendation.

Check prices on the Sony FE 35mm f1.4 ZA at Amazon, B&H, Adorama, or Wex. Alternatively get yourself a copy of my In Camera book or treat me to a coffee! Thanks!

Sony FE 24mm f1.4 GM review

The Sony FE 24mm f1.4 G Master is a wide-angle prime lens designed for its Alpha series of full-frame mirrorless cameras. The lens delivers a popular field-of-view that’s wider than 28mm without the distortion related to wider options, while the bright f1.4 focal ratio is ideal in low-light and also for delivering shallow depth-of-field effects, especially when the subject is positioned close to the minimum focusing distance of 24cm. In my tests, the Sony FE 24mm f1.4 GM was a winner: sharp into the corners of a full-frame sensor, light and small, with good resistance against flare, glare and ghosting, and a nice background Bokeh too. The de-clickable aperture ring, lockable lens hood, and focus lock button are a nice bonus. This together with its thorough weather-sealing supports Sony's high-end claim of the G Master series. All in all the Sony FE 24mm f1.4 GM justifies its price and although I'd wish for less longitudinal CAs the lens clearly earns a Highly Recommended!

Check prices on the Sony FE 24mm f1.4 GM at B&H, Adorama, or Wex. Alternatively get yourself a copy of my In Camera book or treat me to a coffee! Thanks!

Sigma 56mm f1.4 review

The Sigma 56mm f1.4 DC DN C is a short-telephoto lens corrected for APSC sensors and available in Sony E and Micro Four Thirds mounts, on which it delivers 84mm or 112mm equivalent coverage, Perfect for portraits and events, not to mention tighter views of urban or natural landscapes, this compact lens delivers pin sharp details across the frame and attractive rendering that rivals much more expensive, not to mention heftier lenses. The focusing is fast and quiet, and the barrel weather-sealed too. In fact the only disappointment is an unremarkable closest focusing distance of 50cm which, while able to fill the frame with a face, a sandwich or a coffee cup, will struggle if you try to get closer still. Owners of older Sony and Panasonic bodies may also lament the lack of optical stabilisation and could end up preferring the Sony e 50mm f1.8 OSS or Lumix G 42.5mm f1.7 (both of which have optical stabilisation), but all new Olympus, Panasonic and Sony bodies feature built-in stabilisation, so it’s not an issue going-forward. Cleverly Sigma has also chosen a focal length and aperture with no direct rivals in the Sony e or Micro Four Thirds catalogues, allowing it to slot comfortably between existing options and for me, become the most compelling portrait lens for both systems. The Sigma 56mm f1.4 boasts aspirational performance at a satisfyingly accessible price point and therefore comes Highly Recommended!

Check prices on the Sigma 56mm f1.4 at Amazon, B&H, Adorama, or Wex. Alternatively get yourself a copy of my In Camera book or treat me to a coffee! Thanks!

Sony FE 85mm f1.8 review

The Sony FE 85mm f1.8 is the smallest, lightest and cheapest large aperture 85mm prime lens that autofocuses on Sony mirrorless bodies. It performs quite well and gives you the reach and distinct Bokeh of a 85mm f1.8 lens which is ideal for portrait and street shooters. Should the photographic subject require highest sharpness or lower longitudinal CAs it's easy to achieve by stopping the lens down to f2.8 or f4.0 - which is helped in many situations by the three stop benefit of the image stabilization provided by the Sony A7 bodies. All in all the Sony FE 85mm f1.8 clearly earns a Recommended!

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Tamron 28-75mm f2.8 review

The Tamron 28-75mm f2.8 is a valuable addition to the full-frame E-Mount market, that's wisely pitched between Sony's entry-level FE 28-70mm f3.5-5.6 kit zoom and the high-end FE 24-70mm f2.8 G Master. The Tamron is stunningly sharp in the APS-C image-circle and delivers very usable close-up performance too. It's small and light and comes at a reasonable price that makes it a viable option for those who can only dream of f2.8 zooms and were otherwise heading to the budget kit lens. For the price, the sharpness unsurprisingly becomes softer in the full-frame corners and many will miss the wider coverage of zooms that start at 24mm; there's also some irritating flare and ghosting under certain circumstances. But all-in-all the Tamron 28-75mm f2.8 is an attractive option for E-mount owners who want a step-up in aperture from the entry-level Sony FE 28-70mm f3.5-5.6 kit zoom without the considerable cost of the FE 24-70mm f2.8 G Master - and while it may become soft in the corners, subjects towards the middle will be sharp with the potential for attractive blurring behind them. So overall I'm happy to award Tamron's first native E-mount lens a recommendation!

Check prices on the Tamron 28-75mm f2.8 at Amazon, B&H, Adorama, or Wex. Alternatively get yourself a copy of my In Camera book or treat me to a coffee! Thanks!

Sony E 18-135mm f3.5-5.6 review

The Sony E 18-135mm f3.5-5.6 OSS is a compact, lightweight and versatile general-purpose zoom for its cropped-frame mirrorless bodies, including the A6000, A5000 and NEX series. The 7.5x range takes you from wide-angle to respectable telephoto and while the focal ratio of f3.5-5.6 isn't anything unusual, it does allow some shallow depth-of-field effects at the long-end, especially at closer distances. And thankfully after a string of disappointing general-purpose zooms for their cropped-frame bodies, the E 18-135mm delivers crisp results across the frame and throughout the range. For the money the E 18-135mm is a no-brainer for all A6000, A5000 and NEX owners looking for a general-purpose zoom or an upgrade from the 16-50mm.

Check prices on the Sony E 18-135mm f3.5-5.6 at Amazon, B&H, Adorama, or Wex. Alternatively get yourself a copy of my In Camera book or treat me to a coffee! Thanks!

Sony FE 24-105mm f4G OSS review so far

The Sony FE 24-105mm f4G OSS is a general-purpose lightweight zoom for Sony's full-frame mirrorless cameras upon which it'll take you from wide-angle to short telephoto. The lens sports a constant f4 focal ratio and can deliver reasonably blurred backgrounds and attractive rendering when shot wide-open at 105mm, especially at portrait distances or approaching the minimum focusing of 38cm. There's optical stabilisation to iron-out wobbles on older bodies, or further enhance those with sensor-shift, while weather-sealing keeps it protected against the elements. I shot with it on a full-frame Alpha A7r Mark III and found the combination flexible but surprisingly light while still delivering good quality. As such it's an ideal general-purpose zoom for those who can't stretch to a G-Master or who need a longer range than a 24-70mm in a compact and light form. Recommended.

Check prices on the Sony FE 24-105mm f4G OSS at Amazon, B&H, Adorama, or Wex. Alternatively get yourself a copy of my In Camera book or treat me to a coffee! Thanks!

Sony FE 28mm f2 review-so-far

Sony's FE 28mm f2 is a compact and affordable wide-angle prime lens for Sony mirrorless cameras, that's corrected for use on full-frame bodies. The small size and light-weight make it a perfect companion for Sony's smaller bodies, while a pair of optional adapters transform it into a 21mm ultra-wide or 16mm Fisheye. It may lack the ultimate quality of Sony's higher-end lenses, but the size, weight and price - not to mention the added flexibility of the adapters - are hard to argue with. Indeed along with the FE 50mm f1.8 and FE 85mm f1.8 you can build a compelling triplet of light and low-cost prime lenses.

Check prices on the Sony FE 28mm f2 at Amazon, B&H, Adorama, or

Sony FE 100-400mm f4.5-5.6 GM OSS review

The Sony FE 100-400mm f4.5-5.6 G Master is a telephoto zoom for its e-mount mirrorless cameras, and corrected for use on full-frame bodies. Announced alongside the professional Alpha A9 body, it delivers the longest reach of Sony's native e-mount lenses to date. It's also the fourth lens to join the high-end G Master series and like the others aims to deliver both high resolution across the entire zoom, focusing and aperture ranges, as well as attractive bokeh.

Check prices on the Sony FE 100-400mm GM at Amazon, B&H, Adorama, or Wex. Alternatively get yourself a copy of my In Camera book or treat me to a coffee! Thanks!

Sony FE 70-200mm f4G OSS review

Sony's FE 70-200mm f4G OSS was the first telephoto zoom for its full-frame mirrorless cameras and remains one of the best options for fairly close range action. The f4 aperture may not deliver as much (or as attractive) blurring as the FE 70-200mm f2.8 GM, nor will its focal length reach as far as the FE 100-400mm GM, but it's noticeably lighter and more affordable than either, not to mention physically better-suited for Sony's smaller bodies, especially the cropped APSC models where the coverage is reduced to 105-300mm. The optical quality may lack the ultimate bite and smooth rendering of the pricier and heavier G Master telephoto zooms, but it remains respectable across the frame with a high level of detail, while the focusing is quick enough to track fast action when coupled with the right body. A great choice if you want a decent telephoto zoom but don't need an f2.8 focal ratio or a super reach.

Check prices on the Sony FE 70-200mm f4 at Amazon, B&H, Adorama, or

Sony E 10-18mm f4 review-so-far

The Sony E 10-18mm f4 OSS was the first ultra-wide zoom for Sony's cropped-frame / APSC mirrorless cameras, including the original NEX and later Alpha A5000 and A6000 series. Several years after launch, it remains the only ultra-wide option for these cameras from Sony, so it's fortunate it's a decent performer, delivering coverage equivalent to 15-27mm, a constant f4 focal ratio and optical stabilisation. Like other ultra-wide zooms, it's ideal for capturing expansive landscapes, dramatic architecture, large interiors or even big group shots when you can't step back any further, and the presence of a filter thread means you can mount filters for long exposure photography, but do check for potential vignetting if using a large filter mount system.

Check prices on the Sony E 10-18mm f4 at Amazon, B&H, or Adorama, or Wex. Alternatively get yourself a copy of my In Camera book or treat me to a coffee! Thanks!

Sony E 24mm f1.8 ZA review-so-far

The Sony Carl Zeiss Sonnar T* E 24mm f1.8 ZA is a high quality prime lens for Sony's cropped-frame / APSC mirrorless cameras, including the NEX, A5000 and A6000 series. Mounted on a cropped body it delivers 36mm equivalent coverage, a mild wide-angle that's perfect for general-purpose or street photography. The bright f1.8 focal ratio allows you to keep shooting in lower light without compromising ISO, while also allowing shallow depth-of-field effects. In my tests it can be a little soft in the extreme corners at wide apertures, but it remains a good option for anyone who wants a good quality walk-around prime lens.

Check prices on the Sony E 24mm f1.8 ZA at Amazon, B&H, Adorama, or Wex. Alternatively get yourself a copy of my In Camera book or treat me to a coffee! Thanks!

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