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You might be asking why, in 2024, I’m talking about Sony a6000 lenses in my blog post. After all, there are lots of other fantastic interchangeable lens Sony mirrorless cameras available. So why would someone want to write a piece about the Best Lens for Sony A6000?
The Sony a6000 is commonly considered as the best-selling mirrorless camera of all time, therefore the answer is rather straightforward.
Given its more recent successors and all the other incredible mirrorless cameras that are currently on the market, that is a bold statement.
It makes sense that there would be a lot of interest in lenses and accessories for Sony a6000 owners, given the large number of satisfied owners worldwide.
The Sony a6000 offers fantastic value for the price. With comparable image quality and performance to more expensive DSLR cameras.
Recently, I had the good fortune to test out several Sony E-Mount lenses with the a6000.
Thanks to the 11 frames per second and more than 5,000 photos, I was able to compile a list of suggested lenses that I think every owner of a Sony a6000 should have.
| Image | Product Name | Editor's Rating | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Sigma 24-70mm | Check Price | |
 | Tamron 70-180mm | Check Price | |
 | Sony FE 35mm | Check Price | |
 | Sony SEL85F18 85mm | Check Price | |
 | Sony - FE 16-35mm | Check Price |
Best Lens for Sony A6000 Reviews
Which Sony a6000 lenses are the best? I’ll now review the top five lenses for the Sony a6000. I’ve focused specifically on lenses that work well with the a6000, but you can use it as a guide for recommended high-quality Sony lenses for any of the other APS-C E-mount mirrorless cameras.
1. Sigma 24-70mm
The Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Art lens takes our pick for the best all-purpose lens for Sony a6000 cameras. Whatever kind of photography you enjoy, it has everything you need. Explore what makes this lens so great.
The Sony a6000 camera’s best all-around lens is loaded with features. Sigma gave their Art lenses their all. This indicates that the lens is weather-sealed and has dust, as you would anticipate from a premium Sony lens.
Additionally, it has a number of optical components that will aid in removing distortion, chromatic aberrations, and other issues from your images.
This lens’ focal length is also perfect for almost every style. For scenery and astronomy photography, pull back to the widest angle, or get up close for your standard animal and sports pictures. This Sigma lens truly has everything.
There are more features present that would make many Sony lenses envious. The lens includes an 11-bladed diaphragm, which excels at producing bokeh that is buttery smooth.
Additionally, Sigma chose to add a number of coatings on this lens to make sure it can withstand regular use. These will aid in safeguarding the glass components as well as the lens from dust and minor scratches.
There are some drawbacks to our choice for the best third-party lens for Sony a6000 cameras, but they might not be what you’d anticipate.
The fact that this lens is not a Sony product is its primary disadvantage. This implies that it will seem and function a little differently than the lenses you may be accustomed to.
For devoted Sony users, those who depend on a particular lens style for its similar button arrangement and tactile controls, and those who don’t want to learn a new system, this might be a deal-breaker.
Additionally, the budget needs to be taken into account. Even though it’s clearly not a cheap alternative, this is much less expensive than Sony products. But why not acquire the Sony equivalent if you have the extra cash to spend on a lens?
2. Tamron 70-180mm
You’ll need to go elsewhere if you want the best affordable zoom lens for the Sony a6000. One of the best and most reasonably priced zoom lenses for the Sony a6000 is the Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8 Di III VXD.
When it comes to this telephoto lens, there isn’t anything to hate. It performs very well for telephoto photography and is ideal for use with crop sensor cameras.
If you want to walk outside or capture images of sporting events, this lens is a terrific option.
The greatest wildlife lens for Sony a6000 cameras may also be this one, especially when using the crop sensor. This means that on your upcoming safari trip, you can explore the opportunity to get some beautiful images of the wildlife and local birds.
Some of the best third-party lenses are produced by Tamron. On Sony’s GM series of lenses, you’ll find all the optical elements, coatings, and features you’d anticipate.
Our selection for one of the greatest telephoto lenses for the Sony a6000 is not without flaws.
When using a crop sensor camera, there is a persistent issue that needs to be addressed first. The focal length of any lens you employ is inevitably enlarged by the crop sensor format. This implies that details will be far closer-up than they would be on a full-sized sensor.
In fact, this might be advantageous when we’re working with telephoto lenses. This entails that you can zoom in even more than you could on a more expensive camera.
That being said, you can’t zoom out nearly as much as the 70 mm focal length would indicate. It actually has an equal focal length of roughly 105 mm, leaving a 35 mm gap.
This merely indicates that you should give great consideration to the kinds of photos you’ll be using this lens for. It will perform even better while photographing wildlife and sports, but it may fall short if you’re seeking for a general-purpose lens that you can take around with you at all times.
The fact that this is a third-party lens is something else to consider. This indicates that it won’t provide the same level of support that you may anticipate from a Sony lens.
Additionally, it has a different design and controller settings, which could be a problem for those accustomed to the house brand.
3. Sony FE 35mm
It’s difficult to find anything wrong with the Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM. It’s a top lens for the Sony a6000 and unquestionably the best 35mm prime for this device.
When it comes to a 35 mm prime lens for a mirrorless camera system, the Sony FE 35 mm lens is almost ideal. We really racked our brains for issues with this lens, and it was challenging to identify the few that we did.
The greatest lens for the Sony a6000 for night photography is also this one. That aperture will be bright enough to handle almost anything you can throw at it from one point forward.
Using this lens during a wedding, a party, or even to try your hand at some amazing astrophotography is quite safe. Practically no dimly illuminated circumstance can be overcome by such a bright aperture.
You’re also going to get some fantastic bokeh with that aperture. People rarely consider 35 mm lenses as a good option for portrait photography, but they actually are. His lens will produce some timeless, cinematic-looking portraits.
This implies that it makes a fantastic lens for video. This lens gives you some very good options when it comes to video, as long as you’re comfortable with always filming wide or needing to zoom with your feet.
When it comes to the Sony FE 35mm lens, we ought to discuss the two large claws.
The price tag will be the first thing you notice about this. You’ll undoubtedly notice the difference in price because it’s typically more expensive than the Sony a6000 camera.
There are less expensive options for this lens, but you quickly start giving up all the qualities that made it so great in the first place.
On the other hand, if you want to eventually upgrade out of the a6000 product line, then money isn’t at all an issue. Starting with a professional-grade lens makes sense if your ultimate objective is to progress to a camera of that caliber.
We should also take a moment to discuss 35 mm’s drawbacks. Although it has a very natural focus, this focal length doesn’t provide a lot of telephoto zoom or extreme wide angle options.
In the end, this is among the best ones you can purchase for any Sony camera. Simply confirm that you wish to be shooting in 35 mm.
4. Sony SEL85F18 85mm
One of the best portrait lenses from Sony and the best 85mm lens for this camera is the Sony FE 85mm f/1.8.
In all honesty, listing the benefits of this lens is pretty simple. This lens is what you’ve been looking for if capturing photographs is one of your favorite activities.
In order to understand why this lens is particularly effective for portraiture, we must first take a closer look inside it. It can focus rapidly and quietly thanks to the double linear AF motor. When dealing with portraiture models who must not be disturbed by the sound of a lens focusing, this is practically required.
Additionally, this lens includes a 9-blade diaphragm, several coatings, and optical components to minimize distortion. Because you want to take the cleanest photos you can when taking portraits, this is very crucial.
Additionally weather-sealed, this lens. Being weather sealed is perhaps one of the most crucial features a portrait lens can offer. This entails that you can take photographs outside without having to worry too much about the lens being harmed by light rain or dust.
The greatest macro lens for Sony a6000 cameras is also this one, but you have to be a little creative. Either a macro extension is required, or you just need a fast hack.
By simply rotating the lens around, any lens can be converted into a macro lens. To try your hand at macro photography, you can either physically hold it there or purchase adapters that will attach it in place.
For macro, the 85mm lens is already a fantastic option. It has a strong magnification and precise characteristics.
This also exposes some of the shortcomings of this lens.
This is an extremely pricey lens for the Sony a6000 camera, which is not the criticism that was anticipated at this stage. In essence, we’re pairing a budget camera with a premium professional lens. Yes, there are less expensive options to this Sony 85 mm lens, but they just won’t offer the same functionality.
Additionally, 85 mm is regarded as a specialized focal length. Although it doesn’t stand out when it comes to other types of photography, it’s particularly great for portraiture.
This can be contrasted with another prime lens, such as the 50 mm. That works well for portraits, but it also works well for street photography and traveling with a camera.
Although the 85 mm focal length isn’t horrible, it does limit your photography to portraiture and related genres like product photography.
This suggests that for someone wishing to start taking general photography, it might not be the greatest first lens. The Sony a6000 will work best with this 85 mm lens from Sony if you already know what fashions you want to capture.
5. Sony – FE 16-35mm
The Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM lens is without a doubt the greatest landscape lens for the Sony Alpha a6000. This is why.
Wide-angle photography is become more and more well-liked. You can access amazing photographic genres like astrophotography, architectural, and interior photography. When it comes to wide-angle photography, the sky is the limit quite literally.
All of those styles are going to be available to you thanks to the Sony FE 16 to 35 mm lens. There are a few twists in this lens’s sleeve.
The 11-bladed diaphragm of this lens actually transforms it into a potent portrait lens when used with the Sony a6000. This lens is excellent for videography and street photography as long as you stick to the upper end of the 35 mm format.
A single lens can be used in so many different ways. Even while you won’t be able to zoom in to conduct sports or wildlife photography, you will still have access to the vast majority of looks in a single package.
This is also a result of the premium lenses from Sony. When it comes to using mirrorless cameras, these are the finest of the best.
This indicates that the lens is weather-sealed. It can withstand outdoor shooting, which is ideal if you’re already interested in landscapes and wildlife.
This lens uses a set direct-drive supersonic wave focusing motor, which is absolutely amazing. When you’re exercising outdoors and don’t want to disrupt the natural surroundings, its smooth, quick, sensitive autofocus is ideal. Simply get used to calling them “Direct Drive Super Sonic Wave AF Motors.”
Let’s now discuss some of the issues preventing this lens from being successful.
We should start by discussing the possibility that a prime lens is preferable for wide-angle photography. Really, it all depends on the goal you have in mind.
Less mechanical issues can occur with prime lenses. They provide crystal-clear visuals as well. This is crucial for several wide-angle photography techniques, such as astrophotography. You don’t want to run the danger of having any visual distortions ruin your image if you’re taking excessively lengthy exposures.
Additionally, zoom lenses have more moving components than prime lenses. This means that in the event that something goes wrong, you will have more to watch out for and a larger budget for future repairs.
Another problem with this lens is less of a problem with the lens itself and more of a problem with the Sony a6000. The Sony a6000’s crop sensor will enlarge the focal length of his lens. It won’t be quite as wide as 16 to 35 mm as a result.
On a crop sensor, you unfortunately can’t get much wider than this. Owners of crop sensor cameras will just have to weigh that against the possibility of upgrading to a full-frame camera.
Final Reflections
One of Sony’s best-selling models, the Sony a6000 is a fantastic tiny camera that competes well. The fact that newer versions of the camera are being introduced and lenses are still compatible with this E-mount camera despite the fact that this camera is outdated does not prevent it from having a wide selection of lenses.