Best Lenses for Sony a1 in 2023
Looking for the best lenses for Sony a1? Here is the guide for you to get the top recommended E-mount lenses for Sony a1 mirrorless camera.
The Sony a1 is the most expensive E-mount camera to date and the most technologically advanced, innovative camera that Sony has ever released. Featuring a 50.1MP full-frame Exmor RS BSI CMOS sensor and the BIONZ XR processing engine, the Sony a1 is capable of 30 fps continuous shooting at full-resolution, 8K 30p and 4K 120p 10-bit video recording, and still offers versatile sensitivity up to ISO 102400 for low-light shooting. The sensor’s design also includes a 759-point Fast Hybrid AF system, which offers advanced subject tracking and Real-time Eye AF on humans and animals, even including a dedicated Bird Mode. So, with a brand new 50.1-megapixel full-frame stacked Exmor RS image sensor, up to 120 AF/AE calculations per second, 8K 30p 10-bit 4:2:0 video and much more, the Sony a1 will allow you to capture what you’ve never been able to before.
So, if you are the lucky owner of the Sony a1 (Amazon, B&H, Adorama) or perhaps thinking about purchasing one soon, then you might also be wondering which are the best lenses to pair with the Sony a1. Here we looked at all lenses from Sony and other companies and selected the best lenses for Sony a1 mirrorless camera based on good price, usefulness and high image quality, including leading prime and zoom options from wide-angle to telephoto for portraits, wedding, landscapes, travel, event, street, macro, videos, sports and wildlife and more.
Best Lenses for Sony a1
Full List of Recommended Sony a1 Lenses: To help you decide on the best lens for your intended use, I have categorized the lenses into the following groups. You can click any of the below links to jump to the type of lens that interests you the most.
All-in-One Lenses | Vlogging Lens | Street and Everyday Lenses | Standard Zoom Lenses | Wide Angle Zoom Lenses | Wide Angle Prime Lenses | Portrait Lenses | Macro Lenses | Sports and Wildlife Lenses
Best All-in-One Lenses for Sony a1
Sony FE 24-240mm f/3.5-6.3 OSS
An excellent superzoom lens with a reasonable price!
Able to cover everything from wide-angle to telephoto in a single compact form factor, the Sony FE 24-240mm f/3.5-6.3 OSS lens is a one-lens solution that can reduce baggage when traveling and maximize efficiency at busy events, and it is ideal for landscape, snapshots, portraits and travel where reducing luggage is a priority. The ability to switch from wide angle to telephoto without having to change lenses also means that more of those fleeting moments that make great shots will be captured. The advanced optics include 5 aspherical elements and 1 ED glass element, achieving high-quality performance in a compact overall design. An advanced linear motor drives the focusing mechanism for quick, smooth response throughout the extended zoom range. Handheld telephoto shots and low-light photography are facilitated by built-in Optical SteadyShot (OSS) image stabilization. Like all other FE lenses, the design is dust and moisture resistant. Simply put, it is reasonably priced and the ultimate choice in convenience. And it’s an okay solution for those on a budget.
Tamron 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6 Di III RXD
An excellent alternative to the Sony FE 24-240mm f/3.5-6.3 OSS lens.
Offering the unique mixture of an all-in-one zoom range and a fast design, the Tamron 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6 Di III RXD is a wide-to-super-tele zoom distinguished by its bright f/2.8 maximum aperture at the wide end of the zoom, along with its sleek and portable design. Aside from day-to-day portability, the Tamron 28-200mm F2.8-5.6’s lightweight and compact size make it especially convenient for travel photos, where users wish to avoid the burden of heavy baggage. Bright f/2.8-5.6 maximum aperture range suits working in available lighting conditions, especially when working at the wide-angle end of the expansive zoom range. RXD (Rapid eXtra-silent stepping Drive) autofocus motor delivers impressively quiet, quick, and smooth focusing performance to suit both stills and video applications. This focusing system also offers a minimum focusing distance of just 7.5″ and a 1:3.1 maximum magnification for working with close-up subjects. It measures 4.6 inches in length and weighs just 20.3-ounces, and accepts filters of 67mm diameter. This Tamron 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6 Di III RXD Lens is an excellent alternative to the Sony FE 24-240mm f/3.5-6.3 OSS lens, and the amazingly compact size, light weight and reasonable price made the lens immediately wildly popular with photographers around the world.
Lens | Buy Now |
Sony FE 24-240mm f/3.5-6.3 OSS | Amazon | B&H |
Tamron 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6 Di III RXD | Amazon | B&H |
Best Vlogging Lens for Sony a1
Sony FE 20mm f/1.8 G
Ideal for videographers and vloggers, as well as landscapes, street, and starscapes photography.
Presenting an ultra-wide field of view, outstanding corner-to-corner sharpness with a fast F1.8 max. aperture, the Sony FE 20mm f/1.8 G is a sleek and wide-eyed prime lens characterized by its portability, advanced optical design, and intuitive handling. Weighing only 373g, its small size and light weight make it ideal for videographers and vloggers, and perfectly suits a wide variety of scenarios like landscape, street, starry-nights, and environmental portraits. It optical design employs two AA (Advanced Aspherical) elements and three ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass elements that combine to accurately reproduce point light sources with high contrast. As a result you get crisp, clear images with minimal sagittal flaring of challenging subjects such as night scenes and starry skies. The lens’ lightweight design makes it ideal for videographers and vloggers, and perfectly suits a wide variety of scenarios like landscape, street, starry-nights, and environmental portraits. Dual XD Linear Motor system provides quick, quiet, and precise autofocus performance and also contributes to more natural, intuitive manual focus control. A special Nano Anti-reflective coating on lens elements suppresses reflections, flare and ghosting, while the fluorine coating on the front lens element repels water, oil, and other contaminants for sharp, clear images. If you are a youtuber or vlogger, this is right lens for you!
Best Street and Everyday Lenses for Sony a1
Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM
Perfect for a wide range of uses such as shooting landscapes, portraits and street photography, for both stills and video.
A classic wide-angle prime with an updated, sleek design, the Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM is characterized by its speed and relatively compact form factor. The versatile focal length suits everything from street shooting to landscape and documentary subjects, and the fast maximum aperture excels in low light and for controlling depth of field. Also, as a G Master lens, it features an advanced optical design for well-corrected imagery with a high degree of sharpness and clarity. The Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM Full-Frame Large-Aperture Wide-Angle G Master Lens uses two XA (extreme aspherical) elements, an ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass element, and Nano Anti-reflective coating II that contribute to high-contrast, high-resolution results with corner-to-corner sharpness and dramatically reduce chromatic aberration, flea, and ghosting. Highly recommended!
Sony Zeiss FE 35mm f/2.8
A great pancake lens! Ideal for street photography, environmental portraits, and general-purpose shooting.
An ideal match for Sony a1 body, this Sony Zeiss FE 35mm f/2.8 lens delivers high resolution images in a lightweight, compact, and portable design. The three double-sided aspherical elements minimize aberration, while the ZEISS T coating emphasizes natural color reproduction for better contrast and outstanding resolution. The maximum F2.8 aperture enables shooting in a wide range of lighting conditions, with consistent image quality at all apertures. Meanwhile, a circular aperture design contributes to gorgeous bokeh for smoothly defocused backgrounds. Taking things up a notch is the linear autofocus motor and internal focusing design, resulting in fast, quiet, and responsive performance in stills and video as well providing a minimum focus distance of 13.8″. The dust and moisture resistant design safeguards against outdoor elements, so you can trust the lens to perform consistently in moderately wet or dusty conditions. For some added flair, adjust the seven-bladed circular aperture to create appealing ‘bokeh’ effects for a more natural look. Super compact and lightweight with a 35mm wide-angle view, this Sony Zeiss FE 35mm f/2.8 lens will provide a excellent perspective for street photography, environmental portraits, and general-purpose shooting.
Samyang AF 35mm f/2.8 FE
Smaller and lighter than the Sony Zeiss 35mm f2.8. Ideal for travel and everyday photography.
Thanks to cutting edge optical technology, at only 1.2” in length and weighing only 3.02oz, this lens is packed with features for outstanding image quality. Featuring seven elements in six groups, two a spherical lenses and one high refractive lens plus Ultra Multi Coating, it’s smaller and lighter than the Sony Zeiss 35mm f2.8, yet offers equally impressive image quality at less than half of the price! Auto focusing, an inconspicuous size, a 13.8” minimum focusing distance, and a slightly wide angle of view make it perfect for, travel, environmental portraits, stealthy street shooting, and landscapes. Offering extreme performance beyond its size, the Samyang AF 35mm f/2.8 FE is an ideal lens for everyday shooters to have mounted and ready to capture every memory as a high quality image.
Sony FE 35mm f/1.8
Perfect for street, walk around, landscape, food, and everyday shooting.
The compact and lightweight (weighs 280g) Sony FE 35mm f/1.8 prime lens provide mobility and convenience for shooting a wide range of subjects from everyday snapshots, food photography, landscapes, night scenes and more. It provides outstanding corner-to-corner image quality and beautiful bokeh, while its quiet autofocus and tenacious tracking performance make it a great choice for both stills and movie shooting. It has a fast f/1.8 maximum aperture which can create images with a shallow depth of field and enables working under low-light conditions. It also has a 9-blade circular aperture for rendering aesthetically-pleasing bokeh, while its aspherical elements negate aberration to give you high-resolution images. This lens also has a linear autofocus motor and internal focus design which allows for quick, precise, and quiet autofocusing. Its dust and moisture-resistant build and compact design make the new Sony FE 35mm F/1.8 wide-angle prime lens a must-have for leisure and professional photographers alike.
Tamron 35mm f/2.8 Di III OSD M 1:2
A favored focal length for everything from street photography to portraiture, the Tamron 35mm f/2.8 Di III OSD M 1:2 lens is a sleek and lightweight take on one of the most popular and beloved focal lengths around. This wide-angle prime is distinguished by its f/2.8 design that strikes a balance between speed and a compact design, making for a highly portable lens for use in a variety of situations. Also contributing to its versatility is a half life-size 1:2 maximum magnification ratio and 5.9″ minimum focusing distance for working with close-up subjects. Its OSD stepping motor lets it have a silent but fast and precise autofocus and features a full-time manual focus override. The Tamron 35mm can also produce sharp, color-accurate images thanks to its lens elements having a Broad-Band Anti-Reflection coating that prevents lens flares, ghosting, and reduces surface reflections. Additionally, the lens sports a moisture-resistant physical design along with a fluorine coating to suit working in inclement conditions.
Sony Zeiss FE 55mm f/1.8
Delivering beautiful rendering as well as exceptional sharpness, this Sony Zeiss FE 55mm f/1.8 prime lens is an obvious choice for portraiture, low-light and everyday photographic assignments. From an image quality standpoint, the Sony Zeiss FE 55mm f/1.8 is surprisingly impressive. It features a very fast and bright f/1.8 maximum aperture to support working in dimly-lit conditions and for greater control over focus for shallow depth of field imagery, and it has smaller size and lower price than the Sony Zeiss 50mm f/1.4. By using three aspherical elements and Zeiss’s legendary T* anti-reflective coating, this lens exhibits an absolute minimum of aberrations and flare. It also has a linear autofocus motor and internal focus design for fast, responsive AF and achieving a minimum focus distance of 1.6′. Additionally, the lens is dust and moisture resistant and uses a nine-blade circular diaphragm for smooth, rounded bokeh.
Lens | Buy Now |
Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM | Amazon | B&H |
Sony Zeiss FE 35mm f/2.8 | Amazon | B&H |
Samyang AF 35mm f/2.8 FE | Amazon | B&H |
Sony FE 35mm f/1.8 | Amazon | B&H |
Tamron 35mm f/2.8 Di III OSD M 1:2 | Amazon | B&H |
Sony Zeiss FE 55mm f/1.8 | Amazon | B&H |
Sigma 35mm f/1.2 DG DN Art | Amazon | B&H |
Rokinon AF 35mm f/1.4 FE | Amazon | B&H |
Best Standard Zoom (Travel & Event) Lenses for Sony a1
Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM
The best 24-70mm lens! Perfect for portrait, travel and event photography as well as movies.
The Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM zoom lens is the ultimate choice for those seeking the highest possible optical performance for portrait, travel and event photography or even simple everyday shooting. Featuring a constant f/2.8 maximum aperture, this lens maintains consistent performance throughout the zoom range and benefits working in low-light conditions and with selective focus techniques. Complementing the apt light-gathering capabilities is an equally impressive optical design, which incorporates three aspherical elements and two extra-low dispersion elements. Additionally, an ED (Extra-low-Dispersion) glass element and Super ED glass element keep chromatic aberration to a minimum while maximising resolution and bokeh without any unnatural colouration. The lens also features a 9-bladed aperture that maintains a near circular shape at all settings and is coated with Sony’s original Nano AR coating to suppress reflections and ensure spectacular contrast and clarity. A Nano AR Coating has been applied to reduce surface reflections, flare, and ghosting for increased contrast and color rendering in strong lighting conditions, while a Direct Drive Super Sonic wave AF motor and internal focus mechanism provide quick, quiet, and precise autofocus performance and also contribute to more natural, intuitive manual focus control. Somply put, the Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM is the best 24-70mm lens ever made on the market and it an ideal choice for shooting both still images as well as movies.
Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III RXD
Amazingly lightweight and compact, ideal for travel and event photography, walkaround and family shots.
Comfortably light weight (19.4 oz.) and compact, the Tamron 28-75mm F2.8 for Sony E-Mount delivers superb optical performance, including both outstanding image quality and beautiful background blur effects (bokeh). Spanning wide-angle to portrait-length, a constant f/2.8 maximum aperture complements this range and affords increased control over depth of field along with enhanced low-light performance. The optical design incorporates a series of low dispersion and aspherical elements, which produce a highly corrected image with reduced spherical and chromatic aberrations for improved sharpness and clarity. Benefitting the optical design is an RXD stepping motor, which enables quick, near-silent autofocus performance to suit stills and video, along with full-time manual focus override and a minimum focusing distance of 7.5″. In addition to portraits, nature shots and street photography, the 0.19m Minimum Object Distance lets you enjoy new forms of photographic expression with close-up shooting at the wide-angle end. With Moisture-Resistant Construction and Fluorine Coating, this lens offers exceptional mobility and outdoor functionality. This Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III RXD lens is a very popular option for travel and event photography, walkaround and family shots.
Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Art
A great alternative to the Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM lens, great value!
The newly-designed Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Art lens exerts superiority in mirrorless camera-dedicated designs, resulting in a reduced lens size and weight while achieving uniformity and high resolution from the center to the periphery throughout the zoom range, and it offers best-in-class performance due to a sophisticated optical design that delivers high resolution throughout the entire zoom range. Constant f/2.8 maximum aperture is well-suited for working in available light conditions and also provides greater control over depth of field when using shallow depth of field techniques. The optical design incorporates a series of low dispersion and aspherical elements that greatly reduce a variety of aberrations in order to achieve high sharpness, enhanced clarity, and improved color accuracy. Both Super Multi-Layer and Nano Porous Coatings have also been applied to improve contrast and color rendering by suppressing lens flare and ghosting when working in strong lighting conditions. At the wide end of the zoom range, a maximum magnification ratio of 1:2.9 suits working with close-up subjects and an 11-blade diaphragm contributes to a pleasing bokeh quality. Priced at $1,099, the Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Art lens is a great and affordable alternative to the Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM lens.
Lens | Buy Now |
Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM | Amazon | B&H |
Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III RXD | Amazon | B&H |
Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Art | Amazon | B&H |
Sony Zeiss FE 24-70mm f/4 ZA OSS | Amazon | B&H |
Sony FE 24-105mm f/4 G OSS | Amazon | B&H |
Sony FE 28-70mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS | Amazon | B&H |
Best Wide Angle Zoom Lenses for Sony a1
Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM
Perfect for landscapes, cityscapes, astrophotography and architecture, as well as recording movies.
This Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM ultra-wide-angle zoom builds upon the success of the popular FE 12-24mm f/4 G lens, boasting an even wider constant aperture, complex optical design, and lightning-fast AF. As the the world’s widest range of zoom at F2.8, the Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM lens is perfect for landscapes, cityscapes, architecture and astrophotographers in search of uncompromising image quality and performance, as well as recording movies with a useful zoom range. The FE 12-24mm F2.8 GM benefits from innovative construction that delivers outstanding corner-to-corner image quality throughout the entire zoom range. Plus, its fast f/2.8 aperture helps achieve detailed low-light images whether shooting indoors or outdoors without increasing ISO setting or slowing your shutter speed. Its advanced optical design includes a series of XA, aspherical, Super ED, and ED elements, which combine to reduce a variety of aberrations and distortions for a high degree of sharpness, accurate rendering, and notable color accuracy. An updated Nano AR Coating II has also been applied, which suppresses flare and ghosting for greater contrast when working in bright and backlit conditions. Plus, its fast f/2.8 aperture helps achieve detailed low-light images whether shooting indoors or outdoors without increasing ISO setting or slowing your shutter speed. It’s perfect for capturing amazingly mesmerizing night scenes and starry skies. A mechanical design featuring high-performance XD Linear Motors contribute the lens’ compact and portable design (weighs only 1.87 lb) making it a perfect choice for active photographers that need extra mobility during shoots. Simply put, comprising a range of ultra-wide fields of view with a constant f/2.8 maximum aperture, this compact and versatile Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM lens is perfect for shooting landscapes, astrophotography and architecture while providing extra mobility for active sports shooters who want to capture ultra-wide perspectives.
Sony FE 12-24mm f/4 G
An excellent choice for dynamic landscape and architecture photography, as well as astrophotography.
Ultra-wide and versatile, the Sony FE 12-24mm f/4 G lens is an excellent choice for shooting landscapes and architecture since its compact, lightweight design makes active shooting easy. Its ultra-wide 12-24mm range features cutting-edge refinements for stunning corner-to-corner G Lens resolution at all apertures, while quiet, fast, precise autofocus make it ideal for movies as well as stills. Constant f/4 maximum aperture offers consistent performance throughout the zoom range. Despite its impressive performance, this lens is remarkably lightweight, compact, and mobile, offering quality and capabilities that will satisfy professionals’ and enthusiasts’ needs for wider fields of view when photographing landscapes, architecture, and more. Benefitting the wide field of view is a sophisticated optical design that incorporates aspherical and low dispersion glass elements to control both spherical and chromatic aberrations for improved sharpness and clarity. A Nano AR Coating has also been applied to individual elements to reduce surface reflections, flare, and ghosting for greater contrast and color fidelity when working in bright, backlit situations. In addition to the optical attributes, this lens is also distinguished by a Direct Drive SSM autofocus system, which benefits both stills and video application with its quick, quiet, and precise performance. So, this Sony FE 12-24mm f/4 G lens is an excellent choice for landscapes and architecture, and is compact, lightweight, and mobile so it can go wherever the great shots are without slowing you down.
Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM
An ideal lens for landscapes, architecture, close up portraits, sports, action and much more.
Amazing fast and flexible wide-angle zoom lens! No matter what zoom setting or focus distance you shoot at, this Sony FE 16-35mm f2.8 GM lens delivers consistently superb resolution from corner to corner, with stunning background bokeh that can add depth and artistic impact to your images when required. Distinguished by its constant f/2.8 maximum aperture, this lens offers consistent performance throughout the zoom range and benefits working in low-light conditions. The optical design incorporates two extra-low dispersion elements to reduce chromatic aberrations along with two XA elements and three aspherical elements, which significantly controls spherical aberrations for a high degree of image sharpness and clarity. Additionally, a Nano AR coating has been applied to limit ghosting and lens flare for increased contrast and color fidelity when working in strong lighting conditions. Complementing the optical assets, this lens is also notable for its inclusion of an 11-blade circular diaphragm to produce smooth, soft-edged bokeh with selective focus imagery. For controlling focus, two Direct Drive SSM AF groups are employed that are quick and quiet, and also lend more responsive control for manual focus operation. All these features make it an ideal lens for landscapes, architecture, close up portraits, sports, action and much more.
Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 Di III RXD
An ideal lens with affordable price for landscapes, architecture, close up portraits, and architectural shooting.
The Tamron 17-28mm F/2.8 Di III RXD (Model A046) is the smallest and lightest weight zoom lens in its class and provides unrivalled portability and superb image quality. Covering ultra-wide to wide focal lengths, this Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 Di III RXD lens is particularly suitable for landscape, astrophotography, and architectural shooting. Its unprecedented light weight and compact size provide excellent balance when used with a full-frame mirrorless camera, making it easy to carry, and enabling it to cater to a wide range of scenes and shooting conditions. The Model A046 offers a fast F/2.8 aperture throughout the entire zoom range and delivers high-resolution and contrast edge to edge. The combination of ultra-wide-angle focal length, fast constant F/2.8 aperture and Minimum Object Distance of 7.5 in at the wide-angle end encourages richly expressive and creative photography in a multitude of scenarios. The Tamron 17-28mm F/2.8’s AF drive system is powered by the RXD (Rapid eXtra-silent stepping Drive) stepping motor unit, enabling it to deliver high-speed, high-precision and superbly quiet operation suitable for shooting video as well as still photographs. So, this Tamron 17-28mm F/2.8 Di III RXD lens for Sony E mount is an ideal lens with affordable price for landscapes, architecture, close up portraits, and architectural shooting.
Sigma 14-24mm f/2.8 DG DN Art
Wide full-frame E-mount lens with f/2.8 maximum aperture!
Distinguished by its fast f/2.8 constant maximum aperture, the Sigma 14-24mm f/2.8 DG DN Art lens for Sony E-mount provides a versatile range of wide-angle focal lengths with excellent image quality while optimizing size and weight. Constant f/2.8 maximum aperture is well-suited for working in available light conditions and provides greater control over depth of field. Featuring a sophisticated optical design, a series of low dispersion and aspherical elements is used to minimize both chromatic and spherical aberrations throughout the zoom range in order to achieve high sharpness, clarity, and color accuracy. A Super Multi-Layer Coating combined with a Nano Porous Coating also helps to suppress lens flare and ghosting to a greater degree than conventional anti-reflective coatings. This helps to more effectively produce color-accuracy and contrast-rich imagery in a variety of lighting conditions. In addition, it is equipped with a stepping motor that enables smooth, high-speed autofocusing that is notably quiet whether utilizing features such as Face/Eye Detection AF or during video shooting. A built-in Autofocus-Lock (AFL) button can be assigned additional functions to widen the range of operations available on the lens, while inside, a rounded 11-blade diaphragm improves image quality by helping to create smooth bokeh. Furthermore, the lens features a dust- and splash-proof structure, along with a water- and oil-repellent coating on the frontmost surface of the lens, which further supports shooting in various environments.
Laowa 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 FE
Super compact and lightweight, the widest zoom lens for landscape, nature, travel and architectural shooting as well as astrophotography applications.
Characterized by its especially compact and lightweight form factor, the Laowa 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 FE Zoom from Venus Optics is a petite and flexible ultra-wide-angle zoom for Sony E-mount mirrorless cameras. Its sleek size and versatile range of wide-angle focal lengths make it ideal for landscape, nature, and architectural shooting as well as astrophotography applications. Its optical design incorporates both extra-low dispersion and aspherical elements in order to correct a variety of aberrations and distortions for sharper, clearer image quality and accurate color rendering. A Frog Eye Coating has also been applied to repel dust and moisture from the front element of the lens to benefit working in trying environmental conditions. Additionally, the manual aperture ring can be de-clicked for smooth, silent aperture changes to suit video applications, and the rear of the lens is threaded to accept 37mm screw-in filters.
Lens | Buy Now |
Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM | Amazon | B&H |
Sony FE 12-24mm f/4 G | Amazon | B&H |
Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM | Amazon | B&H |
Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 Di III RXD | Amazon | B&H |
Sigma 14-24mm f/2.8 DG DN Art | Amazon | B&H |
Laowa 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 FE | Amazon | B&H |
Sony Zeiss FE 16-35mm f/4 | Amazon | B&H |
Best Wide Angle Prime Lenses for Sony a1
Sony FE 20mm f/1.8 G
Ideal for landscapes, street, and starscapes as well as video.
Highly recommended! Offering outstanding corner-to-corner sharpness with a fast F1.8 max. aperture, the Sony FE 20mm f/1.8 G is a compact, lightweight, ultra-wide prime which gives Sony’s full-frame users more freedom to shoot stunning landscapes, street, starry-nights and environmental portraits as well as capturing impressive video. The optical design incorporates a pair of aspherical elements and three extra-low dispersion elements to greatly reduce a variety of aberrations and distortion. A Nano AR Coating has also been applied to further reduce surface reflections and flare for improved contrast when working in bright and backlit conditions. Benefitting the optics, this lens also sports a dual XD Linear Motor system that is quick and quiet, and also lends more responsive control for manual focus operation. The lens also has a dust- and moisture-sealed design, along with a fluorine coating, to support shooting in inclement conditions. In addition, this Sony FE 20mm f/1.8 G lens has excellent close-up performance with a minimum focus distance of 0.19 metres (max. magnification: 0.2 times) and delivers beautiful bokeh. Weighing only 373g, its small size and light weight make it ideal for videographers and vloggers as well.
Sony FE 24mm f/1.4 GM
A popular choice for landscape, nature, street photography and astrophotography.
Highly recommended! Combining a favored wide-angle focal length with an especially bright design, the Sony FE 24mm f/1.4 GM is a fast, versatile lens well-suited to landscape, nature, and street photography. Its wide-but-usable perspective is complemented by the f/1.4 maximum aperture, which excels in low-light conditions and also offers increased control over depth of field. The optical design incorporates three extra-low dispersion elements to reduce chromatic aberrations and two XA (extreme aspherical) elements, which significantly control spherical aberrations for a high degree of image sharpness and clarity. Additionally, a Nano AR coating has been applied to limit ghosting and lens flare for increased contrast and color fidelity when working in strong lighting conditions. Aside from supporting hybrid autofocus with both contrast and focal-plane phase detection AF, the lens has a Direct Drive Super Sonic Motor (DDSSM) system that provides quick, silent, and high-precision AF performance. With smooth bokeh, fast and precise AF, plus top-level control and reliability, this Sony FE 24mm f/1.4 GM lens will be an outstanding choice for professionals.
Sigma 14mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art
An ideal lens for astrophotography and low-light outdoor shooting.
Debuting the world’s first 1.8 wide-angle lens, the Sigma 14mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art lens is one of the best ultra-wide angle lenses ever made to this date and it incorporates the same groundbreaking aspherical element as Sigma’s critically acclaimed 12-24mm F4 Art. Although some zoom lenses are available that can cover 14mm, the large diameter delivering f/1.8 brightness is a singular advantage. Going beyond fast shutter speed, this lens can capture a swarm of fireflies with crystal clarity, a beautiful bokeh effect, and outstanding control of light streaking. Boasting outstanding image quality from center to edge, the 14mm F1.8 Art features the largest glass mold (80mm) in the industry, offering photographers an ultra-wide prime with virtually no distortion, flare or ghosting. Three lens elements are made with FLD (“F” Low Dispersion) glass, which is equivalent to calcium fluorite in performance, and four SLD (Special Low Dispersion) glass elements, which reduce chromatic aberration. Complementing the optical performance is an equally adept Hyper Sonic Motor, which provides fast, smooth, and near-silent autofocus performance. Well-suited to astrophotography and low-light outdoor shooting, this lens presents a unique blend of a broad perspective and fast, flexible performance.
Laowa 12mm f/2.8 Zero-D
Great lens for landscape and architecture photography.
The Venus Optics Laowa 12mm f/2.8 Zero-D Ultra Wide-angle Lens for Sony FE Cameras is the world’s widest f/2.8 lens with close-to-zero distortion. Featuring the widest angle of view (122 degrees) ever built with an f/2.8 lens, this is an ideal lens for a variety types of photography, from landscape, architecture, interior and travel to the most important, astro photography. The lens is also the lightest and the most compact of its class and is good for everyday shooting. The bright f/2.8 maximum aperture is well-suited to working in low and difficult lighting conditions. It also features a close-to-zero optical distortion, allowing photographers to take landscape/architecture shots with straight lines retained. Benefitting the optical attributes, this lens also features a precise manual focus design along with a floating optical system to maintain accurate rendering throughout the focus range, from 7.09″ to infinity. In one word, a truly wide-angle prime featuring a rectilinear optical design, the Laowa 12mm f/2.8 Zero-D for Sony E-mount is specifically meant to limit distortion for clear and accurate portrayals of landscapes and architectural subjects.
Lens | Buy Now |
Sony FE 20mm f/1.8 G | Amazon | B&H |
Sony FE 24mm f/1.4 GM | Amazon | B&H |
Sigma 14mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art | Amazon | B&H |
Tamron 20mm f/2.8 Di III OSD M 1:2 | Amazon | B&H |
Tamron 24mm f/2.8 Di III OSD M 1:2 | Amazon | B&H |
Samyang AF 14mm f/2.8 FE | Amazon | B&H |
Laowa 12mm f/2.8 Zero-D | Amazon | B&H |
Laowa 15mm f/2 FE Zero-D | Amazon | B&H |
Best Portrait Lenses for Sony a1
Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM
The ultimate portrait prime lens!
For professional portrait photographers who require the best optical performance possible, the Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM Lens is the lens you must need and you won’t find a better FE-mount lens! Designed as the ultimate portrait lens, the new Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM telephoto prime lens strikes a perfect balance between resolution and bokeh in a compact package. Characterized by its flattering perspective and fast f/1.4 maximum aperture, this lens is adept at isolation focus for shallow depth of field effects, as well as performing in low-light conditions. The optical design incorporates three extra-low dispersion elements to reduce chromatic aberrations and one XA (extreme aspherical) element, which significantly controls spherical aberrations for a high degree of image sharpness and clarity. Additionally, a Nano AR coating has been applied to limit ghosting and lens flare for increased contrast and color fidelity when working in strong lighting conditions. Pairing a bright f/1.4 aperture with a short-telephoto focal length, this Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM lens is ideally suited for portraiture and other situations where focus control is paramount.
Zeiss Batis 85mm f/1.8
An ideal lens for portrait & wedding photography.
If you want a less expensive 85mm lens with excellent performance, try the Zeiss Batis 85mm f/1.8. The ZEISS Batis 1.8/85 is a particularly good choice for wedding photography and portrait shots, offering the high speed which provides plenty of creative scope to bring out the main subject, and enhanced low-light shooting: superb sharpness, fast & quiet auto focus and Dust and weather sealed. The Sonnar-type design, in conjunction with three anomalous partial dispersion elements, offers high contrast and accurate rendering by virtually eliminating color fringing and chromatic aberrations. A floating elements system is also used, for consistent performance throughout the focusing range, in order to achieve even sharpness and clarity. Batis-series lenses are distinguished by their innovative use of an OLED display on the lens barrel, which highlights the focus distance and depth of field range for quickly recognizing your focusing parameters. As an autofocus lens, linear motors are used to deliver quick, quiet, and smooth focusing performance to suit both stills and video applications. Additionally, this lens incorporates optical image stabilization to minimize the appearance of camera shake when working with slower shutter speeds and a dust- and weather-sealed construction lends itself to shooting in trying environments.
Sony FE 100mm f/2.8 STF GM OSS
Designed to produce extraordinarily smooth, natural bokeh without vignetting.
Delivering both smooth bokeh and fine sharpness, the Sony FE 100mm f/2.8 STF GM OSS mid-range telephoto prime lens is a superb creative tool that offers outstanding G Master resolution plus innovative STF (Smooth Trans Focus) optics for magnificent bokeh. This lens utilizes Smooth Trans Focus (STF) technology to reduce chromatic aberration and provide softly dissolving bokeh without sacrificing image resolution. This means that the out-of-focus points of light in your photos retain a soft, blurry look as opposed to the harsh rings that can occur with lower quality lenses. Specifically designed to produce extraordinarily smooth, natural bokeh, this lens features a unique optical apodization (APD) element, a newly designed 11-blade circular aperture, and minimal highlight distortion at the image periphery. DDSSM (Direct Drive SSM) focus drive provides fast, precise, quiet autofocus, allowing the user to concentrate fully on capturing superlative stills or movies. Contributing to a high degree of sharpness and clarity, the lens also incorporates one aspherical element and one extra-low dispersion element to suppress both spherical and chromatic aberrations. A macro switching ring permits selecting between two focusing ranges, including a dedicated close-up range for working with subjects as close as 1.9′ away with a 0.25x maximum magnification. Optical SteadyShot image stabilization is built in, making it possible to achieve maximum subject sharpness with the lower shutter speeds.
Sony FE 135mm f/1.8 GM
Pleasing bokeh. Perfect for portrait, wedding, or sports photography.
Being part of the G Master series, this Sony FE 135mm f/1.8 GM lens is capable of rendering high-resolution images across the frame and produces pleasing bokeh that is perfect for portraits. The extremely high surface precision of the XA (extreme aspherical) elements carefully control spherical aberration, combining with an 11-blade circular aperture mechanism to produce spectacularly smooth and elegant G Master bokeh that maximizes the creative potential of the narrow depth of field available with this 135mm f/1.8 lens. Four innovative XD (extreme dynamic) linear focus motors drive two precisely synchronized focus groups in a floating focus mechanism, offering outstanding speed, precision and tracking that contribute directly to fast, precise, quiet AF operation with low vibration. Additionally, a Nano AR coating has been applied to limit ghosting and lens flare for increased contrast and color fidelity when working in strong lighting conditions. For controlling focus, an XD Linear Motor system is employed that is quick and quiet, and also lends more responsive control for manual focus operation. The lens also sports a dust- and moisture-sealed design to support shooting in inclement conditions and dedicated focus hold buttons, AF/MF switch, and manual aperture ring lend further control while shooting. With high resolution and impressive bokeh, the new Sony FE 135mm f/1.8 GM lens features quick autofocus acquisition that’s ideal to transport on any portrait, wedding, or sports photography job.
Sony FE 85mm f/1.8
Budget option with great performance!
If you are looking for a great 85mm lens with an affordable price, the Sony FE 85mm f/1.8 lens willl be a nice choice! It features a compact, lightweight design for mobility, with high-performance optics and a large F1.8 maximum aperture that deliver outstanding image quality. Although the bokeh isn’t quite as smooth as the 85mm GM, it certainly comes very close, and it is not as large or heavy as the 85mm GM brother. The double linear AF motor itself affords quick, quiet, and smooth focusing performance, and this motor also offers snappy manual focus performance for fine-tuned control. Great portrait lens!
Lens | Buy Now |
Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM | Amazon | B&H |
Zeiss Batis 85mm f/1.8 | Amazon | B&H |
Sony FE 100mm f/2.8 STF GM OSS | Amazon | B&H |
Sony FE 135mm f/1.8 GM | Amazon | B&H |
Sony FE 85mm f/1.8 | Amazon | B&H |
Sigma 85mm f/1.4 Art | Amazon | B&H |
Best Macro Lenses for Sony a1
Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro G OSS
Perfect macro lens for Sony a7C and one of the sharpest lenses that Sony has ever built.
If you are looking for a dedicated macro lens, or a lens that can combine both macro and portrait photography roles, then look no further than the Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro G OSS lens. As a G series lens, it perfectly balances sharpness and bokeh through the use of various specialized elements, this ensures highly detailed images, with smooth out-of-focus areas, and an absolute minimum of aberrations. The lens also boasts a fast f/2.8 aperture for controlling depth of field and working in less-than-ideal light as well as a Nano AR coating that help eliminate ghosting and flare. True macro design affords a life-size, 1:1 magnification ratio along with an 11″ minimum focusing distance for working with close-up subjects. A Direct Drive SSM system and internal focus mechanism provides quick, quiet, and precise autofocus performance and also contributes to more natural, intuitive manual focus control. A focus range limiter switch allows you constrain the usable focus range between 11-19.7″, 19.7″-infinity, or full, and a focus hold button is also featured to manually stop the autofocus at a specified point. And, Optical SteadyShot image stabilization helps to minimize the appearance of camera shake for sharper imagery when shooting handheld with slower shutter speeds. For those who frequently shoot macro photography and close-up portraits, the Sony 90mm f/2.8 is the very right lens.
Sony FE 50mm f/2.8 Macro
Ideal for close-up shots as well as everyday photography
A normal-length prime with close-focusing capabilities, the Sony FE 50mm f/2.8 Macro Lens offers an impressive 1:1 maximum magnification, along with a 6.3″ minimum focusing distance, for making life-size imagery of close-up subjects. Useful controls, such as a top-printed distance and magnification scale, focus range limiter, and focus hold button, all benefit more precise focusing adjustments for refined results. Complementing the handling capabilities, the optical design also incorporates both an aspherical and an extra-low dispersion element, which work to suppress chromatic and spherical aberrations for increased clarity throughout the focus range. Additionally, the lens sports a dust- and moisture-resistant design to benefit working in inclement weather conditions. Weighing in at a mere 8.4 oz., it’s extremely lightweight and portable, making it easy to carry around.
Voigtlander 110mm f/2.5 Macro
Featuring an apochromatic design, the Voigtlander 110mm f/2.5 Macro Apo-Lanthar can produce detailed images with little to no aberration, even with the high resolutions of modern digital sensors. It allows users to get close to subjects with a 13.7″ minimum focus distance and a 1:1 magnification ratio. Additionally, a fast f/2.5 aperture means the lens can create an incredibly shallow depth of field as well as function well in low-light conditions. Additionally, a fast f/2.5 aperture means the lens can create an incredibly shallow depth of field as well as function well in low-light conditions. A 10-blade diaphragm is also present for silky smooth bokeh and the electronic contacts on the rear of the lens transmit Exif data to the body as well as enable in-body image stabilization. This lens is a manual focus and manual aperture design, but also features electrical contacts that enable the lens settings at image capture to be included in the Exif information of the image data.
Lens | Buy Now |
Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro G OSS | Amazon | B&H |
Sony FE 50mm f/2.8 Macro | Amazon | B&H |
Voigtlander 110mm f/2.5 Macro | Amazon | B&H |
Rokinon 100mm f/2.8 Macro | Amazon | B&H |
Best Sports and Wildlife Lenses for Sony a1
Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS
A very popular choice for portraits, wedding, sports, wildlife and more.
Covering the frequently used 70-200mm focal range, the Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS telephoto zoom lens (model SEL70200GM) offers extremely high rendering, blazing AF performance and extraordinary image stabilisation, making it a versatile choice for shooting wildlife, sports, weddings and a variety of other events and locations. This is guaranteed through the use of an XA element, two aspherical elements, four extra-low dispersion elements, and two Super ED elements in the optical design. Optimized for speed, this lens is equipped with a fast and constant f/2.8 aperture that will be an asset in low-light conditions as well as for creating images with shallow depth of field. Bokeh is made even better by the implementation of an eleven-blade circular diaphragm for smooth out-of-focus areas. As a top end telephoto zoom, this lens is equipped with a variety of other technologies to assist shooters, including Optical SteadyShot image stabilization for combating camera shake, especially at longer focal lengths. Also, there is a double-linear and ring Super Sonic wave Motor system that provides fast, responsive autofocus in both stills and video. For durability and working in tough conditions, the lens is dust and moisture resistant, and it has a fluorine coating on the front element to resist water and oil.
Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8 Di III VXD
Compact, lightweight with an affordable price! A great alternative to the Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM lens.
Flexible zoom range, fast design, and compact profile, the Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8 Di III VXD is a unique take on the ubiquitous and popular telephoto zoom. The greatest feature is its outstanding performance even while attaining a fast F/2.8 aperture across the entire zoom range and offering the world’s lightest and most compact package with a filter diameter of 67mm, maximum diameter of 81mm, 149mm (5.9 in) length (at the 70mm setting) and a weight of 810g (28.6 oz). And the Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8 Di III VXD Lens’ AF drive is equipped with VXD (Voicecoil eXtreme- torque Drive), a linear motor focus mechanism for stunningly fast and accurate auto-focusing. The drive comprises two VXD units that are arranged in a floating system and operated simultaneously via electronic control to achieve excellent optical performance at all shooting distances near and far. In addition, the Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8 Lens offers a minimum objective distance of just 33.5 inches across the entire zoom range, a surprising accomplishment for a large-aperture telephoto zoom lens. Priced at $1,199, this remarkable Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8 costs less than half of the Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS lens and it is really a great alternative to the Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM lens.
Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS
The best native 100-400mm telephoto zoom lens for shooting wildlife, sports and action!
If you are looking for the best native 100-400mm telephoto zoom lens for shooting wildlife, sports and action, then look no further than the Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS lens. Targeting sports, wildlife, and action shooters, this Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS lens will satisfy many photographers and videographers who are looking for a bit of extra reach with their full-frame E-mount camera. With extraordinary resolution, outstanding sharpness and fast, precise autofocus, it lets you capture distant action with outstanding quality and immediacy. As a member of the G Master line, it is designed for outstanding resolution and sharpness with minimal aberrations, something assisted by the implementation of one Super ED and two ED elements as well as a Nano AR coating. The FE 100-400mm GM super telephoto zoom lens features a double motor system that helps maximize AF performance and keep up with fast-moving action. The Direct Drive Supersonic Wave Motor (DDSSM) drives the heavy front focus lens group, and the Double-linear motor system enables rapid acceleration of the main lens group for capturing sudden subject motion. It also features a relatively compact size through the use of an f/4.5-5.6 maximum aperture range, and it is equipped with both a Direct Drive SSM autofocus system as Optical SteadyShot image stabilization for outstanding performance at all focal lengths. It’s an exceptionally powerful photographic tool for a variety of enthusiast and professional shooters, in particular those that are commonly shooting sports or wildlife.
Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS
Perfectly suited for nature, wildlife, and sports applications.
Targeting amateur, enthusiast, and professional nature, aircraft, railroad, and sports shooters, the Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS Lens will satisfy many photographers and videographers who are looking for a bit of extra reach with their full-frame E-mount camera. This Sony FE 200-600mm lens features an aspherical element and five Extra-low Dispersion glass elements to minimize chromatic aberrations while allowing you to have better image resolution and render beautiful bokeh and it will reliably track and accurately capture all types of moving subjects including birds, wildlife, athletes in motion and much more. It has a variable aperture of f/5.6-6.3 and a zoom range that can be extended using optional 1.4x or 2.0x teleconverters to reach up to a maximum 840mm or 1200mm while maintaining image quality and autofocus performance. In addition, it has a built-in Direct Drive Supersonic Wave Motor (DDSSM) to realize fast, near-silent autofocus performance as well as full-time manual focus override. Optical SteadyShot image stabilization minimizes the appearance of camera shake to produce sharper imagery when working handheld and a removable, rotating tripod collar is also featured for stable tripod and monopod mounting. Additionally, a rounded 11-blade diaphragm contributes to an especially pleasing bokeh quality and the lens sports a weather-sealed design along with a fluorine-coated front element.
In addition, the Sony FE 1.4x & FE 2.0x Teleconverters are currently only compatible with the Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM, the Sony 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM, the Sony 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G, the Sony FE 400mm F2.8 GM and the Sony FE 600mm F4 GM lenses.
Lens | Buy Now |
Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS | Amazon | B&H |
Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8 Di III VXD | Amazon | B&H |
Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS | Amazon | B&H |
Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS | Amazon | B&H |
Sony FE 70-200mm f/4 G OSS | Amazon | B&H |
Sony FE 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G OSS | Amazon | B&H |
Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS | Amazon | B&H |
Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS | B&H | Adorama |
Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter | Amazon | B&H |
Sony FE 2.0x Teleconverter | Amazon | B&H |