In the past few years the ecosystem surrounding Sony’s A7 Series has gone from strength to strength with Sony gaining an even stronger position over its rivals, launching ever more cameras.
With so much choice, you may ask yourself what lens for the Sony A7 series should I choose?
I have now been using the Sony A7 Series for over 5 years, my first purchase was in 2015 the A7RII, therefore I thought I should share my thoughts on lenses which work well, for me and hopefully for you too after reading this review by a photographer for photographers.
The first, easiest and most obvious thing to do is to look at Sony’s own lenses.
And just as their cameras have risen to the top, Sony’s lenses have gone a long way and now deliver really impressive results, especially when matched with a camera body they were designed for.
With a brand new A7R IV or A7C body, what’s going to be the first lens you buy?
Your best option as a first lens would I think be a telephoto type 24-70mm to cover a bit of a wider focal, to give you more flexibility and options, allowing you a little more fun than a prime.
I love primes don’t get me wrong, so much so I wrote them a love poem in my article on the best lens for street photography.
So what lens for the Sony A7 series should I get?
Here are some of the ones I bought and/or used, and a little explanation as to why and how they are useful to me:
1) Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM
As I said, I think this is one lens everyone should have in a bag. Perfect for most applications it covers everything from Landscapes, macro, portraits, interiors, etc… It’s a big lens for sure, a bit pricey, but much less than a few primes to cover the same range.
With a fixed aperture of 2.8, this is one lens which could be enough on its own.
It saves you carrying three different primes and your shoulders and neck will thank you for that.
I use it lots for timelapse, landscapes and general commercial work.
2) Voigtlander M 50mm f/1.5 Nokton Aspherical
This is an M mount lens originally intended for Leica cameras. I use it with a Metabones adaptor. It means the lens is a manual focus lens, which I love when in the mood for it.
This is the beauty of the A7 series in full display. I wanted a small lens for days I want my camera to be smaller and more discreet. That Voigtlander, even with the adaptor is tiny.
A word of caution though, do not assume all lenses will deliver great results with adaptors, for example some Canon lenses just don’t focus as well when on a Sony A7 series body so do your research online before buying it only to discover at your expense it doesn’t work that well.
Shot using the Voigtlander Nokton 50mm
Read my article on shooting street photography using this lens here:
Review: Voigtlander Nokton 50mm f1.5 on Sony A7 Series
3) Sony Distagon T FE 35mm f/1.4 ZA
So this was indeed my first lens for the A7RII. Fast focus, sharpness, colour rendition and contrast. I love this lens, and in low light with the A7RII, it gives you the gift of... night vision (there’s no other way to describe it).
I use it for street photography, it’s a great everyday lens and the most practical prime I think.
4) Sony FE 90mm f/2.8-22 Macro G OSS
This is a great lens for portraits and for especially macro. I use it exactly for that, I shoot portraits with it and I shoot very tiny details of nature and plants.
This is the sharpest lens of my arsenal and DxO Mark rates it right up there among the sharpest of the lot.
Want to see more examples like the one below which I shot handheld?
Read this article:
Handheld Macro Photography With The Sony FE 90mm F/2.8 Macro G OSS Lens For Sony A7 Series
5) Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS
The crown jewel. I can say this is the most expensive lens I’ve ever bought. It may seem ridiculous to spend so much on one, but this is an essential tool in my toolbox. With a constant aperture of 2.8, it’s the perfect companion to my 24-70 f2.8. With these two I can go away on a trip and know I cover the entire range, without having to sacrifice the light available to me.
Great for those minimal architecture shots and capturing details of London buildings.
I’ve actually found myself using it so much more for nature and WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY. In fact it’s made me want to explore all of this side of photography boosting my creativity.
That’s it for me. These lenses are what I felt were the most relevant buys to work alongside my A7 series cameras.
I hope that my personal experience will help you make the right choice.
Until next time.