Best Lens for Sony A6000

What Is the Best Lens for Sony A6000?

Sony A6000  is a great compact mirrorless camera capable of handling most shooting tasks. It has 4D-autofocus, fast AF system, and the PlayMemories Mobile app, which allows you to unleash the full potential of the camera. 

However, this camera’s kit lens can’t handle all tasks. That’s why I’ve tried to collect top 10 best A6000 lenses (from the “picture quality/price” perspective) that can be useful for a beginning photographer.

Best Lenses for Sony A6000 in 2024:

1. Sony SEL-20F28 E-Mount 20mm f/2.8

It was introduced in 2013. The model is on the market for 6 years but its optical characteristics are still quite impressive. This model is recommended for street photography due to 30 mm focal length. Such an angle makes the viewer feel involved in the picture as much as possible. There are no distortions. Moreover, you’ll get a dimensional photo.

• Look through my overview of the best Sony cameras I recommend for beginning photographers at any price range.

2. Sony 55-210mm f/4.5-6.3

This lightweight, reasonably-priced telephoto zoom Sony A6000 lens was made for Sony’s APS-C mirrorless cameras. It’s frequently featured in discount bundles, allowing you to save a lot of money.

The body is made of aluminum alloy and is combined with convenient rubberized focus rings that look beautiful and stylish. The rings move smoothly without any creaks or slippages.

The lens has a “sliding” construction. The frontal element remains still when focusing. The resolution in the center of the shot remains high regardless of the focal length or aperture. The edge sharpness is noticeably lower at 200mm, but that’s not critical.

3. Rokinon 12mm f/2.0 NCS CS

This A6000 wide angle lens was developed for cameras with an APS-C sensor. It has a 35 mm equiv. to 18 mm focal length and offers an impressive viewing angle. It’s perfect for architecture, interior, and nature photography.

The lens’ impressive max aperture of f/2.0 is also great for shooting in poor light. This model allows you to take sharp photos thanks to the 3 low-dispersion and 2 aspherical components integrated into its optics, reducing the chromatic aberration and distortions.

Moreover, the lens has the Nano Coating System that serves to minimize reflections and deal with potential lens flares, securing better lighting and beautifully saturated colors.

4. Sony 18-200мм f/3.5-6.3 E-Mount

A single look at the price of this best travel lens for Sony A6000 will let you know it isn’t for amateurs. However, if you aren’t limited in budget and want to secure the best possible quality in a universal lens, this model definitely deserves your attention.

• If you’re going to take family or group portraits, read more about the best lens for family portraits you can buy for affordable price.

Instead of a standard polygonal aperture, this lens has 7 circular blades used for defocusing the backdrop or creating bokeh.

5. Sigma 60mm f/2.8 DN

Finding a satisfying prime non-zoom lens with such a focal length compatible with Sony’s E-Mount isn’t easy, so Sigma 60mm is a great choice. Mind though that the lens’s build isn’t the most reliable one and you’ll probably need to work on the sharpness of your images during photo editing.

• Read more best portrait lenses you can buy to take mazing studio or outdoor portraits with creamy bokeh.

It’s suitable for portrait, city, and event photography, and I even sometimes take it to my studio photoshoots. Even though it’s considered to be a portrait model, I didn’t have trouble taking architecture and landscape photographs with it.

6. Sony E 50mm f/1.8 OSS

Sony E 50mm f/1.8 OSS is the lens for Sony cameras of NEX, ILCE lines with APS-C matrix. It has a wide and convenient focusing ring. The model features very accurate, fast and noiseless AF.

Everything is good in the center. But get ready to see some vignetting on the edges as well as decreasing resolution. Actually, I cannot call this a weak point. You can easily use vignetting as an artistic effect. If hold the aperture to F/4, then you’ll get a sharp image in the center and edges without any vignetting.

7. Sigma 30mm f/2.8 DN

The photos you take will reflect the way our eyes perceive the world. This model is the best lens for Sony A6000 if you’re searching for your first fixed model. It’s a great high speed lens with a rather large aperture that captures a lot of light.

• If you’re going to take ecommerce photos, read more about the best lenses for product photography to photograph both apparel and jewelry.

This makes it possible for you to take sharp, noiseless photos indoors or during the night without using a tripod. This lens also allows you to make full use of the depth of field and blur out either the foreground or the background, creating a bokeh effect.

8. Sony 30mm f/3.5 Macro

It’s a good budget macro lens for Sony camera. You will be definitely impressed with optical characteristics. This model will be ideal for amateur macro photography with an average scale of about 1:2.

• Want to photograph babies? Look though my top pick of the best lenses for newborn photography at any price range.

Although, the lens is capable of taking macro photos with 1:1 magnification, the minimal focal length will complicate the process. You won’t find any weak points as all details are made perfectly. All in all, you can use it regularly if you like a focal length of 30 mm.

9. Tamron AF 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 Di-II LD Aspherical

It’s a compact superzoom. This lens has a very reasonable price for such functionality. I was pleasantly surprised by the fast internal focus and good sharpness in the center of the frame over the entire range of focal lengths.

This model can be called universal. It allows photographers to take pictures in the mode of both wide-angle and telephoto. Moreover, Tamron AF 18-250 F/3.5-6.3 has a compact size, but it doesn’t influence the image quality that is very impressive. The kit includes a lens hood.

10. Sony FE Carl Zeiss Sonnar T* 35mm f/2.8 ZA

You will be surprised by the fantastic sharpness. Feel free to take photos of architecture and don’t worry about the distortion. Chromatic aberrations are also not noticeable. The lens speed of Sonnar 2.8/35 is enough even in case you shoot in poor light.

There is no stabilizer in these Sony Zeiss lenses, but it is not a problem. Otherwise, the build will be bulky. The lens is extremely pleasant to the touch without any backlash.

The focus ring is moderately resilient, just as it should be. Overall, it is an excellent lens for everyday use, especially for traveling.

Top 10 Best Lenses for Sony A6000

Image	Name	Features
	Sony SEL-20F28 E-Mount 20mm f/2.8 OUR CHOICE	Affordable Bright colors High resolution	Check PRICE →
	Sony 55-210mm f/4.5-6.3 Lens BUDGET	Cheap Nice image quality Lightweight	Check PRICE →
	Tamron AF 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 Di-II LD Aspherical UNIVERSAL	Fast autofocus Deep colors	Check PRICE →
	Sony FE Carl Zeiss Sonnar T* 35mm f/2.8 ZA PROFESSIONAL	Weather-sealed High-resolution	Check PRICE →
	Sigma 60mm f/2.8 DN FOR PORTRAIT	Fast autofocus Amazing bokeh	Check PRICE →
	Sony E 50mm f/1.8 OSS FOR BEGINNERS	User-friendly Cheap Lightweight	Check PRICE →
	Sigma 30mm f/2.8 DN	Fast autofocus Compact	Check PRICE →
	Rokinon 12mm F2.0 NCS CS	Has a lens hood Nice colors	Check PRICE →
	Sony 18-200мм f/3.5-6.3 E—Mount	Image stabilization For videos	Check PRICE →

How to Choose the Best Lens for Sony A6000?

1. Focal Length

If you are a beginner, then choose the model with a constant focal length. The 50 mm lens will be the best option. The main reason for this is the viewing angle (40-50°) that is approximately equal to the viewing angle of the human eye. 

Earlier, it was featured as a kit lens for cameras, so one should also call it a stand model. Mind, zoom can make a shooting process even more difficult if you have no experience yet. 

Most people think it just makes the distance to the object shorter or longer when reading various camera reviews. However, more importantly, it simultaneously changes the perspective which requires additional knowledge.

2. Optical Stabilization

It is a technology that makes it possible to mechanically compensate for angular movements and camera shake. As a result, it helps avoid blurring of the image at high exposures. The system of optical stabilization is used in cases when you can’t shoot with a tripod. 

Remember, this system is not a must in case of still photography as you will take sharp and nice pictures at fast shutter speed.

3. Optical Quality and Distortion

Better models guarantee a fantastic sharpness across the image. Top lenses will also present nicer, softer-looking bokeh in the blurred parts of the photo. You don't have to worry about distortion if you use the best lenses. 

It is a problem of zoom models. Modern DSLRs and mirrorless devices will fix it automatically. What is more, zoom models, especially cheap ones, may also cause chromatic aberration. This will prevent you from getting attractive photos due to pink or blue hues at the object edges.

4. Size and Weight

If you have to move around a lot and carry all your gear with you, then the question of its size and weight becomes really important. This is also relevant if you are going to buy a new mirrorless camera. The new models are typically compact and lightweight, and if you pair them with bulky lenses, the whole setup will become very inconvenient to use.

Some photographers simply buy a lens converter, so that they can use their regular DSLR lenses with new mirrorless devices, e.g. E Mount Sony a6000. But the thing is that DLRS lenses are heavy and bulky, and it seems to be a better decision to invest in small E Mount lenses available on the market.

Ann Young

Hi there, I'm Ann Young - a professional blogger, read more