Sony is well-known for manufacturing some of the powerful and most advanced mirrorless cameras out there. Most Sony mirrorless cameras are relatively easy to use and loaded with lots of useful features.
With Sony mirrorless cameras, you can capture amazing photos similar to those produced by DSLR cameras.
Sony mirrorless cameras are perfect for photographers who want a high-performance and compact camera to keep their gear portable and light. However, if you own a Sony mirrorless camera, you’ll eventually need a good zoom lens to go with it.
But how will you pick the right one for your needs? Here is a list of the 10 best zoom lenses for Sony mirrorless cameras:
1. Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS E-Mount Lens with Hoya 77 UV/CPL Filters
This high-quality telephoto zoom lens enables photographers and videographers to capture crystal-clear images of their subjects from near or afar. The f/4.5-5.6 aperture also offers flexibility with background bokeh.
With a versatile range of 100-400mm, this zoom lens can handle everything from street and architecture photography to landscape and wildlife shots. This lens weighs 49.21oz (about 1,395g), which is on the heavier side. However, the image quality is well worth the extra weight. That’s why Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM is a perfect addition to every Sony photographer’s kit.
2. Sony FE 16-35mm f:2.8 GM (G Master) E-Mount Lens
This is a wide-angle and telephoto zoom lens and weighs just 1.5lb (about 680g). The fast f/2.8 aperture means the lens can work impressively well in low-light situations.
Hence, it’s a perfect lens for astrophotography and to capture ultra-wide landscapes. It’s lightweight, fast, and promises flawless results. With the 16-35mm focal range, this lens offers a wide range of shooting options.
3. Sony FE 24-70mm f:2.8 GM (G Master) E-Mount Lens
This is another wide-angle and telephoto zoom lens but with a wider focal length (24-70mm). It weighs just 1.95lb (about 886g). Sony FE 24-70mm f:2.8 GM is fast and wide enough to capture ultra-wide landscapes and night-sky shots.
The wider range also guarantees that this lens will work excellently for weddings and street photography. The f/2.8 aperture also enables photographers and videographers to capture stunning shots with soft, blurred backgrounds and bokeh.
Filmmakers can use this lens as a wider vlogging lens that perfectly places the subjects in the scene. Sony FE 24-70mm f:2.8 GM is a must-have lens for creativity!
4. Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM (G Master) OSS E-Mount Lens
This is a telephoto lens with a maximum aperture of f/2.8 and a focal length of 70-200mm. It weighs 3.26lb (about 1480g), placing it on a heavier side. The Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 lens captures subjects far or near in crystal-clear detail, with soft, blurred backgrounds that make the subject stand out.
That’s the reason why this lens remains a favorite among event and wedding photographers and videographers. With the f/2.8 aperture, this lens can work perfectly in darker rooms and low-lit conditions. That means users won’t have to compromise on image quality when evening or nighttime comes.
5. Sony FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS
The Sony 24-105mm F4 G OSS is one of the best zoom lenses for Sony mirrorless cameras. The lens helps users to cover a wide range. It’s fast to focus and captures impressively sharp images across its aperture range. The Optical Stabilization technology helps to keep images steady at longer focal lengths.
6. Tamron 70-180 F2.8 Di III VXD
This lens is available at a similar price range as Sony 70-200mm F4 OSS. Though this lens is a bit soft in places, its balance of price and performance is perfect if you need a bright telephoto zoom lens. Tamron 70-180 F2.8 Di III VXD is also lightweight, compact, and weather-sealed to boot.
7. Sigma 14-24mm f/2.8 DG DN Art
The Sigma 14-24mm f/2.8 DG DN Art lens offers a classic ultra-wide to wide zoom versatility. It has a solid value, a high image quality, and a high build quality. Its constant f/2.8 aperture makes it a great choice for low-light shooting and night photography.
Expect fantastic optical performance from this Sigma 4-24mm f/2.8 DG DN Art lens. It’s much more pocket friendly than most of Sony’s comparable ultra-wide-angle lenses.
8. Sony FE 12-24mm f/4 G
If you want a Sony-brand landscape lens and your budget can handle it, this Sony FE 12-24mm f/4 G is your best option. It offers amazing image quality and rugged build quality. This lens is sharp and ultra-wide – wider than the 14mm maximum of the Sigma lens. However, the price is a bit higher compared to the Sigma lens, coming in at $1,773.
9. Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM
If you have the budget to handle it, this lens is the best ultra-wide-angle zoom lens for Sony mirrorless cameras. This lens is part of the G Master line and is a top-of-the-line lens with an amazing optical performance. Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM has excellent handling of CA and flare.
The AF system speeds are swift and the build quality is great. The f/2.8 aperture makes this lens suitable for low-light work. However, this lens has a downside, which is its high price – a whopping $2,999.
10. Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS
Though this lens is fairly large and long, it’s amazingly compact and lightweight. It has a wide, versatile focal length range, onboard optical image stabilization, and full-frame image format.
This G-series super-telephoto zoom lens offers an amazing zoom range for all sorts of outdoor photographic adventures. More so, it offers that critical focal length range that really helps wildlife photographers when photographing small subjects like birds afar off.
This super-zoom lens produces outstanding image quality and offers very sharp performance across the zoom range. The narrower and variable aperture design helps to maintain the lens’s smaller size though at the expense of low-light performance.
The Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS has an excellent build quality with rugged, weather-sealed construction. The internal-zooming design keeps the lens balanced and avoids lens creep that is common with long-zoom lenses that extend. This lens is one of the best zoom lenses for wildlife photography!
Things to Consider When Buying a Zoom Lens for Sony Mirrorless Cameras:
Choosing the best zoom lens for your Sony mirrorless camera is not a simple feat. You don’t just have to pick a lens simply because you need to buy one. There are some factors you need to carefully consider that’ll help you make the right choice. These factors include:
Type of Photography or Videography Activity
Before choosing a lens, you need to identify the types of activities, subjects, or environments you’re interested in shooting. Though most zoom lenses can be used for all types of subjects and activities, some lenses are specifically designed to work best for certain applications.
What you plan to shoot will help you to narrow down your choices of zoom lenses for Sony mirrorless and choose the best zoom lens for your needs.
Weight and Size
The reason why most people prefer Sony mirrorless cameras is because they are lightweight and portable. It makes no sense then to buy a bogus and heavy lens for a lightweight and portable camera.
Always consider the weight and size of the lens you’re choosing to ensure that you aren’t adding too much weight to your camera. If possible, check out the lens at a physical store by holding it in your hand to feel its weight.
Budget
This is a major consideration for most photographers. That you want the best zoom lens doesn’t mean you should go bankrupt. You can still get an ideal zoom lens within your budget. While looking for the best zoom lens for your mirrorless camera, give yourself a budget to work with.
If you have a limited budget, don’t settle for less. Instead, be resourceful and research the different zoom lenses within your budget that can help you achieve the images you would like to take.
Final thoughts
Listed above are our 10 top-rated zoom lenses for Sony mirrorless cameras. These lenses offer a classic ultra-wide to wide zoom versatility, high-image quality, and a solid value.
Do you agree with these reviews? What’s your favorite zoom lens for Sony mirrorless? Tell us in the comment section.
