Photography Tips | Travel Gear Guides

12 Best Travel Lenses for Sony a6000 Series in 2023- by Travel Photographer

What are the best travel lenses for Sony a6000 series cameras? If you’re reading this post, you are probably already the proud owner of one of the Sony a6xxx cameras and want to step up your travel photography beyond the kit lens performance, am I right?

Well, my friend, you are in the right place. Being a travel blogger and a content creator, taking stunning travel photos is what I do for a living. I owe Sony a6400 camera myself and wrote this post to spare you hours of research to understand the difference between various travel lenses available on the market.

best travel lenses for sony a6000, lenses sony a6000, sony lenses a6000

Sony a6000 camera was first released in 2014, but it is still a solid competitor to newer models even today. Sony Alpha cameras are highly compact and affordable, which makes it’s the perfect camera for travelling. Not to mention the fantastic range of compatible lenses for Sony a6000! 

*All lenses in this post are lenses compatible with Sony a6000, a61000, a6300, a6400, a6500, a6600

THIS POST CONTAINS AFFILIATE LINKS. THIS MEANS I MAY EARN A COMMISSION SHOULD YOU CHOOSE TO SIGN UP FOR A PROGRAM OR MAKE A PURCHASE USING MY LINK FOR NO ADDITIONAL COST TO YOU. IT’S OKAY – I LOVE ALL OF THESE COMPANIES ANYWAYS, AND YOU WILL TOO! FULL DISCLOSURE.

Best Travel Lenses for Sony a6000 Series – Summary

How to choose the best travel lens for Sony a6000?

best travel lenses for sony, lens sony a6000, lentes sony a6000

E-mount & understanding your camera

Sony is a mirrorless camera that features a Sony-specific E-mount and has an APS-C sensor, a crop sensor. When choosing a lens, it is important to make sure to select one of the e mount lenses for Sony a6000 – a6600.

Your Sony camera is also compatible with FE-mount lenses designed for full-frame Sony cameras such as Sony A7 iii. Some lenses designated specifically for APS-C sensors will also fit full-frame cameras. However, you will lose the resolution benefits of a full-frame camera. Also, FE-mount full-frame lenses are mostly compatible with Sony APS-C cameras. They are usually more expensive and higher specs, and you should consider them, especially if you’re planning to upgrade to a full-frame camera one day.

Third-party lenses

What’s excellent about Sony is that all its cameras are compatible with third-party lens manufacturers. This gives Sony owners more choice. Also, many third-party lenses such as Tamron or Sigma give more value for money.

Price Point

Your budget is a huge deciding factor in what camera lens for Sony a6000 you’ll go for. If you mostly take landscape photos, there is no point in investing money in a portrait or macro lens for the sake of it. Also, if you want to save money, I recommend considering third party lenses such as Sigma or Tamron, which are normally way cheaper than Sony own lenses.

For an ultimate budget pic, choose a super versatile Tamron 17-70 mm F2.8 lens.

Weight & size

sony a6000 best lens for travel, best lenses sony a6000

If you specifically require a6000 lenses for travel, their weight and size are critical. I remember my Machu Picchu hike a few years back. That time I owed a huge and heavy DSLR camera and two chunky lenses. The night before the hike, I left them in my hotel room because I couldn’t face the fact of carrying the entire gear for four days on my back!

Versatility & your photography style

Finally, think about what kind of photos you enjoy taking the most? Are they wide, beautiful landscapes or city scenes? Do you like photographing people while you’re travelling? Perhaps you have an Instagram account where you share photos of yourself? Are you into taking pictures of the wildlife or close-ups of interesting plants? Do you also want to be able to take videos on your camera? These are all the important factors to consider when choosing the best travel lens for Sony a6000 or other a6xxx models.

Best travel lenses for Sony Alpha a6000

Best all round lens for Sony a6000 – Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8

Best budget lens for Sony a6000 – Tamron 17-70mm F2.8

Best wide angle lens for Sony a6000 – Sony 10-18mm F4 OSS

Best Sony a6000 zoom lensSony 18-135mm F3.5-5.6

Best landscape lens for Sony a6000 – Sigma 16mm F1.4

Best prime lens for Sony a6000 – Sony G-Master Lens 24 mm F1.4

Best portrait lens for Sony a6000 – Sony E 50mm F1.8

Best portrait Sigma lens for Sony a6000 – Sigma 30mm f1.4

Best macro lens for Sony a6000 – Sony 90mm F2.8

Best Sony a6000 telephoto lens Sony 70-350mm F4-6.3

Best fisheye lens for Sony a6000 – Rokinon/Samyang 12mm f2.0

Best video lens for Sony a6000 – Sony E 18 – 105mm F4 G OSS

Sony a6000 lenses – what specs to look out for?

Bokeh effect

best buy sony a6000, lens a6000

We all love photos with a crisp, sharp object or person in the foreground and a beautifully blurred background. Those kinds of shots look super professional and are excellent for drawing attention to our subject. In order to achieve the background blur, also called the ‘bokeh effect’, we need a shallow depth of field. The lens will only focus on a small area in the frame taken up by the subject of the image – a person in portrait photography, a flower in macro photography, with the rest of the frame being out of focus.

The setting that is responsible for defocusing/ blurring the background is aperture. The higher the aperture (or the lower the F/ number), the more blur we can achieve. The highest possible aperture you can get on a lens is f/ 1.2. A lens with that kind of aperture will be super expansive, and most of us won’t need it. If you really love the bokeh effect, aim to get a lens with the lowest aperture between f/2.8 and f/1.4.

Low light performance

best lens a6000, lensa sony a6000

If you often shoot in low light conditions, you should look at the lens ability to capture images in the low light. These can be night shots of a city or starry sky but also indoor photography and in scenarios where you deal with contrasting shadows. Generally, prime lenses have the best ability to capture as much light as possible and lenses with low max F stop (within f/2.8 to f/1.4 range).

Built-in image stabilisation

Sony a6xxx series cameras do not come with in-built image stabilisation (only the newest model, Sony a6600 has one), so choosing a lens with an optical image stabilisation could be a great way to enhance the low light performance of your camera. Some Sony lenses come with a mechanism called optical SteadyShot, which works like a gimbal inside your lens. The gimbal mechanism compensates for the shake of the camera with a physical movement. The effect is sharper photos, especially at low light or using slower shutter speed. 

Zoom

sony a600 lenses, best lenses for sony a6100

Another important spec on a lens is zoom range. Whether you need a zoom or not will depend on the type of photos you take. It is useful to have at least one lens on your kit that has some zoom functionality. Zoom range may be helpful for street and landscape photography. My favourite Sigma lens has a range of 24- 70 mm, and it is enough for most of my travel photos. However, if you’re planning to take pictures of the moon, for example, you will need something with a range of 15-600 mm.

12 Best Travel lenses for Sony a6000 mount (also a6300, a6400, a6500, a6600)

Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 AF DG DN Art – The best lens for travel

SPECS
Weight: 830g (29.3 oz)
Size: 88 x 125mm (3.5 x 4.9 in.)
Filter diameter: 82mm
Min focus distance: 0.18 – 0.38cm
Min focus distance: 0.18 – 0.38cm
Autofocus: Yes
Image Stabilisation: Yes

Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 ART is the latest Sigma lens that was designed to outperform Sony and Canon lenses at a much smaller price tag. This lens is super versatile; it can take landscape and city photography to close up portraits and even macro shots. If you only have the budget for one lens, Sigma 24-70mm ART is the best lens for travel photography by far!

Full Review

Being a full-time travel photographer and blogger, this is my go-to lens for most scenarios. Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 ART is made for full-frame Sony cameras, which Sony a6000 is not. However, it is fully compatible with this camera and all the Sony a6xxx series.

The good thing about this lens is that when you are ready to upgrade to a full-frame camera such as Sony a7 iii, you will still be able to use this Sigma lens. The DG version is a considerable upgrade on the previous Sigma models fixing many issues such as flare and ghosting.

When it comes to image quality, Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 ART produces sharp and excellent contrast images throughout the entire focal range. The versatility of the lens let you shoot wide-angle landscapes that come with a lot of detail.

What is also really great about this lens is its excellent super fast and silent autofocus. With almost 100% precision, this lens will allow you to capture unforgettable moments on your adventures fast. It also comes with in-built image stabilisation, which will correct those handshakes when shooting at higher ISO in low light or with slower shutter speed.

With a max f/stop of 2.8, you will also be able to capture the beautiful bokeh effect while shooting portraits and close-ups.

Sigma 24-70mm is very well built and have a professional look and feel, but also it is on a large side compared to a similar Tamron lens SP 28-75mm, but it is smaller than Sony own equivalent lens. The lens can produce barrel distortion and vignetting, but they can easily be corrected in post-production in Lightroom.

Overall, Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 ART is the best all in one lens for Sony a6000 – a6600 and the perfect travel lens. It is super versatile, allowing you to shoot landscapes and portraits with top-notch quality and super fast and accurate autofocus.

PROS
  • Superb image quality at all focal lengths
  • Extremely versatile and multipurpose
  • Super-fast autofocus
  • Silent shooting
  • Built-in image stabilisation
  • Quality built and handling
  • No fringing distortion
  • Weather-sealed
  • Can be used with full-frame cameras
CONS
  • Not the smallest lens
  • Noticeable barrel distortion but can be corrected
  • Prone to vignetting distortion (darkened image corners)

Tamron 17-70mm F2.8 – Best multipurpose lens for Sony a6000 – s6600 Budget Alternative

SPECS
Weight: 525g (18.5 oz)
Size: 74 x 119mm (2.9 x 4.7 in.)
Filter diameter: 67mm
Min focus distance: 0.17m
Max magnification: 0.2x
Autofocus: Yes
Image Stabilisation: Yes

Tamron 17-70mm F/2.8 is an excellent cheaper alternative to the Sigma lens 24-70mm f/2.8. It is ideal for Sony cameras with APS-C, such as the Sony a6000, up to the newest Sony a6600 (not full-frame cameras).

Full Review

Tamron 17-70mm F/2.8 is equipped with Tamron VC – vibration compensation, a must-have feature for taking videos and photos with slower shutter speed and no tripod.

Tamron lens also comes with fast and accurate autofocus, which is again super important in choosing the best lenses for travel photography because you don’t want to miss those super precious moments. With excellent autofocus and stabilisation, Tamron is also one of the best video lenses for Sony a6000.

With a wide range of focal lengths, Tamron is a super versatile lens that will allow for a tremendous amount of creativity while travelling from taking detailed shots to city skyline snaps.

And, if you don’t want to spend money nor carry a separate portrait lens, Tamron will also do a good job at blurring the background and bringing the subject into focus. Tamron can focus at 17 cm close to the object. While not being a specialised macro lens, it will allow for some creative close-ups you may encounter on your adventures.

Tamron 17-70mm F/2.8 has a solid build and comes with a rubber ring and grippy ridges, making handling comfortable.

The downside is that paired with Sony a6xxx cameras; this lens may feel a little unbalanced. Another issue is that the design lacks physical controls to turn on and off autofocus or image stabilisation. But, you can change those functions in the camera menu. Another minor drawback is some vignetting and lens distortion, but this can be easily corrected in post-production.

Overall, Tamron 12-70mm F/2.8 is an excellent lens for Sony APS-C sensor cameras that present superb performance and unbeatable value for money.

PROS
  • Extremely versatile
  • Built-in image stabilisation
  • Fast and quiet autofocus
  • Excellent image quality
  • Quality built
  • Comfortable grip
  • Portable
  • Weather sealed
  • Superb value for money
CONS
  • Lacks controls for auto/manual focus
  • Some minor lens distortions

Sony E 10-18mm F4 OSS – Best Sony a6000 wide angle lens for city scenes

SPECS
Weight: 225g (7.9 oz)
Size: 6.4 x 7cm (2.5 x 2.7 in.)
Filter diameter: 62mm
Min focus distance: 0.25mm
Max magnification: 0.1x
Autofocus: Yes
Image Stabilisation: Yes

Sony E 10-18mm F4 OSS is an ultra wide angle lens made for Sony a6xx range with an APS-C sensor.

Full Review

Sony E 10-18mm F4 OSS is equipped with image stabilisation, something that is super important if you’re planning to take videos, vlogs but even shoot on the go or in low light with this wide-angle lens. Sony a6xx cameras don’t have in-body stabilisation, and its presence in the lens can nicely complement the camera’s specs.

With 10-18mm focal length, this lens is perfect for shooting architecture in the city, when a standard lens would not be able to get everything in the frame. It is also perfect for landscape photography.

At its optimal f/stop (f/8 and f/11), this camera produces sharp images edge to edge. The resolution is also very good on this lens so is the autofocus

Sony E 10-18mm F4 OSS comes with an autofocus function but offers electronic control with it. It also supports a front filter (not all wide-angle lenses do) and is super light and small, perfect for taking with you everywhere.

The drawbacks of this lens are that it is not weather-sealed (something that comes as standard in the full-frame range such as Sony FE 12-24mm F4 G), and at some focal lengths, the lens produces a distortion. However, this is not something unique to this lens and can easily be corrected in editing software such as Lightroom.

Overall, Sony E 10-18mm F4 OSS is one of the best wide angle lenses for Sony a6000, if not the best. It is perfect for those cool city shots, photographing tall and large buildings and skyline without having to go super far. 

PROS
  • Excellent quality images
  • In-built optical stabilisation
  • Portable
  • Great for videos
  • Able to use a filter with
CONS
  • Some minor lens distortion correctable in Lightroom
  • No dust or splash protection
  • Not the best in low light
  • Pricey

Sony 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 – Best zoom lens for Sony a6000 – a6600

SPECS
Weight: 325g (11.5 oz)
Size: 6.7 x 8.8cm (2.6 x 3.4 in.)
Filter diameter: 67mm
Min focus distance: 0.45mm
Max magnification: 0.29x
Autofocus: Yes
Image Stabilisation: Yes

Sony 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 is the best zoom lens for Sony a6000 in terms of portability. Often lenses are too big for mirrorless cameras causing imbalance. That’s not the case with this lens weighing only over 300g!

Full Review

Its exceptional portability, coupled with the versatility of the focal range, makes this lens one of the best zoom lenses for Sony a6000 camera and other a6xxx models. If you only want one lens to shoot your travel photography – landscapes, some causal macro shots and portraits alike that won’t break the budget, consider Sony 18-135mm F3.5-5.6.

Sony 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 produces sharp images even when shooting at wide open 135mm. Its autofocus is accurate and fast, while the in-built image stabilisation will allow you to shoot at a slower shutter speed without a blur.

This lens doesn’t have the widest angle that comes standard on zoom lenses. If that’s something important to you, you may want to consider the more premium Sony 16-70mm f/4 instead.

The finish of Sony 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 is not the most premium looking out there. It lacks rubberised control rings for a better grip, and it is not weather-sealed. Still, it does have some plastic ridges that facilitate easy handling.

Overall, Sony 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 is one of the better Sony zoom lenses for a6000 that provides quality but won’t break the budget.

PROS
  • Very compact
  • In-built stabilisation
  • Minimal distortion and vignette
  • Affordable
CONS
  • Not weather-sealed
  • Not the widest angle standard on zoom cameras
  • No rubberised control rings

Sigma 16mm F1.4 – Sony a6000 best lens for landscape photography

SPECS
Weight: 405g (14.3 oz)
Size: 72 x 92mm (2.8 x 3.6 in.)
Filter diameter: 67mm
Min focus distance: 0.25m
Max magnification: 0.1x
Autofocus: Yes
Image Stabilisation: No

Sigma 16mm f/1.4 is a very lightweight wide-angle lens specifically designed to go with crop-sensor cameras such as the Sony a6xxx range. It fits the Sony a6000 perfectly for a portable duo. It is also very affordable, so if you’re looking to upgrade your kit lens and get some more creative tools, this lens is one of the best Sigma lenses for Sony a6000.

Full Review

Sigma 16mm f/1.4 lens produces high-quality images, sharp across the frame and even in the corners. It is also equipped with a mechanism to minimise all sorts of lens distortions often present in other similar lenses.

Excellent sharpness and contrast quality are maintained even when shooting wide open and at the widest aperture. With this lens, you will be able to achieve some exciting and creative perspectives with a beautiful bokeh effect.

It focuses at a minimum of 25 cm distance from the subject so that you can take some product shots and close-ups with a nice smooth and blurred background. This lens can also take some interesting portraits with a whole person in the frame (not only half body shot) and a bokeh effect.

In addition, Sigma 16mm f/1.4 comes with an accurate autofocus function that works exceptionally well in photography and allows seamless transitions when shooting videos. It also works well with Sony’s Fast Hybrid AF system. 

Sigma 16mm f/1.4 is also extremely well built but doesn’t come with a weather seal. Its focus ring moves smoothly because of the electronic coupling.

Another drawback is that it doesn’t have in-built image stabilisation. So, it will depend on what Sony camera you’re using because Sony 6500 and above have in-body image stabilisation. If you’re looking for a lens to take stills, I wouldn’t worry about the stabilisation at all, and for the videos, you can always use a tripod or a gimble.

Overall, Sigma 16mm f/1.4 is one of the best landscape lenses for Sony a6000 – a6600 for its quality output, compact body excellent for travelling and reasonable price point.

PROS
  • Excellent image quality
  • Extremely light and portable
  • Affordable price point
  • Fast aperture
  • Comes with a hood
  • Silent operation
  • Minimal lens distortions
CONS
  • No image stabilisation
  • Not weather-sealed

Sony G-Master Lens 24 mm F1.4 – Best prime lens Sony a6000 for Instagram travel photos

SPECS
Weight: 445g (15.7 oz)
Size: 75 x 92mm (2.9 x 3.6 in.)
Filter diameter: 67mm
Min focus distance: 0.24m
Max magnification: 0.17x
Autofocus: Yes
Image Stabilisation: Yes

Sony G-Master Lens 24 mm F1.4 is one of the professional and best prime lenses for Sony a6000. It is primely made for full-frame cameras, so if you’re planning to upgrade your Sony camera at some point, this lens will fit your new full-frame camera too.

Full Review

Sony G-Master Lens 24 mm F1.4 lens was designed to produce excellent quality images. With the maximum aperture of f/1.4 coupled with wide-angle, this lens can achieve very interesting images – an attractive bokeh effect with a wide-angle view of the background. If you have a travel Instagram account – this is a tremendous professional lens for taking unique photos of yourself but also showing a lot of scenery.

Also, because it goes as low as f/1.4, this lens performs exceptionally well in all low light scenarios. If you’re looking to take photos indoors, such as churches or museums, this lens will give you some quality results being able to capture more light than other lenses. Sony 24 mm F1.4 will also let you shoot handheld street lights and city views at night with stellar results.

Sony 24 mm F1.4 is extremely well made and fully weather-sealed. It is also very light compared to its Sigma 24mm f/1.4 equivalent, which is excellent news for all the travellers out there. Another fantastic design feature is its manual aperture ring, where you can easily change f/stops.

Overall, Sony 24 mm F1.4 is an amazing prime lens Sony a6000 is compatible with. It’s great for wide perspective, incredible bokeh effect and low light. It comes with a hefty price tag, but if you’re planning to upgrade to a full-frame camera in the future, this lens is for you.

PROS
  • Light & compact for a lens with those specs
  • Excellent quality images
  • Weather-sealed
  • Manual aperture ring
  • Silent autofocus
  • Virtually no lens distortions
  • Can be used with full-frame cameras
CONS
  • Pricey compared to alternatives
  • Edge fringing (removable in Lightroom)

Sony E 50mm F1.8 – Best portrait lens Sony a6000

SPECS
Weight: 202g (7.1 oz)
Size: 62 x 62mm (2.4 x 2.4 in.)
Filter diameter: 49mm
Min focus distance: 0.39m
Max magnification: 0.16x
Autofocus: Yes
Image Stabilisation: Yes

Sony E 50mm F1.8 is specifically made for cameras with an APS-C crop sensor and is a perfect 50mm lens for Sony a6000 series.

Full Review

This Sony a6000 portrait lens comes with fast and accurate autofocus that will assist you in taking sharp photos. Excellent focus coupled with in-built image stabilisation will allow shooting handheld in low light scenarios with higher ISO or faster shutter speed.

These features are also super valuable if you plan to use this lens to record travel videos or vlogs. F/1.8 aperture with 50mm focal length makes it one of the best portrait lenses for Sony a6000.

In terms of image quality, Sony E 50mm F1.8 produces high-resolution photos with stellar sharpness in the middle of the frame with a tiny bit of softness in the corners when shooting at f/1.8.

This lens will not be your all-purpose lens because it’s got a narrow telephoto field, but if you’re looking to complement your kit with Sony a6000 prime lens for portraits, then this is an excellent choice.

Sony E 50mm F1.8 is extremely small and light, weighing only 202g, making it the perfect fit with Sony a6xxx range cameras. It comes with a reversible hood and black or silver finish, but unfortunately, it’s not weather-sealed.

Overall, Sony E 50mm F1.8 is one of the best portrait lenses for Sony a6000 in terms of crisp image, compact body and reasonable price tag. It’s a little too tight for an everyday lens but can be a great addition to your zoom or kit lens.

PROS
  • Quality and crisp images
  • Optical image stabilisation
  • Portable and light
  • Very Affordable
  • Minimal distortion
  • Easily removable hood
CONS
  • Not weather-sealed
  • Electronic manual focus
  • Dim corners (can correct in Lightroom)

Sigma 30mm F1.4 DC DN – Best Lens for portraits Sony a6000

SPECS
Weight: 265g (9.3 oz)
Size: 65 x 73mm (2.6 x 2.9 in.)
Filter diameter: 52mm
Min focus distance: 0.30m
Max magnification: 0.14x
Autofocus: Yes
Image Stabilisation: No

If you’re looking for a portrait lens with the highest aperture possible to achieve that awesome bokeh effect on your photos, this is a lens for you. Sigma 30mm F1.4 lens is the only lens available for APS-C crop-sensor such as Sony a6xxx range with an aperture as high as f/1.4!

Full Review

This Sigma prime lens Sony a6000 is highly affordable compared to its Sony 35mm f/1.8 equivalent, and for that reason, it is ideal if you’re on a budget or a beginner still figuring out what lenses you like shooting with.

With 30mm, which translates to a 45mm equivalent field of view, this lens can not only serve as a portrait lens but is versatile enough to handle more all-around shooting. If you’re looking for more versatility in your travel portrait lens, then Sigma 30mm f/1.4 could be for you.

Sigma 30mm F1.4 works well with Sony a6000’s face detect autofocus coverage but may take a little more time than the own Sony lens. Sigma 30mm F1.4 performs well at low light, which is expected for a prime lens at f/1.4 and can create a beautiful bokeh effect perfect for portraits and close-ups.

However, it does not have in-body image stabilisation, so if you’re planning to shoot videos and own a Sony a6400 or lower, you may need to consider buying a gimble or a tripod to minimise the shake.

In terms of physical built, Sigma 30mm F1.4 has a nice rubbery ring that makes the handling smooth; however, its plastic hood appears a little fragile. Also, its size is a little large than the Sony equivalent; but the Sigma lens is way cheaper.

In short, Sigma 30mm F1.4 is Sony a6000 best prime lens in terms of highest aperture and affordability.

PROS
  • Extreme sharp image quality
  • F/1.4 Aperture
  • Extremely affordable
  • Relatively versatile focal length
CONS
  • No imagine stabilisation
  • Not weather-sealed
  • Some barrel distortion present
  • Not the most compact lens

Sony FE 90mm F2.8 G OSS – Best macro lens Sony a6000 for close-ups such as insects and flowers

SPECS
Weight: 602g (21.3 oz)
Size: 79 x 131mm (3.1 x 4.1 in.)
Filter diameter: 62mm
Min focus distance: 0.28m
Max magnification: 1.0x
Autofocus: Yes
Image Stabilisation: Yes

Sony FE 90mm F2.8 is a premium lens and one of the best macro lenses for Sony a6000s. It’s one of the sharpest lenses out there, and it hits the sweet range of 90mm to 105mm, perfect for macro photography.

Full Review

It provides a good working distance of 28 cm to the subject, and with an f/2.8 maximum aperture and 90mm focal length, this lens can easily be used as a portrait lens too. It takes stellar sharp images corner to corner even when shooting wide open at its maximum aperture of f/2.8 capturing all different textures and details. This macro lens is also excellent at low light, and it produces virtually no lens distortions.

Sony FE 90mm F2.8 has an aperture ring that can be turned smoothly while shooting a video providing a seamless transition from in-focus to a blurry background. It is also equipped with Optical Steady Shot which further enhances this lens capability to be a great video lens for the a6000 family.

Some of the best lenses for a6000 come with optical image stabilisation, and Sony FE 90mm F/2.8 also comes with it. In-built image stabilisation allows for shooting with slower shutter speed and higher ISO in low light scenarios without the need for a tripod.

The body weighing over 600g is not the smallest body out of the lenses for the a6000. It has a rubberised ring for more comfortable handling a pull/push switch for manual to autofocus which can be pretty handy in shooting macros.

It is also worth pointing out that this lens is made for full-frame cameras, so if you decide to upgrade your Sony a6000 – a6600 one day, this lens will fit your new camera too.

All in all, Sony FE 90mm F2.8 is one of the best macro camera lenses for Sony a6000s that produces stellar sharp images corner to corner and is versatile enough to be used in portrait and even some landscape photography.

PROS
  • Sharpest macro lens out there
  • Excellent resolution corner to corner
  • Great for portraits too
  • Super quiet autofocus
  • Built-in image stabilisation
  • Handy aperture ring
  • Can be used with full-frame cameras
CONS
  • Expensive

Sony E 70-350mm F4-6.3 G OSS – Best Sony telephoto zoom lens for wildlife and sports photography

SPECS
Weight: 625g (22 oz)
Size: 77 x 142mm (3 x 5.6 in.)
Filter diameter: 67mm
Min focus distance: 1.1m
Max magnification: 0.23x
Autofocus: Yes
Image Stabilisation: Yes

Sony E 70-350mm F4-6.3 is an excellent lens designed specifically for Sony a6000, a61000, a63000, a6500 and a6600 to fit their smaller-sized camera body. 

Full review

It has a super-telephoto lens capacity of 5x zoom range, equating 105 – 525mm on a full-frame camera body. This range will enable you to shoot birds and other animals at a far distance on your next safari trip, air shows and sports events such as football or rugby.

The sharpness and the contrast remain very good at all zoom ranges, and it’s also resistant to most lens distortions.

However, as with most telephoto lenses, it gives pincushion distortion in the middle of the frame, which can be corrected with in-camera lens compensation.

Sony E 70-350mm F4-6.3 is equipped with built-in image stabilisation, which can assist in shooting at the long end of the zoom range when shutter speed may get a little slower. This lens also has excellent autofocus, which is great for shooting stills as well as moving objects such as animals.

It also has the ability to capture high-quality images when a fast shutter is required to freeze the movement of a speedy moving object at high ISO. These features make this lens one of the best lenses for wildlife photography for a6000s cameras.

In terms of handling, this lens feels relatively small compared to most telephoto lenses, which is particularly important with the small body of Sony a6xxx cameras. The lens body is also weather-sealed and has a sturdy build.

Overall, Sony E 70-350mm F4-6.3 is an excellent telephoto lens for Sony a6000 camera with a generous zoom range and compact body for this type of camera. It produces sharp photos with excellent autofocus. It also has a quality build. However, its aperture range is modest for the price.

PROS
  • Excellent image quality
  • Super-fast & accurate autofocus
  • Silent shooting
  • Built-in image stabilisation
  • Small & lightweight for a telephoto lens
  • 5x zoom range
  • Weather-sealed
CONS
  • Expensive
  • Small aperture range
  • Prone to pincushion distortion

Rokinon/Samyang 12mm F2.0 – Best lens for astrophotography Sony a6xxx

SPECS
Weight: 224g (7.9 oz)
Size: 70 x 59mm (2.7 x 2.3 in.)
Filter diameter: 62mm
Min focus distance: 0.19m
Max magnification: 0.09x
Autofocus: Yes
Image Stabilisation: No

This Samyang 12mm f/2.0 lens designed for Sony APS-C sensors is an excellent buy for those that love stargazing and would like to get an affordable but quality lens for astrophotography.

Full Review

The lens is fully manual with no electronic communication with the camera, which may not suit everyone, especially beginners. In order to set the aperture and focus, you need to twist the control rings on the camera body.

With its specs – fast aperture f/2.0 and ultra-wide angle, this lens is suitable to shoot not only astrophotography but also works well with landscapes and city architecture shots with huge buildings and not much space to move away from it to shoot. This lens is also great for shooting in low light, such as indoor museums and photographing the city at night.

Samyang 12mm f/2.0 takes stellar sharp images even when shooting wide open with very good sharpness around the image frame edges.

It has good resistance to ghosting and flare lens distortions, but it’s prone to barrel and lateral chromatic aberration, which can easily be corrected by the camera or in post-production software.

Samyang 12mm f/2.0 has a super light and compact body, which means you can take it with you without noticing an extra load in your camera gear pack. It has also been built using quality materials and is fully weather-sealed.

Overall, Samyang 12mm f/2.0 is an excellent choice if you’re looking for an astrophotography lens for your Sony a6000. Samyang lens is extremely affordable, produces quality images and can also be used for general super wide-angle shooting.

PROS
  • Superb image quality
  • Affordable price point
  • Fast autofocus
  • Silent shooting
  • Sturdy built
  • Extremely light & compact
  • Weather-sealed
CONS
  • No image stabilisation
  • Fully manual lens
  • Some lens distortion present- vignetting & fringing
  • Non-reversible hood for storage

Sony E 18 – 105mm F4 G OSS – Sony a600 best lens for video

SPECS
Weight: 482g (17 oz)
Size: 78 x 110mm (3.1 x 4.3 in.)
Filter diameter: 72mm
Min focus distance: 0.45m
Max magnification: 0.11x
Autofocus: Yes
Image Stabilisation: Yes

Sony E 18 – 105mm F4 G OSS was specifically designed for Sony APS-C cameras such as a6xxx range. Why would you want to buy this lens? Well, for its super zoom functions, which are perfect for taking videos at a great price compared to other similar lenses.

Full Review

Sony E 18 – 105mm F4 G OSS is a highly versatile lens covering 27-158mm equivalent field of view range which means that you could use it on your travels without the need for ever-changing it with a different lens.

It is equipped with a super smooth electronic zoom that is excellent for recording videos. A zoom rocker placed on the side of the lens barrel allows for zoom speed control. You can either set it up for a slow or fast but nice and steady movement perfect for a video. The lens rings are rubberised and comfortable to handle.

It also has in-built stabilisation, which will allow you to record videos handheld with a reduced handshake. In-body image stabilisation is also an excellent tool when shooting in dim light with decreased shutter speed or increased ISO. Sony E 18 – 105mm F4 G OSS is the best Sony lens for video taking for the a6000 camera range.

The drawbacks of this lens is its large body (due to the power zoom design) and some optical compromises meaning it’s not the sharpest lens out there. If that is something that bothers you, consider the more expensive Zeiss 16-70mm F4 lens.

Overall, Sony E 18 – 105mm F4 G OSS is one of the better Sony alpha a6000 lenses for taking videos due to its superpower zoom design, built-in stabilisation and versatile zoom range.

PROS
  • Built-in image stabilisation
  • Power zoom design
  • Extremely versatile focal range
  • Reversible hood included
CONS
  • Not the sharpest lens out there
  • Prone to large pincushion (can correct in Lightroom)
  • Large body

Accessories for Sony a6000

Best gimbal for Sony a6000

Best vlogging grip for Sony a6000

Best flash for Sony a6000

Best mic for Sony a6000

Battery grip for Sony a6000

Camera case for Sony a6000

SD Card for Sony a6000

Remote for Sony a6000

ND filter for Sony a6000

Lens cap for Sony a6000

Types of travel photography lenses

Wide-angle lenses

best lenses for sony a6000

Wide-angle lenses are excellent for landscape and city photography. Shooting with a wide-angle lens gives more depth of field, which means you can capture more detail by keeping elements of your background sharp.

They allow you to capture more in the frame of the image by not going too far. This is particularly useful in photographing architecture in a city with tight spaces when it’s impossible to move too far away from the photographed buildings.

It is also perfect for capturing a city skyline or a landscape because you will be able to fit more into the frame of your image.

The drawback of wide-angle lenses is that they won’t capture the bokeh effect, and they are not suitable for low light photography.

Telephoto lenses

best sony lenses for a6000

Telephoto lenses allow for capturing sharp images of objects that are very far away, such as a bird or a moon. They also make the foreground, and the background appears to be closer together.

Macro lenses

best sony a6000 lenses

Macro lenses are used for taking pictures of small objects from a very close distance of a few cm. They can capture a lot of detail and have a shallow depth of field. Macro lenses are typically used for capturing nature – photos of insects, flowers, leaves etc. Most common macro lenses come with a focal range between 60 and 105 mm or 30 to 50 mm. This gives a 9 to 12-inch working distance from the object for a 1:1 macro. Both ranges are also suitable for taking flattering portrait photos.

Tele-macro lenses with a focal range of 15 to 200mm will allow you to take a macro shot being further away from the object but come with a much hefty price tag.

Prime lenses

the best lenses for sony a6000

Prime lenses have fixed focal points, which means that you can’t zoom in or out on them. Despite the fact that prime lenses don’t have zooms, there are many good reasons why you should have at least one prime lens in your travel photography gear.

Prime lenses are perfect for portrait and close up photos.

They can create a beautiful bokeh effect (blurry background) thanks to the higher aperture going all the way to f\1.2.

They also capture the light better and produce spectacular sunset/sunrise photos with defined sunrays. In those low light scenarios, zoom lenses would create a blurry image.

Prime lenses also capture the sharpest images since they don’t have the extra glass inside that zoom lenses have in order to move.

Also, prime lenses can gather more light on the sensor and capture beautiful images at lower light and using lower ISO that typically would be required on zoom lenses. The higher the ISO, the more grain is visible on the pictures, so it’s best practice to use as low ISO as possible.

In addition to all the benefits above, prime lenses are also very portable and light which means you can fit them easily in your backpack and take on any adventure you like.

Zoom lenses

best lens for sony alpha

As the name suggests, zoom lenses are lenses that have the ability to change the focal point (you can zoom in and out on an object). They tend to be more cost-effective and give you more versatility.

Let’s say you’re going to India and want to take photos of people. While a zoom lens can’t compete with a quality prime lens in taking portrait shots, with a zoom lens, you will be able to capture people and objects being far away from them. Zoom lenses are also great at capturing moving objects in wildlife and city.

Like me? Pin me for later! :)

Best lenses for Sony a6000 for travel | best Sony e mount lenses | Sony a6000 best lenses | best Sony lenses | best travel lenses for Sony a6000

Similar Posts