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Recommended lenses for sony a6500, a6300, & a6000 (e-mount)
Are you a photography enthusiast who owns a Sony a6500, a6300, or a6000 camera? If so, you’re in luck! This blog is dedicated to all the fellow Sony camera owners out there who are looking for the best lenses to enhance their photography experience. We understand that choosing the right lens for your camera can be overwhelming, given the numerous options available. That’s why we have put together this comprehensive guide that will simplify your search for the recommended lenses for your Sony a6500, a6300, or a6000 camera. Whether you are into landscape, portrait, or street photography, we’ve got you covered with our top picks!
Recommended Lenses for Sony a6500, a6300, & a6000 (e-mount) [2018]
What is up people? Dunna here and today we’re talking about my most recommended lenses for the Sony a6500, a6300, or a6000. I don’t think I’m ever gonna have to buy any lenses ever again, sorry, what was that? Oh, Sigma just released a whole line of art lenses for Sony! Ooohhhh!
The First Considerations
So before we get started on the lenses, I just wanted to say that when I was putting together this list, there were a couple of things that I was taking into consideration. The first thing was that I didn’t want the lenses to be too expensive. I don’t like to spend money, you don’t like to spend money, nobody likes to spend money. People like to get things, they just don’t like to see the money going away. So these lenses need to have bang for buck. They needed to be really great lenses for not too much money.
The second thing is that they needed to be complementary to each other. The idea of this was that it would be a kit and they should be able to carry me through almost every situation. I should be able to always have something that I need no matter what.
The third thing is that they had to be good quality. So sometimes you get what you pay for, but there are always good deals out there. Like I said before, bang for buck, that’s what I was looking for. So high quality, low price, and they all had to go together.
The Sony 18-105 f/4 power zoom
For each lens in my kit, I want to explain the pros, the cons, what I use it for, and an alternative if you’re just not into that one or it’s too expensive or whatever it happens to be. Let’s get into the first lens. The first lens on the list is the Sony 18-105 f/4 power zoom. This is kind of my all-around lens. This was my upgrade from the kit lens. It’s important that you start off with a good zoom so that when you pull your camera out of the bag, you’re ready for almost any situation, whether you need wide or whether you need telephoto. You’ve kind of got it there for you.
Some of the things that I really like about this lens are the ability to go from an 18 to a 105. That’s a really nice range. It’s optically stabilized, so when you’re shooting video, you’re gonna take out all those micro jitters, especially when you’re zoomed into 105. It’s nice to have that steady shot in there. All the zooming happens internally, so the lens doesn’t actually get any bigger. This makes it good for putting on gimbals or glide cams because it’s not actually changing the weight of the lens or where the weight is dispersed.
Some of the cons of this lens are the fact that it’s only an f/4 aperture. It is constant, so that’s good, but being only an f/4 means that it’s not that good in low-light and you can’t get that really shallow depth of field that you will be able to on some other lenses. It’s also a bit bigger than some lenses. If you compare it to the kit lens that comes with the camera, this thing is tiny. You can be pretty inconspicuous with it. When you got this on your camera, people are gonna be looking at you.
What I use this lens for is kind of an all-around lens. It’s great for events, concerts, that kind of thing where you’re not sure if you’re gonna need a wide-angle, if you’re gonna need a telephoto at any given time. So you can be changing that, going back and forth. I also use it for vlogging because it goes to an 18 millimeter. I can hold it at the end of a gorilla pod and it’ll get everything nicely. And because it’s a Sony lens, it works really well with the Sony body. All the autofocus and that kind of stuff is great. It’s not the sharpest lens I’ve ever used, but all the images that come out of it are still really great. Don’t let anyone tell you that this isn’t a sharp enough lens.
If you’re looking for an alternative to this lens that’s a little bit cheaper, definitely go with the kit lens that comes with the camera. If you do get it as a kit with the camera, it is so cheap, it’s like a hundred dollars instead of three hundred and fifty or something like that. It’s only a 16-50, so it’s not quite the same range, but still a really nice, high-quality lens and you can be quite inconspicuous with it.
Sigma 16mm F 1.4
The next lens on your list, after you have a decent zoom lens, is you’re gonna need a nice wide-angle lens. And if you can find one with a nice wide aperture, even better. A nice fast wide prime lens is awesome and super useful, and that is where the Sigma 16mm F 1.4 lens comes in. This thing is very quickly become one of my favorites in my kit. It is such a nice lens, really high-quality, and really wasn’t that expensive for what you’re getting. Did you hear me say F 1.4?
The pros of this one, first of all, 16mm F 1.4, that aperture is crazy. You rarely hear of wide-angle with that wide of an aperture. A lot of people have trouble with third-party lenses on Sony bodies, but this thing has awesome autofocus. This is pretty much just as good as my native Sony lenses. 16mm is great for vlogging on a crop sensor camera, and you’re gonna have no problem trusting that it’s staying locked on your face the whole time. This thing is a low-light master. Again, I can’t help but talk about that F 1.4 aperture. The quality of this thing is amazing. It’s made of metal, it’s got this nice grippy rubber focus ring, which is really, really nice. And finally, something that a lot of people aren’t talking about, the minimum focusing distance on this thing is crazy. It’s very, very close to being a macro lens, and it looks super cool because when you’ve got that wide of a field of view, it makes it look larger-than-life.
The cons on this thing? Um, it’s kind of big, I guess. It’s not really that big. It’s bigger than the Sony 16 millimeter. I don’t really have any actual cons. No, wait, I thought of one. It’s a little bit more expensive than let’s say the Sony 16 millimeter F 2.8. It’s gonna run you a little bit more than that one, but to be completely honest, it’s totally worth it.
Speaking of that lens, as far as an alternative to this one, let’s say it’s a little too expensive for you or you don’t like how big it is or something like that, something that you can definitely look into is either the Sigma 19mm F 2.8 or the Sony 16mm F 2.8, which is like a tiny little pancake lens. And usually you can find them used for a decent price too.
Conclusion
Now, what the heck do I use the 16 millimeter for? Well, first and foremost, vlogging. So if you’re holding it at the end of a Joby Gorillapod or something like that, 16 millimeters is a nice field of view, so you can make sure your face is in there. You don’t have to worry too much about it pointing off in the wrong direction. Also, landscape photography or architecture photography. So if you’re taking photos of buildings and you want to try and get as much of that in there, you’re great. If you’re trying to take pictures of like mountains or beautiful landscapes, nice wide field of view, that’s why you want a wide-angle lens.
Now, the next thing you’re gonna need when you’re building a kit, you’ve got your zoom lens, you’ve got your wide-angle lens, you’re gonna need a portrait lens. So that’s the next thing we’re gonna talk about. So stay tuned for that. I hope you enjoyed this article and found it helpful. Make sure to check out the links below for more information and the latest prices on these lenses. Thanks for reading!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: Which lenses are recommended for Sony a6500, a6300, and a6000 (E-mount) cameras?
A1: The following lenses are highly recommended for the E-mount cameras:
- Sony E 16-70mm f/4 ZA OSS – This versatile zoom lens offers a wide focal range, making it suitable for various shooting scenarios. It features built-in image stabilization and a constant aperture of f/4.
- Sony E 10-18mm f/4 OSS – If you enjoy capturing wide-angle shots, this lens is perfect for you. It provides excellent image quality, especially for landscape and architecture photography.
- Sony E 55-210mm f/4.5-6.3 OSS – This telephoto zoom lens is ideal for capturing distant subjects. It offers a decent focal range and is a valuable addition for wildlife and sports photography enthusiasts.
- Sony E 35mm f/1.8 OSS – A prime lens with a wide aperture, this lens is known for its excellent low-light performance and the ability to produce stunning bokeh. It is popular among portrait and street photographers.
- Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary – This fast prime lens delivers exceptional image quality and is suitable for a wide range of photography styles. It offers a natural field of view and is often preferred for everyday shooting.
Q2: Are there any affordable options available for these cameras?
A2: Yes, there are several affordable lens options that still offer good image quality. Some budget-friendly lens choices include:
- Sony E 50mm f/1.8 OSS – A prime lens that offers a large maximum aperture, providing excellent low-light capabilities and creating beautiful background blur.
- Sony E 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS – This compact and lightweight lens is often bundled with Sony mirrorless cameras. While it may not deliver top-tier image quality, it is a versatile option for everyday use.
- Rokinon 12mm f/2.0 NCS CS – A manual focus lens with a wide-angle view, this lens is well-suited for landscape and astrophotography. It offers excellent sharpness and distortion control at an affordable price point.
Q3: Are there any third-party lenses compatible with these cameras?
A3: Yes, apart from Sony lenses, various third-party manufacturers produce lenses for Sony E-mount cameras. Some popular third-party brands that offer E-mount lenses include Sigma, Tamron, Samyang (Rokinon), and Zeiss.
I hope you find useful my article Recommended lenses for sony a6500, a6300, & a6000 (e-mount), I also recommend you to read my other posts in my blog at this link.
If you need help with anything join the community or do not hesitate to contact me.
Best of luck! and follow your passion.
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