Home Lenses & Filters Best Lenses for the Sony A7 Series: A7S II / A7R II / A7 II
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Best Lenses for the Sony A7 Series: A7S II / A7R II / A7 II

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best lenses for sony a7 overview

One of the most innovative and sought after cameras of the last years is definitely the Sony A7 and its versions, each one introducing new technologies and improvements.

Defined as some of the top full-frame mirrorless cameras on the market, the A7, A7S, A7R and the latest successors A7 II, A7S II and A7R II have become a favorite for all types of photographers. With its small and light full-frame body, high resolution, good hybrid autofocus, excellent image quality and other amazing features; the Sony A7 might as well be one of the best cameras of all time.

There was only one problem until recently, the low amount of available lenses for this camera, E-mount FE lenses respectively, but Sony has resolved most of the customer desires by launching a full array of great lenses. These lenses are not only compatible with the A7, but also with many other popular Sony mirroless models (like the Sony a6000). If you are searching for the best lenses for Sony A7 cameras, here are the favorites:

Best Lenses for Sony A7 / A7S II / A7R II

ImageLensFocal RangeMax. ApertureTypeRating
1_sony_a7_lenses_tableSony 24-70mm F4 Vario-Tessar T* FE OSS24-70mmf/4All-in-one

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2_sony_a7_lenses_tableSony SEL24240 FE 24-240mm f/3.5-6.3 OOS Standard-Zoom24-240mmf/3.5-6.3All-in-one

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3_sony_a7_lenses_tableSony FE 70-200mm F4 G OSS70-200mmf/4Telephoto

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4_sony_a7_lenses_tableSony 16-35mm Vario-Tessar T FE F4 ZA OSS E-Mount16-35mmf/4Wide-angle

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5_sony_a7_lenses_tableSony SEL28F20 FE 28mm f/2-22 Standard-Prime28mmf/2Wide-angle

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6_sony_a7_lenses_tableSony 55mm F1.8 Sonnar T* FE ZA Full Frame Prime55mmf/1.8Portrait

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7_sony_a7_lenses_tableZeiss Loxia 50mm f/2 Planar T* Lens50mmf/2Portrait

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8_sony_a7_lenses_tableSony SEL90M28G FE 90mm f/2.8-22 Macro G OSS 90mmf/2.8Macro

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Best “All-in-One” Lenses (Standard Zoom)

Sony 24-70mm F4 Vario-Tessar T* FE OSS

The most “general” focal range for full-frame cameras is definitely the 24-70 mm, which can be used in most regular instances, from its widest angle to the short telephoto end, where it can prove a good portrait lens.

With its constant aperture of f/4 and the recognized built quality of a Carl Zeiss lens, it offers excellent image quality. It also includes several high quality features like the low-dispersion glass, aspherical elements, optical image stabilization or the amazing Carl Zeiss coating system. There are practically no disadvantages to owning this lens, perhaps only the maximum aperture of f/4 that could prove challenging in extremely low-light conditions. Overall, probably the best everyday lens at a decent price.

Sony SEL24240 FE 24-240mm f/3.5-6.3 OOS Standard-Zoom

The perfect mix of a standard lens with a telephoto lens, the Sony SEL24-240mm f/3.5-6.3 is one of the best lenses for Sony A7. Offering a staggering 10x magnification, this lens is a great choice for travel and wildlife photography, practically offering one of the largest zoom ranges in the full-frame camera market.

With the circular aperture, aspherical lens elements and internal focusing, this lens offers good image quality, although it might not be the best choice in low-light conditions. However, the customer reviews are highly positive, praising the advantage of having just one lens for multiple purposes.

Best Telephoto Lenses

Sony FE 70-200mm F4 G OSS

The best telephoto lens for a Sony A7 s the Sony FE 70-200mm f/4, a great choice in both image quality and price range. Offering a superb build quality with dust and water protection, this lens is way smaller and lighter than the other options on the market.

Among its most sought after features, the lens offers extra low dispersion and aspherical lens elements, quality nano coating, dual autofocus system, optical image stabilization and others. There are not any major drawbacks to this excellent telephoto lens, except for two minor aspects, the slight corners soft focus at telephoto end, and the challenge to use the f/4 aperture in low light, although the A7 cameras offer good ISO performance.

Best Wide Angle Lenses

Sony 16-35mm Vario-Tessar T FE F4 ZA OSS E-Mount

The best price-quality ratio in a wide lens for the Sony A7 can be found in the 16-35mm f/4 lens, a perfect choice for those who need a wide zoom in their bag.

Excellent for travel, landscapes and architecture, this lens includes the usual technologies of Zeiss lenses, with trademark coating, extra-dispersion glass elements, optical image stabilization and more. Although it could tend to be soft at 35mm, the image quality and color rendition are great. Adding the solid construction with dust and moisture resistance, the price is well deserved, although some might argue that for an f/4 lens is a bit overpriced.

Sony SEL28F20 FE 28mm f/2-22 Standard-Prime

Although not as wide as the zoom alternatives, this excellent lens makes up with the f/2 aperture and the perfect image quality.

One of the fastest primes on the market for the Sony A7, the FE 28mm f/2 follows the line of the best Sony lenses, with the usual goodies like circular aperture blades, aspherical elements and extra low-dispersion glass element, as well as internal focusing for fast and smooth autofocusing.

It provides minimal chromatic aberration, superior contrast and perfect sharpness over the entire aperture range. The one drawback is the fixed focal, which can be a bit long if you are searching for the widest shots, but this can be easily fixed with ultra wide converters and such.

Best Portrait Lenses (Fast Primes)

Sony 55mm F1.8 Sonnar T* FE ZA Full Frame Prime

Quite possibly the best prime lens for Sony E-mount, this is also one of the best lenses for Sony A7 at a price of just $1,000. The Sony 55 mm f/1.8 Sonnar T lens comes in a small package, but offers a lot of advantages, the main one being the bright aperture of f/1.8.

It is an excellent choice for shooting portraits and especially in low-light conditions, also offering splendid bokeh effects thanks to the circular aperture blades. With aspherical glass elements, Carl Zeiss T coating technology, quiet and smooth focusing, this lens produces stunning images, with deep contrast and excellent sharpness and color rendition. Shooting at f1.8 can be a little tricky because of the very shallow focus, but beyond that it simply shines.

Zeiss Loxia 50mm f/2 Planar T* Lens

A nice alternative to the regular Sony Zeiss lenses, the Loxia is a completely Zeiss build with the best materials and glass possible.

First off, this is a manual focus only lens, so people who are not used to shooting this way or need the speed of autofocusing, there are other alternatives. Beyond this, everything else is impressive, from the strong metal build to the quality of the images. Small, but metal strong, the Loxia 50mm f/2 Planar T lens uses the best technologies and systems from Zeiss, this tends to offer the best looking portraits when used correctly, also making a great video lens for the Sony A7.

Best Macro Lenses

Sony SEL90M28G FE 90mm f/2.8-22 Macro G OSS Standard-Prime

Definitely the best macro and possibly one of the overall best lenses for Sony A7, the superb 90mm f/2.8 Macro lens is much more than just a macro option, shooting excellent portraits and making a quality travel lens.

The f/2.8 aperture insures the best results in most light conditions, but the qualities of this lens extend far beyond. It provides great image quality and sharpness, also having several features that set it above its competitors, like the circular aperture, Nano coating, optical image stabilization or aspherical lens elements.

Moreover, the focus system is very innovative, with internal focusing, focus range limiter, focus hold button and quiet focusing motor, improving its macro capabilities. Built especially for this purpose, there are no obvious downsides to this lens.

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