Congratulations Alex Vincent, March 2024 PFRE Photographer of the Month! The theme this month was "Kitchen". Alex Vincent - #906 Yvonne Raaijmakers - #909 Peter Wingfield - #902 Here's what Alex has to say: Thank you for the award of Photographer of th ...
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The Sony A7S treats fans to a flexible and superior functionality with features like the S-Log2 tone curve that offers more dynamism in your videos. Like other cameras, picking the best lens for A7S is essential to get the most of what this camera offers.
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After hours of research and a thorough analysis of the performance of different lenses for the Sony A7S under numerous conditions, I have narrowed down the seven best lenses for your A7S. Dive in to see which of your top picks ticks all your expectations in a lens for A7S.
The Sony - FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM is one of Sony's best ultrawide angle lenses.
This lens offers you a flexible zoom range from a standard wide-angle of 35mm and zooming out to a very wide 16mm. That makes it ideal for indoor shooting as well as landscape
The maximum aperture of f/2.8 makes it easy to work with this lens in dark conditions. You can get wider angle lenses than this with even brighter apertures. Its zoom range and flexibility make it one of the best enjoyable wide-angle zoom lenses available.
Like other GM lenses, the lens comes with a dense plastic construction without being too heavy. It feels sturdy and weighs 23.99 ounces, making it the second heaviest lens on review. The size is medium, though, and won't take up excessive space in your camera bag.
This lens is made of metal with a thin weather-sealing gasket, making it a suitable choice for harsh weather. An auto-manual focus switch and a focus hold button on the side allow you to see your precise focusing conditions.
A rubberized zoom ring that turns evenly and fluidly makes it a perfect lens for video work. A little to the front is the focus ring with the same amount of smoothness the zoom ring provides.
The focus ring turns precisely with the lens's focus motor. This focus motor works quickly and nicely even when using an old Sony A7S.
Featuring an 82mm filter thread, the lens allows you to use all kinds of filters, though it's best not to stack them when needing the widest angles.
Going at the highest price on the list, this lens may not be your first consideration if you are on a budget after buying the A7S. Another fact I found disappointing is the lack of image stabilization, a common feature in recent Sony lenses.
The Sony - FE 24-105mm comes at approximately half the price of the top pick while delivering a competitive performance.
The lens's 24-105mm focal range covers most of your areas impressively, from a vast angle to short telephoto. Any zooming beyond this presents a challenge in image quality, something the Sony - FE 24-105mm f/4 tries to maintain.
The maximum aperture of f/4 is the lowest amongst my best options. While not letting in much light, it is still helpful and brighter at the telephoto end than a more affordable kit lens.
Its build quality is solid though it has a plastic feeling. While the lens is pretty large; it is thankfully not too heavy with its weight of 23.38 ounces.
Unlike my best lens for the A7S, it features image stabilization. This feature is crucial as you capture moving subjects though there are lenses with a much better ability to maintain stillness. If you want a lens for video making, its optical stability may still offer a shaking output in handheld capturing.
The zoom ring is rubberized yet sticky and doesn't turn as fluidly as the Sony - FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM. This aspect is another annoyance for real estate video makers making the lens more suited for stills than footage applications.
Given the lens is not a parfocal lens, the focal length keeps adjusting slightly as you zoom in and out. Different from its zoom ring, the focus ring turns steadily. As usual for almost all mirrorless lenses, the focus ring responds well.
Its autofocus system works silently, relatively fast, and accurately. Another thing I like is the minimal focus breathing as you change focus.
The lens has a 77mm filter thread and comes with a decently deep hood. It generally has an average build quality and optical steadiness yet functions pretty nicely in stills
Featuring a tempting fun-size, the Sony SEL28F20 FE 28mm f/2-22 might be the perfect companion to take with you if you walk a lot. It is the smallest and lightest lens on review at only 7.05 ounces.
While still a wide-angle, the 28mm focal length is not a favorite pairing for the A7S. It is not wide enough to stretch the corners of your image yet not tight enough to offer your subject emphasis. It provides a neutral perspective that might be just what you require.
The lens's most significant attribute is the fast aperture of f/2. Being the third best lens on the list regarding the amount of light it lets through to your sensor, this rig operates nicely in dark conditions.
The ample brightness also allows you to get some pleasing bokeh. The extra-wide aperture cushions the unimpressive focal length a bit the way I see it.
As expected at its price point, some features like image stabilization are absent. You, therefore, need to invest in a tripod stand if you shoot videos, hence jeopardizing the affordability and portability benefits the lens provides.
The focus ring is broad. It turns smoothly, though quite heavily. I, however, like its responsiveness. The autofocus speed is pretty fast on the A7S, with the autofocus motor working silently as well.
It is reasonably suitable for everyday use and if you need image sharpness in your corners, stoop down to f5.6 or so. The sharpness is, however, not as concise as pricier options.
If you are looking for a compact and straightforward lens for your A7S, the Sony SEL28F20 FE 28mm f/2-22 is one of the best picks especially given its affordability.
This FE lens is an autofocus mirrorless camera version of Samyang's famous manual focus 14mm f/2.8 T/3.1 lens. For an autofocus lens compatible with the A7S and other full-frames, Samyang SYIO14AF-E 14mm F2.8 offers a worthy bargain.
Attached to your A7S, the 14mm focal length provides an extensive wide-angle. It offers dramatic images with strongly stretched corners that emphasize the background.
Its maximum aperture of f/2.8 is similar to my best lens for A7S and, therefore, offers a reasonable degree of brightness. You can shoot inside buildings and in dark conditions while still obtaining pretty visible details. This aperture also allows you to get some nicely blurred backgrounds.
The lens feels nice and solid, thanks to the metallic construction, including its lens mount. It's a pretty large lens and lacks a filter thread, something landscape photographers may find inconvenient.
The electronically motor-coupled focus ring glides very smoothly. It's responsive enough as you shoot in manual mode, though not as punctually as you may like.
Like most lenses, the rig has a remarkable degree of sharpness at the center. There is, however, some softness in the corners when tested at f/2.8. There is also some color fringing. It's the same case at f/4, f/5.6, and f/8.
I noticed an impressive improvement at f/11. At f/16, the corners are considerably sharp, although, given the narrowness of the aperture, the contrast is a bit lower.
Its overall performance presents fairly accurate image centers, with the corner a bit softer than the Sony - FE 16-35mm unless you stop down to smaller apertures.
The lens is simple, sturdy, and functions impressively. It's pretty disappointing that you can't use filters, making it challenging to control lighting and color.
Given its Zeiss label to promote its marketing, I am a little skeptical of the Sony SEL35F14Z Distagon T FE 35mm f/1.4 given my previous encounters with Zeiss zoom lenses.
The 35mm on the A7S or any full-frame is one of my favorite focal lengths. It provides a wide-angle field of view while leaving a little bit of emphasis on your subject.
With its aperture set at f1/.4, it has the most expansive size on my list. You can achieve a nice background separation with this maximum aperture.
The light intensity flowing through to your A7S sensor makes it ideal for house interior shooting and dim scenarios. It’s a great choice for real estate and wedding photographers.
This lens is good-looking, big, metallic, and heavy, weighing 22.22 ounces. Unfortunately, its mount is made from metal, unlike the Sony - FE 16-35mm GM.
You can toggle the aperture ring by clicking at every â…“ stop, which is satisfactory for stills
Taking the convenience even further, the lens allows you to control your aperture settings from your A7S.
The focus ring is metallic, too, and turns very smoothly. Broad and with a high degree of responsiveness, the focus ring allows locking in on your subject's features with ease. While not a zoom lens, there is a noticeable reduction in your field of view as you focus close to your subject.
Despite loving this lens immensely, I am slightly disappointed by the absence of image stabilization.
Closely competing with the Sony SEL35F14Z Distagon T FE 35mm f/1.4 is another Zeiss-branded lens, the Zeiss Batis 2.8/18.
Like two other lenses on my list, it comes with an f/2.8 aperture. That allows ample light to your sensor, ensuring images come out brighter. It is a convenient lens for capturing interiors during nighttime and for creating nice defocused backgrounds.
Given its 18mm focal length, the lens offers you a super-wide angle. Architecture, real estate, scenery, and cityscape photographers will appreciate the number of things they can fit in the field of view.
Much better than some lenses, it has a great degree of sharpness. It lacks an aperture ring, while the focus ring is rubberized and operates smoothly. Unlike my other selections, the focus ring lacks groves and is smooth all around.
The unit features a 77mm filter thread. With an ND filter attached to the lens, you can use the focus distance meter to determine the field of view on your images. This feature is a savior as sometimes you may have to remove a strong filter to ensure focus.
Although it faces some competition from the Samyang 14mm lens, its image clarity is much better. It features a metal construction reinforced with weather sealing. The lens is durable, and it also includes a lens hood to cushion your images from flare and similar effects on sunny days.
Besides its durable construction, it has quite a compact body. With a mass of only 11.64 ounces, it comes second place on my list and is one of the most portable lenses for A7S.
While presenting attractive features, it is the second most expensive option on the list. It goes at approximately half the price of the A7S.
Featuring the broadest zoom range amongst my lenses for A7S, the Sony SEL24240 FE 24-240mm f3.5-6.3 offers immense versatility.
This lens’s 24mm focal length is a lovely wide-angle starting point, and the maximum 240mm focal length provides a good telephoto reach. You may want something with a more extended reach if you’re interested in wildlife
Superzoom lenses don't offer extreme angles of view or the best image quality and generally have darker maximum apertures. The Sony SEL24240 FE 24-240mm f/3.5-6.3 is not so different with its adjustable aperture letting in meager amounts of light than options like the Sony 35mm f/1.4.
You also won't get backgrounds particularly out of focus unless you zoom all the way. Like most superzoom lenses, this unit is not very interesting and has limited performance in artistic capabilities. I mainly love it because of its simplicity and flexibility.
Its build quality is one of the toughest on the list, given its metal construction. Because of its big sizing and choice of materials, it is the heaviest lens on review at 27.51 ounces.
While sturdy, I am a bit downcast by the omission of weather sealing. You may want to keep it out of the rain to enjoy the advantages its robust build offers.
On its rear is a focus ring that feels fluid to handle and functions pretty responsively. I like its zoom capabilities, given the very minimal focus breathing. As you change focus, the image doesn't zoom in or out.
Thanks to its rubber zoom ring, the lens is pretty easy to turn. I also like the evenness and fluidity of its gliding action.
The Sony A7S is a full-frame camera that you can use in both outdoor and indoor
| Lenses | Weather Sealing | Maximum Aperture | Weight (Ounces) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sony 24-240mm f/3.5-6.3 | Yes | f/3.5-6.3 | 27.51 |
| Zeiss Batis 18mm f/2.8 | Yes | f/2.8 | 11.64 |
| Sony Distagon 35mm f/1.4 | Yes | f/1.4 | 22.22 |
| Samyang 14mm f/2.8 | Yes | f/2.8 | 20.8 |
| Sony 28mm f/2-22 | No | f/2 | 7.05 |
| Sony 24-105mm f/4 | Yes | f/4 | 23.39 |
| Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 | Yes | f/2.8 | 23.39 |
When working with a zoom lens such as the Sony FE 24-105mm f/4, you might need to adjust two things almost at the same time: the zoom and the autofocus. You might end up missing the right composition when zooming or get the right composition and end with a soft image due to improper focusing.
It is also exhausting and can cause muscle fatigue even to experienced photographers. Since it can be challenging to automate the zoom because it is about the composition, you can avoid the hustle by getting a zoom lens with an automated focusing system such as the Sony FE 24-105mm f/4.
This allows you to pan and tilt your camera while zooming to maintain the right composition when following a moving subject, and the autofocus system automatically detects and tracks the subject to keep it in focus and the background and foreground out of focus.
Since the camera lens is made of glass, it sometimes causes reflections, especially when the lighting is strong. When light is reflected back and forth by the surface of the lens, it creates some kind of artifact, commonly known as flare and ghosting.
Keeping in mind that you might be shooting interior photos in backlit conditions, this is one of the main challenges you might face. Fortunately, you can prevent this by getting a lens such as the Sigma 16-35mm f/2.8 that features extreme aspherical elements that help to reduce surface reflections and ghosting.
One of the ways you can make your real estate interior photos aesthetically appealing is to shoot them with an aspect of space. For instance, if you are photographing a small bathroom or kitchen, you can take the photo in a way that makes the room look more spacious.
The best way to do this is to feature the entire room in a single shot. That means you will need to have a lens with a wide-angle field of view, such as the Sony 14mm f/2.8. Note that the wide-angle perspective creates some distortions that can make the angles and corners of the room look curved.
If you want to capture photos that reproduce the true angles and the corners of the room, consider a zoom lens such as the 24-240mm f/3.5-6.3. The variable focal length allows you to adjust the field of view until you achieve a natural field of view at around 15mm.
In most cases, the size and weight of the lens vary depending on the construction quality and the length of the barrel. Since you might not be able to set up a tripod in cramped rooms, it is advisable to go for a lightweight lens that can't exhaust you when shooting handheld, such as the Sony 28mm f/2.
If you're using a tripod, you can consider getting a heavier lens, as the extra weight can help stabilize the tripod, especially when working in windy conditions.
Generally, the A7S Camera is a full-frame mirrorless camera and has an E-mount system meaning that the Camera is compatible with full-frame lenses from Sony or other third-party E-mount lenses. There are about 189 different native lenses with the E-mount system that are compatible with the A7S Camera.
Generally, the A7S Camera is a full frame type which means that you should use full frame lenses. If there is a way you can mount the crop-factor lenses on this Camera, the photos would appear cropped with black edges because the crop lenses are smaller than the A7S sensor.
The Sony A7S is a versatile camera that you can use in both video and still applications. In most cases, the applicability of this Camera depends on the specifications of the lens you pair it with.
When selecting your best lens for A7S, focal length, aperture parameters, and sharpness are the top considerations. Other issues like stabilization, build quality, and portability, is also very important.
With my detailed guide taking you through the comparisons of these products, I believe you are ready to settle on an option.
