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Best Sony E Mount Lens for Video [2024 Review]

In: 
Published: 07/03/2023

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As a videographer, you might want to equip your Sony camera with an E-mount lens. However, the performance of these e-mount  lenses is not equal when shooting videos. The best video capture Sony E mount lenses should be able to focus smoothly and maintain consistent performance over the zoom range.

My Top Sony E Mount Video Lens Reviews

When shooting videos using your mirrorless sony camera, you will need to pair your mirrorless cameras with versatile E mount lenses that offer a silent autofocus performance and flexible focal length range. Below, I focus on the top Sony E mount lenses for video.

Sony 55mm f/1.8 

The Sony 55mm f/1.8 is a compact prime lens with an impressive maximum aperture of f/1.8 and excellent resolution, allowing you to shoot even in low-light conditions.

Like most e mount lenses on my list, it employs aspherical elements in its optical design, which helps to minimize field curvature, astigmatism, spherical and chromatic aberration, facilitating image clarity and sharpness. Also, the 55mm focal length makes this prime lens great for portraiture.

Like carl zeiss lens, the elements in this Sony lens are coated with the legendary anti-reflective coating for Zeiss lenses, which significantly suppresses the surface reflections, ghosting, and flare when shooting with a full frame sensor. With a minimum aperture of f/22, this lens is suitable for landscape and long exposure photography

Also, the coating helps in improving the color fidelity, image contrast and clarity, making it suitable for shooting with full frame sensors in strong lighting.

However, unlike the wide focal length range in the Sony-E 10-18mm f/4, without zoom capabilities, this sony lens is unsuitable for shooting videos of distant subjects or an action that requires zooming in and out. 

With a nine-blade aperture diaphragm, the Sony 55mm f/1.8 is able to produce an impressive smooth bokeh quality when using selective focus techniques. With a minimum focus distance of 1.6 inches, it's possible to shoot nearby subjects. 

Even with these professional features, it weighs 0.62 pounds, making it one of the best sony lenses on my list for carrying in a backpack when traveling. The control rings are rubberized, which enhances grip even in colder temperatures.

Sony Vario-Tessar 24-70mm f/4

The Sony Vario-Tessar 24-70mm f/4 is a wide-angle zoom lens that can shoot in a wide array of subjects and styles, making it an impressive telephoto lens for a wide range of videography applications. 

The wide aperture of f/4 ensures consistent performance and smooth operation across the focal lengths. Typically, the longer focal length makes it one of the best sony lenses and ideal for shooting distant subjects without sacrificing image quality. 

Keeping in mind that optical distortion is a major issue in wide-angle lenses, it employs five aspherical and one low-dispersion element to suppress color fringing, coma, astigmatism, curvature, spherical and chromatic aberration. This facilitates the production of clear and sharp videos 

This Sony lens significantly combats the ghosting, flare, and surface reflections, providing greater image contrast, color fidelity and clarity, thanks to the anti-reflective Zeiss coating. 

Also, the use of an internal focus design ensures the lens's overall length is maintained during focusing, making the Sony Vario-Tessar 24-70mm f/4 suitable for shooting camera-sensitive subjects such as pets. 

However, the bokeh quality of the seven-blade circular aperture diaphragm is less appealing. It features a rugged design with a weather resistant sealing, making it suitable for shooting in harsh conditions such as deserts and moist environments. 

Thanks to the SteadyShot image stabilization functionality, the camera vibration effect is minimal, making it suitable for walking around while shooting handheld .Although lighter than the Rokinon 50mm f/1.4, a weight of 0.94 pounds, is still heavy if planning to shoot handheld for an extended period of time.

Sony 18-105mm f/4

The Sony 18-105mm f/4 is a premium wide angle lens that covers a wide focal length range, surpassing the capability of a standard kit lens. The f/4 constant maximum aperture enhances consistent shooting performance over the zoom range, which helps retain an excellent image quality even when zooming. 

Unlike other sony lenses on my list, this wide angle lens uses Handycam technology for power zooming functionality, which enhances a quiet and smooth focusing experience. For one, the power zoom makes this kit lens ideal for shooting action and fast-moving subjects. 

With three aspherical elements and two low dispersion elements, this wide angle lens  impressively minimizes field curvature,astigmatism, coma, distortions and monochromatic aberrations, making it an excellent lens for  video. When capturing videos at longer focal lengths, the built-in SteadyShot image stabilization mechanism helps eliminate the shake effect, maintaining image clarity and sharpness.. 

Unlike the Sony 10-18mm f/4, the 1.5 inches minimum focus distance is ideal for shooting nearby subjects. The resulting bokeh quality from the seven-blades circular aperture diaphragm is smooth and appealing, especially when shooting in good lighting conditions. 

The application of selective focus techniques in this sony lens can't match the Sony 55mm f/1.8. 

The internal focus design enhances the autofocusing speeds while facilitating the ease of handling as the lens barrel doesn’t change in length as you adjust the focal length

However, apart from being the second heaviest on my list, the 0.94 pound weight can hurt your wrists or exhaust you if you shoot handheld for an extended period. 

Sony 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6 

The Sony 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 is one of the best zoom lenses that you can use with a full frame camera for a wide range of real estate photography situations, thanks to the wide focal length and aperture range. 

This standard zoom lens features an advanced optical design that employs four aspherical and two extra low dispersion elements to help to suppress chromatic and spherical aberration for clearer and sharper images throughout the entire zoom range. 

The Sony 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 comes with an optical steadyshot image stabilization system that helps reduce the shaking effect, making it a great lens for video even when shooting handheld. 

When it comes to outdoor shooting, this full frame lens features a dust and moisture resistant design which allows you to use it in harsh and trying conditions.

Sony 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6

The Sony 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 is a versatile and standard Sony FE zoom lens designed for Sony full frame cameras. This Sony lens boasts of a useful wide-angle focal lengths range of 27-202.5 mm in APS-C format and a wide aperture range. 

The optical design of this wide angle zoom lenses features two low dispersion elements that help suppress chromatic aberrations and color fringing, improving clarity and color neutrality. 

As a Sony FE lens, it features one aspherical element that helps regulate distortions and minimize spherical aberrations, ensuring an exceptional image quality especially when capturing in low light conditions using full frame sensors. 

Although it's heavier than Sony E 55-210 f/4.5-6.3, the 0.72 pound weight is still lightweight enough to allow you to shoot for extended time without exhaustion. It comes with a lens hood that shades the front of the lens, keeping light from falling across the lens and causing unwanted flairs. 

Typically, this weight won’t make your wrists hurt if shooting handheld for a prolonged period of time. However, it lacks the rugged design and weather resistant sealing, making it unsuitable for use in harsh conditions.  

Sony 35mm f/1.4

The Sony 35mm f/1.4 is a high-quality Sony FE wide angle prime lens that comes with a maximum aperture of f/1.4, making it an ideal lens for video especially when using full frame sensors in low light conditions. 

The combination of this wide aperture and a fixed focal length of 35mm allows this Sony FE prime lens to capture sharp videos with a more impressive depth of field than the Sony 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6, making it one of the best prime lenses for video. 

Considering that it is among the best sony lenses in the Sony’s advanced G series, standard prime lens achieves the right balance between video sharpness, resolution and bokeh quality when paired with one of the best Sony cameras. 

When it comes to the optical design, this Sony FE wide angle lens employs one extra low dispersion element which helps to minimize the color fringing and chromatic aberrations for enhanced color neutrality and image clarity. 

It also uses two extreme aspherical elements which helps to control coma, field curvature, distortion and color astigmatism for a higher degree of rendering and image sharpness. 

Although the autofocus system can be able to precisely track the subject when shooting videos, this lens also comes with a linear response manual focus which gives you a better control of the focusing performance. 

Although you can use this lens to shoot both landscapes and portraits, it is a prime lens and can't zoom distant subjects like the Sony 55-210mm f/4.5-6.3. Typically, this is a downside as you will need to physically change position when your subject moves, as you can’t change the lens’s focal length. 

The 11-blade aperture diaphragm helps to blur the subject background and produce an appealing bokeh quality when you are using the selective focus techniques. 

Sony 55-210mm f/4.5-6.3

The Sony 55-210mm f/4.5-6.3 is a standard zoom lens with an appealing focal lengths range and a compact and lightweight design, making it the best Sony lens for outdoor photography. When capturing handheld with zoom lenses, the video stability can be an issue. 

This telephoto lens minimizes the shaking effect to realize sharper videos even when capturing handheld, thanks to the optical steadyshot image stabilization mechanism. 

Without the lens's overall length changing when focusing, it’s the best Sony lens for shooting camera-sensitive subjects as it doesn’t cause disturbances that may frighten them. However, it lacks the weather resistant sealing making it unsuitable for use in harsh weather conditions.

Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 

The Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 is an exceptional Sony FE zoom lens that combines a wide aperture and wide focal lengths range, making it the best Sony lens for shooting distant subjects. This combination makes this flexible for pairing with full frame sensors and shooting in a wide range of lighting conditions and videography applications. 

Whether you are shooting interior videos or recording portraits, the 9-blade aperture diaphragm ensures the production of a beautiful bokeh quality when applying selective focus techniques. The minimum aperture of f/22 helps produce shots with an increased depth of field, making it ideal for landscape and architectural photography.  

The AF/MF switch button allows you to conveniently switch from autofocus to manual focus if you want to have a better control over the focusing performance especially when shooting using a full frame sensor in low-light conditions. 

It comes a maximum magnification ratio of 0.24x and a minimum focus distance of 14.96 inches, enhancing the shallow depth of field control even when capturing close-ups

Like the Sony 40mm f/2.5, this comes with a weather sealing that makes it suitable for use in both winter and summer. Regardless of the weather conditions, the rubberized control rings don’t get too cold or too hot, which facilitates handling. 

Sony 85mm f/1.4 

The Sony 85mm f/1.4 is one of the best lenses that can help you isolate the subject and blur the background when applying a shallow depth of field effect. With a focal length of 85mm, this lens is a short-telephoto prime that performs exceptionally well when recording portraits. 

Additionally, this lens can achieve a maximum magnification ratio of 0.13, making it one of the best sony lens ideal for capturing tiny subjects. This Sony lens comes with a wide maximum aperture of f/1.4 which helps to capture bright videos in low light conditions without increasing the camera ISO. 

However, this combination of aperture and focal length might not be the best for recording landscape videos. 

If you want a more precise focusing experience when shooting in low-light conditions or you just want a noiseless focusing experience when shooting camera sensitive subjects, you can use the intuitive manual focus in this lens. 

With a minimum focusing distance of 2.79 feet and a minimum manual focusing distance of 2.62 feet, you can use this sony lens to record videos in tight spaces. 

Features to Consider in the Best Sony E Mount Lenses for Video

Generally, the overall performance of a camera largely depends on the kind of lens that you pair it with. When recording real estate videos, you need a lens that can allow you to produce steady and sharp videos that are ideal for displaying even on large screens.

The following are some features to consider when purchasing the best sony e mount lenses for video. In addition, the following table highlights the key features you should consider depending on the conditions you are shooting in.

Comparing Best Sony E Mount Lens Features for Video

LensesDiaphragm BladesImage StabilizationWeight (Pounds)
Sony 55mm f/1.8 9No0.6
Sony Vario-Tessar 24-70mm f/4 7Yes0.9
Sony 18-105mm f/4 7Yes0.9
Sony 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6 9Yes0.1
Sony 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 7No0.7
Sony 35mm f/1.4 11Yes0.07
Sony 55-210mm f/4.5-6.3 7No0.76
Sony 24-70mm f2.8 9No3
Sony 85mm f/1.4 11No2.9

Bokeh Quality

When focusing on subjects, you can either have a shallow or deep depth of field. Shallow depth of field is where you have a part or a small area of your main subject in focus while the other elements become blurry. 

A deep field of view has both the background and foreground in focus, with the main subject included. Bokeh is the appealing quality of the out-of-focus blur in an image when applying shallow depth-of-field techniques.

If you want an aesthetically appealing bokeh quality on your videos, consider going for a lens with a bright aperture, such as the Sony 35mm f/1.4.

Aperture

The aperture is an opening that controls the amount of light through the lens that reaches your camera sensor. Aperture settings vary across lenses, as there are different widest and narrowest values. 

Usually, the aperture is indicated as a fraction of a focal length, such as f/4. A lens with a wide aperture, such as Sony 85mm f/1.4, allows more light to enter than the f/4.5-6.3 of Sony 55-210mm. The wider aperture allows you to produce sharp videos in poor lighting conditions without increasing the ISO.

Typically, keeping in mind that the interiors of most properties do not have good lighting, the wide apertures are what most real estate photographers want when recording videos in the interiors of a room.

Size and Weight

Weight is a key factor that most photographers tend to overlook when purchasing a lens, only to end up hurting muscles after recording without a tripod for a prolonged period. 

For instance, adding your camera weight to the 3 pounds weight of Sony FE 24-70mm f/2,8 can be an advantage if you have connected a base to your monopod or have a tripod. Normally, the heavyweight stabilizes your setup, relieving you of the hassles of attaching some additional weight.

However, if capturing handheld, the heavyweight of the setup makes it unsuitable for carrying around. If recording handheld, consider getting a compact and lightweight lens such as Sony 55mm f/1.8, as you can use it for a long time without hurting your wrists.

Image Stabilization

Keeping in mind that real estate photography does not only involve pointing and hitting the shutter button; moving your camera when recording videos might result in unstable videos, which might end up causing eye fatigue if watched for a lengthy time.

Using a lens with a narrower aperture increases the chances of recording with slower shutter speeds and high ISO settings. However, using a lens with a bright aperture, such as Sony 35mm f/1.4, might be advantageous as you can record with faster shutter speeds and a base ISO.

Furthermore, lenses with longer focal lengths magnify the camera shake effect when zoomed in. Luckily, zoom lenses such as the Sony 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 comes equipped with an optical image stabilization mechanism that reduces the camera shake effect, allowing you to capture stable videos.

Minimum Focusing Distance

The minimum focus distance is the smallest distance in which a lens can focus and take a clear photo. Although most lenses have a minimum distance from which they can capture a nearby subject, they vary when it comes to shooting distant subjects.

If recording videos of tiny subjects such as insects or flowers, it is advisable to choose a lens with the smallest minimum focusing distance, such as the Sony 18-105mm f/4, as it is mostly designed for macro videography. 

Video Quality

Varying lenses record videos of different qualities depending on the lens type, construction quality, and the number of elements in the optical construction. 

Typically, lenses with more low dispersion and aspherical elements in their optical design significantly suppress ghosting, surface reflections, and flare, allowing you to record videos with precise and clear colors even when working in strongly lit conditions.

However, lenses have moving parts which can lead to distortions that increase with an increase in moving parts. A lens with minimal moving parts and lens components that cause abnormalities, such as the Sony 55mm f/1.8, can produce high-quality videos.

Sony E-Mount camera lens

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Aperture Size Affect the Quality of the Video?

Yes, the size of the aperture can affect the exposure and depth of field of your videos, affecting the overall quality. Normally, when you use a narrow aperture such as the f/4.5-5.6 wide, you will capture videos with a deeper depth of field. On the other hand, using a wide aperture such as f/1.4 works effectively in low light and produces a pleasing background blur.

Can the Weight of the Lens Affect the Quality of the Video?

Yes, when the lens is heavy, you might shoot shaky videos. Normally, you might not realize that the lens is heavy when you pick it up for the first time, although you will feel the effect after shooting for an extended time without a tripod.

What Are the Benefits of Using a Lens With a Fluorine Coating?

Normally, the lens fluorine coating helps in extending the life of your lens by preventing it from getting smudges and scratches, especially if you are shooting videos in harsh environments. Additionally, the other optical lens coatings enhance the video appearance by eliminating harsh reflections from the lens.

Conclusion

As a freelance photographer, the first thing after equipping yourself with a Sony mirrorless camera is to pair it with the right E mount lens for video. Although the best one depends on the shooting conditions, the maximum aperture and zoom capabilities of the above lenses won't disappoint.

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