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Best Sony a6500 Lenses

Now that the world is getting more digital, many people of all ages want to capture photos and record videos of their daily experiences. They want to share their life stories with their friends, family, and to the world through different social media platforms like Facebook, YouTube and more.

Are you an aspiring traveler who is looking for the best lens for your Sony a6500 camera? Then, you come to the right place. We will offer you a comprehensive review of the Sony lenses for a6500. To make the best of your travel and adventure, you must have the perfect companion to make a memorable collection of the things you do.

If you plan to have a vacation in a specific place, you must bring with you an excellent camera like a Sony a5600 to capture stunning photos and record crisp and clear video content. Even more important, you must also have a quality lens to produce high-quality pictures and videos that can offer you the highest satisfaction.

It is a fact that finding the best lenses for Sony a6500 is a hard task. There are different models of lenses you can avail in the market. They also come with specifications, features, and prices which make it difficult for you to choose the right one for you. So, you must learn the important things to consider getting the right lens for your Sony a6500. With this, you will not regret in the end upon purchasing a product. You may also like Best Lenses for Nikon D750.

If you want to have a rewarding experience in your photography and videography habit, you must have a reliable lens that can help you capture your subjects in the best possible manner. Whether you are a professional or amateur photographer, you always wish to get quality and still photos and videos. Well, the lens you are using has great impact on the quality of your photos. Therefore, you must carefully check the lens you are going to buy for your Sony a6500 camera.

You must also check the flexibility of the lens to ensure that it can help you to enjoy your photography needs. Make sure that it can help you to capture the best in different types of photography. It is quite frustrating if you encounter interruptions while shooting, so you must be prepared by purchasing the best quality lens for your camera. With your top-quality lens, you can continuously shoot and record your thrilling and exciting moments with your family and friends. Even if you shoot photos or videos for personal purposes or other purposes, you must always consider the quality of your lens to have a rewarding shooting process. You may also like Best Lenses for Sony A7iii.

To help you avail of a superior quality lens for Sony a6500, we thoroughly reviewed ten models that will help you achieve your goal for your photography and videography needs. In this post, we pick the top lenses for your satisfaction. The good news is that we also give you a buyer’s guide and FAQ section to help you easily compare each product. With this, you can choose the one according to your needs.

Before we proceed, here is our best overall and best budget pick if you want to immediately know the best lens for your camera.

Best Sony a6500 lenses: 30 Second Summary

  • Best Overall: The Sony 18-135 mm F3.5-5.6 Lens can be your best companion for your travel adventure. It comes with a great zoom range that allows you to capture your subject in the best possible manner. It also gives you a reliable image stabilization for a hassle-free shooting experience.

    This lens has a 7.5 x high magnification zoom and focal length of 18-135 mm. It can provide you with quiet, accurate and fast AF for stunning photos and excellent video content. With its amazing features, you can have the highest satisfaction for your needs with your Sony a6500 camera.

  • Best Budget Friendly: Are you a budget-conscious photographer who is looking for quality Sony a6500 best lenses? Then, the Sony 50 mm f/1.8 lens is for you. It has 50 mm focal length and weighs 202 g. It has a filter diameter of 49 mm. Its minimum focus distance is 0.39 m.

    It has a compact design and perfectly fits your Sony a6500 camera. It comes with effective and fast autofocus. It has an f/1.8 aperture that enables you to make a creative dreamy bokeh that will make your subject stand out from the background.

Reviews of the Top 10 Best Sony a6500 Lenses

We can’t deny that finding for the best lenses for Sony a6500 is quite challenging. In addition to their specific features and prices, you are not sure which one is the right one for your needs. With this, you must carefully choose the lens that you are going to buy for your Sony a6500 camera. Fortunately, you can now have an easy search since we gather the top lenses for you.

The following is our reliable and honest review of the best Sony a6500 lenses to help you get the best one for you.

1. Sony 18-135 mm F3.5-5.6 – Best Overall

The Sony 18-135 mm F3.5-5.6 can be your best lens for your Sony a6500. It has a 7.5 x high magnification zoom. It can offer you with excellent sharpness from 1x aspherical as well as 2 x ED glass elements. This lens features a 7-blade circular aperture that allows you to make a beautiful bokeh. Its minimum focus distance is 0.45 m.

With this lens, you can expect to have an excellent image quality for your shooting habit. It also comes with great Optical SteadyShot image stabilization to reduce blurriness. It comes with class-leading close-up performance and instant auto and manual focus selection. If you want a flexible Sony a6500 lens for your travel goals, this model is a good choice.

The Sony 18-135 mm F3.5-5.6 features an advanced aspherical optical design that reduces aberrations. With that, you can achieve an impressive resolution, contrast, and sharpness even on its maximum aperture.

The only drawback of the Sony 18-135 mm F3.5-56 lens is that it is not weatherproof.

Key Features:

  • Advanced aspherical optical design
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • Quiet, accurate and fast AF
  • ED (Extra-low Dispersion)
  • 5 x high magnification zoom

Pros:

  • The 7-blade circular aperture that enhances the bokeh effect
  • Class-leading close-up performance with 1.48 ft minimum focusing distance and 0.29 x maximum magnification for telephoto, portrait, macro and more
  • Instant manual and autofocus selection
  • Precise, fast and quiet AF operation for movies and still photography
  • Optical SteadyShot image stabilization for stress-free photography

Cons

  • One drawback of this lens is that it is not weatherproof

2. Sony 50 mm f/1.8 – Best Budget-Friendly Sony a6500 Lens

If you want to get a high-quality lens for Sony a6500 without breaking your budget, the Sony 50 mm f/1.8 lens is the solution. This lens comes with amazing features that can match to your needs. It has a focal length of 50 mm and 1.28 feet minimum focus distance. It has a 49 mm filter thread and weighs 7.1 ounces.

It is an affordable but quality lens that makes it perfect for those who are budget-conscious photographers. It can offer you clear, sharp and crisp images. It has a lightweight and compact design which can make it as your efficient partner on your travel and outdoor activities. If you combine it with Sony a6500, it can have a focal length of 75 mm which is excellent in classic portrait photography.

It is also equipped with Optical SteadyShot image stabilization to reduce blur and camera shake. It comes with 7-blade circular aperture for creative defocus effects.

Apart from its advantages, this model also comes with drawbacks. Some of its cons include no weather sealing, electronic manual focus, and vignetting.

Key Features:

  • A mid-range telephoto lens with 50 mm focal length
  • Optical Steady Shot image stabilization
  • Lightweight and compact package
  • Quiet and responsive aperture and autofocus for shooting movies
  • Circular aperture for great bokeh effect

Pros:

  • Lens-based optical image stabilization for still photography and videography
  • Internal focusing
  • It has a filter thread on its front that doesn’t rotate for smoother use of polarizing filter
  • Short minimum focusing distance
  • Its image stabilization system offers 4 stop shutter advantage to achieve blur-free, crisp videos, and images.

Cons:

  • One downside of this model is that it is not weatherproof
  • Vignetting
  • Electronic manual focus

3. Sigma 30 mm F1.4 – Best Sony a65000 Lens for Portrait

If you love portrait photography, the Sigma 30 mm F1.4 lens is for you. It has a focal length of 30 mm and comes with 9 rounded aperture blades. It weighs 9.4 ounces and has an E-mount. Its filter diameter is 52 mm and has a size of 65 x 73.3 mm.

This can be the sharpest lens when it comes to portraits. It has a minimum focusing distance of about 30 cm. It has a fast autofocus, which is perfect for still photography and video recording. The best about this model is that it is designed with impressive quality and has a smooth focusing ring.

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The Sigma 30 mm F1.4 lens is perfect to use for body portraits and group shots. It can also produce good bokeh, but you can see little chromatic aberration on the background blur.

The negative thing that we can say about this lens for Sony a6500 is that it doesn’t come with the image stabilization system. It doesn’t provide you with smooth out of focus blur.

Key Features:

  • The responsive and smooth focus ring
  • The wide aperture of f/1.4
  • Excellent quality
  • Elegant, lightweight and compact design
  • Fast autofocus

Pros:

  • It can offer you with sharp images
  • It is designed with great quality
  • It has a smooth focusing ring for easy operation
  • This model comes with fast and impressive autofocus that is perfect for your videography and photography needs
  • It is ideal for portrait photography
  • This lens can work well even in low light situations

Cons:

  • It doesn’t have a smooth out of focus blur
  • It doesn’t come with image stabilization

4. Sony FE 90 mm f/ 2.8 Macro G OSS – Best Macro Lens for Sony a6500

The Sony FE 90 mm f/2.8 Macro G OSS is the best macro lens that you are looking for to match with your Sony a6500. It has a 0.92 ft minimum focus distance and a 1.0x maximum magnification ratio. It has 90 mm focal length. It also comes with 27-degree angle of view and 17 degrees (APS-C).

This model is equipped with Optical SteadyShot image stabilization system for handheld shooting. It also features an auto/manual focus selection through a sliding focus ring. With its advanced spherical elements, you can get a corner to corner sharpness for excellent photography.

The Sony FE 90 mm also comes with Super ED glass that has multi-coating, which helps to reduce ghosting and flare. You can get a stunning bokeh because of its 9-blade circular aperture. It has Direct Drive SSM for precise and quiet focusing. You can expect to have still photography because of its internal focusing and Nano AR coating.

The negative thing about the Sony FE 90 mm lens is that it comes with a high price tag. It is a little bit heavy and missing a rubber gasket seal.

Key Features:

  • Excellent 1:1 magnification
  • Floating focus system
  • AF-C mode that enables you to follow moving objects
  • Circular Aperture
  • Optical Steady Shot image stabilization

Pros:

  • Great macro photography performance
  • It can offer you with consistent and beautiful bokeh effect
  • Corner to corner sharpness with its advanced spherical elements
  • Direct Drive SSM for precise and quiet focusing
  • Aspherical lens elements for spherical aberration reduction
  • Focus range limiter that enables you to place a limit on the focusing range
  • Focus hold button for easy navigation
  • It comes with gyro sensors which can detect even slightest movements
  • It features a sliding focus ring that allows you to choose between auto or manual focus

Cons:

  • It is a little bit heavy
  • It comes with a high price tag
  • It doesn’t have a rubber gasket seal on its lens mount

5. Sony Carl Zeiss Sonnar T E 24 mm f/1.8 – Best Prime Lens for Sony a6500

The Sony Carl Zeiss Sonnar T E 24 mm f/1.8 is an efficient prime lens that you can use for your Sony a6500 camera. It uses the legendary “Sonnar” optical design for excellent image presence and dimensionality. It has 7 aperture blades, which create a near circle that produces defocused effect on the subject’s background.

It has a fast, quiet and smooth lens operation, which reduces image jitter and noise as you shoot movies. It can offer you with ¼ macro shooting using precise focus as close as 6.2 inches. It has circular aperture, which defocuses your background to make your subject stand out.

It comes with ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass that is good for reducing chromatic aberration on telephoto ranges. The Sony Carl Zeiss Sonnar T E 24 mm f/1.8 comes with aspherical lens elements for spherical aberration reduction. It is a wide-angle prime lens that can deliver you with excellent corner to corner sharpness even at its F1.8 maximum aperture.

The drawback of the Sony Carl Zeiss Sonnar is its heavyweight. It is also a little bit pricey.

Key Features:

  • 2 inches minimum focus distance
  • 24 mm focal length
  • Excellent quality construction
  • Cark Zeiss T * (T-star) coating
  • Internal focusing

Pros:

  • Circular aperture which enables you to defocus your background
  • ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass for minimizing chromatic aberration on telephoto ranges
  • Aspherical lens elements which minimize spherical aberration
  • It is an efficient wide-angle prime lens that can deliver you with excellent corner to corner sharpness even at its maximum aperture of F1.8
  • It has a 24 mm focal length which is a good option for general photography

Cons:

  • It is a little bit expensive
  • It is heavier compared to other models in the market

6. Sony 18 – 105 mm F4 Lens – Best Videography Lens for Sony a6500

If you are an aspiring videographer, the Sony 18-105 mm F4 lens is a good option. It is a high performing E-mount lens that comes with great contrast. It has a minimum aperture (F): 22. It has a minimum focus distance of 1.48 (Wide) – 3.12 ft (Tele). It has a focal length of 18-105 mm and 0.11 x maximum magnification ratio. It has a 72 mm filter diameter.

It comes with 2 ED glass elements as well as 3 aspherical elements that can offer you with high contrast and resolution that can give you the highest satisfaction for your photography and videography needs. This can be a power zoom lens that you can use for a wide angle to medium telephoto range. It can cover about 6x zoom range with F4 constant aperture. This model can be your perfect partner for all-around photography.

The only downside of the Sony 18-105 mm F4 lens is its weight. It weighs 427 g, which is a little bit heavier.

Key Features:

  • 2 ED glass elements
  • 3 aspherical elements for great contrast and resolution
  • Lens-based optical image stabilization
  • Internal focusing
  • Circular aperture

Pros:

  • It is a high-performance E-mount lens with great contrast
  • It comes with F4 constant maximum aperture on its entire zoom range
  • Flexible 27-158 mm zoom range
  • It has an advanced optical design that comes with 2 ED glass elements and 3 aspherical elements to reduce chromatic and spherical aberration
  • It also comes with a circular aperture that can defocus the background of your subject making it stand out
  • It features a lens-based optical image stabilization for easy shooting process
  • It comes with gyro sensors that can detect movements
  • It has short minimum focusing distance and fasts autofocusing

Cons:

  • Some customers complain about its heavyweight

7. Sony 20 mm F2.8 – Best Street Photography Lens for Sony a6500

If you are more on street photography, you can opt for the Sony 20 mm F2.8 lens. It has a 49 mm filter diameter and E-mount. It has a size of 62.6 x 20.4 mm and weighs 69 g. It is an ultra-slim prime lens that is perfect for your traveling adventure. With its compact and lightweight design, you can easily carry it with you anywhere you go.

It can offer you great image quality especially in street photography. It has a 7-blade circular aperture that can give you smoother and nice bokeh. It has aspherical lens elements that are essential for aberration and distortion reduction.

It can offer you clear and crisp images in natural light. Street photography needs shutter speeds and fast apertures. Fortunately, this lens has that capacity making it ideal for your street photography needs. It has an aperture priority mode wherein you can set its depth of field.

The negative side of the Sony 20 mm F2.8 lens is that it is a little bit expensive and soft in corners around f/2.8.

Key Features:

  • Superior image quality
  • 20 mm focal length, 0.12 x maximum magnification ratio and 0.66 ft minimum focus distance
  • Excellent performance and value
  • The circular aperture that can produce excellent bokeh effect

Pros:

  • Aspherical lens elements that minimize spherical aberration
  • A wide-angle prime lens which is perfect for street photography
  • High contrast and resolution for excellent photography and videography
  • It comes with rear focusing elements

Cons:

  • It is available in a high price tag
  • It is soft in the corner around f/2.8

8. Sony 10- 18 mm f/4 – Best Wide-Angle Lens

The Sony 10-18 mm f/4 can be the best wide-angle lens you are looking for to match with your Sony a6500. This lens is made with superior quality to meet your specific needs in photography. It also comes with great image stabilization for crisp, clear, and sharp image quality.

It has 10-18 mm focal length. It comes with a super-wide to wide zoom range that can capture landscape photos in the best frame. It has effective and fast autofocus that allows you to enjoy your photography and videography passion.

The only problem with the Sony 10-18 mm f/4 is that the distortion can increase as you shoot on wide focal lengths. It can also suffer in low light conditions.

Key Features:

  • Circular aperture which can defocus your background that can highlight your subject
  • ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass
  • Wide-angle zoom lens for landscape photography
  • Maximum aperture of F4
  • Built-in Optical SteadyShot (OSS) image stabilization

Pros:

  • It comes with a great image stabilization system for capturing still photos and videos
  • Distance encoder that is essential in ADI flash metering that delivers high precision which is unaffected by the reflection of backgrounds or subjects
  • Internal focusing for a more convenient shooting experience
  • Lens-based optical image stabilization for top photography and videography performance
  • It was quiet, precise and effective image stabilization that produces high quality movies and still images
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Cons:

  • It can’t perform well during low light conditions
  • The distortion can increase while shooting on wider focal lengths

9. Sony 35 mm f/1.8 – Best Value Lens for Sony a6500

The Sony 35 mm f/1.8 can be the best value lens for your Sony a6500. It is loaded with amazing features that can reach or even exceed your needs for photography and videography. It has a great value, so you can make sure that the time and money you invested in this lens are all worth it.

It can also offer you with great bokeh. It has a useful focus distance of 0.99 ft. it has a 0.15 x maximum magnification ratio and a 35 mm focal length. It comes with smooth, quiet and high-speed focusing which is perfect for filming movies. It weighs 154 g and has a 49 mm filter diameter.

The negative thing about this lens is that it is not the sharpest on its wider apertures.

Key Features:

  • Lightweight and compact design
  • ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass
  • Circular Aperture that can deliver you with great photography performance
  • Aspherical lens elements for spherical aberration reduction

Pros:

  • Effective and fast autofocus
  • Its f/1.8 aperture enables you to shoot in low light conditions
  • It is perfect for night shots, snapshots, portrait and more
  • Lens-based optical image stabilization with gyro sensors that can detect even slight movements
  • Internal focusing
  • Portable and lightweight lens you can carry with your outdoor activities

Cons:

  • Some complain that it lacks sharpness on its wider apertures

10. Sony 70- 200 mm F/4 – Best Telephoto Lens for Action Photography

The Sony 70-200 mm F/4 is the perfect telephoto lens that you can use for action and wildlife photography. It comes with E-mount and has a full-frame design. It comes with a telephoto zoom range from short to medium. It can smooth out the elements that are not in focus.

It is a durable lens that you can use anywhere you go. It has great moisture and dirt resistance, so you can make it as your best companion for your travel and adventure. It can offer you with sharp images and excellent shooting performance.

The drawback of the Sony 70-200 mm F/4 is that it doesn’t perform well during low light situations. Some users also complain that it is a heavy lens.

Key Features:

  • Interchangeable lens
  • The minimum focus distance of 1-1.5 m
  • 3 double-sided aspherical elements for reducing aberration
  • T* lens coating for natural color reproduction
  • Circular aperture
  • Internal focusing

Pros:

  • Nano AR coating that suppresses reflections which lead to ghosting and flare
  • ED glass for chromatic aberration reduction
  • Circular aperture for natural and smoother defocusing
  • Focus hold button
  • Aspherical lens elements that minimize spherical aberration
  • Focus range limiter that enables you to limit the focusing range
  • Aluminum alloy lens barrel which is used for G lenses construction for great optical performance
  • Lens-based optical image stabilization
  • Moisture and dust resistant

Cons:

  • Poor performance in low light situations
  • A little bit heavy
Best Sony a6500 Lenses

Buying Guide for Best Sony a6500 Lenses

Finding a lens for your Sony a6500 can be a confusing task. With different models in the market, you are not sure which one can meet your needs. Are you currently searching for a lens for your Sony a6500? If yes, you come to the right place. Also check Best Nikon Telephoto Lens

We will make your search easy with the following buying guide. We understand that Sony a6500 lenses are an important investment for you, so we will offer you a reliable list of the things to consider in buying the Sony a6500 best lenses.

  • Focal Length
    One of the best things to consider in buying a lens for Sony a6500 is the focal length. The higher the focal length is, the more zoomed your lens is. Different lenses come with different focal lengths that have purpose in various situations. So, make sure that you will get the best lens that is right for your needs.
  • Aperture
    Aperture is another factor that you must remember when buying a lens for your camera. The lower the number (f/1.4, f/2), the wider the aperture is. Then, your lens allows in more light. You must buy a lens with wider maximum aperture without changing much of its focal length.
  • Silent Wave Motor
    The Silent Wave Motor of the lens is an advantage when it comes to focusing. With silent focusing, you can have smooth and easy focusing with your photography.
  • Low Dispersion Glass
    You must also check if the lens comes with a low dispersion glass feature. Thus, it helps to reduce chromatic aberration to produce crisp, sharp and clear photos and videos.
  • Type of Lens
    You must also consider the type of lens that you are going to buy. You can choose between a zoom lens and prime lens. A prime lens is for you if you want to put more brightness to your shooting. It can help to correct the errors in shooting easily. On the other hand, the zoom lens is for you if you want to get close to your subject. The prime lens is lighter compared to the big and bulky size of the zoom lens. With this, you must choose according to your needs.

    In addition, the prime lens and zoom lens also come in different types.

    Types of Prime Lens : Standard, Wide-angle, Telephoto, Fisheye, Super telephoto
    Types of Zoom Lens: Optical zoom, Digital zoom
  • Quality of Image Resolution
    As an aspiring photographer or videographer, you must check the quality of the lens. Can it afford you with outstanding image resolution? You can prefer for the versatile lens, which allows you to enjoy different types of photography including portrait, travel, street, wedding, landscape, wildlife, sports, food, and more.
  • Pricing
    Before you purchase your lens for your Sony a6500, you must consider the pricing. Different lenses come with different pricing and features. So, you must choose the product that perfectly matches your budget. If you are budget-conscious photographer, there are available lenses in the market that can give you excellent quality at just an affordable cost.
  • Image Stabilization
    You must also check if your lens comes with the image stabilization system. Thus, it is crucial for a hassle-free and smoother shooting process. With this, you can also capture your subject at a slower shutter speed. With effective image stabilization, you can have a more convenient autofocusing.
  • Design
    Another important thing to consider is the design of your lens. If you want to make the best of your travel and outdoor activities, you must choose a lens that has a compact and lightweight design. There are many available lenses that come with an elegant and compact design that you can choose from for your needs. So, you must choose the one that can reach your standards. It is also an advantage if you opt for a lens with weatherproof resistance. With this, you can shoot even on complicated weather conditions. If you love adventure, you need to purchase a lens that is weatherproof, moisture and dust resistant. You like to read more about best vlogging camera

Frequently Asked Questions

The factors above are necessary for you to buy the best lenses for Sony a6500. Meanwhile, the most important thing to consider in purchasing lens is to get the right one that can match your individual needs. To help you pick the right lens for your camera, you can consider the following questions:

What should I look for a Sony a6500 lens?

The main requirement in choosing Sony lenses for a6500 is simple. You must look for its quality and performance to meet your specific needs. You must also check if the lens comes with an image stabilization system feature. Additionally, you must look for the right aperture and focal length.

Can I use a lens with full frame for Sony a6500?

Yes, you can use full frame lenses on Sony a6500 at around 1.5* focal length multiplication. It is advisable to get lenses that are specifically designed for a6500 to ensure that it is affordable but still durable.

What is the best Sony a6500 lens for action photography?

If you are more on action photography, you can prefer for Sony 70-200 mm F/4 and Sony 18-105 mm F4. These lenses can offer you great performance for action photography.

Should I prefer for a more expensive lens for Sony a6500?

Lenses that are designed for Sony a6500 are available at different prices. Both expensive and affordable lenses can offer you with great quality and performance. With this, you must choose according to your budget. You can prefer for more expensive or affordable model without sacrificing the quality of the product.

Final Thoughts

With the wide options of lenses for Sony a6500 in the market, it is quite challenging to choose the right one for your needs. With their features, specifications, and prices, you need to make a wise decision to ensure that the time, budget, and effort you invested in the product are all worth it. Photography and videography are among the favorite pastimes of people. So, if you’re one of these people, you must make the best of your photography by being equipped with the best quality lens for your Sony a6500.

Although you need a lens for your photography or videography passion, you must opt for quality products that can offer you superior performance. With this comprehensive review of the top ten best Sony a6500 lenses, we hope that you already picked the one that suits your taste and requirements. What are you waiting for? If you consider everything we mentioned in this guide, you can now choose your favorite Sony a6500 lens that you can use for your photography needs!

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Jason Baxter

Jason is a professional photographer based in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Loyd has been doing photography for over 14 years and specializes in fine art landscape photography. Loyd's work has appeared on book covers, CD covers, television, internet galleries, and on the walls of private residences.