What lenses should you use for the Sony A7 Series?

Following my recent post on the reasons why I switched from Micro Four Thirds to Full Frame mirrorless, I thought I should share my thoughts on lenses which work well for the A7 series.

As a Sony A7RII user, new to Sony, the choice of lenses is not far from infinite. This is both a good thing but also presents a challenge. Is so much choice… too much choice?

The first, easiest and most obvious thing to do is to look at Sony’s own lenses.

And just as their cameras have risen to the top, Sony’s lenses have gone a long way and now deliver really impressive results, especially when matched with a camera body they were designed for.

So you get yourself an A7RII body, what’s going to be the first lens you buy?

Your best option as a first lens would rather be a telephoto type 24-70mm to cover a bit of a wider focal, give you more flexibility and options, allowing you a little more fun than a prime.

I love primes don’t get me wrong.

So what lens for the Sony A7 series should I get?

Here are the ones I bought with my A7RII kit, and a little explanation why and how they are useful to me:

Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM

As I said, I think this is one lens everyone should have in a bag. Perfect for most applications it covers everything from Landscapes, macro, portraits, interiors, etc… It’s a big lens for sure, a bit pricey, but much less than a few primes to cover the same range.

With a fixed aperture of 2.8, this is one lens which could be enough on its own.

It saves you carrying three different primes and your shoulders and neck will thank you for that.

I use it lots for timelapse, landscapes and general commercial work.

Voigtlander M 50mm f/1.5 Nokton Aspherical

This is an M mount lens originally intended for Leica cameras. I use it with a Metabones adaptor. It means the lens is a manual focus lens, which I love when in the mood for it.

This is the beauty of the A7RII in full display. I wanted a small lens for days I want my camera to be smaller and more discreet. That Voigtlander, even with the adaptor is tiny. Making the A7RII the perfect street photography camera.

A word of caution though, do not assume all lenses will deliver great results with adaptors, for example some Canon lenses just don’t focus as well when on the A7RII, so do your research online before buying it only to discover at your expense it doesn’t work that well.

Sony Distagon T FE 35mm f/1.4 ZA

So this was indeed my first lens for the A7RII. Fast focus, sharpness, colour rendition and contrast. I love this lens, and in low light with the A7RII, it gives you the gift of… night vision (there’s no other way to describe it).

I use it for street photography, it’s a great everyday lens and the most practical prime I think.

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

This is a great lens for portraits and for macro. I use it mostly for the latter to explore the world of small. This is the sharpest lens of my arsenal and DxO Mark rates it right up there among the sharpest of the lot.

Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS

The crown jewel. I can say this is the most expensive lens I’ve ever bought. It may seem ridiculous to spend so much on one, but this is an essential tool in my toolbox. With a constant aperture of 2.8, it’s the perfect companion to my 24-70 f2.8. With these two I can go away on a trip and know I cover the entire range, without having to sacrifice the light available to me.

Great for those minimal architecture shots and capturing details of London buildings.

Sony SEL28F20 FE 28mm f/2-22

Alright this is a cheap option but I wanted to include one, or rather affordable should I say and which still delivers good results.

This is a nifty little wide angle lens as you can use it with the Sony SEL075UWC 21mm f/2.8-22 Ultra Wide Converter Lens to turn it into a 21mm.

Easy enough!

So here you go, these are what I felt were the most relevant buys to work alongside my A7RII.

Of course it’s me and it’s suitable to my photography, what’s good for your photography is for you to decide.

I still hope that helped a little

About the Author

London based Nicholas Goodden is a professional photographer specialising in urban and street photography. He is also a former Olympus Visionary and was voted one of the Top 20 UK Photographers on the Web in 2016. You can find out more about Nicholas and his work on his website, or reach out to him through Twitter. This article was also published here and shared with permission.