11 Best Sony Lenses for Videography in 2024

Choosing the right Sony lenses for videography can help you improve your video output and versatility in shooting different scenes. With so many options available, it’s important to find lenses that offer the best combination of image quality, focal range, and additional features like image stabilization and autofocus speed.

Our top choice, the Sony E 16-55mm f/2.8 G, stands out for its excellent low-light performance and versatility. It’s a great all-rounder for videographers. If it’s not quite right for you, then there are nine other lenses to consider, each with its unique strengths, ensuring you have plenty of options to suit your videography needs.

What Is the Best Sony Lens for Videography?

In choosing the best Sony lens for videography we have taken into account low-light performance, autofocus speed, and versatility. Our list prioritizes lenses that offer a shallow depth of field, quick and silent autofocus, and a range of focal lengths to suit various shooting scenarios, ensuring high-quality, dynamic footage without the need for constant lens changes.

Our Favorite Sony Lenses for Videography

Let’s take a closer look at the best Sony lenses for videography. From wide-angle to telephoto, these lenses provide options for every shooting scenario, ensuring high-quality footage across a variety of settings.

The Sony E 16-55mm f/2.8 G is a versatile lens that shines in videography due to its constant f/2.8 aperture. This feature is key for shooting in low light and achieving a shallow depth of field, important for isolating subjects. Its zoom range from 16mm to 55mm allows videographers to capture a wide variety of scenes without swapping lenses, making it a good option for dynamic shooting environments.

It’s quite light at 1.09 lbs (494 g), which is helpful when using gimbals or handheld rigs for extended periods. Although as you zoom the balance on a gimbal will change as the barrel extends and contracts. Also be aware that it lacks built-in image stabilization, which means relying on the camera’s IS or external supports to avoid shaky footage.

Its autofocus is quick and silent, a big advantage for keeping moving subjects in sharp focus without distracting noise. The lens also offers excellent sharpness and minimal distortion, ensuring high-quality video output. There is almost no focus breathing at all, which is a great advantage in video. It means that the image remains the same size as the focus changes. Despite its strengths, videographers needing ultra-wide or longer telephoto shots might find its range limiting, suggesting the need for additional lenses in their bag.

The Sony E 35mm f/1.8 OSS is an excellent choice for videography due to its wide f/1.8 aperture. The fast maximum aperture will help you film in low light, and the lens produces very attractive bokeh as well.

Weighing just over 5 ounces (154 g), this lens is notably light, which is helpful for videographers using gimbals or handheld setups for long periods. It also includes Optical SteadyShot image stabilization, essential for reducing camera shake during motion shots or when filming handheld.

Its autofocus is quick and silent, ensuring moving subjects stay in sharp focus without distracting noise. The lens also delivers excellent edge-to-edge sharpness and minimal distortion, ensuring high-quality video output. It is also quite the bargain, especially when compared to lenses with similar performance and specifications.

The Sony E 18-105mm f/4 G OSS PZ lens is an excellent choice for videographers seeking versatility. Its constant f/4 aperture and broad 18-105mm zoom range make it adaptable for various shooting conditions, from tight indoor spaces to expansive outdoor scenes. This flexibility is especially useful in dynamic filming environments where changing lenses frequently is not practical.

Weighing 15 ounces (427 g), the lens is relatively lightweight, easing the strain on gimbals and handheld rigs during long shooting sessions. Its built-in Optical SteadyShot image stabilization is crucial for minimizing camera shake, ensuring smoother footage when on the move.

Autofocus is both quick and quiet, a key feature for maintaining focus on moving subjects without introducing unwanted noise into the audio track. However, the lens does show some distortion at wide angles and vignetting at wide apertures, which can be corrected in post-production. Despite these minor drawbacks, its sharpness, consistent exposure control, and power zoom capability make it a very useful tool for videographers using Sony’s APS-C E-mount system.

The Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM lens is a top choice for videographers who need versatility and high performance. Its wide f/2.8 aperture is perfect for low light and creating a shallow depth of field, essential for isolating subjects. The zoom range from 24mm to 70mm covers everything from wide landscapes to intimate portraits without the need to switch lenses, making it highly practical for dynamic shooting situations.

One consideration for video is the weight, which at 1.95 lbs (886 g), is on the heavier side. However, its built-in fast and silent autofocus ensures that subjects remain in sharp focus, a must-have for professional-looking footage. And you’ll appreciate the absence of focus breathing and very attractive bokeh. Despite lacking in-lens stabilization, when paired with a camera body that has in-body stabilization, it performs admirably, reducing the need for a tripod in many scenarios. This lens, with its robust build and weather sealing, is very useful for videographers who demand the best quality and reliability in their work.

The Sony FE 24mm f/1.4 GM is a prime lens that excels in videography, especially in low-light conditions. Its f/1.4 aperture allows for a shallow depth of field, making it perfect for isolating subjects and creating a cinematic look. The wide-angle perspective is ideal for expansive scenes, from bustling city streets to vast landscapes.

The lens is nice and light at just 15.7 ounces (445 g), making it a good option for handheld shooting or use with gimbals. Its fast and silent autofocus ensures that subjects remain in sharp focus, crucial for maintaining professional-looking footage. Despite lacking built-in image stabilization, when paired with a camera body that offers IBIS, it provides stable and clear video output. Although there is some focus breathing, it’s not too apparent. Whereas the bokeh is about as good as you will find anywhere.

The lens’s construction is robust, featuring weather sealing for durability in various shooting environments. Its optical performance is impressive, offering sharp, clear images with minimal distortion. For videographers seeking high-quality wide-angle shots, the Sony FE 24mm f/1.4 GM is a very useful tool, combining portability with exceptional image quality.

The Sony FE 50mm f/1.4 GM is a prime lens that excels in low-light videography, offering a perfect blend of versatility and superior image quality. Its f/1.4 aperture not only allows for excellent nighttime performance but also provides a shallow depth of field, making it ideal for creating cinematic shots with beautifully isolated subjects. This lens is particularly useful for portrait and narrative filmmaking, where focus on the subject is key. This is only made better by the excellent bokeh from the lens.

On a small mirrorless body, it’s quite heavy at 18.2 ounces (516 g), but not too heavy for handheld shooting or when mounted on gimbals. The autofocus is both fast and silent, crucial for capturing sharp, in-focus footage without disturbing the scene’s ambiance. Although it lacks built-in image stabilization, pairing it with a camera that has in-body stabilization compensates effectively, allowing for smoother shots even in motion.

Designed for durability, the Sony FE 50mm f/1.4 GM withstands challenging shooting conditions, thanks to its robust build and weather sealing. Its optical performance is outstanding, delivering sharp, clear images with minimal distortion. For videographers seeking a high-quality, versatile lens, this 50mm prime is a very useful addition to their gear bag, combining practicality with the exceptional image quality Sony’s G Master series is known for.

The Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM II is the best 16-35mm you can get for Sony E-Mount. It offers a wide to standard zoom range that’s perfect for capturing everything from expansive landscapes to detailed close-ups. Its constant f/2.8 aperture ensures excellent performance in low light and provides a beautiful shallow depth of field, essential for isolating subjects and creating a cinematic look. This lens is particularly useful for videographers who need to quickly adapt to changing scenes without swapping lenses.

Weighing just over 1.2lb (547g), it’s relatively lightweight, making it a good fit for gimbal work and handheld shooting. The autofocus is both fast and silent, ensuring that the lens can keep up with dynamic shooting situations without distracting noise. Although it lacks built-in image stabilization, when paired with a camera body that features IBIS, it delivers smooth and stable footage. For videographers looking for a high-quality, wide-angle zoom lens, the Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM II offers a compelling mix of versatility, optical performance, and portability, making it a valuable tool in any videographer’s bag.

The Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM brings an ultra-wide perspective to your videos that’s perfect for capturing expansive landscapes and architectural marvels. Its constant f/2.8 aperture ensures excellent low-light performance and the ability to achieve a shallow depth of field, a rare feat for such a wide lens. This makes it not only versatile for a range of shooting conditions but also capable of delivering stunning, cinematic footage with beautifully blurred backgrounds when needed.

Although it is just under 1.9 lbs (847 g), it’s surprisingly light for its capabilities, making it a good fit for gimbal use and handheld shooting. The autofocus is quick and silent, crucial for keeping the focus smooth and unobtrusive in video. While it lacks built-in image stabilization, the lens’s wide field of view naturally minimizes the appearance of shake, and when paired with a camera’s IBIS, it provides stable, clear video output. For videographers seeking to push the boundaries of their wide-angle shots, the Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM offers a compelling combination of sharpness, speed, and creative flexibility, making it a valuable addition to any videography kit.

The Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM is a fast short telephoto prime lens that is particularly suited to documentary and narrative work. Its f/1.4 aperture allows for exceptional low-light performance and the ability to create a shallow depth of field, isolating subjects beautifully against a blurred background. This lens is especially valued by videographers for its ability to deliver sharp, clear images with minimal distortion, enhancing the visual storytelling process. They also love the lack of focus breathing too.

It’s quite a heavy lens, weighing 1.8 lbs (820 g), but its superb optical performance more than compensates for the extra weight. The autofocus is quick and reliable, ensuring that subjects remain in sharp focus without constant manual adjustments. Although it lacks built-in image stabilization, you’ll most likely be using it with a camera that features IBIS results in smooth, stable footage. For videographers looking to add a cinematic quality to their work, the Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM offers a blend of versatility, superior image quality, and artistic control, making it a very useful tool in any videography kit.

The Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II is a very versatile tool for videographers, offering a broad focal range that’s perfect for capturing everything from intimate portraits to dynamic action scenes. Its constant f/2.8 aperture ensures excellent performance in low-light conditions and provides the creative flexibility to achieve a shallow depth of field, essential for isolating subjects and enhancing the narrative impact of the footage. Bokeh is excellent, and focus breathing is almost unnoticeable.

Although it weighs 2.3 lbs (1045 g), this lens is relatively lightweight for its class, making it manageable for both handheld shooting and gimbal stabilization. The autofocus is impressively quick and silent, crucial for maintaining focus on moving subjects without introducing noise into the audio track. It has Sony’s OSS image stabilization, which when paired with a camera body that features IBIS, delivers stable and clear video output, making it a very useful addition to the videography toolkit for those seeking professional-grade optics and versatility in a telephoto zoom lens.

Conclusion: The Best Sony Lenses for Videography

We think that this comprehensive guide to the best Sony Lenses for Videography should help you with your choice. All these lenses are excellent for videography, but they are also superb still lenses.

Our top choice, the Sony E 16-55mm f/2.8 G, stands out for its versatility and performance in low light. It’s a great all-rounder. But if it’s not quite right for you, then there are also nine other lenses to choose from, catering to specific videography requirements and preferences.