the batis 18mm is a beast! i own one for about a year now and it's almost impossible to take bad pictures with it. everything looks just fantastic, sharp, contrasty and the wide angle adds a lot of drama.
I run the following lenses right now on my a7iv.. Sony E10-18mm f/4 (aps-c still works fantastic for vlogging on full frame with little distortion at 12mm and up), Sony FE 85mm F/1.8 per your recommendation (purchased at a hard-off in Okinawa for 320.00 USD), and the Sony FE 70-200 G f/4. Between these three lenses, I'm pretty much covered on any kind of photography I am looking for and most video except a fast autofocus on zoom.
I had a7riii and 28-75 mm f2.8 , sigma art 35mm 1.4 , sony 85mm 1.8 and last is sony 16-35mm f4 . As i don’t use videos these are well cover and most affordable lenses will get you cover in almost every situation . You can add on 70-200mm 2.8 tele zoom but need to think about the size and the cost .
I have most of those lenses but seem to shoot models/portraits with a two camera (no lens swapping) approach. 24-70 2.8 GM and 85 1.4 GM. With a dual camera strap.
as a beginner and semi-pro , you need in my opinion 3 lenses : 16-35 f.2.8 , sony 50 mm f.1.8 , 85mm 1.8 ( + 2x teleconv ) . Full Frame camera can be used as crop sensor , for example 85mm with crop becomes 127 mm equivalent
Samyang / Rokinon 35mm 1.2 XP, 50mm 1.2 XP, & 85mm 1.2 XP lenses are OUT OF THIS WORLD gorgeous. Heavy but for portraits, they give stunningly gorgeous results. worth the cash. Manual focus but has focus contacts. Even wide open, wow.
Two words : *THANK YOU* This is one of the best video to recap what is available and what you can do with those lenses. I will now give this link instead of explaing 100 times the same things to my friends who want to start shooting ! haha !
I couldn’t agree more...just found this channel from this vid in my recommendations and the ton of information you pack in was really manageable and enjoyable. Thank you Jason.
For the money the 35mm 2.8 and 24mm 2.8 lenses from Samyang/Rokinon are brilliant pairs for Alpha cameras. Bokeh and edge sharpness can sometimes be imperfect but the speed of focus and slim profile really take advantage of mirrorless. Jason you really need to check them out. Even on the Axxxx series they're useful 35 and 50ish lenses. Eye autofocus is also included.
When comparing the Sony 85/1.4GM to the Sony 85/1.8, I wish you had included the Batis 85/1.8. For those who's budget doesn't include the GM, a choice between the two excellent 85/1.8s would be very helpful.
just got an a7iii now I'm fearful of the lens market but have never been so excited to follow through on my dreams of being a story teller/ film producer
My Rokinon 35mm taped on me and just stopped working - replaced it with the Sigma with no issues! The 24mm GM is a beautiful lens. Sony A7R3 with the 7S3 on back order.
FYI, I do not recommend the 18mm Batis for interior real estate photography nor architecture. 18mm isnt wide enough and I've had customers say they wished they were wider. Especially for bathrooms and hallways. The Batis has a weird mustache distortion thats hard to correct in post. We shoot f8-f11 so f2.8 glass is wasted, especially since diffraction is kicking in at those apertures anyway.
@@airjaded7 The 12-24mm f4 Sigma 1st because of price and low distortion (in raw). Sony 12-24mm f/4 because it does everything the Sigma does at a higher price with just a tad more distortion. Sigma 14-24 2.8ART in 3rd because it's simply very versatile, it's wide enough and you can use it for astro/landscapes. Sigma offers a 12-24 f4.5-5.6 which is a more cost effective zoom solution but has raw distortion at 5.6% which will result in you cropping some and losing the benefits of that 12mm view. Budget lenses include the Rokinon 14mm 2.8 with AF not the MF version because that has moustache distortion which is difficult to correct in post. The easiest thing to notice in architecture is curved lines. This is why I focus on raw distortion, because every image should be shot in raw and corrected in post, the JPEG in camera lens correction is of no use. I didn't mention sharpness because at F8 & F11, there is little to differentiate these lenses in terms of sharpness nor is there notable vignetting at F8 and under. In small areas, even 16mm can feel a bit wide which is why the venerable 16-35's are not included in this list (that and the price).
Thank you! ended up going with the 25-105 f4. I think it will work well with my style that is a combination of travel, vlog, and how-to. 24 is a good start, but another wide angle is probably next on the list.
That 24mm f1.4 Sony lens is amazing! I wanted 35mm Zeiss before but now I want 24 more. I am also waiting for the next Tamron lens (I heard rumors about ultrawide zoom and 100-400 so far). For the price that Tamron usually offers their lenses for I will definitely prefer them to Sony. My 28-75 f2.8 is great! Would be happy to add Tamron's 15-30 and 100-400. P.S. As always, thanks for the video, Jason.
For my a7III, I have the kit lens with the $200 50mm f1.8, 24-70 f4 (used $375), the 85mm 1.8 $550, and coming soon the 70-300 which will be all of the lens I ever buy unless I actually do some paid work for which upgrading will be necessary. I'm just a hobbyist on the verge of enthusiast. I also have a Nikon d3400 and d7500 with about 5 lenses for that setup. I'm probably going to sell those to get a Sony aps-c camera or the Fuji t30.
FE 24-240 and 18-135 are the best and what most people would need, been shooting on em forever and and some moon shot. Used them on the mark 2 now waiting for A7C
venturing into the world of photography from my previous job drawing stick people caricatures (so much stress) and finding a lot of videos of people that lose my attention and interest after a few minutes. You are a very good narrator and lay down the facts promptly and keep me watching. Thank you for the product that you are providing.
I own the Tamron 28-75mm f.2,8 lens for Full Frame Sony and I love it, especially when paired with my 85mm f/1.8 lens (I could live with a third party 85mm f/1.4 such as the Viltrox) when I want a shallow DOF for portraits. I would expect that adding the Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 and the upcoming Tamron 70-180mm would give a photographer a wide range of focal lengths. Now.. if Tamron would come out with a 300mm or 400mm f/4.0 I could be very happy with my A7iii without a single Sony lens...
Stephen Moore Nah i don’t need all those MP’s seems like overkill and i’m not blowing up my images into huge posters to need all that detail i’m happy with my a7iii 🤠🤠🤠
I have and LOVE the 55mm. I also have the 85mm 1.8. These are my go to portrait lenses, which is what I shoot most, but I actually prefer the 55mm for this because it’s so sharp. I tried to go cheap on the wider end and bought the 28mm, but it turns out I don’t love that focal length. And I bought the 14mm Samyang on sale and am not at all happy with it. I’m planning to dump these two lenses. I almost went for the 16-35mm f4 this week, but read some negative things about sharpness at 35mm, so now I’m back to rethinking everything. I’m looking for something for travel, landscape and street. I don’t currently shoot video. I’m tempted to start with the 18mm since it’s the most different from the 55mm and 85mm, and then fill in the gap with the 35mm or 40mm when it’s available. But would I be better off with the 16-35 2.8? I’m not shooting professionally so that lens just feels like so much $$$$, but maybe it’s not that bad if I think of it as filling the place of two primes. What would you do?
1991ClarkJames It was the manual, but it was never very sharp. I may have had a bad copy as I understand they have some quality control issues. My wife has the 15mm Voigtlander and that lens is consistently significantly sharper than the 14mm Samyang. But if it’s working for you, that’s awesome. The price is certainly nice!
@@davehunt1657 Corners aren't great but generally it's very sharp. Sounds like a dreaded QC bad copy :(. I took this lovely shot recently with my MF copy. instagram.com/p/BplzKIBHUBx/?igshid=1b5tay4l49sp2
It’s really difficult to trust some popular CZcamsrs when testing out off brand lenses like sigma or tamron. I never know if they’re really bias or just getting paid by the brand their giving the majority of the feedback on. This is still very helpful.
I absolutely love this video. Thank you for your hard work in creating. I’d love to see a newer version of this video for newer enthusiasts like myself. I just bought the sony a74 and I’m still searching for my first lens. Please do an update if you ever get the opportunity. Thank you again!
Hi sir, because of your professionalism in explaining the way works gears I turned in video filed from Panasonic to Sony A 6500, and lens 18-105 /f4.....but now I want a new challenge ..t seal Canon Eos 5 Mark IV , and lenses 18-35 f 4 L cannon, 50mm/1.4 canon. and sigma 70-200 f 4 ( i use for photography) and to turn to Sony A7iii ...what lens you can recomand close with what I have...don't want to invest more money after I seel my gears I use for canon. Thank you so much, you are doing a great job.
15: 17 I got this at almost half the usual price which in part is why I'm so chuffed with having it but I get why it's not on peoples recommendation lists from what I've seen
Hey hey hey! If you are watching this for the info and not for the lolz it’s an update! The 35mm 1.4 GM is now exactly the same price and size and almost the weight as the 24mm. Check out Jason’s video on that for more :)
For me, and everyone is different, the 2 standout lens ( which can be used on my new a6400 as well, ok with different focal lengths) is the Sony 55 1.8 ( as good as a Zeiss whatever for my abilities) and the great VFM Sony 85 1.8- just don't need the 85 1.4 '& save $;s.
I might need some lenses for a Sony real soon. The A7R3 is currently just $2249.. very tempting 🤔 But I really want to see what the A7S3 will be about. But I imagine I could sell the A7R3 for a good price if needed.
i am a alpha a6300 user so planning to buy the tamron 28-75 2.8 and the sony 85 f1.8 for my wedding videos keeping in mind this can be a future investment when i switch to full frame
Unless you are wedding or maybe event photographer, I wouldn't recommend F2.8 zooms. They are too heavy and too expensive for most kinds of photography. Go with a lighter and cheaper F4 if you really need zooms. And complement with a very fast prime with your most used and favorite focal length. (or if you wanna travel light, go with 1-2 primes only ;)).
Very informative. Thank you very much! I just own a Sony A7 III for a week now, so I am doing my research right now, which lenses to buy. Thanks again. One thing is clear: I need to bring some money.
I have A7iii 16-35 f2.8 and 55 f1.8 I just need the 135 f2.8 and I will be happier. You made me understand more the lenses and come finally to what I want.
I have FF Sony 24mm f1.4 GM; Sony 28mm f2; Sony 85mm f1.4 GM; Sony 70-200mm f2.8 GM & 2X extender; Sony 24-105mm f4; Sigma Art 20mm f1.4; Sigma Art 70mm f2.8 Macro; Sigma Contemporary 150-600mm f5-6.3 ; and Canon 17mm f4 Tilt-Shift lens w/ MC-11 adapter for my A7RIII and A7III. Looking at the Sony 55mm f1.8 and the Tamron 28-75mm f2.8. Cheers
Thanks for the great video (as usual!) ... for the record, I've ended up with only 1 lens mentioned here (24-105mm). For a light weight street photography kit, you can get the Zony 35mm 2.8 for a really great price these days. I spent about 400 euros on mine. For the weight factor, it's great and a nice change of pace. For my bigger telephoto, I actually went with the 70-300mm G lens. Even with the variable aperture, I find the photos to be fantastically sharp and at these ranges, getting nice bokeh isn't that much of a problem. I really just wanted that extra 100mm reach, otherwise, I probably would have gone with the 70-200 GM f4 (again, for the weight factor... that 2.8 GM is a bit of a beast in comparison).
Jason, incredible video! Been waiting for a video like this for months. Like I mentioned before I wish there was a Tamron version 70-200 2.8 in the $1200 ballpark. Would love to knock out the 24-70/70-200 for around $2K. The prime pairing portion was very informative.
I got the 24-105, was amazing but i sold it. I bought the 16-35 gm, the 28-75 tamron and the 70-200 G. With the 50 1.8 sony (my very first). I cant say how much i am happy with my 28-75 ! So good ! I love it more than my 24-105. My 16-35 gm, i do not use it so much now as well as my 70-200 exept during wedding. At first i bought a second body cause i wanted to go 16-35gm and 85 1.8 prime on second body, but i got this cool tamron very cheap.
I got the Rokinon 35mm/.2.8. A ridiculous 280-dollar price. It feels plasticky and light but the picture quality, AF speed leave absolutely nothing to hope for. I also got the Rokinon 100 mm f/2.8 manual Macro. It is a very sharp piece of glass, color neutral. I mean, I am used to Canon L-series lenses but now trying to get a more compact set in my bag, I look at stuff I otherwise would not. I thought I'd be using the Tamron 28-75 much more but the 35 mm is so much more compact and lighter. My first lens was the 55mm f(1.8 that I found second hand some years back. I do not understand what's the big fuss about it. I have the 50mm F/1.2 L and this Zeiss is nothing like it. I had high hopes for a Russian Jupiter 5.3 cm f/1.5 but it is just messy. I feel more comfortable ruining my pictures in PP with Alien Skin or something. I did not realize how you are supposed to use the 16-35. I liked the result. Must try. BTW read Cicala's camera teardowns on Lensrentals site. Valuable info!
Jason what lenses would you pair for start up wedding video/photo gigs with the A7iii. My first choice is the Tamron 28-75 What other affordable lens or lenses would you pair with this one preferably for low light. Thanks.
same struggle, Tim. I look for 85mm 1.8 but actually don't see any dramatic difference in 85 and 75mm in portraits.. still, zoom is a must for wedding seremony that lasts about 30sek... or then you have to have 2 cameras with 2 primes on it...
I have the 70-300mm from Sony on my A6000: A great option that gives me portraits from a distance and a very long zoom of 450 with the crop factor. You can do wildlife but it is just not made for very low light condition.
Lucky i'm just starting out my first canon dslr broke so i upgraded to a canon T7i, but after seeing and watching so many sony videos i feel i'm loving the sony. i'm going to start cheap (maybe) as usual but over time i feel like i'm liking sony. Canon be sleeping they got too comfortable.
I just parted with $1200 for the Sony F4 24/105mm G. I am taking a road trip up US 395 next month and will use it on that trip a lot I think. I also have several of the other lenses you spoke about and they will all be accompanying me on the trip.
I went with samyang 24 f2.8 because it's ultra light, focues fast and silent and reasonably sharp for street shooting ... I don't shoot this wide usually so I didn't want to spend much. I took your advice went with Zeiss 55 prime and I absolutely don't regret it. Amaaaazing prime and it's so darn light. For my tele needs (hockey and cheer dad) I am rocking the Sony 70200f4: with stadium and stage lighting being really bright anyway, I was ok with f4 and I really like the light weight advantage.... As it is my trio theme. Thanks for the video dude.
Hey Jason. This is an awesome, straight forward video. I appreciated your insight on the combination of prime lenses. I'm curious, if you were to go with one prime and one zoom lens, or two prime and a zoom, which would be your ultimate choice for that set up? Thanks!
Jason have you tried the Sony FE 35mm f2.8? It’s pretty old but from what I can tell from online reviews it stacks up with current ones, and it’s so tiny!
Mannnn, that's a lot options!!! Just wondering, what about these pairings: A) Tamron 17-28mm + Zeiss 40mm + FE 85 1.8.... OR.... B) Batis 18mm + Tamron 28-75mm + FE 85 1.8? (travel photo and videos). Tks =)
I bought and sold many lenses and ended up with the 24 gm and the zeiss 55. Love this combo!! Actually sold my 16-35 gm for the 24 and I'm glad I did. Ill probably either get the laowa 12mm or the batis 18 if I want wider.
3:22 I think I would have to go with the Sony 20mm F/1.8 G lens over the Zeiss Batis 18mm F/2.8. The Sony G lens is very sharp even at the lower end, has excellent auto focus, and still pretty small (still 2 oz heavier). Mostly it is only $900 USD and up-to-date, whereas the Zeiss Batis is currently $1550 USD. Even if they cost the same I would still probably pick the Sony G lens
I have to make a decision to buy the Sony a7ii or the Fuji XT-2. After having seen this video I think I will go with the Fuji XT2 to learn more about photography and as soon as there are cheaper lenses available for Sony FF I will switch. I hope Tamron will release soon good Zoom lenses for Sony FF. I‘m not professional photography, only for traveling
Sigma is super sharp but the lenses are just way too big. However, the Sigma 14-24 f2.8 is deff my go-to landscape lens, it's way sharper than the g master 16-35 f2.8 or anything else i've used
I may rent the 18mm f2.8, 24-105mm f4, and 100-400mm f4.5-5.6 for a kit when I do get my Sony A7 Mark 3. Maybe the Tamron 28-75mm f2.8 or something like that.
Hi Jason, great comparison and guide for newbies! Coming from an era of 35mm film camera with f1.4, then "graduating" to the DSLRs like the 600D with 18-135mm, I decided to go Sony mirrorless for all its abilities. I chose the A7M3 (hehe) and your guide helped me to confirm and go with the 24-105 over the 28-75. Thank you... Out with the begging bowl for a wide lens now :)
It's a superb presentation. You have confused me thoroughly. I want to buy EVERYTHING. I have a 24-105 f4 zoom. I am happy with it. If I buy 85mm f1.8, will it help? Please let me know. Thank you.
Hey. I can not decide on the choice of lens. There is a Sony a7 III and I plan to shoot 80% of the video and 20% of the photo. In the video, I will shoot myself with a tripod. The video will look like bushcraft, walks in the woods, rivers, lakes. Important for me is a different focal length. Fixes do not interest me. For myself, I roughly chose sony 24-105 f4.0, sony 18-110 f4, sony 28-135 f4 .. The last two lenses Sony positions as if they were created for video. The 24-105 lens does not like what the trunk climbs. The other two days on tests and reviews, even Sigma lenses seem much better and clearer in the video. It is clear that there is no limit to perfection, but I want to choose a good thing, there is money to buy a lens, any of 3. Tell me what to take better? It’s bad that Batis has no zoom lenses. I like the batis 25mm. I would take it with pleasure. But I understand that with a fix it will be difficult, but I do not want to wear two lenses.
Thank you for a thorough guide to almost all useable lenses for sony A7 series. While budget is still my concern for hobbyist travel photograhy but u make me consider even to pair zoom with prime lenses... again thank you...
Ove got thr 85 mm 1.8 and I love it I do some many different things with it but I want a 1.8 or 2.4 zoom lens so I dint have to change the lense so much
hey im watching this in 2024, This video is extremely helpful for new owners and amateurs, i think you should do an updated on the matter. congrats and thank you for your videos
Really amazing video and appreciate the guide! I recently moved from Canon to Sony selling all my gear and moved from having an all prime lens setup to currently only 1 24-70 GM. What lens would you recommend as a complement to the 24-70 as I am mainly a portrait and event shooter? I don't mind size and weight
An update to this video 5th of April 2022: Sigma now has updated, new lens releases that can handle mirrorless cameras, in case of Sony, some Sigma lenses grant faster AF than native Sony glass.
Im about to buy the A7 III, it comes with the 24-105 F4 G , will get an adaptor for my canon lens's also so I can use my 70-200 F4 L and 50mm F1.8 . I am planning on picking up the tiny yet fun Samyang 35mm F2.8 also.
Jason since we are on the topic of lenses. The three lenses would would get to do music concert photography. Shooting from low light clubs to large outdoor venues. Would you get if you had just bought an A7III body with no lenses. I assume one of the 3 would be the Tamron 28-75 so what other two?
Yep, that'd be the one. I would consider something on the wide end too. 16-35 or 18mm. My clients always end up wanting my wide shots more than my telephotos lol
On a7iii, Tamron 28-75 + Sony Zeiss 55mm f/1.8 cover everything. Or Batis 40mm + Sony 90mm macro. I go always for sharpness. The second option appears to be more appealing, though one loses out on wide angle (may be a Tamron 20mm can be added later). Which option do you suggest?
What I learned from this video: He uses all the lenses a whole lot. Buy all of them. Use all of them. Bring all of them with you wherever you go.
Looool
the batis 18mm is a beast! i own one for about a year now and it's almost impossible to take bad pictures with it. everything looks just fantastic, sharp, contrasty and the wide angle adds a lot of drama.
That's the one Zeiss that I am coveting right now. Have you tried an yAstro with it yet?
How is it for vids?
We will see
Literally can’t afford any of these lenses, but here I am watching the whole video
I run the following lenses right now on my a7iv.. Sony E10-18mm f/4 (aps-c still works fantastic for vlogging on full frame with little distortion at 12mm and up), Sony FE 85mm F/1.8 per your recommendation (purchased at a hard-off in Okinawa for 320.00 USD), and the Sony FE 70-200 G f/4. Between these three lenses, I'm pretty much covered on any kind of photography I am looking for and most video except a fast autofocus on zoom.
I had a7riii and 28-75 mm f2.8 , sigma art 35mm 1.4 , sony 85mm 1.8 and last is sony 16-35mm f4 . As i don’t use videos these are well cover and most affordable lenses will get you cover in almost every situation . You can add on 70-200mm 2.8 tele zoom but need to think about the size and the cost .
nice kit!!
Hello, thank you for your review, but why didn’t you tell anything about Sony 24-70 2.8 G master?
I have most of those lenses but seem to shoot models/portraits with a two camera (no lens swapping) approach. 24-70 2.8 GM and 85 1.4 GM. With a dual camera strap.
FF: 16-35, 35, 55, 85
APSC: 10-18, 24, 50
as a beginner and semi-pro , you need in my opinion 3 lenses : 16-35 f.2.8 , sony 50 mm f.1.8 , 85mm 1.8 ( + 2x teleconv ) . Full Frame camera can be used as crop sensor , for example 85mm with crop becomes 127 mm equivalent
“Primes are generally just one focal length”
Bruh, I’ll take two of these multi-focal length primes you’re referring to.
Casual King 😂😂
He was referring to focus breathing - yknow those 1.1x zooms.
Samyang / Rokinon 35mm 1.2 XP, 50mm 1.2 XP, & 85mm 1.2 XP lenses are OUT OF THIS WORLD gorgeous. Heavy but for portraits, they give stunningly gorgeous results. worth the cash. Manual focus but has focus contacts. Even wide open, wow.
Two words : *THANK YOU*
This is one of the best video to recap what is available and what you can do with those lenses.
I will now give this link instead of explaing 100 times the same things to my friends who want to start shooting ! haha !
Appreciate that! Thank you! I'm glad this helped :D
I couldn’t agree more...just found this channel from this vid in my recommendations and the ton of information you pack in was really manageable and enjoyable. Thank you Jason.
For the money the 35mm 2.8 and 24mm 2.8 lenses from Samyang/Rokinon are brilliant pairs for Alpha cameras. Bokeh and edge sharpness can sometimes be imperfect but the speed of focus and slim profile really take advantage of mirrorless.
Jason you really need to check them out. Even on the Axxxx series they're useful 35 and 50ish lenses. Eye autofocus is also included.
I will have to look into them one of these days!
Jesus christ my wallet hurts from just watching this video
At least you have a wallet :/
@Frank Stein ikr
Lol had exactly the same feeling 🤪🤪
alfredfallegard EXACTLY!!!!!
bro, we are only meant to be watching it. Can not do more :D sad truth
When comparing the Sony 85/1.4GM to the Sony 85/1.8, I wish you had included the Batis 85/1.8. For those who's budget doesn't include the GM, a choice between the two excellent 85/1.8s would be very helpful.
just got an a7iii now I'm fearful of the lens market but have never been so excited to follow through on my dreams of being a story teller/ film producer
hows the dream going?
@@aandm7772 crushed lol
My Rokinon 35mm taped on me and just stopped working - replaced it with the Sigma with no issues! The 24mm GM is a beautiful lens. Sony A7R3 with the 7S3 on back order.
What about the Sony 24 - 70mm 2.8?
FYI, I do not recommend the 18mm Batis for interior real estate photography nor architecture.
18mm isnt wide enough and I've had customers say they wished they were wider. Especially for bathrooms and hallways. The Batis has a weird mustache distortion thats hard to correct in post. We shoot f8-f11 so f2.8 glass is wasted, especially since diffraction is kicking in at those apertures anyway.
What would you recomend??
@@airjaded7 The 12-24mm f4 Sigma 1st because of price and low distortion (in raw). Sony 12-24mm f/4 because it does everything the Sigma does at a higher price with just a tad more distortion. Sigma 14-24 2.8ART in 3rd because it's simply very versatile, it's wide enough and you can use it for astro/landscapes. Sigma offers a 12-24 f4.5-5.6 which is a more cost effective zoom solution but has raw distortion at 5.6% which will result in you cropping some and losing the benefits of that 12mm view. Budget lenses include the Rokinon 14mm 2.8 with AF not the MF version because that has moustache distortion which is difficult to correct in post.
The easiest thing to notice in architecture is curved lines. This is why I focus on raw distortion, because every image should be shot in raw and corrected in post, the JPEG in camera lens correction is of no use.
I didn't mention sharpness because at F8 & F11, there is little to differentiate these lenses in terms of sharpness nor is there notable vignetting at F8 and under.
In small areas, even 16mm can feel a bit wide which is why the venerable 16-35's are not included in this list (that and the price).
@@247th thank you very much this will definitely help me out in making my decision!!
My combo is exactly like you said!
I use the 24mm 1.4 GM and the 55mm 1.8 on a7iii body. It’s heaven.
Thank you! ended up going with the 25-105 f4. I think it will work well with my style that is a combination of travel, vlog, and how-to. 24 is a good start, but another wide angle is probably next on the list.
That 24mm f1.4 Sony lens is amazing! I wanted 35mm Zeiss before but now I want 24 more.
I am also waiting for the next Tamron lens (I heard rumors about ultrawide zoom and 100-400 so far). For the price that Tamron usually offers their lenses for I will definitely prefer them to Sony. My 28-75 f2.8 is great! Would be happy to add Tamron's 15-30 and 100-400.
P.S. As always, thanks for the video, Jason.
24mm GM is TOUGH TO BEAT
For my a7III, I have the kit lens with the $200 50mm f1.8, 24-70 f4 (used $375), the 85mm 1.8 $550, and coming soon the 70-300 which will be all of the lens I ever buy unless I actually do some paid work for which upgrading will be necessary. I'm just a hobbyist on the verge of enthusiast. I also have a Nikon d3400 and d7500 with about 5 lenses for that setup. I'm probably going to sell those to get a Sony aps-c camera or the Fuji t30.
FE 24-240 and 18-135 are the best and what most people would need, been shooting on em forever and and some moon shot. Used them on the mark 2 now waiting for A7C
I went with the 24-105G and 16-35/4 Ziess for zoom. For primes, 28/2, 35/1.4 ART, 50/1.8, 85/1.8 and 90/2.8G.
16-35mm f4 and 85mm 1.8 would be such a good, relatively cheap travel set up, I need to get saving.
venturing into the world of photography from my previous job drawing stick people caricatures (so much stress) and finding a lot of videos of people that lose my attention and interest after a few minutes. You are a very good narrator and lay down the facts promptly and keep me watching. Thank you for the product that you are providing.
I've been waiting to pull the trigger on the GM 16-35, and today was the day! LFG! Can't wait to make videos with it.
I'm surprised the Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM Lens wasn't included in this video
In my opinion that's one of the best all purpose lenses
and i thought the camera was already expensive :/
broo
Sameee
broh , that's when heart breaks.
I own the Tamron 28-75mm f.2,8 lens for Full Frame Sony and I love it, especially when paired with my 85mm f/1.8 lens (I could live with a third party 85mm f/1.4 such as the Viltrox) when I want a shallow DOF for portraits. I would expect that adding the Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 and the upcoming Tamron 70-180mm would give a photographer a wide range of focal lengths. Now.. if Tamron would come out with a 300mm or 400mm f/4.0 I could be very happy with my A7iii without a single Sony lens...
TYPO... I meant Samyang 85mm f/1.4 - the Viltrox is 85mm f/1.8
i’m saving up for an A7iii and a 16-35 2.8 plz pray for me
update:
i got the a7iii body and went with the 40mm zeiss f2 dont regret a thing 😎😎😎
Congrats
and the a7r IV is out. feels bad man.
Stephen Moore Nah i don’t need all those MP’s seems like overkill and i’m not blowing up my images into huge posters to need all that detail i’m happy with my a7iii 🤠🤠🤠
me too !
Why did you go with the 40mm instead of the other one?!
I have and LOVE the 55mm. I also have the 85mm 1.8. These are my go to portrait lenses, which is what I shoot most, but I actually prefer the 55mm for this because it’s so sharp.
I tried to go cheap on the wider end and bought the 28mm, but it turns out I don’t love that focal length. And I bought the 14mm Samyang on sale and am not at all happy with it. I’m planning to dump these two lenses.
I almost went for the 16-35mm f4 this week, but read some negative things about sharpness at 35mm, so now I’m back to rethinking everything. I’m looking for something for travel, landscape and street. I don’t currently shoot video. I’m tempted to start with the 18mm since it’s the most different from the 55mm and 85mm, and then fill in the gap with the 35mm or 40mm when it’s available. But would I be better off with the 16-35 2.8? I’m not shooting professionally so that lens just feels like so much $$$$, but maybe it’s not that bad if I think of it as filling the place of two primes. What would you do?
I love the 16-35mm 2.8. I use it with the 55 and 85mm as well! That lens is super sharp across the spectrum!
Shocked you didn't like the Samyang 14mm! (Presuming it's the MF version which is sharper)
1991ClarkJames It was the manual, but it was never very sharp. I may have had a bad copy as I understand they have some quality control issues. My wife has the 15mm Voigtlander and that lens is consistently significantly sharper than the 14mm Samyang. But if it’s working for you, that’s awesome. The price is certainly nice!
@@davehunt1657 Corners aren't great but generally it's very sharp. Sounds like a dreaded QC bad copy :(. I took this lovely shot recently with my MF copy.
instagram.com/p/BplzKIBHUBx/?igshid=1b5tay4l49sp2
1991ClarkJames Beautiful shoot! Glad you had better luck than I did!
It’s really difficult to trust some popular CZcamsrs when testing out off brand lenses like sigma or tamron. I never know if they’re really bias or just getting paid by the brand their giving the majority of the feedback on. This is still very helpful.
Can't go wrong sticking to Sony lenses.
I absolutely love this video. Thank you for your hard work in creating. I’d love to see a newer version of this video for newer enthusiasts like myself. I just bought the sony a74 and I’m still searching for my first lens. Please do an update if you ever get the opportunity. Thank you again!
What did you end up choosing for your first lens out of curiosity?
Hi sir, because of your professionalism in explaining the way works gears I turned in video filed from Panasonic to Sony A 6500, and lens 18-105 /f4.....but now I want a new challenge ..t seal Canon Eos 5 Mark IV , and lenses 18-35 f 4 L cannon, 50mm/1.4 canon. and sigma 70-200 f 4 ( i use for photography) and to turn to Sony A7iii ...what lens you can recomand close with what I have...don't want to invest more money after I seel my gears I use for canon. Thank you so much, you are doing a great job.
GM 16-35 f2.8 & G 24-105 f4 & GM 24 f1.4
15: 17 I got this at almost half the usual price which in part is why I'm so chuffed with having it but I get why it's not on peoples recommendation lists from what I've seen
Hey hey hey! If you are watching this for the info and not for the lolz it’s an update! The 35mm 1.4 GM is now exactly the same price and size and almost the weight as the 24mm. Check out Jason’s video on that for more :)
I have paired my A7RIII with the 85 1.4, 16-35 f4 and the Tamron 28-75 2.8
I really like these three lenses!
For me, and everyone is different, the 2 standout lens ( which can be used on my new a6400 as well, ok with different focal lengths) is the Sony 55 1.8 ( as good as a Zeiss whatever for my abilities) and the great VFM Sony 85 1.8- just don't need the 85 1.4 '& save $;s.
A7R IV with Zeiss Batis 85mm 1.8 and Sigma 35mm 1.4 - Loving life.
Keep coming back to this for my obsessive decision making. Invaluable. Thank you.
I might need some lenses for a Sony real soon. The A7R3 is currently just $2249.. very tempting 🤔 But I really want to see what the A7S3 will be about. But I imagine I could sell the A7R3 for a good price if needed.
i am a alpha a6300 user so planning to buy the tamron 28-75 2.8 and the sony 85 f1.8 for my wedding videos keeping in mind this can be a future investment when i switch to full frame
Unless you are wedding or maybe event photographer, I wouldn't recommend F2.8 zooms. They are too heavy and too expensive for most kinds of photography. Go with a lighter and cheaper F4 if you really need zooms. And complement with a very fast prime with your most used and favorite focal length.
(or if you wanna travel light, go with 1-2 primes only ;)).
Very informative. Thank you very much! I just own a Sony A7 III for a week now, so I am doing my research right now, which lenses to buy. Thanks again. One thing is clear: I need to bring some money.
I have A7iii 16-35 f2.8 and 55 f1.8 I just need the 135 f2.8 and I will be happier. You made me understand more the lenses and come finally to what I want.
I have FF Sony 24mm f1.4 GM; Sony 28mm f2; Sony 85mm f1.4 GM; Sony 70-200mm f2.8 GM & 2X extender; Sony 24-105mm f4; Sigma Art 20mm f1.4; Sigma Art 70mm f2.8 Macro; Sigma Contemporary 150-600mm f5-6.3 ; and Canon 17mm f4 Tilt-Shift lens w/ MC-11 adapter for my A7RIII and A7III. Looking at the Sony 55mm f1.8 and the Tamron 28-75mm f2.8. Cheers
Thanks for the great video (as usual!) ... for the record, I've ended up with only 1 lens mentioned here (24-105mm). For a light weight street photography kit, you can get the Zony 35mm 2.8 for a really great price these days. I spent about 400 euros on mine. For the weight factor, it's great and a nice change of pace. For my bigger telephoto, I actually went with the 70-300mm G lens. Even with the variable aperture, I find the photos to be fantastically sharp and at these ranges, getting nice bokeh isn't that much of a problem. I really just wanted that extra 100mm reach, otherwise, I probably would have gone with the 70-200 GM f4 (again, for the weight factor... that 2.8 GM is a bit of a beast in comparison).
Jason, incredible video! Been waiting for a video like this for months. Like I mentioned before I wish there was a Tamron version 70-200 2.8 in the $1200 ballpark. Would love to knock out the 24-70/70-200 for around $2K. The prime pairing portion was very informative.
They will release it sometime soon
I have the Tamron version for Nikon and it kicks butt!
This buying guide was as much as an education as it was a product guide, if not more. Thanks! I'm in the future and just seeing this now apparently.
I got the 24-105, was amazing but i sold it. I bought the 16-35 gm, the 28-75 tamron and the 70-200 G. With the 50 1.8 sony (my very first). I cant say how much i am happy with my 28-75 ! So good ! I love it more than my 24-105. My 16-35 gm, i do not use it so much now as well as my 70-200 exept during wedding. At first i bought a second body cause i wanted to go 16-35gm and 85 1.8 prime on second body, but i got this cool tamron very cheap.
I got the Rokinon 35mm/.2.8. A ridiculous 280-dollar price. It feels plasticky and light but the picture quality, AF speed leave absolutely nothing to hope for.
I also got the Rokinon 100 mm f/2.8 manual Macro. It is a very sharp piece of glass, color neutral. I mean, I am used to Canon L-series lenses but now trying to get a more compact set in my bag, I look at stuff I otherwise would not. I thought I'd be using the Tamron 28-75 much more but the 35 mm is so much more compact and lighter. My first lens was the 55mm f(1.8 that I found second hand some years back. I do not understand what's the big fuss about it. I have the 50mm F/1.2 L and this Zeiss is nothing like it. I had high hopes for a Russian Jupiter 5.3 cm f/1.5 but it is just messy. I feel more comfortable ruining my pictures in PP with Alien Skin or something.
I did not realize how you are supposed to use the 16-35. I liked the result. Must try.
BTW read Cicala's camera teardowns on Lensrentals site. Valuable info!
Jason what lenses would you pair for start up wedding video/photo gigs with the A7iii. My first choice is the Tamron 28-75
What other affordable lens or lenses would you pair with this one preferably for low light. Thanks.
same struggle, Tim. I look for 85mm 1.8 but actually don't see any dramatic difference in 85 and 75mm in portraits.. still, zoom is a must for wedding seremony that lasts about 30sek... or then you have to have 2 cameras with 2 primes on it...
Hello, is the 24-105mm f/4 G OSS Lens still the best all-around full-frame lens for under $2,000 in 2020?
I have the 70-300mm from Sony on my A6000: A great option that gives me portraits from a distance and a very long zoom of 450 with the crop factor. You can do wildlife but it is just not made for very low light condition.
when you talk about paring, what do you mean? take the same photo and what...? TIA
Lucky i'm just starting out my first canon dslr broke so i upgraded to a canon T7i, but after seeing and watching so many sony videos i feel i'm loving the sony. i'm going to start cheap (maybe) as usual but over time i feel like i'm liking sony. Canon be sleeping they got too comfortable.
I just parted with $1200 for the Sony F4 24/105mm G. I am taking a road trip up US 395 next month and will use it on that trip a lot I think.
I also have several of the other lenses you spoke about and they will all be accompanying me on the trip.
What about 24-70 2.8 Gmaster
It's fantastic! I couldn't fit it in this list since there are cheaper alternatives
@@JasonVong So is the Tamron 24-70 as sharp and has as fast autofocus as the G-master 24-70?
24mm f1.4 and 40mm f2
It does make sense to get that 18mm Batis, but I really need that 1.4 for dark wedding receptions on video 😭
boom!
I went with samyang 24 f2.8 because it's ultra light, focues fast and silent and reasonably sharp for street shooting ... I don't shoot this wide usually so I didn't want to spend much. I took your advice went with Zeiss 55 prime and I absolutely don't regret it. Amaaaazing prime and it's so darn light. For my tele needs (hockey and cheer dad) I am rocking the Sony 70200f4: with stadium and stage lighting being really bright anyway, I was ok with f4 and I really like the light weight advantage.... As it is my trio theme. Thanks for the video dude.
Hey Jason. This is an awesome, straight forward video. I appreciated your insight on the combination of prime lenses. I'm curious, if you were to go with one prime and one zoom lens, or two prime and a zoom, which would be your ultimate choice for that set up? Thanks!
Jason have you tried the Sony FE 35mm f2.8? It’s pretty old but from what I can tell from online reviews it stacks up with current ones, and it’s so tiny!
Mannnn, that's a lot options!!! Just wondering, what about these pairings: A) Tamron 17-28mm + Zeiss 40mm + FE 85 1.8.... OR.... B) Batis 18mm + Tamron 28-75mm + FE 85 1.8? (travel photo and videos). Tks =)
I'm ended up with buying Sony a7iii, tamron 28-75mm and sony 85mm f1.8. Still saving some money to buy zeiss 55mm f1.8 too
I bought and sold many lenses and ended up with the 24 gm and the zeiss 55. Love this combo!!
Actually sold my 16-35 gm for the 24 and I'm glad I did. Ill probably either get the laowa 12mm or the batis 18 if I want wider.
Joe Luis why though? 16-35 is not good enough? Because I’m about to get those..
I just picked up a a7riii ($1400) and a zeiss 55 ($420). And now I'm looking at the 24gm, you think its still worth getting?
Hi Jason, I just did the swap from Canon to Sony and I needed a video guide about the best lenses, thank you! Very helpful!
Dude. You are hands down the best Sony Reviewer on CZcams
3:22 I think I would have to go with the Sony 20mm F/1.8 G lens over the Zeiss Batis 18mm F/2.8. The Sony G lens is very sharp even at the lower end, has excellent auto focus, and still pretty small (still 2 oz heavier). Mostly it is only $900 USD and up-to-date, whereas the Zeiss Batis is currently $1550 USD. Even if they cost the same I would still probably pick the Sony G lens
Price is right on that Sony 20mm. I agree.
I have to make a decision to buy the Sony a7ii or the Fuji XT-2. After having seen this video I think I will go with the Fuji XT2 to learn more about photography and as soon as there are cheaper lenses available for Sony FF I will switch. I hope Tamron will release soon good Zoom lenses for Sony FF.
I‘m not professional photography, only for traveling
Would appreciate an updated lens guide for Sony a7iii or a retrospective of the tamron zooms for Sony FE? Please and thank you
As a bird photographer, the 400mmf2.8Gm is the Holy Grail 😍😍😍
Sigma is super sharp but the lenses are just way too big. However, the Sigma 14-24 f2.8 is deff my go-to landscape lens, it's way sharper than the g master 16-35 f2.8 or anything else i've used
I may rent the 18mm f2.8, 24-105mm f4, and 100-400mm f4.5-5.6 for a kit when I do get my Sony A7 Mark 3. Maybe the Tamron 28-75mm f2.8 or something like that.
Hi Jason, great comparison and guide for newbies! Coming from an era of 35mm film camera with f1.4, then "graduating" to the DSLRs like the 600D with 18-135mm, I decided to go Sony mirrorless for all its abilities. I chose the A7M3 (hehe) and your guide helped me to confirm and go with the 24-105 over the 28-75. Thank you... Out with the begging bowl for a wide lens now :)
I bought a second hand A7RII with Zeiss 24-70 over a year ago and it is a great combo, but would really like the 16-35
It's a superb presentation. You have confused me thoroughly. I want to buy EVERYTHING. I have a 24-105 f4 zoom. I am happy with it. If I buy 85mm f1.8, will it help? Please let me know. Thank you.
Thanks for the suggestion Jason.
one of my favorites is the 12-24 sony g
It's funny, the Sigma 35 is too heavy but Sony Zeiss 35mm being 30 grams lighter in not heavy and good as walk around lens. Miracle, hallelujah!
He's clearly too biased towards Sony...
Hey. I can not decide on the choice of lens. There is a Sony a7 III and I plan to shoot 80% of the video and 20% of the photo. In the video, I will shoot myself with a tripod. The video will look like bushcraft, walks in the woods, rivers, lakes. Important for me is a different focal length. Fixes do not interest me. For myself, I roughly chose sony 24-105 f4.0, sony 18-110 f4, sony 28-135 f4 .. The last two lenses Sony positions as if they were created for video. The 24-105 lens does not like what the trunk climbs. The other two days on tests and reviews, even Sigma lenses seem much better and clearer in the video. It is clear that there is no limit to perfection, but I want to choose a good thing, there is money to buy a lens, any of 3. Tell me what to take better? It’s bad that Batis has no zoom lenses. I like the batis 25mm. I would take it with pleasure. But I understand that with a fix it will be difficult, but I do not want to wear two lenses.
Thank you for a thorough guide to almost all useable lenses for sony A7 series. While budget is still my concern for hobbyist travel photograhy but u make me consider even to pair zoom with prime lenses... again thank you...
Ove got thr 85 mm 1.8 and I love it I do some many different things with it but I want a 1.8 or 2.4 zoom lens so I dint have to change the lense so much
hey im watching this in 2024, This video is extremely helpful for new owners and amateurs, i think you should do an updated on the matter. congrats and thank you for your videos
Really amazing video and appreciate the guide! I recently moved from Canon to Sony selling all my gear and moved from having an all prime lens setup to currently only 1 24-70 GM. What lens would you recommend as a complement to the 24-70 as I am mainly a portrait and event shooter? I don't mind size and weight
3:02 - 24mm someone has chromatic aberration problem (on the top left ) yeah yeah it can be fixed but still......
An update to this video 5th of April 2022: Sigma now has updated, new lens releases that can handle mirrorless cameras, in case of Sony, some Sigma lenses grant faster AF than native Sony glass.
Hey Jason, which best combo for all around photo/video shooting?
24-105 + 55 1.8 is okay?
That works!
This is like the best video of all time well put together.
What are the red things hanging from his camera?
Im about to buy the A7 III, it comes with the 24-105 F4 G , will get an adaptor for my canon lens's also so I can use my 70-200 F4 L and 50mm F1.8 . I am planning on picking up the tiny yet fun Samyang 35mm F2.8 also.
Jason since we are on the topic of lenses. The three lenses would would get to do music concert photography. Shooting from low light clubs to large outdoor venues. Would you get if you had just bought an A7III body with no lenses. I assume one of the 3 would be the Tamron 28-75 so what other two?
One line up on a start up budget please!
Yep, that'd be the one. I would consider something on the wide end too. 16-35 or 18mm. My clients always end up wanting my wide shots more than my telephotos lol
The Tamron 75mm at 2.8 has crazy vignetting for underexposed photos . It can’t be corrected so easily. Have you encountered this issue?
If there were any, it didn't bother me too much. $800!!!
I kinda wanna switch to Sony, but these lenses cost awful a lot!
I bought a Sony a7iii without looking how much the lenses cost. Now I’m fucked haha
Just bought all of them. Can’t wait
Ah, what about the Sigma 135 f1.8, that is some glass...and I love my Sony 12-24mm it's the boss
On a7iii, Tamron 28-75 + Sony Zeiss 55mm f/1.8 cover everything. Or Batis 40mm + Sony 90mm macro. I go always for sharpness. The second option appears to be more appealing, though one loses out on wide angle (may be a Tamron 20mm can be added later). Which option do you suggest?
was glad to see the 90mm macro get a shoutout since i picked it up last week its been fantastic