Introduction

With the evolution of technology, visual appeal has become the forefront of every marketing campaign. Today, businesses are more open to investing heavily in the equipment that can gain their brand or purpose the desired attention in the media. 

Whether you are a vlogger that travels across the world and journals his exciting travels or a media company that needs to produce content on behalf of the clients,  you need to have the right choice of equipment to support your video production needs.

While it is possible to capture images and videos through a mediocre mobile phone, you may not be able to grasp the attention of many viewers. This practically fails the purpose of working so hard on a video or image, editing it correctly, modifying it in an appropriate manner only to have it seen by a smaller audience because you did not use the right tool. In this essence, whether it be a basic video that you are recording or a photograph that you want to capture, you must ensure that you purchase the right lens to accentuate the visuals that you are pitching. 

With the best cameras in place, it is also important to know the significance of using the best microphone to maintain the quality; read more about the best microphones for YouTube videos for a more detailed review of your choices.

Also Read : Best Microphones for YouTube Videos (on a budget)

The dynamics of videography has changed a lot over the years, and it is not just because of the ability of the technology in question but the credit must also be attributed to the innovation of the human mind – without which much of our marketing, entertainment, and other extremely important matters may have been visually distraught.

While choosing the perfect camera for your photography or videography, you need to consider some factors to judge the right one that fits your needs. Here the first and foremost is the quality and specification of the lens. Next comes the added features that the brand further provides with the equipment such as lighting, built-in microphone, etc.

When a lens is added to the ordinary camera, its resolution and quality of output increase manifold. Today, we bring to you a selection of some of the best camera lens choices by Sony – briefly taking you through their specifications, pros, and cons so as to help you make the right decision. 

Different Types of Lenses

There are several types of lenses that can be used to enhance the quality of your camera – of which some are stated below:

• Normal Lenses
• Telephoto lenses
• Prime Lenses
• Zoom Lenses
• Fisheye Lenses
• Macro Lenses

Normal lens: Typically between 35 mm and 50 mm, these are the most common lenses available in the market. They are considered great for travel and street photography and provide striking images that appeal to your eyes.

Telephoto lens: Defined as a lens with an excess of 50 mm, they are used to excel at image taking or videography. However, as opposed to a wide-angle lens, the telephoto lens shortens the depth of field, allowing you to present the subject in isolation from the background. The background subsequently falls into a blur whilst the subject of the image pops out.

Prime Lenses: This type of lens has no zoom and provides a single focal length. Due to the absence of the moving tools in this lens, they provide sharp images because of their relative simplicity. They are considered a better option for low-light and indoor shoots.

Zoom Lenses: This form of a lens is particularly popular due to its ability to provide you a stable space. This means that you do not have to run around trying to get the perfect picture. Rather, you are able to stand at one spot and capture a multitude of images or videos by zooming in and out as per your ease. 

Fisheye Lenses: The fisheye lens comes with an angle of the lens which is extremely wide and in popular terms, known as the ‘ultra-wide-angle lens’. This is mostly used for people who are interested to capture abstract photographs and is a great tool to help take up panoramic views. This lens operates in the manner of mapping, which deliberately blurs or distorts the lines in such a manner so as to produce a much more convex appearance. 

Macro Lenses: If you are a photographer who has a habit of looking into the nitty-gritty of images and is always up to take in an extremely close up image, this is definitely a lens that you should invest in. It helps you extract the detail of the subject that you are capturing and comes with an extremely precise focus. 

How to Choose the Right Camera Lens

Choosing the right camera lens is an incredibly important task that a lot of people tend to overlook. Some believe that just purchasing a lens is sufficient but it would be foolhardy to believe that a lens alone can solve your problems. Finding the appropriate match is what will help you through. Here are a few pointers that can help you when making the choice for the lens:

Aperture: If you are professionally aligned with this field, you will know what aperture is but if you don’t, the aperture is primarily that opening in the lens which allows light to enter the camera. As per its characterization, it informs you of the amount of light that can enter the camera to have it function at its best. If the light passage is higher, you are able to operate your camera in dark conditions too. The greater the aperture number, then better it works.

Focal Length: This is a measurement that identifies the width and angling of the camera. It is important that you consider this when choosing your camera lens based on the kind of work that you want to do with this lens. 

Fixed or Zoom Lens: These are two different kinds of lenses and they are based on different focal lengths based on your needs. For the majority of users, the zoom lens is considered the ideal choice because it has two options of focal length. However, in some scenarios, a fixed lens may be a better choice because it is more compact and has greater brightness features. It is also more artistically inclined so if that is your need, you must decide accordingly.

Crop factor and image stabilization mechanisms: These are two features that are embedded into the lens which are extremely important when deciding between lenses. Although stabilization is integrated into most cameras, additional prevention can help you through the camera shake and improve the overall quality.

Color Refractive Correction and distortion: Based on how light reacts when it comes through the lens and the construction of the lens, these are two important elements that can not be forgotten. This is because they have a direct link to the end result and so, must be factored in.

Best Sony Lens

Without further ado, here is a detailed comparison of the best Sony lenses so that you know where you should be investing for the best video production quality.

Sony Sonnar T

One of the best in the market, the Sony Sonnar has a fixed lens with the facility of an E-mount frame. It does not have the ability to zoom in. The minimum distance of focus for this lens is 19-11/16 inches and it has a focal length of 55mm. 

The filter diameter is calculated at 49 mm with an aperture of 22/1.8. It is known to be smooth with an internal focusing system that is very quiet. The design is made in such a manner that it resists dust and moisture. The coating which is done on this particular lens is the special Carl Zeiss T* which has the ability to reduce the internal reflections so as to provide improved contrast. 

Pros

• It has a strong mechanism to provide sharpness from edge to edge
• The lens is built in such a manner that it avoids a lot of distortion and is well known for its minimal changes
• It has a wide aperture which provides the user the ability to capture a much better image or video.
• With this specific lens, you are able to make use of a wider angle of field view

Cons

• Does not have brilliant stabilization in optics or weather sealing
• All corners are quite dim at the wider section of the apertures
• Expensive as compared to other lenses

Rokinon 50 mm

This lens is manufactured in a way that it provides a 50 mm focal length when it is adjusted to the format of the full-frame. It has an extremely fast f/1.4 aperture which is quite quick and is popular for its ability to capture images and videos even when the light is very dim. 

This is because of the robust system and modern technology that is integrated into its mechanics. It also boasts a fast speed of shutter with a field control that has a shallow depth. If it is used on devices with a format of the APS-C sensor, it has the ability to raise its 35 mm focal length to an equivalent of 75 mm.

The design of this lens is consistent upon 9 elements which are categorized into 6 groups. They are not forwarded without a special coating which helps to raise the transmission of light and flare minimization or ghosting. There are a total of 8 diaphragm blades which help create a circular aperture so that it is able to produce a higher quality, more attractive highlight. 

With a manual system of focus and aperture lens, there appears a wide ring of rubberized focus with a clear aperture as well as field markings depth. The internal system that it comes with does not allow for the lens to extend when it is trying to focus and it blocks the unwanted rays in a bid to protect the lenses.

Pros

• Affordable
• It has an aperture which is bright f/1.4
• Like the previous lens, it has the ability to reduce distortions to the minimal size possible

Cons

• It can be a little slow when it is trying to focus
• It does not come with the protection from dust or splash
• It provides quite slow results at f/1.4

Sony 10-18 mm

The Sony 10-18mm is a lens that is quite popular due to its various features. It is able to take up extremely wide landscapes or tighter interiors if you are able to manage an E-mount camera in the APS-C format. It delivers a wide range with the zooming experience of 15-27 mm and is able to carry out the production of output in high quality and resolution in the most difficult of scenarios. 

The reason behind its ability to minimize quality reduction and any sort of distortions is due to the Super ED and 3 elements of aspherical proportions that are incorporated into the system. 

The lens is further equipped with an Optical SteadyShot stabilizer that helps to reduce the effects that result from the shakes that the camera provides. Furthermore, this lens is designed in such a manner that it promotes a swift and responsive automatic system of focusing with a minimum distance ranging to about 9.8 inches. It also provides a 7 blade circular diaphragm so that it can flaunt a smooth bokeh.

Pros

• It produces extremely high quality and resolution of optical illusion
• The stabilization that this particular lens provides is exemplary
• It is light, compact, and extremely easy to manage
• It does not prevent front filters from being utilized, rather supports them
• It has a wide angle of view 

Cons

• Unlike the other two lenses mentioned above, it does suffer from a bit of distortion
• It also does not have a protective layer to keep it safe and resistant from dust and splash

Rokinon FE 14 mm

The Rokinon FE 14 mm is provided with a prime lens that comes with a highly wide-angle lens. It is most appropriate for the E-mount mirrorless cameras that Sony provides itself. It has a very fast aperture setup working for it, f/2.8 to be precise. This allows it to work in very difficult conditions of lighting and the design that it comes with has 3 aspherical along with 2 elements of low dispersion. 

The purpose behind this is to help reduce the rate of distortion as well as any sort of color fringing so that it can improve the sharpness, clarity, and resolution of the visual file. 

In terms of its application, an ultra multi-coating is also integrated along with a hood that suppresses the amount of flare and ghosting to raise the contrast and accuracy of color especially when it is working in far too heavily lighted areas. Moreover, the autofocus motor is strong enough to provide very quick and focused motions with the ability to manually control the focus to be able to have a better grasp of the entire operative.

Pros

• It is relatively more compact than a lot of lenses out there in the market
• The view of angle is ultra-wide which is something that has become a necessity for basic photographers and videographers
• It has a metal barrel with a lens hood that is integrated into the system

Cons

• It has a relatively slow focus system which can make it difficult
• It is not sharp because it is at f/2.8
• There is a possibility to flare up because it does not have the protection that saves it from flaring up
• It has a very noticeable distortion in the barrel which can be extremely difficult to cope with
• It also has very dim corners

Sony 24-70 mm

This lens is aligned with an E-mount lens which is integrated into a full-frame format and has an instant automated system of focusing as well as a manual button to keep control of the selection of images and videos. The least focus distance for this specific lens is around 0.38 meters. 

It presents imagery that provides high quality and great resolution with the texture and detail that many photographers and videographers are vying for. With 2 aspherical elements and an XA element to ensure the highest possible resolution, the Sony 24-20 mm stands out amongst a crowd. 

It has a 9 blade circular aperture which helps to create the bokeh effect and with its NANO AR Coating, the accuracy with regard to the transmission of light is impeccable such that it improves the quality and contrast of the output. 

Pros

• Able to produce very sharp images
• The aperture design is wide at f/2.8
• The quality is well built and it comes with a design of weather-seal

Cons

• Extremely expensive
• Noticeable distortion which can be extremely difficult to manage
• Stabilization mechanism is omitted in this particular lens

Conclusion

If you are an individual looking to acquire the right set of tools for your vlog or personal brand, then you should definitely go for the Rokinon 50 mm – the most affordable lens for Sony cameras. This will enable you to produce great quality content on a low budget. 

If you are looking to add a different dimension to your content production process and are looking for a stronger lens to support that, then the best choice would be the Sony 10-18 mm. The classic choice of professional videographers as it takes care of a lot of your video capturing issues. 

While people do in fact invest in fancy cameras, sometimes all you need is a basic camera with the right lens to ensure that your output is as per your desire. It is better to save up and invest in a better lens that has to go through a makeshift item that may not be usable in the long run. In the wider spectrum, it is important to choose your lens wisely.

In this essence, Sony provides a variety of brilliant lenses with various affordability ranges and quality indexes. All you have to do is to match your preferences and necessities with your budget so that you can reach a decision that will not make you regret the choice you make. In the long list of things that you do, finding the right lens and knowing how to operate it, will play a massive role in distinguishing an ordinary image from an exceptional one. So, be extra careful when you make this purchase.