In a nutshell
- Sony 16-55 mm, f/2.8: Our top pick for a fast standard zoom — covers a wide range of situations with outstanding image quality.
- Tamron 70-300 mm, f/4.5-6.3: Affordable and impressive — a great telephoto choice for sports or wildlife photography.
- Sigma 56 mm, f/1.4: Excellent image quality and a wide f/1.4 aperture — perfect for portrait photography.
- Discover many more lenses for your Sony APS-C camera in this article — from wide-angle to macro.
What Do You Need to Look for When Buying a Lens for the Sony Alpha 6000?
Before we dive into our specific lens recommendations, here are a few things to keep in mind when shopping for sony a6000 lenses.
The Right Lens for Your Mount
The cameras in the Sony Alpha 6000 series use what’s called an E-mount.
Sony also makes lenses for the A-mount. Unfortunately, those lenses won’t fit your camera — they’re only compatible with Sony’s DSLR cameras. So always make sure you’re getting the right mount before you buy.
All the lenses recommended in this article have an E-mount and are designed specifically for cameras with an APS-C sensor. That includes not only the Sony Alpha 6000 but also all successor models (Alpha 6100, 6300, 6400, 6500, 6600, and 6700), as well as the predecessor Alpha 5000 and 5100 and Sony’s NEX series cameras.
Using Alpha 7 Series Lenses on the Alpha 6000 Series
Not enough options? You can also browse the lenses for the Sony Alpha 7 series.
The Alpha 7 series cameras also use the E-mount, so those lenses will fit an Alpha 6000 as well.
The reverse, however, doesn’t work. You can’t attach Alpha 6000 series lenses to an Alpha 7 camera. The lens will physically fit the mount, but it simply isn’t optimized for that sensor size.
Image Stabilization
A few models in the Sony Alpha 6000 series — the Sony Alpha 6500, 6600, and 6700 — have a built-in image stabilizer. The Alpha 6000, 6100, 6300, and 6400 unfortunately do not.
An image stabilizer compensates for minor camera shake and an unsteady hand, so you still get sharp photos. That makes it really useful to have.
So if your camera doesn’t have built-in stabilization, make sure the lens does. Most sony a6000 lenses include image stabilization, but not all of them do.
You can tell by the label “Optical Steady Shot” or the abbreviation OSS on the lens. We always note in this article whether a lens includes image stabilization.
Intended Use
First and foremost, you need to know what you’ll be using the lens for most.
Every lens has its strengths and weaknesses, and unfortunately there’s no single lens that does everything equally well.
If portrait photography is your main interest, look for a lens with a wide aperture. If you mainly want to shoot landscapes, a very short focal length is key — and if you’re going on a safari, for example, you’ll want a long focal length.
Standard Lenses for the Sony Alpha 6000
Standard lenses cover a practical focal length range for your Sony A6000. Good standard zooms also have a constant maximum aperture — that’s the f-number in the lens name.
The smaller that number, the better your lens performs in challenging conditions. A small number also tends to indicate higher quality, since lenses like that require more complex engineering.
These days, there are even relatively affordable standard zooms with a wide aperture. Here are our favorites for the Sony A6000 series.
The Kit Lens: Sony 16-50 mm, f/3.5-5.6
Many people buy this lens as part of a kit with the Alpha 6000. Even though kit lenses don’t generally have the best reputation, we think they’re a great — and above all affordable — way to get started.
Especially for beginners taking their first steps with the Sony Alpha 6000, the kit lens is a solid choice.
The 16-50 mm focal range is sufficient for most situations, and the f/3.5 to f/5.6 aperture is perfectly acceptable for a zoom lens in this price range.
A major advantage is the very compact design, the low weight of just under 120 grams, and the built-in image stabilizer.
The suggested retail price for this lens is 349 euros, and it’s typically available in stores for under 300 euros.
Buying it on its own isn’t really worth it, though — in a kit with the camera, the lens is much cheaper.
Sony 16-50 mm, f/3.5-5.6 on Amazon
The Premium Zoom: Sony 16-55 mm f/2.8
The Sony SEL1655G is the top-of-the-line zoom lens for the Alpha 6000 series.
The focal range is similar to the kit lens, but this lens offers a constant aperture of f/2.8, making it significantly better in low light.
Image quality is outstanding, and the autofocus is particularly fast and precise.
At just under 600 grams, the lens is no lightweight, and the price of around 1,200 euros is unfortunately not within every budget.
One major downside: the lens has no built-in image stabilizer, which is a real shame at this price point. We therefore recommend using it only with the Sony Alpha 6500 and 6600, as those cameras have a built-in stabilizer.
Lens at Foto Koch / at Amazon / at Calumet
The Hidden Gem: Sigma 18-50 mm f/2.8
The Sigma 18-50 mm is relatively new to the market, a genuine under-the-radar pick, and a solid, affordable alternative to Sony’s premium zoom.
The 18-50 mm focal range is nothing special, but it’s more than adequate for many situations.
What is unusual for this price range is the wide aperture — it also comes in at f/2.8. That’s great.
At the same time, the lens weighs just 290 grams and is very compact. Image quality is excellent too, and the price of around 500 euros is completely reasonable.
If we had to buy a standard zoom for our Alpha 6000 today, this would be it.
Lens at Foto Koch / at Amazon / at Calumet
The Fast Zoom for Every Situation: Tamron 17-70 mm, f/2.8
The Tamron offers a really practical zoom range with a focal length of 17 to 70 mm — covering everything from wide-angle to mild telephoto. And it has a constant aperture of f/2.8 throughout.
At around 525 grams, the lens isn’t lightweight. But it’s solidly and durably built, and it’s weather-sealed against dust and splash water, so you don’t have to stress about the conditions when you’re out shooting.
Very few cameras in the Alpha 6000 series have a built-in image stabilizer, so it’s a big plus that this lens has one. Blur-free shots, no problem.
The lens currently costs around 600 euros. That makes it significantly cheaper than Sony’s fast zoom alternative — a clear recommendation.
Lens at Foto Koch / at Amazon / at Calumet
Travel Lenses for the Sony Alpha 6000
Travel zoom lenses are ideal for your next trip. These lenses offer a wide focal length range, covering everything from sweeping landscapes to distant wildlife.
Because of that wide range, lenses of this type tend not to be as fast in terms of aperture. But they’re incredibly versatile — and that’s the whole point.
Travel Zoom #1: Sony 18-135 mm, f/3.5-6.3
Sony itself offers a compact lens that weighs just 325 grams, making it a nice light option for your backpack.
The zoom range isn’t as large as the lenses below, but the maximum focal length of 135 mm is still much longer than a standard zoom.
The price of around 480 euros is fair.
Lens at Foto Koch / at Amazon / at Calumet
Travel Zoom #2: Sony 18-200 mm, f/3.5-6.3
You can zoom in a step further with the Sony 18-200 mm. The focal range is even more flexible.
But with that extra reach comes more weight — about 460 grams — and a higher price of over 600 euros.
Lens at Foto Koch / at Amazon / at Calumet
Travel Zoom #3: Tamron 18-300 mm, f/3.5-6.3
If weight isn’t your top priority, this Tamron is our favorite travel zoom.
It covers the full range from 18-300 mm, and image quality is very good for a lens of this type.
It also has a neat hidden feature: it’s capable of macro shots, reaching a reproduction ratio of 1:2. Very few travel zooms can do that.
At around 600 euros, the price is quite reasonable when you compare it to the Sony 18-200 mm.
Lens at Foto Koch / at Amazon / at Calumet
Telephoto Lenses for the Sony Alpha 6000
When it comes to telephoto lenses for the Sony Alpha 6000, you have several options.
It’s also worth knowing that you can attach a telephoto lens from the Alpha 7 series to one of the 6000 series cameras.
The Entry-Level Telephoto: Sony 55-210 mm, f/4.5-6.3
The selection of telephoto lenses made specifically for the Sony Alpha 6000 is limited. A relatively affordable but still solid option is the Sony SEL55210.
With a focal length of up to 210 mm, you can accomplish quite a lot. The aperture of f/4.5-6.3 isn’t spectacular, but at a price of under 300 euros, that’s forgivable — especially since a built-in image stabilizer is included.
The real question is whether it makes sense to pair a budget telephoto with a standard lens for the Alpha 6000. Honestly, in that case we’d lean toward one of the travel zooms mentioned above instead.
Lens at Foto Koch / at Amazon / at Calumet
Best Value Telephoto: Tamron 70-300 mm, f/4.5-6.3
The Tamron 70-300 mm has a slightly larger focal range than the Sony above. With 300 mm, you can get really close to your subject.
Unlike the Sony, the Tamron doesn’t include image stabilization. That’s likely because this lens can also be used on Sony full-frame cameras, which mostly have stabilization built into the body.
On the plus side, the lens is well-built, weather-sealed against splash water and dust, and weighs just around 545 grams. Image quality is impressive too, despite the somewhat modest aperture.
The lack of image stabilization can make itself felt quickly in telephoto shooting. But if you have a Sony camera with built-in stabilization, this lens at around 550 euros is a solid value pick.
Lens at Foto Koch / at Amazon / at Calumet
Serious Reach: Sony 70-350 mm, f/4.5-6.3
With a focal length of up to 350 mm, you can bring even distant subjects in large on your photos.
The built-in image stabilizer keeps shots sharp even at long focal lengths. The weight of 527 grams is certainly not nothing, but for a telephoto with this much reach, it’s actually a really impressive figure.
The weather-sealed design includes image stabilization, and image sharpness is quite respectable. That said, the aperture does drop off noticeably at the longer end of the focal range.
The Sony SEL70350G is priced at just under 700 euros. That’s excellent value for the money.
Lens at Foto Koch / at Amazon / at Calumet
Wide-Angle Lenses for the Sony Alpha 6000
Unfortunately, the selection of wide-angle lenses isn’t that large. For zoom options, there’s currently one version from Sony and one from Tamron for the Alpha 6000 series.
Entry-Level Wide-Angle: Sony 10-18 mm, f/4
As the name suggests, the focal length is 10-18 mm, with a constant aperture of f/4 and a built-in image stabilizer.
Reviews for this lens are almost universally excellent. At around 650 euros, it’s the most affordable wide-angle in our comparison.
But the two alternatives have a lot to offer!
Our Favorite: Sigma 10-18 mm, f/2.8
Like the Sigma 18-50 mm standard zoom, this wide-angle lens is relatively new to the market, seriously impressive, and comparatively affordable.
The focal range is the same as the Sony lens, but the aperture starts at f/2.8. That means the Sigma lets in twice as much light as the Sony.
For astrophotography or in low-light conditions, that’s a huge advantage. The lens stays compact and lightweight at just 260 grams.
At around 700 euros, you can’t go wrong with this one.
Lens at Foto Koch / at Amazon / at Calumet
Fast Wide-Angle: Tamron 11-20 mm, f/2.8
Like the Sigma, the Tamron also features that excellent maximum aperture of f/2.8 — especially valuable when shooting at dusk or even at night.
The lens unfortunately has no image stabilizer. However, it does feature a new autofocus motor that’s said to be very fast and nearly silent, making it suitable for video shooting as well.
The lens currently costs around 700 euros, the same as the Sigma. Since the Sigma offers a slightly wider angle, we think it has the edge. But the Tamron also gives you a lot for your money.
Lens at Foto Koch / at Amazon / at Calumet
Prime Lenses for the Sony Alpha 6000
When it comes to prime lenses, the selection for the Sony Alpha 6000 is considerably larger. Third-party manufacturers like Sigma in particular offer quite a wide range here.
To keep our comparison manageable, we’ll cover two prime lenses each for wide-angle shots, everyday standard focal lengths, and portraits.
Wide-Angle Prime Lenses for the Sony Alpha 6000
Wide-angle primes up to about 16 mm are especially well-suited for architectural and landscape photography. They’re also great for shooting the stars.
Exceptionally Wide: Sony 11 mm f/1.8
With the 11 mm lens, Sony offers an extreme wide-angle option. The 11 mm focal length creates a huge field of view, opening up some really interesting perspectives.
It weighs just 181 grams and fits in any jacket pocket. Despite being this wide, you can still attach lens filters — which isn’t a given for wide-angle lenses.
On top of that, the wide aperture makes it well-suited for a variety of shooting situations. We’re genuinely impressed! At around 500 euros, it’s a great buy.
Lens at Foto Koch / at Amazon / at Calumet
Seriously Fast: Sigma 16 mm, f/1.4
The Sigma 16 mm prime was designed specifically for cameras with an APS-C sensor and is one of the best sony a6000 lenses in this focal length range.
The standout feature is the wide aperture of f/1.4, which is outstanding. The lens includes autofocus and delivers razor-sharp images.
At around 400 euros, this is truly excellent value for money.
Lens at Foto Koch / at Amazon / at Calumet
Standard Prime Lenses for the Sony Alpha 6000
Standard primes with a focal length between 30 and 35 mm are a great entry point into the world of prime lenses. Photos taken at 35 mm roughly match the natural field of view of the human eye.
These lenses work well for almost any situation. We especially love using them for street photography, reportage, and portrait shots.
Everyday All-Star: Sigma 30 mm, f1.4
Sigma has another 30 mm prime in its lineup, and it’s a serious contender. The Sigma 30mm F1.4 DC DN offers an aperture of f/1.4.
At under 330 euros, the price is genuinely affordable. You do have to make a few compromises — for example, this lens has no built-in image stabilizer. Even so, the value for money is truly excellent!
Lens at Foto Koch / at Amazon / at Calumet
Our Favorite: Sony 35 mm, f/1.8
35 mm is our favorite focal length, and the Sony SEL35F18 delivers excellent value for the money.
The f/1.8 aperture is very good, and the price of around 320 euros is still reasonable.
Lens at Foto Koch / at Amazon / at Calumet
Portrait Lenses for the Sony Alpha 6000
At focal lengths of around 50 mm to 85 mm, prime lenses are particularly well-suited for portrait photography. There’s also a solid range of options for the Sony Alpha 6000 in this category.
Affordable Entry Point: Sony 50 mm, f/1.8
Sony’s SEL50F18B is a really nice standard lens for portrait photography. The f/1.8 maximum aperture allows for shots with very shallow depth of field.
Image quality is good, photos have a beautiful bokeh, and at a price of around 280 euros, there’s really nothing to complain about.
Lens at Foto Koch / at Amazon / at Calumet
Best Value: Sigma 56 mm, f/1.4
This Sigma has a somewhat unusual focal length of 56 mm, but it still ranks among the top prime lenses for the Alpha 6000 series.
The f/1.4 aperture is fantastic, and the lens includes autofocus. You can get it for under 400 euros, which is genuinely excellent value.
Lens at Foto Koch / at Amazon / at Calumet
Fisheye Lenses for the Sony Alpha 6000
A fisheye is certainly not an everyday lens. But experimenting with one is a lot of fun.
Out of the Ordinary: Samyang 8 mm f/2.8 Fish-Eye
The only fisheye lens currently available for the Sony Alpha 6000 comes from the Korean manufacturer Samyang. With a super wide-angle focal length of 8 mm and an aperture of f/2.8, you get a nearly 180-degree field of view.
We own this lens ourselves — in a Nikon mount — and pull it out every now and then for special shots. It’s priced at around 300 euros.
Macro Lenses for the Sony Alpha 6000
Best Value: Sony 30 mm, f/3.5
The Sony SEL30M35 is a great entry-level macro lens. At a price of between 200 and 250 euros, it’s relatively affordable.
The minimum focusing distance is 9.5 cm. That means you can get extremely close to your subject and capture stunning detail shots and macro images.
Lens at Foto Koch / at Amazon / at Calumet
Premium: Zeiss Touit 50 mm, f/2.8 Macro
Zeiss also makes a macro lens for the Sony Alpha 6000. The 50 mm focal length is considerably more practical than the 30 mm from Sony.
Sharpness and image quality are excellent, with a minimum focusing distance of just 5 cm. There’s currently no better macro lens for the Alpha 6000 series.
That quality does come at a price, though — around 750 euros.
