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Best Lens for Sony A7RIII [2023 Review]

In: 
Published: 07/03/2023

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The best lens for Sony A7RIII ranges from the ability to shoot in low-light, zoom distant objects, and to have a broad field of view for real estate photography. In this review, I will help you identify the right Sony A7RIII lens that excels in these features.

My Top Sony A7RIII Lens Reviews

As a real estate photographer, equipping yourself with the best lens for Sony A7RIII will help retain its high-resolution performance in both outdoor and indoor shots. Below, I detail the lenses that pair well with the Sony A7RIII.

 
Brand:
Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8
 
Brand:
Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8
 
Brand:
Sony FE 35mm f/1.8
Lens Type:
Wide Angle
Lens Type:
Wide Angle
Lens Type:
Wide Angle
Maximum Focal Length:
24mm
Maximum Focal Length:
35mm
Maximum Focal Length:
35mm
4.7
4.7
4.7
Brand:
Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8
Lens Type:
Wide Angle
Maximum Focal Length:
24mm
4.7
Brand:
Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8
Lens Type:
Wide Angle
Maximum Focal Length:
35mm
4.7
Brand:
Sony FE 35mm f/1.8
Lens Type:
Wide Angle
Maximum Focal Length:
35mm
4.7

Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8

The Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 is a versatile zoom lens with a bright aperture and an ultra-wide field of view, making it the overall best on our list. 

Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8

It comes with a constant aperture of f/2.8, making it perform better in poor lighting than the Sony FE 12-24mm f/4. 

The Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 features a sophisticated optical construction that consists of ED, Super ED, and XA elements, geared towards eliminating the optical distortions and aberrations that are common in wide-angle lenses. 

The front elements are fluorine-coated, making them resistant to fingerprints, dust, and moisture, facilitating their use in harsh environments. However, it's the heaviest on my list, making it unsuitable for prolonged shooting periods.

Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8
4.7
Pros:
  • Its performance in backlit conditions is impressive.
  • It's dust and water-resistant, making it ideal for harsh environments
  • It comes with a filter holder.
Cons:
  • It is the heaviest on my list, making it inconvenient for extended shooting periods
  • The wide aperture becomes a problem when shooting distant subjects.
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Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8

The Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 is distinguished by its wide aperture of f/2.8, which remains constant throughout the zoom range. This ensures consistent performance no matter the zoom.

Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8

The optical construction employs two XA and two low dispersion elements to minimize the spherical and chromatic aberrations and distortions to achieve high-quality images. 

Like the Sony FE 20mm f/1.8, the Nano AR coating helps to limit the surface reflections and ghosting for better color fidelity and increased contrast. With an 11-blades aperture diaphragm, it produces a soft-edged and smooth bokeh. 

However, with a weight of 1.5 pounds, it's the second heaviest on my list, significantly limiting its portability.

Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8
4.7
Pros:
  • The broad field of view allows capturing a wider scene
  • The many optical elements make it the most effective in distortion reduction on my list
  • The weather-sealed design makes it suitable for use in harsh conditions
Cons:
  • The weight may be exhausting to carry around
  • Low-light performance can't match the Sony FE 85mm f/1.4
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Sony FE 35mm f/1.8 

The Sony FE 35mm f/1.8 is a versatile wide-angle prime with an impressive wide aperture of f/1.8. This aperture makes it ideal for use with selective focus techniques. 

Sony FE 35mm f/1.8

It employs the linear motor to enhance the fast and accurate focusing experience. However, the bokeh quality it produces with the nine-blade aperture diaphragm is less appealing than that of the Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8. 

The use of internal focusing design ensures the lens's overall length doesn't change when focusing, making it suitable for shooting camera-shy subjects. It weighs 0.62 pounds, making it the most lightweight on my list and ideal for an extended shooting period.

Sony FE 35mm f/1.8
4.7
Pros:
  • It's the most lightweight on my list and suitable for carrying.
  • The focus design is ideal for capturing camera-shy objects.
Cons:
  • The bokeh quality is less impressive than that of the Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8.
  • Unlike the Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8, it's not weather resistant.
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Sony FE 12-24mm f/4

The Sony FE 12-24mm f/4 is a flexible wide-angle lens with an impressive zoom for shooting distant subjects, making it ideal for outdoor photography. It employs both the low dispersion and aspherical glass elements to help suppress distortions for enhanced image clarity. 

Sony FE 12-24mm f/4

For color fidelity and improved contrast, it employs Nano AR coating, which helps eliminate the ghosting, surface reflections, and flares. Like the Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8, it's weather-resistant, making it suitable for shooting in even in the harshest conditions. 

The handling is comfortable even in cold temperatures, thanks to the rubberized control rings. However, unlike the Sony FE 35mm f/1.8, the 1.25 pounds weight is not convenient for carrying around.

Sony FE 12-24mm f/4
4.5
Pros:
  • The rugged design makes it suitable to use even in deserts.
  • It has an appealing zoom range, making it suitable for outdoor photography.
Cons:
  • Its weight is not ideal for carrying in a camera bag.
  • Unlike the Sony FE 24mm f/1.4, the f/4 aperture is not suitable for poorly lit situations.
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Sony FE 20mm f/1.8

The Sony FE 20mm f/1.8 is a wide-angle prime that blends intuitive handling and portability, making it an ideal walkaround lens. The optical construction includes three low dispersion and two aspherical elements, which suppresses distortions. 

Sony FE 20mm f/1.8

Like the Sony FE 12-24mm f/4, it comes with a Nano AR coating which enhances color fidelity and improves contrast by minimizing surface reflections, ghosting, and flare. 

The autofocus is enhanced by the deployment of a dual XD linear motor mechanism, making it smooth, silent, and fast. Like the Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8, it is weather resistant and suitable for use in moist conditions. However, without zoom capabilities, it's inconvenient for shooting distant subjects.

Sony FE 20mm f/1.8
4.7
Pros:
  • The compact design makes it suitable for a walk around lens
  • It has customizable hold buttons that enhance quick access to the settings.
Cons:
  • Unlike the Sony FE 12-24mm f/4, it lacks zoom capabilities making it unsuitable for capturing distant subjects.
  • The wide aperture makes it problematic to focus on far-away subjects.
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Sony FE 24mm f/1.4

The Sony FE 24mm f/1.4 is a versatile and fast wide-angle prime, making it excellent for use in nature, landscape, street, and real estate photography. The f/1.4 wide aperture makes it the best performer in low-light shooting on my list. 

Sony FE 24mm f/1.4

The aperture offers an impressively shallow depth of field application. However, this aperture is not ideal for shooting in strongly lit situations. It uses two XA and three low dispersion elements to eliminate the chromatic and spherical distortions for enhanced image clarity and sharpness. 

It uses the Super Sonic wave Motor for quick, silent, smooth, and accurate focusing performance. Unlike the Sony FE 20mm f/1.8, it features a switch button for instant changing from the autofocus to the manual control.

Sony FE 24mm f/1.4
4.7
Pros:
  • It has the best performance in poor lighting on my list.
  • The switch button helps change from autofocus to manual control.
  • It produces an impressive bokeh quality.
Cons:
  • The aperture is unsuitable for capturing in strongly lit conditions.
  • It lacks image stabilization functionality.
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Sony Vario-Tessar 16-35mm f/4

The Sony Vario-Tessar 16-35mm f/4 is a weather-resistant and compact zoom lens, making it a suitable traveling lens for your Sony A7RIII. Although the f/4 aperture is not great in low-light performance like the Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8, it maintains consistent performance over the zoom range. 

Sony Vario-Tessar 16-35mm f/4

It effectively suppresses spherical and chromatic aberrations, thanks to the five glass elements incorporated in the optical design. Additionally, the use of Zeiss's anti-reflective coating ensures the resulting images are free from ghosting and flare. 

Unlike the Sony FE 24mm f/1.4, it features a SteadyShot image stabilization mechanism which significantly reduces the camera shake effect when shooting handheld.

Sony Vario-Tessar 16-35mm f/4
4.5
Pros:
  • The image stabilization reduces the camera shake effect.
  • The constant aperture retains a consistent performance over the zoom range.
  • The rubberized rings enhance handling in cold temperatures.
Cons:
  • The bokeh quality is less appealing than that of Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8.
  • Its performance in backlit is less impressive than the Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8.
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Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8

The Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 is a flexible zoom that covers wide focal lengths, making it excellent for architectural, landscape, astrophotography, and real estate photography. The f/2.8 constant aperture performs better in poor lighting than the Sony Vario-Tessar 16-35mm f/4. 

Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8

The optical construction employs LD and XLD elements which help suppress the distortions for enhanced image clarity and sharpness. Besides, the BBAR coating on the lens's elements helps eliminate the ghosting and surface reflections when shooting in harsh lighting situations. 

Although heavier than the Sony FE 35mm f/1.8, the 0.98 pounds weight is still lightweight enough to carry around without exhaustion. However, without image stabilization, there are chances of image blurring when zooming.

Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8
4.7
Pros:
  • The aperture enhances better control over the depth of field.
  • It features a manual focus override which facilitates focus fine-tuning.
Cons:
  • The few optical elements don’t eliminate distortions effectively
  • Unlike the Sony Vario-Tessar 16-35mm f/4, the camera shake effect may be an issue.
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Features to Consider for the Best Sony A7RIII Lens

All Sony A7RIII lenses are not created equal, and some perform better in certain shooting situations than others. Below, we detail some of the features you need to consider in a Sony A7RIII lens based on most shooting conditions. 

Comparing Best Lens Features for Sony A7RIII

LensesDiaphragm BladesApertureWeight (Pounds)
Sony FE SEL1224GM 9f/2.81.87
Sony FE SEL1224G 7f/41.25
Sony FE SEL20F18G 9f/1.80.82
Sony FE SEL24F14GM 11f/1.40.98
Sony FE SEL1635GM 11f/2.81.5
Sony Vario-Tessar ZA OSS 7f/41.14
Tamron Di III RXD 9f/2.80.93
Sony FE SEL35F18F 9f/1.80.62

Weather Resistance

One of the most important questions you should ask yourself is where you intend to use the lens. If you are planning to use it in dusty or windy conditions, then go for a weather-resistant lens like the Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8.

Lens Coatings and Special Elements

Manufacturers equip their lenses with varying spherical and low dispersion elements to help minimize the optical distortions. Also, these elements are coated with special coatings to reduce the surface reflections, ghosting, and flare, which is common when shooting in bright lighting. 

The number of these elements translates to the ability of the lens to eliminate the optical aberrations. Therefore, a lens with a high number of optical elements such as the Sony Vario-Tessar 16-35mm f/4 has the minimum optical distortions.  

Person in mustard colored shirt holding a Sony camera with lens

Weight

Weight is something that many people overlook when purchasing lenses. Usually, weight isn't a big deal if you are planning to use a tripod with your camera and lens when shooting.

However, if you plan to use a lens for walking around while shooting handheld, then you should consider the weight of this lens plus your gear. 

Typically, a heavy lens will make you feel tired faster and at times make your wrists hurt. In the case of a walkaround lens, a lightweight lens such as the Sony FE 35mm f/1.8 is preferable.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Does a Zoom Lock Do?

Normally, a zoom lock is a feature that is specifically found on certain types of zoom lenses that allows you to lock the barrel at certain focal lengths. Locking the focal length reduces cases of zoom accidentally getting adjusted, especially when you are shooting handheld while moving.

How Can I Protect the Camera Lens from Rain Water?

To protect your camera lens from rainwater, you will require a rubber band, plastic bag, and camera hood. It's advisable to use a large bag that will cover the camera and the lens completely. 
Before covering, first, attach the camera hood. However, a weather-resistant lens such as the Sony FE 12-24mm f/4 is preferable in such conditions.

Which Sony A7RIII Lens Is Best for Low-light Shooting?

The best Sony A7RIII lens for low-light shooting is the one with the widest aperture. Typically, the wide aperture allows more light to enter the lens, which translates to better performance even when the light is not adequate. For instance, the Sony FE 24mm f/1.4 captures impressive shots even in poorly lit situations.

Conclusion

Pairing your Sony A7RIII with the best flashes and lenses can improve your shooting results. Although you may want to purchase the best lens for your Sony A7RIII, the many options in the market might confuse you. However, the above options are versatile, sturdy, and perform well in virtually all situations, and any option won't disappoint.

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