Sony E Lenses

Sony E-lenses

Sony is now world-famous for its consumer electronics - yet the first product was nothing like today's range. It was the first automatic rice cooker: very Japanese. And this invention was needed after the end of the Second World War. Akio Morita and Masaru Ibuka founded the company that today is known for cameras, televisions, game consoles, mobile phones and much more. This also includes the Sony E-lenses.

What distinguishes Sony E- from Sony A-lenses?

Currently, two different types of interchangeable lenses for digital SLR cameras are produced by Sony: We are talking about A-mount and E-mount systems. The differences can be seen in the mounting of the lenses and in the types of lenses used. The translucent mirrors found in the A-mount system are innovative. In contrast, the E-mount systems are much more compact, but do not use a reflex mirror. Surprisingly, however, they are not inferior to the A-mount system in terms of image quality. Besides the size of the lens, the back focus of the lenses is what distinguishes A-mount from E-mount lenses. The flange focal distance describes the distance between the image sensor plane and the back of the lens.

Traditionally, many A-mount cameras feature the SLR design including a reflex mirror. Consequently, it is clear that a certain flange focal distance must be maintained. The necessary clearance between the back of the lens and the sensor must be taken into account. In addition, the space for the reflex mirror must be taken into account. The right choice for this are the A-mount lenses.

With Alpha cameras we always talk about reflex cameras, therefore, as the name suggests, reflex mirrors are used. In addition, the space to include the reflex mirror makes only A-mount lenses the right ones.

What distinguishes them from E-mount lenses? We agree that E-mount lenses are meant for E-cameras. Since they don't have reflex mirrors, the flange focal length may be much smaller.

Overview of Sony E-mount lenses

E-mount lenses come in all variations: Fixed focal length, wide-angle, macro, standard zoom and telephoto. A fixed focal length lens is already offered in our online shop for under 200 euros. This is the perfect tip for newcomers. Nevertheless, you should check whether this entry-level lens also fits your camera and meets your requirements. However, more than 4,000 euros can be invested for an E-mount fixed focal length lens. Wide-angle lenses for Sony E cost around 800 euros. However, these models are more suitable for ambitious hobby photographers or professional photographers. Wide-angle lenses start at 300 euros, so in order not to go wrong, it is advisable to start in the mid-price segment.

With E-mount macro lenses, it is worth weighing up the purpose for which they are to be used. If you are primarily interested in macro photography, it is worth choosing a higher quality lens, which can be priced at around 800 - 1,000 euros. For occasional photographers, an entry-level lens is suitable, for which you should spend about 200 euros.

E-mount standard zoom lenses are available online for less than 200 euros. Here, the speed, focal length, areas of application and the like should be taken into account.

If you are more into standard photography or like to shoot portraits, you should go for the standard zoom lens. Focal lengths in this range are 35-50mm, with 35mm lenses being good for portraits. E-mount lenses with such focal lengths start at around 250 euros and can easily cost 1,000 euros for the professional lens.

The situation is similar for telephoto lenses: In the lower price segment, however, they start at 150 euros and quickly reach a top price of 1,000 euros and more. Here, too, the following applies: the budget should correspond to the purpose and frequency of use. Nevertheless, the speed, focal length, areas of use and sensor type should always be considered when buying any lens.