We live in an age where high-quality lenses (and cameras) have never been more accessible. As a result, we have dozens of lens options from both camera manufacturers and third-party brands alike. In this post, we help you narrow down those choices and list the 5 best lenses for the Sony a6400. We focus on reliability, compatibility, and (of course) image quality.

A Bit About The Sony a6400

The Sony Alpha a6400 is a mirrorless E-mount camera released in February 2019. After its release, it quickly gained traction as one of the brand’s most popular entry to mid-level cameras.

It has quite a few features that make it a stand-out option including 4K video, an external microphone jack, and a 180-degree fully tiltable LCD touch screen. These features in conjunction with the a6400’s AF speed and sensor make this camera a vlogger’s dream. You can see all of our first thoughts about the a6400 here or in the video below. 

Top 5 Sony a6400 Lenses

1. Sony E PZ 18-105mm f/4 G OSS Lens

  • Price: $598.00
  • Highlights
    • Focal Length: 18 – 105mm
    • Aperture Range: f/4 – f/22
    • Format: APS-C

This G Lens is great for photographers on-the-go looking for flexibility. It offers 6x power zoom and delivers crystal clear stills and video at any magnification. As for physical features, a lever and ring on the lens barrel allow zoom speed to be easily adjusted without fumbling with the grip.

2. Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary Prime Lens

  • Price: $289.00
  • Highlights:
    • Focal Length: 30mm
    • Aperture Range: f/1.4 – f/16
    • Format: APS-C

This prime Sigma lens thrives in indoor and low-light situations. If you’re big on bokeh, its wide aperture allows for very shallow depth of field and gives your images the artfully blurred background you’re looking for. That said, this 30mm lens captures sharp videos and images with the help of its quick and quiet autofocus.

3. 7artisans Photoelectric 35mm f/1.2 Lens

  • Price: $145.00
  • Highlights:
    • Focal Length: 35mm
    • Aperture Range: f/1.2 – f/16
    • Format: APS-C

This cost-effective, manual 7artisans lens offers a 46­° field of view and a minimum object distance of 35cm (1.15in). Its small, all-metal body includes a de-clicked focusing ring that’s smooth and comfortable to use. It doesn’t necessarily provide the sharpness that some of its more expensive counterparts offer. However, it makes up for it with its portability, ease-of-use, and gorgeous bokeh.

4. Tamron Di III RXD 28-75mm f/2.8 Lens

  • Price: $879.00
  • Highlights:
    • Focal Length: 28-75mm
    • Aperture Range: f/2.8 to f/22
    • Format: Full-frame, APS-C

This Tamron high-speed zoom lens is great for portraits, street photography, and nature shots. One of our favorite things about this lens is its f/2.8 maximum aperture which allows for consistent brightness throughout the entire zoom range. Plus, its XLD (extra-low dispersion) and LD (low dispersion) elements reduce color fringing and chromatic aberrations for exceptional sharpness and tonal accuracy.

5. Rokinon AF 24mm f/2.8 Compact Full Frame Wide-angle Lens

  • Price: $349.00
  • Highlights:
    • Focal Length: 24mm
    • Aperture Range: f/2.8 – f/22
    • Format: Full-frame, APS-C (36mm equivalent)

The final item on our list of the 5 best lenses for Sony a6400 cameras is the Rokinon AF 24mm f/2.8. This lens has an advantage against other third-party, wide-angle options because it was specifically designed for Sony mirrorless cameras. In terms of physical features, it’s made up of seven glass elements in seven groups which are arranged to facilitate both portability and high-quality, corner-to-corner resolution. Rokinon also does a great job utilizing lens coating techniques to reduce chromatic aberrations and unnecessary light dispersion. 

If you want to do more research on Rokinon, we recommend checking out this video on the relationship between Rokinon and its parent company Samyang.

That wraps up our guide of the 5 best lenses for Sony a6400 cameras. If you have any questions or additions to this list, let us know in the comments below.

9 COMMENTS

  1. Laura, I am curious… I’ve read several articles for “best lenses” for the a6400. A bit of history. I am a DSLR guy, but am looking at converting to mirrorless. On that line, my son just joined the Navy and I convinced him to go mirrorless. He bought an a6400 a few months ago. I’m looking to get him a lens for Christmas and in my mind I’m thinking a zoom up to 210 – 300mm max range. For example a 55-210 or 70 – 300, etc… But I’m not seeing these on many “must have” lists. They seem to be like your list, what I would consider wider angle or with moderate zoom capabilities? Is this because these lenses take such good pictures at high resolution you can rely on crop to really “zoom” in on a distant subject matter instead of having to rely on the zoom of the lens? Inquiring minds want to know!!

    • Hey, Glenn! Thank you for your insightful question. First of all, best of luck on your journey from DSLR to mirrorless. When/if you decide to invest, a weight will quite literally be lifted from your shoulders. Let us know if you need any additional guidance on choosing a model.

      Second, that is an interesting observation about a6400 lens roundups. Our best guess is that models with a 210-300mm zoom range are left off of general lens roundups because they’re favored by professional sport, nature, and portrait photographers. Thus, they’re often considered as more of a “specialty lens” than the more moderate zooms.

      Yes, you could conceivably crop images taken with the a6400 to zoom and still get solid results. However, you definitely have the right idea for your son’s use case. The Sony E 70-350mm is incredible as is the 55-210mm.

  2. I’m looking into getting this camera to get back into photography. I use to have a cheap Cannon. What would you recommend as the starting lens to purchase the camera with? It appears to either come with a 16-50mm or an 18-135mm or just the body. I’m struggling to figure out if I should just get the smaller lens and then purchase one of the zoom lenses you recommend, or if I should get the zoom lens with it first to be more cost effective. Please advise.

    • Hi, Ella! Thank you for your question.

      To be honest, this depends on how you plan on using your camera. If you want to shoot photography that requires close-ups, portraits, or detailed nature shots, you should definitely bite the bullet and get the 18-135mm. It provides the wide-angle view you get with the 16-50mm combined with the zoom you need for smooth bokeh and background blur. If you feel comfortable with the investment, I’d say get the 18-135mm bundle now and save yourself some money in the long-run.

      However, if you’re not comfortable making that kind of investment just yet, the 16-50mm is a good choice if you’re planning on doing a lot of wide-angle or street photography shots. Feel free to email me directly if you need further clarification! [email protected]

  3. Hi, I want to begin photography as a hobby, but I am confused with the camera I should opt for. Should I go for DSLR as the lenses are cheaper( I heard so) or should I go with mirror less, because finance is a bit of a concern for me..

    • Hello,
      As a rule I wouldn’t say that DSLR lenses are cheaper than mirrorless, however you do get more options when it comes to DSLR lenses. You’ll get a wider range of focal lengths and speed, so you can end up spending less with a DSLR lens. DSLR vs. mirrorless is a difficult argument, the industry favors mirrorless right now because cameras are lighter and smaller, are better for video, have faster shutter speed etc. Hope that helps!

      • Hi Ela, thanks for your contents. I have a Sony 6400 mirrorless camera with Sony 18-135mm lens and one 7artisans Photoelectric 35mm f1.2 lens. If I want to have a budget telephoto lens for this Sony Alpha camera, which lens should I buy? I am not a pro, I am an amateur ist and it is my hobby. I want to have it for my travel purpose for shooting nature, bird, mountain etc. Kindly advise.

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