10 Best Sony Portrait Lenses in 2023

This is a guide covering the best Sony portrait lenses.

Sony is an underrated brand when it comes to photography in general.

It is easy to overlook Sony as a brand considering the bigger brands in the market such as Nikon and Canon.

If you are into shooting portraits and you happened to be using a Sony camera, we’ve come up with some of the best Sony portrait lenses that you can choose from.

In a hurry? Here’s the quick rundown:

• ⭐ Best Overall Sony Lens for Portraits
  • Sony 55mm F1.8

• 👩 Best Sony Lenses for Traditional Portraits
  • Sony 55mm F1.8
  • Sony – E 50mm F1.8
  • Sony SEL35F18 35mm f/1.8
  • Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM

• 🌐 Best Sony Lens for Wide-Angle Portraits
  • Sony E-mount FE 24mm F1.4

• 🔭 Best Sony Zoom Lenses for Portraits
  • Sony SEL1655G Alpha 16-55mm F2.8
  • Sony 24-70mm f/4
  • Sony 18-135mm F3.5-5.6

• 💸 Best Budget Sony Lens for Portraits
  • Sony – E 50mm F1.8

How to Choose the Best Sony Lens for Portraits?

Aperture: A lens with a wide aperture (low f-stop number) such as f/1.8, f/1.4, or f/1.2 will give you a shallow depth of field, which is great for creating a blurred background and making your subject stand out.

Focal length: A prime lens with a focal length of around 50mm is a great choice for traditional portrait photography, as it provides a natural field of view that is similar to the human eye. However, for environmental portraits, a wider angle lens such as 24mm is useful.

Image quality: Choose a lens that has good image quality, such as sharpness and color reproduction.

Build quality: Look for a lens that is well-built and weather-sealed for durability.

Budget: Consider the cost of the lens in relation to your budget and your needs.

Additional features: Consider if you need additional features such as image stabilization, autofocus or manual focus.

10 Best Sony Portrait Lenses

1. Sony 55mm F1.8

Lens specifications:

• Lens type: Prime lens
• Max Format size: 35mm FF
• Focal length: 55 mm
• Image stabilization: No
• Lens mount: Sony FE
• Maximum aperture: F1.8
• Minimum aperture: F22
• Weight: 281 g (0.62 lb)
• Diameter: 64 mm (2.52″)
• Length: 71 mm (2.8″)
• Sealing: Yes

I believe the best portrait lens for Sony is the Sony 55mm F1.8.

The Sony 55mm F1.8 Sonnar FE ZA Full Frame Prime Lens is on the top of our list.

Since it is an FE lens, it works fine on APS-C cameras without any problem.

However, we still feel that this is best used on a full-frame camera. Is it the best portrait lens for Sony cameras? Maybe.

It stands out from the rest of the best Sony portrait lenses as it is known for its great contrast, not to mention its ability to produce beautiful bokeh with its F1.8 wide aperture.

It is also unbelievably sharp and easy to use whether you are outdoors or shooting in a studio. It is the epitome of Carl Zeiss lenses that brings realistic colors to its users.

If you are also going to use it on APS-C cameras, you might find yourself dealing with stability issues.

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2. Sony – E 50mm F1.8

Lens specifications:

• Lens type: Prime lens
• Max Format size: APS-C / DX
• Focal length: 50 mm
• Image stabilization: Yes (4 stop claimed)
• Lens mount: Sony E
• Maximum aperture: F1.8
• Minimum aperture: F22
• Weight: 202 g (0.45 lb)
• Diameter: 62 mm (2.44″)
• Length: 62 mm (2.44″)
• Sealing: No

The best budget portrait lens for Sony is the Sony – E 50mm F1.8.

Let’s say that you are in the market for the best Sony Portrait Lenses and you don’t want to invest a lot into a lens.

The good news is that you can still get a decent portrait lens even if you are not draining your bank account in the process.

A good option for such is the Sony-E 50mm F1.8 OSS Portrait Lens.

You get a good aperture that can create wonderful bokeh. On top of that, you get a versatile focal length that can be used for multiple scenarios.

It has that compact design that makes it easy to use as well. And even if you don’t have steady hands, offers an image stabilization feature that can minimize wasted shots.

And since it has a quiet motor, it is also a favorite among videographers.

A few things that you might not like about this lens is the fact that the autofocus isn’t fast enough for a lot of people.

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3. Sony E-mount FE 24mm F1.4

Lens specifications:

• Lens type: Prime lens
• Max Format size: 35mm FF
• Focal length: 24 mm
• Image stabilization: No
• Lens mount: Sony FE
• Maximum aperture: F1.4
• Minimum aperture: F16
• Weight: 445 g (0.98 lb)
• Diameter: 75 mm (2.95″)
• Length: 92 mm (3.62″)
• Sealing: Yes

A lot of people who are into portrait photography will most likely skip wide-angle lenses thinking that it is simply for taking photos of landscapes.

In reality, there are a growing number of photographers who keep a wide-angle lens for shooting portraits.

Their reason is that it can include more background and even include the entire body when they are shooting.

The Sony E-Mount FE 24mm F1.4 GM Full Frame wide-angle lens is best for creating bokeh.

But unlike the 50mm that will usually just capture the face or half body, the 24mm wide-angle lens can give photographers a wider perspective.

It offers vibrant colors, impressive sharpness, and superior quiet autofocus that makes it easy to use for both pros and novice photographers alike.

If you opt to use the manual focus ring, this lens has a switch by the side making it easy to change from AF to MF. It is also dust and moisture-resistant which adds up to its durability.

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4. Sony SEL1655G Alpha 16-55mm F2.8

Lens specifications:

• Lens type: Zoom lens
• Max Format size: APS-C / DX
• Focal length: 16–55 mm
• Image stabilization: No
• Lens mount: Sony E
• Maximum aperture: F2.8
• Minimum aperture: F22
• Weight: 494 g (1.09 lb)
• Diameter: 73 mm (2.87″)
• Length: 100 mm (3.94″)
• Sealing: Yes

There are instances when people don’t have the money to spend on prime lenses. Also, there are instances when photographers want a wider shot and a 50mm lens.

The Alpha 16-55mm F2.8 G Standard APS-C zoom lens is a great pick if you want the best of both worlds.

It comes in as a budget-friendly alternative to investing in higher-invested individual prime lenses.

The quality of the shots isn’t exactly lagging compared to some of the best Sony portrait lenses in the market. The aperture is also wide enough to handle shooting indoors.

However, it doesn’t produce the bokeh that you’d like compared to let’s say a 50mm F1.8 lens. Using this lens is also handy since you can get to switch between AF and MF easily.

You can just use the switch by the side of the lens.

If you are going to use its MF, it has a precise MF ring that is even more practical when the lens is used for taking videos.

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5. Sony SEL35F18 35mm f/1.8

Lens specifications:

• Lens type: Prime lens
• Max Format size: 35mm FF
• Focal length: 35 mm
• Image stabilization: No
• Lens mount: Sony FE
• Maximum aperture: F1.8
• Minimum aperture: F22
• Weight: 280 g (0.62 lb)
• Diameter: 66 mm (2.6″)
• Length: 73 mm (2.87″)
• Sealing: Yes

The Sony SEL35F18 35mm F1.8 prime lens is easier to use compared to its 24mm F1.8 counterpart.

It is a top choice for those who are looking for the best Sony Portrait lenses.

One of the few things that we’ve noticed is that it is lightweight and compact. It is easy to use given its weight, plus you get a slightly wider perspective compared to the 50mm prime lens.

Since many are using this for shooting videos, expect the motor to be quiet. It also comes with an image stabilization feature to minimize wasted shots along the way.

The best thing about this lens is that it can perform well in low-light conditions. It is easy to use even indoors. Plus, you can get amazing bokeh with the Sony SEL35F18 35mm F1.8 lens.

The downside is that it’s a crop lens. Also, the autofocus is a bit slow and inaccurate when used under the sun.

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6. Sony 24-70mm f/4

Lens specifications:

• Lens type: Zoom lens
• Max Format size: 35mm FF
• Focal length: 24–70 mm
• Image stabilization: Yes (Optical SteadyShot)
• Lens mount: Sony FE
• Maximum aperture: F4
• Minimum aperture: F22
• Weight: 426 g (0.94 lb)
• Diameter: 73 mm (2.87″)
• Length: 95 mm (3.74″)
• Sealing: Yes

If you are looking for a zoom lens that can act as a portrait lens, macro lens, and wide-angle lens, then you might want to consider the Sony 24-70mm F4 T FE OSS full frame zoom lens.

This lens is all you need in case you are shooting in well-lighted scenarios. The aperture isn’t as wide as some photographers wanted it.

Unfortunately, it also doesn’t give a good bokeh in case you want the effect of blurring the background in your shots.

The quality of the shots is superb. It produces sharp results and even has vibrant warm colors.

This lens even has a Zeiss T anti-reflective coating that can minimize flare. If you will look at its Gyro sensors, this comes in handy when it comes to adjusting precisely to counteract possible blurring in your images.

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7. Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM

Lens specifications:

• Lens type: Prime lens
• Max Format size: 35mm FF
• Focal length: 85 mm
• Image stabilization: No
• Lens mount: Sony FE
• Maximum aperture: F1.4
• Minimum aperture: F16
• Weight: 820 g (1.81 lb)
• Diameter: 90 mm (3.52″)
• Length: 108 mm (4.23″)
• Sealing: Yes

Shooting your subject from a distance is a great way to make the model feel comfortable.

And most of the time, 50mm prime lenses can’t get the job done. That is the reason why some photographers choose an 85mm lens over a 50mm prime lens.

The Sony FE 85mm F1.4 lens is a good example of this. It offers a wide aperture, even better than your typical 50mm F1.8 lens.

This lens means that you can shoot in low light conditions and not have any problems at all. This can also produce great bokeh if you need to blur focus on your subject and get everything out of focus.

Unfortunately, this isn’t one of the best Sony portrait lenses for a budget-conscious photographer. Plus, rarely will you need to shoot using F1.4.

Then again, you pay for the quality of the shots that it can produce.

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8. Sony – FE 50mm F1.8

Lens specifications:

• Lens type: Prime lens
• Max Format size: 35mm FF
• Focal length: 50 mm
• Image stabilization: No
• Lens mount: Sony FE
• Maximum aperture: F1.8
• Minimum aperture: F22
• Weight: 186 g (0.41 lb)
• Diameter: 69 mm (2.72″)
• Length: 60 mm (2.36″)
• Sealing: No

If you have a lower budget, and you want the best bang for your buck, then you might consider the Sony FE 50mm F1.8 Standard Lens.

This lens is a good pick for beginners and professional photographers alike. Construction-wise, you have a lightweight and compact lens.

Next, it takes stunning photos. The shots are realistic with great emphasis on sharpness and vibrant colors.

Another thing that makes the Sony FE 50mm F1.8 Standard Lens a good pick is the fact that it is one of those lenses that bring in great versatility.

If you are going to compare this with the other best Sony portrait lenses, this can arguably be the best choice.

The reason is that many find it easy to use in different scenarios. You get to produce great bokeh and even use it indoors.

Unfortunately, it is known for having bad autofocus. It makes use of a DC motor that takes a lot of pulsing to be able to focus.

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9. Sony 18-135mm F3.5-5.6

Lens specifications:

• Lens type Zoom lens
• Max Format size APS-C / DX
• Focal length 18–135 mm
• Image stabilization Yes
• Lens mount Sony E
• Maximum aperture F3.5–5.6
• Minimum aperture F22–36
• Weight 325 g (0.72 lb)
• Diameter 67 mm (2.64″)
• Length 88 mm (3.46″)
• Sealing No

A good option for those who are looking to just bring one lens in their bag is the Sony 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 OSS APS-C E-mount lens can be a good pick.

Imagine having an all-in-one lens that can come in handy for different scenarios.

If you are shooting portraits, you can use this lens without being too close to your subject. You can give him or her some distance and even get better results.

The quality of the shots is also amazing with great colors and stunning sharpness. However, it might not work if you are not working in a well-lighted area.

The AF is known for its quiet and high-speed performance. It is also accurate allowing minimal lag time.

But the biggest downside is that there is an obvious vignetting that can be seen in the photos.

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10. Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8

Lens specifications:

• Lens type: Zoom lens
• Max Format size: 35mm FF
• Focal length: 70–200 mm
• Image stabilization: Yes
• Lens mount: Sony FE
• Maximum aperture: F2.8
• Minimum aperture: F22
• Weight: 1480 g (3.26 lb)
• Diameter: 88 mm (3.46″)
• Length: 200 mm (7.87″)
• Sealing: Yes

A Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS Lens is usually picked by those who are doing macro photography.

However, this can also be considered one of the best Sony portrait lenses considering its aperture and range that allows photographers to work from a distance.

You can also expect great sharpness, vibrant colors, and beautiful bokeh with this lens. This is usually a good pick for photographers shooting sports photography.

And what makes it stand out from other lenses is the fact that it comes in with highly durable construction. It is dust and moisture-resistant giving you the confidence you need when shooting.

Using the lens is also easy as it comes with an optical stabilization feature.

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FAQ

Concluding Remarks

If you are looking for the best Sony portrait lens, you might as well weigh these options.

But of course, the definition of the “best” portrait lens may differ based on your requirements and also your budget.

Try to weigh the pros and cons and see which one fits your needs.

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