Take Outstanding Vacation Photos With These Fantastic Sony A6000 Lenses
If you’re like me, then you love travel photography. I never go on vacation without my Sony camera. And if you have one of the cameras in the Sony a6000 family (a6300, a6400, a6500, etc.), then you’re going to want to check out some of the best travel lens options for these cameras. So let’s look for the best options for a vacation camera lens for Sony a6000 cameras.
So, whether you’re a beginner or an experienced photographer, bookmark this post and refer to it when planning your next trip because you’ll want to know what the best travel lenses are for your Sony a6000 cameras.
What to Look for in a Travel Lens?
You’ll want to consider a few key factors when looking for a travel lens for your Sony a6000. And you’ll also want to keep in mind that the Sony a6000 cameras have an APS C sensor, so the focal length will be about 1.5 times longer than you’re used to on a 35mm camera.
An important thing to know is that all the modern Sony cameras share the same lens mount, the Sony E mount. There are two designations for this lens mount. For the full-frame cameras, like the A7 and A1 series, it’s called the FE (Full E) mount. The APS C cameras, like the a6000 series, are called the E mount. The mount is interchangeable between the full and APS C cameras, but the E lenses may cause vignetting (dark edges) on the full-frame cameras.
So first, you’ll want to consider what you’ll use the lens for. If you’re primarily interested in sightseeing and taking pictures of landscapes and buildings, you’ll want a wide-view lens. This will allow you to fit more of the scene into your photograph.
If you’re more interested in portraits and wildlife photography, you’ll want a lens with a longer focal length. This will help you capture more detail in your shots.
What Makes a Good Sony a6000 Vacation Lens?
Another thing to consider when choosing a travel lens is its size and weight.
You’ll want something lightweight and easy to pack so that it doesn’t take up too much room in your suitcase. And since you’ll probably be carrying it around with you most of the time, this lens needs to fit comfortably in your hand and not weigh down your bag too much.
Finally, if possible, you’ll want a zoom lens so that you can capture various photographs, from cityscapes to landscape shots, without having to swap lenses all the time.
So, here are some excellent lenses to consider for your Sony a6000 camera. To be impartial, I’m laying out an option set of good – better – best, along with a budget (under $100) choice and a funky lens, so you try a more creative style.
The Good Travel Lens
Sony SELP1650 16-50mm Power Zoom Lens $289 ($159 Referb)
The Sony SELP1650 is a beautiful travel lens. It’s light and compact, extending only 1.2″ from the camera so you can quickly put it in your carry bag or purse. But don’t let the small size mislead you, this lens performs beautifully in low light and has optical SteadyShot stabilization to keep the camera shake to a minimum at low shutter speeds.
I think the focal range is perfect for sightseeing and street photography on the go, making it a great option as a travel lens to take on vacation with Sony a6000 cameras. You may even have this one in your bag already, for a long time, Sony packaged it as the kit lens for the a6000. If you don’t have it, you can look for a used one.
Quick Specs
- Focal zoom range 16-50mm (25-75mm full-frame equivalent)
- Max aperture F3.5 – F5.6
- Length 1.2″ (30mm) zoom lens
- Optical SteadyShot stabilization
- Autofocus
- The minimum focus distance of 9.8″
Where to Buy
The Better Travel Lens
Tamron 28-75mm F/2.8 Di III RXD for SONY $850
The Tamron 28-75mm F/2.8 is a popular choice for travelers who want a lightweight all-around telephoto zoom lens. At a length of 3.75″, this lens is a little larger than the SELP1650 but has excellent image quality. And the effective 42-112mm focal range is great for touring, giving the lens a versatile wide to telephoto range and bright f/2.8 maximum aperture.
The lens features a fast, precise autofocusing system so you can catch the action in both still and video mode.
The Tamron 28-75mm F/2.8 is dust, and moisture-resistant and is equipped with a nine-blade circular diaphragm for smooth bokeh.
Quick Specs
- Focal zoom range 28-75mm (42-112.5mm full-frame equivalent)
- Constant F2.8 aperture
- Length 3.75″ (95mm)
- Autofocus
- The minimum focus distance of 7.1″
Where to Buy
The Best Travel Lens
Sony FE 24-105mm f/4 G OSS Lens $1400
The Sony FE 24-105mm f/4 is one of Sony’s G series lenses. These lenses all feature superior lens elements, high-speed focusing, and incredible image quality. This one lens is made for someone to put on their camera and leave it on for a whole day of shooting, regardless of what happens—being able to use a single lens while on vacation with your Sony a6000 will help you to keep things simple while you are out exploring new and exciting locations.
This model spans the wide-angle to telephoto range. So no matter what comes up in a day of exploring, you can compose your best view.
The lens comes with in-built image stabilization using Sony’s excellent SteadyShot stabilization. So even if your sony a6000 series body doesn’t have built-in stabilization, the lens will help minimize camera shake in your landscape photography.
This lens’s smooth, high-speed, and silent focus is also ideal for shooting movies.
Quick Specs
- Focal zoom range 24-105mm (36-157.5mm full-frame equivalent)
- Constant F4.0 aperture
- Length 4.4″ (113mm)
- Optical SteadyShot stabilization
- Fast autofocus
- The minimum focus distance of 15″
- Weather sealed
Where to Buy
The Budget Travel Lens
Yongnuo YN 50mm f/1.8S DA DSM Lens for Sony E $119
So I struggled to find an autofocusing travel lens at a price of less than $100. The Yongnuo 50mm prime lens is as close as it gets. This is a compact and lightweight, portrait-length prime lens. I think it would be a good choice for an all-day carry-around vacation lens on your Sony a6000 camera.
The lens’s bright f/1.8 aperture suits for working in low-light/indoor conditions. The image quality seems decent, but there are few reviews to know how well the lens performs under various conditions.
Quick Specs
- Focal range 50mm (75mm full-frame equivalent)
- Max aperture F1.8
- Length 2.28″ (58mm)
- Autofocus
- The minimum focus distance of 1.48′
Where to Buy
A Funky Sony a6000 Travel Lens
Rokinon 12mm F2.0 NCS CS Ultra Wide Angle Lens Sony E-Mount $230
Here’s something fun to try, super-wide-angle lenses (aka fish-eyes). This lens sports a broad 98.9° angle of view, perfect for architectural, interior, and astrophotography images.
Using a prime lens like this indoors at a cathedral or other large venue can create some incredible images.
Or why not try some night-sky (astrophotography) when you’re out in nature? This lens will capture the milky-way or aurora if you are lucky enough to see one.
I think you should give it a try.
(Note – this is a manual focus lens, but when capturing wide-angle shots, that’s not an issue.)
Quick Specs
- Focal length 12mm (18mm full-frame equivalent)
- Max aperture F2.0
- Length 2.34″ (59.44mm)
- The minimum focus distance of 7″
Where to Buy
Conclusion
This article recommends a few different lenses for travelers with a Sony 6000 camera (or any of the Sony APS C cameras). The best option is the Sony FE 24-105mm f/4, versatile and suited for all kinds of shooting. If you’re looking for a budget option, the Yongnuo 50mm f/1.8S lens is a good choice. For something more fun, the Rokinon 12mm F2.0 lens is excellent for capturing wide-angle shots.
Thanks for reading! Head on over to my Reviews category if you want to see more gear.
I also have some great suggestions for Sony E Birding and Wildlife lenses and Sony E-mount lenses for Portrait Photography.
