Best Wildlife Lenses for Sony a6000 Cameras in 2022

Going out into nature and getting images of wildlife is one of my passions. Making sure that you are getting great photos of your subjects without harming or disturbing them takes some special equipment, namely telephoto or “long” lenses. One drawback of these lenses is that they can be incredibly expensive, and may cost more than a camera body. It’s important to know what the tradeoffs are in cost vs functionality. So with that in mind, let’s dive into the lens details and look at the Best Wildlife Lenses for Sony a6000 cameras.

Sony’s line of cameras spans both full-frame (A7, A9, A1) and APS C crop sensor (a6000 family) bodies. While the full-frame cameras are some of the best in the business, the APS C cameras shouldn’t be ignored. The smaller sensor has a benefit when paired with a long lens, it actually increases the magnification by a factor of 1.5x. So a 400mm lens on a Sony a6500 will act as a 600mm lens would on a Sony A7R!

Starting with wildlife photography, you might consider functionality versus cost. First, using an a6000 body can save you thousands of dollars over the full-framed bodies. And with the money you saved there, you can invest in telephoto lenses that will work on any Sony E mount camera. If you want to upgrade to a full-frame camera later, something to keep in mind.

We will review several different lenses at different budget points that would be great for wildlife photography. At the end of the article, we’ll give our final thoughts on the best Sony wildlife lens a6000 family cameras.

What Lens Features Are Important for Wildlife Photography?

Focal Length – I find that a wildlife lens needs to have a focal length of at least 300mm (450mm APS C) and that’s where I started. Once I got my feet under me, moved up to a 600mm lens (900mm APS C) and have not regretted it.

Another option is to look into using a teleconverter to increase the focal length of the lens by a factor of 1.4x or 2.0x. Unfortunately, teleconverters don’t play well with all lenses and may impact your camera’s ability to autofocus correctly. So do your research (or try renting one) before buying one.

Large Aperture – Maximum aperture is an important factor when persuing wildlife images. Nature photography has you out in the field at dawn or dusk, so you need a lens that can work in low light. I would suggest a fast lens with at least f/5 or f/4.5 would be a good starting place.

Stabilization – Having a lens with built-in Optical SteadyShot (OSS) is really helpful in the field when you are handholding a heavy lens. This technology counteracts small movements in the lens so you’re images come out with less motion blur.

Weather Sealing – Nature photography is primarily done out of doors and puts you and your equipment in danger of getting rained on or placed in dusty environments. Having a well-sealed lens is a critical feature for protecting your gear and keeping it safe from damage.

So with that being said, here are my recommendations for telephotos for you wildlife photographers –

1 – Beginner Wildlife Photography Lens

2 – The Good Wildlife Photography Lens

3 – The Better Wildlife Photography Lens

4 – The Best Wildlife Photography Lens

5 – The Budget Wildlife Photography Lens

Conclusion

We’ve reviewed seven different lenses that would be perfect for wildlife photography. Sony’s own FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS Lens is the best choice (and in my personal gear inventory). With its fast autofocus and incredible zoom range, it outperforms all (well, almost) all the other lenses on the list.

“Use a telephoto lens and maintain enough distance to allow your subject to behave naturally.”

Audubon society

“Long lenses give a sense of intimacy with the subject while maintaining a working distance”

Art Wolfe

Remember: always use ethical practices when capturing images and strive to ethically capture images with these guidelines in mind.

If you have any questions about which lens might work well for your specific needs, feel free to reach out directly, and we’ll help guide you through the process as needed! Let us know what kind of wildlife photographs are most interesting to you or if there are other types of lenses that interest you more than these listed here.

What are your favorite lenses for Sony a6000 cameras? Please let us know if you have any other questions about the best lens choices, and we’ll be glad to help out! Thank you so much for reading.

If you liked this review, check out the Reviews section for more lens and camera suggestions.

Q&A

Why use a Sony a6000 series for Wildlife Photography?

Sony’s full-frame A7 and A9 series cameras are incredible. However, Sony’s APS C cameras are perfect for wildlife photography. The crop sensor in the APS C cameras actually increases the magnification of any lens you attach to it.

Save some money so you can buy more lenses!

What makes a good Wildlife Lens?

When looking for a good wildlife lens, few factors to consider. A wildlife lens should be able to zoom in close to the animal while still providing a clear image. It should also be able to focus on objects that are far away. The lens should be durable so that it can withstand being dropped or hit. It is also important that the lens is lightweight so that it is easy to carry around.

Quality

There are few things more important than having a high-quality lens when shooting wildlife photography because animals can’t be controlled or directed like humans who model for photoshoots. You need every advantage you can get when photographing animals. Typically wildlife lenses are long telephoto zoom lenses that allow you to get close to your subject without being physically present.

Focal Length

It suggested that wildlife lenses have a minimum focal length of 300mm and can go up to 600mm or more. Wildlife photography is also challenging because it involves getting close enough to capture the shot without disturbing the animal or it’s environment.

Large Aperature

Aperature is an important factor when taking wildlife images. You will likely be out taking photos at dawn or dusk and will need to gather as much light as possible. This means using a large aperture (aka shooting wide open). Remember, the lower the numeric value of the f stop, the larger the aperture opening (i.e., f/2.8 is larger than f/5).

Weather-Sealed

When out in the preserves looking for birds and animals, you will be at the mercy of nature. When it starts to rain or gets very humid, you’ll need to keep your lens dry, so condensation does not affect image quality. Fortunately, most of the Sony Lenses are weather sealed. Even though that means it’s not 100% weatherproof, they will be capable of handling some rain without having issues.

Lens Weight

Traveling out in nature for hours can be pretty tiring, especially if your lens weighs a ton. If you’re not in top shape, you may want to opt for a lighter wight lens. Take a look at the Sony FE 70-200mm or FE 70-300mm lenses. They’ve both got a good reach at half the weight of the Sony FE 200-600mm.

Image Stabilization

The final thing to consider when buying telephoto lenses for wildlife photos is if they provide image stabilization (OSS – Optical Steady Shot). In low-light situations, stabilization can allow you to handhold your camera and lens at a slower shutter speed and still get great shots.

Zoom or Prime Lens for Wildlife Photography?

A telephoto zoom lens gives you versatility and provides you with various focal sizes to choose from. It enables blending your photographs with different image styles. The prime lens allows for only fixed focal lengths. However, the zoom lens typically has different apertures depending on the focal point as you move towards telephoto angles. Generally, the prime lenses have much larger max apertures. Primers are generally cheaper than zooms, especially telephoto lenses.

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