Of course, some photographers would rather reach for zoom lenses than prime lenses. We get that! So, if you’re a professional photographer using Sony cameras, you’re in the right place. Looking for the best portrait lenses for Sony E Mount? We’ve tested these lenses and found them to be exceptional in a variety of tests. But more importantly, they’re also innovative in many ways. Take a look!
Table of Contents
Pro Tips on Using Portrait Lenses for Sony E Mount Cameras
If you’re curious about some of the best portrait lenses for Sony E Mount, see how we test our lenses:
- All the images in this roundup were shot by us. Further, all the testing was done by us, too. You can click on our full reviews in each section to learn more.
- This roundup of the best portrait lenses for Sony E Mount focuses on the fact that some professional photographers want zoom lenses instead of primes. In that case, these truly are remarkable.
- Some Sony cameras focus faster and better than others. We’ve seen this across the board in our camera tests.
- The key with Sony is using the AF-C mode along with face/eye detection. And you’ll get the fastest and most accurate autofocus if you turn off the Live View Setting Effect. Instead, set up your camera to give an End Result Preview when pressing a button.
- One of these lenses is an Editor’s Choice Award winner. Another one was incredibly close to getting it.
Tamron 28-75mm f2.8 Di III VXD G2
Pro Tip
Use this lens at the tele-end for portraits where you want a lot of bokeh. It works great on the wider end too, for dramatic environmental portraits. Combine this with face and eye detection. We’ve used it on both current and older cameras. and the autofocus did a great job on both. So, no matter what Sony camera you’re using, this lens should do an excellent job.
How’s the Autofocus?
In our review, we state:
“…it focused perfectly fine on both cameras providing that the autofocus was set to the correct subject type. This worked both with moving and stagnant subjects. More importantly, it also worked very well in low-light.”
Tamron 35-150mm f2-2.8 Di III VXD
Pro Tip
The Tamron 35-150mm f2-2.8 Di III VXD is one of the most innovative lenses to come out in the past few years. It provides an advantageous focal range for photographers of all types. At the longer end, it will act sort of like a 70-200mm lens. On the wider end, it will seem more like a prime lens with its wide aperture. Use this lens in conjunction with face and eye detection. And for an even better effect, use the AF-C setting on your Sony camera.
How’s the Autofocus?
In our review, we state:
“I can’t complain about the autofocus here. It’s pretty much as good as a Sony lens. And you can trust us on that statement; we’ve reviewed the most lenses for Sony FE-mount of any photography-specialized outlet.”
Tamron 70-180mm f2.8 Di III VXD
Pro Tip
Think of the Tamron 70-180mm f2.8 Di III VXD as being more compact and lighter than a 70-200mm lens, giving you excellent mobility when shooting all day. With your Sony camera, you’ll rely on its image stabilization. The VXD autofocus motor will keep up with most subjects, provided you’ve got the right camera.
How’s the Autofocus?
In our review, we state:
“…both Face Detection AF and Eye Detection AF worked reasonably well on the Tamron.”
This piece is presented in partnership with TAMRON. We’ve independently and ethically reviewed all the products in this post already without sponsorship. And we worked with them to recommend a few key gems to you.
The Phoblographer’s various product round-up features are done in-house. Our philosophy is simple: you wouldn’t get a Wagyu beef steak review from a lifelong vegetarian. And you wouldn’t get photography advice from someone who doesn’t touch the product. We only recommend gear we’ve fully reviewed. If you’re wondering why your favorite product didn’t make the cut, there’s a chance it’s on another list. If we haven’t reviewed it, we won’t recommend it. This method keeps our lists packed with industry-leading knowledge. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.