The Sony A600 is a revolutionary camera that changed the digital photography world. Operating with a much smaller body than a standard DSLR the Sony A600 became a must have for any professional, travel, portrait, wildlife or aspiring photographer.
The mirrorless digital camera has no optical view finder like a DSLR. Instead the image sensor is exposed at all times in the form of a digital preview. However, like the DSLR the Sony A600 can only do so much.
This list will provide an overview of a range of lenses that will add depth, focus and creativity to the photos you snap on the Sony A600.
The Sony A600 will work well with any standard E-mount lens, especially those designed for ASPOC sensors but will also work with an FE-mount if you are using a full frame mirrorless camera.
It’s difficult to say which lens is best for the Sony A600 since it depends entirely on your requirements. In this article we will cover everything from the best wide-angle lens for the outdoors landscape photographer, to the best lenses for crisp clear head shots and everything in between.
Sigma 16mm F/1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens for Sony E
The Sigma 16mm F1/4 is the first lens on our list. This is a great lens that will work extremely well with the Sony A600 despite not being a Sony product.
This lens takes sharp photos that are both crisp and clear. Your photos will be blessed with rich color saturation and sharp edges.
This lens is perfect for just about any use a photographer could think of! The simple and easy to use auto focus makes snapping moving objects both simple and effective, the lens is also capable of shooting wide angle landscapes as well as close ups. The F1/4 also produces a gorgeous background blur.
Pros
- Auto focus makes this lens great for photographers of all levels.
- Greta color saturation in your photos.
- Covers almost all of your photography needs with one lens ranging from landscapes to real estate.
- Compact size so the lens is portable and light weight.
- Great for low light photography (without flash).
Cons
- Auto focus can make noise when you’re using the lens.
- Better alternatives for more specific photographers such as Landscapes.
- Costs as much as the camera itself.
Sony SEL35F18 35mm f/1.8 Prime Fixed Lens
The song 35mm f/1.8 Fixed Lens is an extremely popular lens with users of the Sony A600. This lens is lightweight, compact and the perfect lens for any photographer looking to sharpen the focus of the A600.
The Sony 35mm f/1.8 Fixed Lens comes with a silent focus system, built in optical stabilization and a focal length of 1.38 inches.
This lens is popular for a reason and will not disappoint any photographer looking for a versatile lens to take on their next adventure.
Pros
- Silent focus system.
- Compact, lightweight design making this lens easy to transport.
- Built in optical stabilization to make sure your shots don’t blur.
- Versatile lens great for street photography, portraits and also videos.
- Auto focus override option to make sure that you focus in on the right subject every time.
- Bright maximum aperture making this lens great for nighttime shooting and high-resolution portraits with interesting blur affects.
- Short minimum focus distancing.
Cons
- Lens isn’t zoomable.
- Expensive lens.
- Auto focus can be slow when filming videos.
- The lens can be loud for people intending to use it solely for filming.
Sigma 30mm F1.4 Contemporary DC DN Lens for Sony E
The Sigma 30mm F1.4 lens is another Sony alternative lens that will provide any Sony A600 user with a great lens for snapping wide angle shots. It’s a lot cheaper than its counterparts and functions much the same.
The Sigma 30mm F1.4 is a great lens for any photographer of any level. The F1.4 lets in more light for high light saturation whilst the 30mm lens allows for optical viewing and focusing in on your subjects.
Pros
- Extremely good value for money, especially in comparison with other lenses on the market.
- Includes lens hood, as well as a rear and front cap.
- Extremely sharp lens design for the A600.
- Still effective in low light conditions.
- Small and compact.
- Has an auto focusing lens.
- Great for a wide range of photography ranging from portraits to wildlife photography.
Cons
- No stabilization control over images.
- The auto focus doesn’t work as well when focusing in on a subject that is close up.
- Auto Focus is slow when filming.
Sony FE 85mm f/1.8 Lens (SEL85F18/2)
The Sony FE 85mm f/1.8 lens is a great option for photographer wanting a full frame lens. This light weigh compact lens is perfect for the outdoor explorer to take on their next adventure.
If you’re looking for a lens that is great for outdoor photography on the Sony A600 then look no further. Although this lens doesn’t have built in stabilization it does have ED glass for corner-to-corner sharpness.
Few people have any complaints about this lens and it’s easy to see why!
Pros
- Full frame lens.
- Light weight and compact design.
- Wide F/1.8 aperture makes for great defocusing effects.
- Quiet fast focusing system.
- 9-blade circular aperture creates beautiful round defocused bokeh
- Sharp crisp images.
Cons
- Doesn’t have built in stabilization.
- Expensive in comparison with other lenses.
Sony SEL35F18 35mm f/1.8 Prime Fixed Lens
The Song 35mm f/1.8 Fixed Lens is a great lens for photographers looking to improve their composition skills. The primed lens offers the fastest way to obtain better composition.
The compact size of this lens makes it perfect for anyone looking to travel or snap photos on the streets. The lens provides a 50mm field of view and is suitable for a wide range of subjects from landscape to street photography. The silent internal mechanisms also make this lens great for filming as well!
Pros
- Primed lens means you can quickly learn house to compose your photos correctly.
- Compact size makes this lens perfect for taking with you on any trips.
- The 35mm f/1.8 provides a perfect field of view.
- 50mm focal length provides an undistorted field of view.
- Extremely flattering for portrait photography as unlike longer lenses this lens won’t detach your subject from the background.
- Take great pictures in low light conditions without flash.
- OSS (optical steady shot) makes this lens great for image stabilization.
Cons
- This lens is expensive costing more than the Sony A600 camera.
- Autofocus can be laggy.
- The exterior metal shell can scratch easily.
- The lens doesn’t work as well for filming videos.
Sigma 19mm f/2.8 DN Lens for Sony NEX E-mount Cameras
The sigma 19mm f/2.8 DN Lens is fast, providing great image stabilization and all at an extremely reasonable price. This lens is perfect for portrait photographers especially but will also work for other uses such as street photography and food photography amongst others.
The APS-C focal length of 90mm will make your subjects appear in the perfect proportion making this lens a great option for headshots, portraits and fashion photographers looking for a lens that will maximize the capabilities of the Sony A600.
Pros
- Great for portrait photography.
- Offer superb image stabilization.
- Great value for money in comparison with other lens models.
- Medium telephoto length means you can capture head shots and shoulders up to 6 feet away in perfect harmony.
- Great for close up landscape photography highlighting specific scenery or objects.
- Sturdy light weight lens.
- APS-C focal length of 90mm provides perfect proportions for portraits.
Cons
- Noisy when recording which can be a problem of videographers.
- Slow to focus.
- Low depth of field meaning other lenses might be preferable depending on your uses.
Rokinon 12mm F2.0 NCS CS Ultra Wide Angle Lens Sony E-Mount
The Rokinon 12mm F2.0 NCS CS Ultra Wide Angle Lens is the ideal lens for any photographer with a Sony A600 looking to take wide angle photos. As with any mirrorless camera the cropped sensor body can hinder wind angle shots, but this lens will rectify any issues you may come across.
The lens has no auto focus, but with the f/2 shutter you can still shoot in low levels of light. The Rokinon 12mm F/2 is the ideal elns for any photographer looking to take landscapes, shoot action shots or anything requiring a wide frame.
Pros
- Great for wide angle shots and overcomes issues with the Sony A600.
- Perfect for landscape photographers looking to capture lots of details.
- Nano crystal coating system allows for increased light saturation and reducing internal reflections.
- Light weight and great build quality.
Cons
- Doesn’t have auto focus so you must be comfortable focusing yourself.
- Not great for photographing subjects specifically.
- Can produce blurry images if the subject is moving.
Sony SEL-20F28 E-Mount 20mm F2.8 Prime Fixed Lens
The Sony SEL-20F28 E-Mount 20mm F2.8 Prime Fixed lens is what is commonly referred to as a “pancake” lens. A pancake lens is a lens which is only a itny bit larger than a lens cap. This is a great lens for the photographer looking to mirror the Sony A600 in shape with a tiny lens.
This lens is great for taking discrete Martin Parr style snaps of people. Perfect for shooting street photography, capturing images of the unknown and is a great tool for any photographer looking to shoot real life.
This is the ideal lens for travelling, street photography and taking discrete images. The 30mm field of view limits distortion and is great for taking snaps whilst on the move.
Pros
- This lens is perfect for the budding street photographer.
- Great lens to accompany the Sony A600 as its similar in size.
- Small and sturdy. Great for everyday use anywhere and everywhere.
- 30mm field of view limits distortion.
- Perfect for shooting whilst on the move.
Cons
- This lens isn’t good for portrait photography.
- The image quality can sometimes suffer in terms of sharpness.
- Low optical quality.
Conclusion
This article has provided you with an overview of the best lenses out there at the moment for the Sony A600 camera. As with any DSLR camera, although the cameras are great, they are limited.
In order to take your photography to the next level consider buying of these lenses which cover anything from portrait photography to discrete street photography shooting.
