Rankings
The Tamron 17-70mm f/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD is a versatile, constant-aperture zoom with built-in vibration compensation and weather-sealed construction, delivering sharp images across a useful focal range. Minor vignetting and by-wire focus quirks are its main trade-offs. It excels for APS-C mirrorless shooters needing a fast, all-round travel lens.
The Sigma 18-50mm F2.8 DC DN Contemporary is a compact, constant-aperture standard zoom for APS-C mirrorless cameras, offering sharp optics and close-focus capability. Its lack of image stabilization and reduced corner performance on very high-resolution sensors are notable trade-offs. Ideal for travel and street photographers who value portability.
The Meike 50mm f/1.8 is an affordable full-frame prime lens offering a fast aperture and compact build. Its lack of weather sealing and image stabilization limit use in harsh conditions. Ideal for budget-conscious portrait and street shooters.
The Meike 35 mm f/1.7 is an all-metal manual-focus prime designed for APS-C mirrorless cameras, delivering a bright aperture and compact size. Soft corners and the absence of autofocus restrict its use for fast or edge-critical work. It's perfect for street and travel photographers who value manual control and low-light capability.
The Viltrox 35mm f/1.7 is an ultra-compact, fast-aperture prime ideal for street and portrait work on Sony APS-C bodies. Its trade-offs are the lack of weather sealing, no aperture ring, and a plastic-heavy build. Best suited for travelers and vloggers who prioritize size and speed over ruggedness.
The Samyang 135mm f/2.0 ED UMC is a manual-focus telephoto prime delivering outstanding sharpness and creamy bokeh in a solid aluminum barrel. Its absence of autofocus, image stabilization, and weather sealing restrict fast-action use. Perfect for portrait and low-light telephoto work on Sony bodies.
The Viltrox 20mm f/2.8 is a pocket-sized, budget-friendly full-frame wide-angle lens offering fast STM autofocus and close-focus capability. Its main drawbacks are noticeable vignetting, edge softness and a plastic-heavy construction. It is best for beginners, travelers and vloggers who value size and price over top-tier image quality.
The Sony E PZ 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS is an ultra-compact, retractable zoom with power-zoom and Optical SteadyShot, covering a versatile 24-75mm equivalent range. Its variable slow aperture and lack of weather sealing restrict low-light and rugged use. Perfect for travel photographers and vloggers needing a lightweight kit lens.
The Sony FE 50mm f/1.8 is a compact, lightweight prime delivering fast f/1.8 aperture and sharp central performance at an affordable price. It suffers from soft corners, vignetting, and lacks weather sealing or stabilization. Best suited for budget-conscious portrait and low-light shooters.
The Benoison 420-800mm manual-focus telephoto lens offers super-telephoto reach at a budget price, compatible with Sony E-mount cameras and usable with IBIS for stabilization. Lack of autofocus, image stabilization, and a slow aperture limit its practicality, especially handheld. Suited for hobbyist wildlife photographers willing to use a tripod and accept lower image quality.
| Attribute | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
35 mm | — | 50 mm | — | 135 mmbest | 20 mm | 50 mm | — | 35 mm | — | |
1.7 | 2.8best | 1.8 | 2.8best | 2 | 2.8best | 1.8 | — | 1.7 | — | |
| ↓ lower better | 0.33 m | 0.19 m | 0.45 m | 0.121 mbest | 0.8 m | 0.19 m | 0.63 m | — | 0.3 m | — |
| ↓ lower better | 170 g | 525 g | 186 g | 290 g | 862 g | 157 g | 382 g | 770 g | 181 g | 116 gbest |
— | 4.1best | 1 | 2.8 | — | — | — | 1.9 | — | 3.1 | |
9best | 9best | 7 | 7 | 9best | 7 | 9best | — | — | 7 | |
— | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.4best | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.1 | — | — | 0.2 | |
11 | 16best | 6 | 13 | 11 | 10 | 11 | — | 6 | 9 |
Click an attribute name to sort · Green = best, red = worst (relative to this comparison)
| Attribute | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Compatibility(2) | ||||||||||
Lens Mount | Sony E | Sony E | Sony E-mount | Sony E | Sony E | Sony E | Sony E | Sony E | Sony E | Sony E-mount |
Mount Compatibility | Sony E-mount APS-C cameras | Sony E-mount (APS-C) | Sony E-mount full-frame | L-Mount, Sony E, Fujifilm X, Canon RF | Sony E, Sony FE, Canon EF, Nikon F, Sony A/Minolta, Pentax K, Four Thirds, Micro Four Thirds, Samsung NX, Fujifilm X, Canon EF-M | Sony E (full-frame), Nikon Z, Fuji X | Sony E, Nikon Z, L-mount/Leica-SL | Sony A7C, A7R, A7S, A7, A9, a6700, a6600, a6500, a6400, a6300, a6100, a6000, a5100, a5000, NEX-7, NEX-6, NEX-5, ZV-E10, etc. | Sony E (APS-C), Fujifilm X (APS-C), Nikon Z | Sony E-mount APS-C |
Features(3) | ||||||||||
Image Stabilization | false | true | false | false | false | false | — | false | — | true |
Autofocus Type | STM | RXD | Auto | Autofocus | manual | STM | STM | Manual | Manual | Auto |
Focus Type | Internal autofocus | Autofocus | Auto | Autofocus | manual | Internal focus | Autofocus with AF/MF switch | Manual | Manual | Internal |
Optics(9) | ||||||||||
Focal Length (mm) | 35 mm | 17-70 mm | 50 mm | 18-50 mm | 135 mm | 20 mm | 50 mm | 420-800 mm | 35 mm | 16-50 mm |
Maximum Aperture (f‑stop) | 1.7 | 2.8 | 1.8 | 2.8 | 2.0 | 2.8 | 1.8 | 8.3-16 | 1.7 | 3.5-5.6 |
Minimum Focus Distance (m) | 0.33 m | 0.19 m | 0.45 m | 0.121 m | 0.8 m | 0.19 m | 0.63 m | — | 0.3 m | 0.25-0.30 m |
Zoom Ratio | — | 4.1 | 1 | 2.78 | — | — | — | 1.9 | — | 3.125 |
Macro Ratio | — | 0.21 | 0.14 | 0.36 | 0.25 | 0.17 | 0.1 | — | — | 0.215 |
Number of Optical Elements | 11 | 16 | 6 | 13 | 11 | 10 | 11 | — | 6 | 9 |
Number of Optical Groups | 9 | 12 | 5 | 10 | 7 | 8 | 7 | — | 5 | 8 |
Diaphragm Blades | 9 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 9 | — | 8-10 | 7 |
Coating | Nano multi-layer | Fluorine, BBAR | — | — | UMC | HD nano multi-layer | Double-sided multilayer coating | — | Multi-layer nano coating | — |
Build & Design(6) | ||||||||||
Weather Sealing | false | true | false | true | false | false | — | — | — | false |
Filter Thread Size (mm) | 52 mm | 67 mm | 49 mm | 55 mm | 77 mm | 52 mm | 58 mm | 62 mm | 49 mm | 40.5 mm |
Weight (g) | 170 g | 525 g | 186 g | 290 g | 862 g | 157 g | 382 g | 770 g | 181 g | 116 g |
Length (mm) | 54.7 mm | 119.3 mm | 103.9 mm | 74.5 mm | 81 mm | 59.5 mm | 103.1 mm | 240 mm | 41 mm | 29.9 mm |
Maximum Diameter (mm) | 64 mm | 74.6 mm | 68.6 mm | 65.4 mm | 81 mm | 65 mm | 73 mm | 67 mm | — | 64.7 mm |
Construction Material | Metal | — | Plastic with metal mount | — | aluminum alloy | Mixed plastic/aluminum | — | — | All-metal | — |
Products in the top-left offer the best value (high score, low price).
Professional reviewers commend the Viltrox 35mm f/1.7 for its ultra-compact footprint, fast aperture and quiet STM AF with eye/face detection, noting it as a solid budget alternative to Fuji's 35mm f/2 lenses. However, they criticize the lack of an aperture ring, weather sealing and the slightly softer wide-open sharpness compared with Viltrox's own 56mm counterpart.
Everyday users consistently praise the lens's pocketable size, light weight, quiet autofocus and attractive bokeh, especially for travel, street and video work. Recurring complaints focus on the missing aperture ring for Fuji users, the plastic feel of the body, and occasional softness at the widest aperture.
“fits in pocket”
“compact and lightweight”
“Constant f/2.8 maximum aperture enables consistent exposure and depth-of-field control.”
Professional reviewers commend the Tamron 17-70mm f/2.8 for its travel-friendly size, constant fast aperture, and the added benefit of VC, which together deliver high-resolution, homogenous images and quiet, responsive autofocus. The lens is praised as a well-balanced, versatile option that feels solid in hand, though critics point out its noticeable vignetting, slight edge softness at 70 mm, and the quirks of its by-wire focus system.
Everyday users love the lens's portability, sharpness and the ability to shoot handheld in low light thanks to the f/2.8 aperture and VC. They frequently cite its "do-it-all" range as a major value, while repeatedly noting the need to correct vignetting and occasional autofocus oddities as the main pain points.
Professional reviewers commend the Sony FE 50mm F1.8 for its excellent value, lightweight construction, sharp center performance and pleasing bokeh, while noting soft corners wide open, noticeable vignetting and the absence of weather sealing and OSS as trade-offs compared to higher-priced alternatives.
Everyday users love the lens's portability, low-light capability and sharpness when stopped down, but repeatedly mention soft corners at the widest aperture, occasional autofocus hiccups and the lack of weather resistance as the main pain points.
Professional reviewers commend the Sigma 18-50mm F2.8 DC DN for its revolutionary compactness, sharp optics and bright constant aperture, calling it an "ultimate workhorse" that delivers excellent image quality in a tiny package. They also note its strong close-focus capability, but point out the lack of image stabilization, corner softness on very high-resolution sensors, and a slightly limited 18 mm wide-end compared with competing lenses.
Everyday users love the lens's pocketable size, sharpness for street and travel shooting, and the value it provides as a daily driver. Common praise centers on its lightweight feel, macro-style close-ups, and affordable price, while recurring themes of criticism include edge distortion, autofocus noise in video, and the missing stabilization feature.
Professional reviewers commend the Samyang 135mm f/2 for its outstanding sharpness, low-flare UMC coating and pleasing bokeh, describing it as "ridiculously sharp" across the frame. They also note the solid aluminum construction and balanced handling, but criticize the lack of autofocus, weather sealing and the appearance of diffraction past f/8.
Everyday users praise the lens's sharpness, creamy bokeh and robust build, especially appreciating its performance on high-resolution APS-C and Micro-Four-Thirds bodies. Common complaints focus on the manual-focus only design, the relatively heavy weight for smaller cameras, and occasional concerns about the detachable hood's durability.
Professional reviewers commend the Viltrox 20mm f/2.8 for its unbeatable price, pocketable size, fast STM autofocus with Eye-AF, and solid center sharpness, making it a practical choice for travel and video. However, they consistently point out optical compromises such as strong vignetting, wavy distortion, soft edges, and a plastic-heavy build that keep it from matching the performance of higher-priced rivals.
Everyday users echo the professional praise for portability and value, highlighting how the lens fits easily into daily kits and delivers decent images for the price. The most common criticisms mirror the pros/cons lists: noticeable vignetting, edge softness, and a less premium feel due to the plastic construction.
Professional reviewers praise the Meike 50mm f/1.8 for its tack-sharp resolution, excellent contrast, and beautiful bokeh, noting that its image quality rivals much pricier lenses such as Nikon's 50mm f/1.8G. They also commend its solid build and the value it offers, describing it as an absolute steal for budget-conscious shooters.
Everyday users echo the professional sentiment, highlighting consistent sharpness, pleasing creamy bokeh, solid build feel, and an outstanding price-to-performance ratio. The lens is repeatedly called a "steal" and praised for portrait and low-light capabilities.
Professional reviewers describe the Benoison as a budget manual zoom that offers an affordable entry into the 420-800mm range but falls short for serious work. They note that while it can produce acceptable results on the short end and with IBIS assistance, the lack of stabilization, slow fixed aperture, and significant loss of sharpness at 800mm limit its usefulness to hobbyists. Reviewers recommend faster lenses for pros and suggest using a tripod and fast shutter speeds when using this lens.
Everyday users appreciate the lens for its low cost and ability to reach super-telephoto distances, especially for casual wildlife and bokeh-focused shots. However, they commonly complain about the heavy weight, the difficulty of manual focusing, poor low-light performance, and noticeable softness and vignetting at the long end, making it less suitable for demanding situations.
Professional reviewers praise the Meike 35mm f/1.7 for its solid metal build, bright f/1.7 aperture and sharp central rendering, calling it an excellent value for beginners and street shooters. They also note its limitations-soft corners, vignetting and the absence of autofocus-making it less suitable for fast action or demanding landscape work.
Everyday users celebrate the lens's low price, lightweight feel and characterful bokeh, often highlighting the enjoyable manual rings and filter compatibility. Common complaints revolve around the learning curve of manual focus, edge softness, vignetting and occasional weight inconsistencies when caps are attached.
Professional reviewers commend the SELP1650 for its ultra-compact, retractable build and the smooth, silent power-zoom that makes it a strong choice for travel videography. The inclusion of ED glass and aspherical elements earns praise for good contrast and low chromatic aberration, while the built-in Optical SteadyShot adds handheld stability. However, experts criticize the variable f/3.5-5.6 aperture for limiting low-light performance and note the modest 0.215× magnification as insufficient for macro work.
Everyday users consistently highlight the lens's portability, lightweight feel, and balanced handling on Sony APS-C bodies, describing it as an ideal travel companion and reliable kit lens. Common praise centers on the convenient power-zoom for video and the overall image quality for general shooting. Recurring complaints focus on the limited low-light capability due to the variable aperture and the lack of macro-level close-focus ability.
