Sony Alpha a6500 is a 2016 launch from the Sony company, and it is one of the most famous and usable mirrorless cameras all over the world!
If you already own the Sony a6500 camera but still need a travel lens in order to complete the kit, welcome to CameraGurus! I present to you the best travel lenses for Sony A6500.
A Quick Look At My Favorite Travel Lenses For A6500
| Image | Product | Features | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
Best For Street Photography  | 10 | Check Price On Amazon | |
Best For Portraits  | 9 | Check Price On Amazon | |
Best Value  | 8.6 | Check Price On Amazon | |
Best Low-Light Performer  | 8.5 | Check Price On Amazon | |
Most Durable  | 8.6 | Check Price On Amazon | |
Best for Landscapes  | 8.2 | Check Price On Amazon | |
Best All-Rounder  | 8 | Check Price On Amazon |
Key Takeaways
- One of the most remarkable cameras available is the Sony Alpha a6500, and a travel lens may improve it even further.
- I would unquestionably go with the Sony SELP18105G E PZ 18-105mm F4 G OSS if I had the choice.
- Another excellent travel lens for street photography is the Sony E-mount FE 24mm F1.4 GM.
- A Sony product is always worthwhile; therefore, you’ll never regret purchasing one.
Top 7 Best Travel Lenses For Sony A6500
7. Sony E-mount FE 24mm F1.4 GM – Best For Street Photography
What I Like
- Water/Weather Resistant
- Wide Aperture
- Great Focus
What I Don’t Like
- Expensive
- No Stabilizer
The first lens in this article comes from the Sony brand, and it is an amazing wide-angle lens that comes at a premium price. Still, the lens is amazing with all the features that it has built-in.
The Sony E-mount FE 24mm F1.4 GM comes in a black finish, measures 3 x 3.75 x 0.1 inches, and weighs about 15.7 ounces. The lens is fully portable, allowing you to take it with you wherever you go. When it comes to the build quality, I would like to mention that this lens is dust and moisture-resistant; so it can be used outdoors, in whatever weather condition.
The lens also includes a Nano AR coating which is attached to the front part, and it fully reduces the reflections, ghosting, and flare as well.
As for the aperture, this lens has a wide f/1.4 aperture. It is an 11-blade circular aperture mechanism, which delivers to you the most amazing bokeh effect, that you have ever seen.
Since this Sony lens is a fixed prime lens; as you know, fixed lenses come only in one size of focal length, and on this one, it is 24mm. With the DDSM (Direct Drive SSM) focus drive system, the focus is very fast, quiet, and very accurate in whatever you need it for.
Why should you buy it?
The lens is fully portable, allowing you to take it with you wherever you go.
Sony E-mount FE 24mm F1.4 GM Sample Photos
6. Sony – E 50mm F1.8 OSS – Best For Portraits
What I Like
- Affordable
- Two Color Choices + Lightweight
- Wide Aperture
- Optical SteadyShot
What I Don’t Like
- Not Resistant
- The corners are a bit dim
The Sony – E 50mm F1.8 OSS is a great short telephoto lens, which is a great fit when it comes to the Sony a6500 camera. It is a great performer indeed because it brings very sharp pictures in general, therefore it is still one of the best ones when it comes to portraits.
This lens has a very well build quality in general, even though it is not quite resistant to dust and moisture. Still, it looks really good, in both colors that it comes with, black and silver. The lens measures 2.44 x 2.44 x 2.44 inches (a quite balanced size) and it weighs 7.13 ounces, meaning that it is lightweight. It uses a 49mm photo filter.
This Sony lens owns a great wide aperture, which is f/1.8 and it amazingly blurs the background when you are taking portraitures, so the subject could be more seen in the picture. It also brings an amazing bokeh effect and it is indeed one of a kind.
It works pretty well for anything. The focal length since it is a fixed lens works only at 50mm, which is quite amazing as said for portraiture and landscape as well. On it is also included the OSS which means Optical SteadyShot, and it is one of the best image stabilizations, that you can ever find on a lens.
Why should you buy it?
Even though it is not quite resistant to dust and moisture, still, it looks really good, in both colors that it comes with, black and silver.
Sony – E 50mm F1.8 OSS Sample Photos
5. Sony 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 – Best Value
What I Like
- Well Build Quality
- Great Aperture and Focal Length
- OSS works Perfectly
What I Don’t Like
- The focus could be faster
- Pricey for Some
The Sony 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 is an amazing telephoto lens, which means that it is a lens with a longer focal length than other normal, standard lenses and it brings to you a narrower field of view.
The weight of this lens is approximately 16.3 ounces, while its dimensions measure 3.82 x 2.68 x 2.68 inches. I would like to mention that this lens has a very cool design, it definitely looks better than the other lenses that are mentioned in this article. It also comes in a black finish. The filter that this lens uses is a 62mm one.
As long as aperture is concerned, this lens has an adjustable impressive aperture. The minimum aperture works at f/6.3 while the maximum aperture works at 3.5. This aperture is the best one when it comes to almost everything. It can deliver great landscapes, portraits, wildlife, and also sports pictures, that’s more than great.
The focal length is also one of the things that this lens is very proud of. The minimum focal length works at 18mm and the maximum one goes at 200mm. The focus is great as well, but it definitely needs some speed. However, on the lens is also included the OSS – Optical SteadyShot image stabilization which helps you if you have shaky hands, it totally reduces the blur.
Why should you buy it?
It can deliver great landscapes, portraits, wildlife, and also sports pictures, that’s more than great.
Sony 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 Sample Photos
4. Sony SEL35F18 35mm f/1.8 – Best Low-Light Performer
What I Like
- Good Focus
- OSS Included
- Great for Videos and in Low Light
What I Don’t Like
- Not Resistant
- May be Expensive for Some
The Sony SEL35F18 35mm f/1.8 is a prime fixed lens; meaning that you cannot zoom in or out his one either. Still, it is considered an amazing lens when it comes to video recordings because of some other features that it has within.
When it comes to the design and built, this lens measures 1.77 x 2.48 x 2.48 inches and weighs 5.47 ounces. As you can see, it is small and lightweight which can be the best travel companion that you have ever thought of. As per the filter that this lens has attached to the front part, it is a filter that measures 49mm.
With a maximum aperture of f/1.8, this lens works pretty well when it has to work in low light places, and it is a great combination with the Sony a6500 camera. It is a 7-blade circular aperture and has the ability to bring to you pictures with the bokeh effect included.
Since it is a prime fixed lens, its focal length works only at 35mm, and it has an amazing focus with a super high magnification ratio of 0.15x. The focus is automatic, it is silent and works pretty fast. However, you can also use the focus manually so that it allows you to adjust it however you want. Besides all of the things mentioned, this lens has the OSS Optical Steady Shot image that stabilizes within, which helps you in many ways.
Why should you buy it?
It is small and lightweight which can be the best travel companion that you have ever thought of.
Sony SEL35F18 35mm f/1.8 Sample Photos
3. Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC DN – Most Durable
What I Like
- Durable
- Fast Hybrid Autofocus
- Perfect in Low Light
What I Don’t Like
- No Image Stabilization
Sigma as a brand is quite famous when it comes to lenses in general. The Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC DN is a contemporary lens; meaning that it has a larger zoom ring. However, it also has a great angle of view of 83°.
Design-wise, this lens comes in a black finish and it measures 3.6 x 2.8 x 2.8 inches while its weight is 14.42 ounces. It is a quite durable lens that can be used wherever and whenever you want because it is fully dustproof and splashproof. The filter that this lens uses should be no more than 67mm.
This lens has a wide aperture range of f/1.4 which works perfectly when you are shooting in low light. It helps you deliver great pictures, even in the darkest places. The aperture is a 9-blade circular one, which brings a bokeh effect to your pictures.
The focal length is fully fixed. It only works on 16mm. The focus on the other hand is also one of the best things that this lens owns. It is a very accurate, fast, and precise Fast Hybrid Autofocus. It is very well known and it is an amazing autofocus system that combines the contrast-detection AF with the phase-detection AF.
Why should you buy it?
It is a quite durable lens that can be used wherever and whenever you want because it is fully dustproof and splashproof.
Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC DN Sample Photos
2. Sony – E 10-18mm F4 OSS – Best for Landscapes
What I Like
- Small and Lightweight
- No Glare with the Polarizing Filter
- OSS works Perfectly
What I Don’t Like
- Not Resistant
This lens is considered the most famous one from the Sony brand itself. It is a wide-angle lens as well, which has an immersive angle of view; of 109° and 76°.
As per its size, the lens is small measuring only 2.52 x 2.76 x 2.76 inches, and its weight is only 7.9 ounces. Portability is one of the best things that this lens provides, of course, based on the two features mentioned, size and weight. It can be amazingly used with a polarizing filter with a size of 62mm so that it can fully filter out the glare while taking pictures.
Considering the aperture, this lens has a minimum aperture of f/22 and a maximum one which is f/4.0. As for the aperture, it is also a 7-blade circular one, which helps you capture pictures with a great bokeh effect, and also the pictures are delivered to you in lots of detail. The focal length is adjustable from the minimum of 10mm and the maximum focal length that it can achieve is 18mm.
The focus works both automatically and manually, meaning that you can also adjust it however you want. The OSS image stabilization is also present in this lens, and it works in the best way possible, there’s no blur in any way.
Why should you buy it?
Portability is one of the best things that this lens provides, of course, based on the two features mentioned, the size and weight.
Sony – E 10-18mm F4 OSS Sample Photos
1. Sony SELP18105G E PZ 18-105mm F4 G OSS – Best All-Rounder
What I Like
- Versatile
- Affordable for Some
- Great for Portraits
- OSS is Included
What I Don’t Like
- A bit bulky
Last but not least appears the Sony SELP18105G E PZ 18-105mm F4 G OSS, which is one of the best lenses that you could ever find. It is as well a wide-angle lens that provides a 76° 15° point of view.
The measurements of this lens are 4.33 x 3.07 x 3.07 inches and it has a weight of 15.04 ounces. In general, it is quite well built, and it is sturdy when it comes to using it with the Sony a6500 camera, and not only that, it can be used with many others.
The aperture of this lens is in a way adjustable. The minimum that it can work at is f/22 while the maximum aperture goes at f/4.0. With this aperture, this lens definitely is the best overall since it is one of the greatest when it comes to traveling. The aperture is a 7-blade circular one. Since it is a 7-blade circular, it can be used amazingly during taking pictures of portraits.
It definitely brings an amazing bokeh effect. The focal length, on the other hand, works at the minimum which is 18mm and goes up to the maximum, which is 105mm. The focus of this lens works at the highest speed possible, it is an amazing one, even if you have a moving subject. Also, a specialty that this lens delivers and in fact owns within, is the OSS (Optical SteadyShot).
Why should you buy it?
With its aperture, this lens definitely is the best overall since it is one of the greatest when it comes to traveling.
Sony SELP18105G E PZ 18-105mm F4 G OSS Sample Photos
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the greatest lens for travel?
When traveling, you don’t want to take every lens you own because portability is lacking in some of them. Still, based on the article written, you should know that you will do pretty fine if you take a wide-angle lens with you that covers almost every focal range.
Can I use a telephoto lens as a travel lens for Sony A6500?
You probably have heard about telephoto lenses and their ultra-wide focal range. What I would like to tell you here is the fact that telephoto lenses aren’t the best ones you can take with you while traveling. They are not very portable as they are known to be big and bulky, with many glass pieces.
What are the lenses every photographer should own?
My fellow photographers, you should know that there are three types of lenses that you should always have and own. They include the amazing standard 50mm lens, a wide lens, and a macro lens. These are the most famous types of lenses and the main ones that you should own.
Final Thoughts / Verdict
So, there you have it. A very long list regarding the best travel lens for Sony a6500. As you can notice, the list includes mostly Sony lenses and only one Sigma lens. That’s because Sony keeps doing the best things for their own cameras.
All the lenses mentioned are one of the best travel lens for Sony a6500, of course, based on the features that they own, as well as the size and weight in this case.
I hope my article will help you choose the best travel lens for Sony a6500! Now, go and have fun with one of these amazing lenses for travel!
Wedding Photographer
From nature to urban landscapes, my camera is my tool for expressing my creativity and telling stories through my lens.
