6 Best Sony Wide Angle Lenses in 2024!

Too many amateur photographers dream of a long focal length zoom telephoto lens as the ultimate piece of equipment for their Sony camera body. While extreme telephoto shots have their place in the pantheon of athletics and wildlife photography, you can achieve incredible images with a much shorter length lens.

With a wide angle lens, that focal length can be just a few millimeters and never more than 24 total.

The magic of a wide angle lens is the ability to capture images we can’t see with our unaided eyes. If you think of iconic photographic images, the type that win the Pulitzer Prize, you don’t find the tight shots made with a long lens, but rather the dramatic images made from a wide angle .

Here are Our Top Sony Wide Angle Lenses!

The iconic scene of the Atlanta rail yard filled with wounded and dying Confederate soldiers in Gone with the Wind was shot with a wide-angle lens and is considered one of the greatest cinematic effects of all time.

The girl kneeling over her wounded friends taken at Kent State in 1970 was made with a wide angle lens and concert photography was forever changed at Woodstock with those grainy, black and white, wide angle lenses that captured the essence of the event.

A wide-angle lens has that power.

Types of Wide Angle Venues

• Astrophotography – sky panoramas
• Cityscapes – shots of buildings from a high vantage point
• Street scenes – images of people, places, and things captured in time
• Wildlife – diorama style shots of herds of grazing animals, or pods of whales
• Concerts – the entire band on stage or shots of the audience

Sony FE 14mm F1.8 GM Full-Frame Large-Aperture Wide angle Prime G Master Lens

Best Sony wide angle lens for landscape photography

Why buy the Sony FE 14mm F1.8 GM Full-Frame Large-Aperture Wide angle Prime G Master Lens?

This lens is on the upper scale in cost, but the crispness and tight imaging across the width of the lens makes this a great choice for high quality landscape photography. If you were to select just one wide angle lens to capture real estate photographs, land survey images, or simply pictures depicting the qualities of a community for a Chamber of Commerce publication, this lens will do the job.

As an EF lens, this is one of the best wide angle lens Sony E mount styles you can purchase.

At 14mm it is on the shorter side of the focal length for most wide angle lenses, but this shorter length translates into wider shots. It’s a bit of reverse logic, but the shorter the lens, the wider the frame it will capture.

The 1.8 maximum aperture is more than ample enough for any outside application and wide enough for shooting in ambient, artificial light indoors.

What you’ll love about the Sony FE 14mm F1.8 GM Full-Frame Large-Aperture Wide angle Prime G Master Lens

A pair of extreme aspherical elements, with an additional aspherical and two extra-low dispersion with one super extra-low element, all packaged with a Nano AR coating create a high-contrast, high-resolution lens that delivers incredible images with corner-to-corner sharpness and dramatically reduced chromatic aberration, with almost no flare or ghosting in any lighting situation.

This lens is light at a pound but packed with high quality glass in its nine-blade circular style aperture.

This might be the best Sony wide angle lens for real estate photography with its fixed 14mm focal length and wide 1.8 aperture. It will allow you to capture images that sell homes, businesses, and tracts of land for developers and traditional real estate firms.

For marketing land, this is an excellent choice.

What you won’t love about the Sony FE 14mm F1.8 GM Full-Frame Large-Aperture Wide angle Prime G Master Lens

You’re not going to like the price, it’s on the high end for a wide angle lens and if you’re a weekend warrior style of photographer, the odds are that you won’t be needing a wide angle lens all that often.

This is a fixed lens, meaning no zoom option, and as such it will test your skills as a photographer in setting up shots, and physically moving rather than having the camera close or lengthen the gap to your subject for you.

This lens will require a steep learning curve if you’ve never worked with a fixed, wide angle lens before.

But, this is a great lens if you’re willing to put in the time to learn how to use it or if you’re already an old pro at wide angle photography.

Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM Wide angle Zoom Lens

Sharpest wide angle lens for Sony

Why buy the Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM Wide angle Zoom Lens

Purists will claim that prime lenses are the only way to go in generating high quality wide angle images, but there are times when a prime lens just can’t do the job, one of those is often during video work with your Sony camera. This lens is perhaps the best Sony wide angle lens for video you can purchase.

The focal range is solid for wide angle photography with a range from 16 to 35mm. The lens doesn’t open as wide as many of the others reviewed here, but at 2.8, it’s a solid, light gathering lens that is optimal for outside photography, particularly video photography in almost any range of natural light from dawn to dusk and in any cloud or weather situation.

The variability of this lens to go from relatively tight wide angle shots to truly wide open images when it’s set to 16mm is the biggest drawing point of this lens.

Can you call this the Sony best wide angle lens? You can if you consider multiple factors like focal length, aperture, cost, and quality of image all lumped together. That’s the reason many consider it the best wide angle lens for Sony cameras.

What you’ll love about the Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM Wide angle Zoom Lens

This lens is designed to reach 50 line pairs/mm in resolving power. It has a pair of extreme aspherical elements with additional high surface precision. A minimum focusing distance of just 10 inches opens up a wide (pun intended) venue of options for wide angle photography.

The constant F2.8 maximum aperture maintains exposure and depth of field across the full range of the zoom.

It has petal shaped aperture blades to aid in higher resolution with less distortion and an angle of view from 67 to 107 degrees.

These features place it at the front of the best Sony wide angle lenses. All these complex elements combined into a zoom format with an incredibly versatile focal range of 16 to 35mm makes this possibly one of the best wide angle lenses for Sony, and some would say it is the

best Sony wide angle lens you can buy with a zoom option.

What you won’t love about the Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM Wide angle Zoom Lens

The price is high, sky high for many amateur photographers, but as we know, you get what you pay for.

The locked 2.8 aperture across the full focal range of the zoom is a great option if you know how to use it. It will be frustrating for those who have worked with less expensive zoom lenses that adjust the F-stop as the lens extends or retreats.

This is a lens that requires a lot from the owner. Initially, it is the high cost, but after that, it takes time to truly master the lens. Once you do, the options and variability are nearly endless for wide angle style photography. You can consider this one of the best Sony E mount wide angle lens featured for a range of wide angle imaging.

Sony FE 12-24mm F2.8 G Master Full-Frame Constant-Aperture Ultra-Wide Zoom Lens

Best Sony wide angle lens full frame

Why buy the Sony FE 12-24mm F2.8 G Master Full-Frame Constant-Aperture Ultra-Wide Zoom Lens

We’re not talking apples and oranges when we compare the FE 12-24mm with the F-2.8 aperture to the similar 16-35mm lens reviewed above, but rather oranges to tangerines. They are similar, but as you may have heard, they’re the same, only different.

This lens is very different than its sister lens in the 16-35 zoom range.

Designed for full frame use, the 12 to 24mm focal range is extraordinary. You’ll be capturing horizon-to-horizon images with little visible distortion and the F2.8 maximum aperture creates unparalleled depths of field no matter the exposure time.

This is a lens for the professional photographer. The zoom features are perfect for the adventurous photographer looking to create animated images that pan, scroll, and zoom without distortion and without a change in aperture. This is a great lens for wide angle video work.

What you’ll love about the Sony FE 12-24mm F2.8 G Master Full-Frame Constant-Aperture Ultra-Wide Zoom Lens

This lens is advertised as the world’s widest full-frame constant F2.8 with a zoom range of 12-24mm. As such, it creates a depth of field and advanced exposure options you won’t find in similar lenses, whether prime or zoom.

The three-time extreme aspheric and three-time extra-low dispersion elements suppress chromatic aberrations to the point of invisibility.

Another enhanced feature is the XD linear motor, designed for fast, accurate, precise auto-focusing at four times the speed of similar Sony lenses.

This is a fast, clear, accurate, and high quality lens that can produce incredible images in the hands of a professional or even a skilled amateur.

What you won’t love about the Sony FE 12-24mm F2.8 G Master Full-Frame Constant-Aperture Ultra-Wide Zoom Lens

While the features are top-of-the-line, so is the price. This is a costly lens, listed at a price that is two to three times what a beginning or moderate level photographer would pay for an entire body and lens combination.

The constant 2.8 aperture will take getting used to through extensive trial and error. This lens is powerful, clear, free of distortion but it is far from a “point-and-shoot” out of the box style lens.

The cost is only worth it if you are a photographer with many wide angle venues to shoot. If you’re hired often by real estate firms or do a lot of landscape work for municipalities or land developers this is an investment worth the cost.

Sony Alpha FX3 ILME-FX3 | Full-Frame Cinema Line Camera + E-Mount FE 24mm F1.4 GM Full Frame Wide angle Prime Lens

Best wide angle zoom lens Sony Alpha

Why buy the Sony Alpha FX3 ILME-FX3 | Full-Frame Cinema Line Camera + E-Mount FE 24mm F1.4 GM Full Frame Wide angle Prime Lens

This is offered in a combination with the Sony camera body and the 24mm prime, full frame lens. We’re listing this as a dedicated package since the combination is perfect for wide angle video work.

If you’re calling is more inclined to video than still photography, and you find venues that call for wide angle 1080i video, this is a combination worth considering.

The dedicated nature of the package, with a lens, matched to allow the camera body to work to its utmost function is always a good option. Sony markets this combination with videographers in mind, but the 1.4 aperture, and the 24mm wide angle lens lend themselves well to fixed imaging too.

What you’ll love about the Sony Alpha FX3 ILME-FX3 | Full-Frame Cinema Line Camera + E-Mount FE 24mm F1.4 GM Full Frame Wide angle Prime Lens

You’re going to love the 15 stop dynamic range and extremely high sensitivity of this lens. The full frame 4K sensor on the camera enhances imagery with the 24mm lens that you won’t find in stand alone lenses set on a generic Sony camera body not designed exclusively for it.

The S-Cinetone program included in the camera package enhances the imagery to create professional quality, video ready or even televised ready content right in your hands.

The compact 24mm prime lens with a wide open 1.4 aperture can capture traditional or video images in very limited light. No, you won’t be able to shoot in a cave, but you will be able to get spectacular night images, and the view of the sky on a timed exposure is as good as wide angle astrophotography gets. This lens produces wide sky images and spectacular views of stars, planets, and surrounding scenery you won’t find anywhere else.

If you’re seeking incredible exposure and depth of field, this 1.4 aperture will deliver what you’re after.

What you won’t love about the Sony Alpha FX3 ILME-FX3 | Full-Frame Cinema Line Camera + E-Mount FE 24mm F1.4 GM Full Frame Wide angle Prime Lens

Unless a camera/lens combination that costs the average price of a high mileage used car isn’t a problem for you, the price of this lens and camera combination might present a challenge.

While this combination works well in fixed, traditional photography, the package is designed for video work.

In the video realm your productions will pop up on YouTube, and other social media outlets, and when properly edited will create theatre production level videos, but the cost and the work involved in learning how to use a prime lens for various angles and distances will be a challenge. The learning curve is steep on this package, but once mastered, you’ll be creating professional quality work.

Sony 35mm f/1.8 Prime Fixed Lens

Cheapest wide angle lens for Sony

Why buy the Sony 35mm f/1.8 Prime Fixed Lens?

This lens is on the cusp of the wide angle focal length. At 35mm it is only marginally smaller than the “Nifty Fifty” that mimics the human eye, but anything less than the 50mm standard can be considered “wide angle”.

This lens has many redeeming features, not the least of which is the low price. At 35mm it is a fixed lens that can work wide angle venues and double in portrait or street photography settings. With an aperture of 1.8, it’s not the widest on the market, but it is substantial in its ability to gather light and you can’t go wrong with the price if you’re sometimes working in venues with limited light.

This lens excels at outdoor photography and is why novices, beginners, and even professionals who don’t do a lot of wide angle work on a regular basis consider it in the list of the best Sony wide angle prime lens you can purchase.

What you’ll love about the Sony 35mm f/1.8 Prime Fixed Lens

You’re going to love how easy this lens is to use. If you’re familiar with Sony lenses, whether prime or zoom, you’ll be able to handle this lens the second you snap it onto your camera body. It is an easy lens to master, and it produces solid images.

You’ll enjoy the autofocus feature, but it can be quickly switched to manual mode if your lens starts capturing foreground images.

There are eight elements arranged in six groups for a total count of 48. That’s below the quality standards of much more expensive lenses, but it still delivers sharp images with good contrast. A built in image stabilization feature allows you to shoot wider angle images of moving targets or if you as the photographer are trying to capture images from the back of a truck or on a moving camera platform.

The bottom line is you’re going to love the price. It is in a category that every photographer, no matter the budget can afford.

What you won’t love about the Sony 35mm f/1.8 Prime Fixed Lens

This isn’t going to produce as clear, crisp, and high-contrast images as much more expensive prime lenses. It won’t even produce the quality higher level zoom lens can create, but it does fit into the budget of nearly everyone.

The 35mm focal length might limit your ideas for wide angle photography since most serious wide angle work takes place with lenses from 10 to 24mm in length.

The 1.8 aperture is good, but the lack of glass in the elements and groups can cause distortion along the periphery of the lens.

This isn’t the best Sony wide angle lens you can buy, but it is the best one you can afford if you’re on a budget.

Sony 18-55mm Zoom Lens

Best budget wide angle lens for Sony full frame

Why buy the Sony 18-55mm Zoom Lens?

If you’re new to the wide angle venue, this is a lens you can start with and not spend much money in determining if the work involved in wide angle images is something you’d like to pursue. This is not the sharpest wide angle lens for Sony.

This is an inexpensive lens, the least expensive of all the lenses we’ve reviewed. It has a decent focal range of 18mm to 55mm which allows traditional photography around the “Nifty Fifty” rating and a good zoom setting at the shorter 18mm mark.

This isn’t something a professional would ever consider. The lens is light, with not much glass, and can be prone to distortion and glare if not properly shielded from angled light outside the image setting, but it doesn’t cost much more than a nice meal at a restaurant and with it, you have a lot of options you can add to your photographic arsenal.

What you’ll love about the Sony 18-55mm Zoom Lens

You can generate a ‘bokeh’ effect of blurred backgrounds with this lens, and it can be enhanced through the circular aperture blades inside the lens. This lens reduces the octagon look often found in straight blades with a unique design that keeps the aperture almost perfectly circular throughout all the stops from wide open on. This creates smoother, more natural defocusing.

The lens has extra-low dispersion glass that limits chromatic aberration as the focal length is increased. This enhances resolution and adds contrast to the images with this lens that the lack of additional layers of glass could cause in a traditional design.

The super ED glass compensates for most chromatic aberration, but not all. That only happens in much more expensive lenses that have many more groups of elements packed into the lens.

An aspherical lens design can reduce spherical aberration while also reducing lens size and weight, that’s why this lens is among the lightest wide angle Sony lenses you can buy

Spherical aberration is often misaligned by the light rays projected on the image plane. Differences in refraction create this problem.

You’ll love the smooth autofocus motor, not a feature commonly found in discount or inexpensive lenses.

A smooth autofocus motor is built into the lens, rather than the camera body. Theoretically, it creates a faster autofocus option since the reflected light is imaged in the lens rather than working through the camera mechanism.

The built-in motor rotates the focus mechanism of the lens creating an operation that is significantly smoother and quieter than many of the traditional coupled autofocus drive systems.

What you won’t love about the Sony 18-55mm Zoom Lens

This is a lesser quality lens, there is no other way to describe it. It gets the job done for wide angle shots and has some versatility as a studio lens in the upper focal length settings, but this is a budget design with a few technological adjustments to compensate for its lesser design.

The aperture is limited to outside use in wide angle venues since it has a tight range of only 3.5 to 5.6, not nearly open enough to work inside or in dim light.

If you’re after a lens to experiment with and want a backup for traditional outdoor focal lengths around 50mm this low cost lens is something you should consider. But as a high quality professional lens, you need to look elsewhere.

Conclusion

Wide angle photography is a venue for creative photography. It isn’t just point and shoot and requires thought, imaging in your mind’s eye, and overall ingenuity to get it right.

When the stars align as they say, for a photographer, the images generated with a wide angle lens are well beyond the limits of the human eye.

A telephoto will pull distant objects into close proximity, but so will walking up to the subject and touching it. Probably not an option with a grizzly bear or a pack of timber wolves, but wide angle is different. You can never see the effects of a wide angle shot no matter how close or far away you get, that’s the magic of a wide angle photograph.

Some prefer “fish-eye” lenses for special wider effects, but those distort the image and reduce the overall quality.

A good, high-quality, wide angle lens is something every creative professional should have in their camera bag.

If you’re doing more video than still photography at times, a wide angle lens is imperative. The views you can generate with a wide angle lens will set you apart from a standard photographer, or videographer.

Determining what you need in terms of focal length, aperture, and limiting image distortion will all combine against the budget you’ve set aside to find the right lens.

Good hunting.