Priced like a mid-range camera, treated like a powerful beast — the Sony a7 III is one of the best full-frame bodies available on the market.
A 24MP sensor, in-body stabilization, hybrid AF with a dedicated joystick, and weather sealing make it a great all-around camera.
But in the end, it can take sharp and colorful photos only when the lens allows it. It’s the resolving power of the glass that affects the amount of detail the camera can capture. Therefore, a low-end lens will not suffice for budding photographers.
The following list of E-mount lenses — from wide-angle to telephoto — can help you decide which lens to buy for your Sony Alpha 7 III.
Quick Summary:
Best Sony a7 III 35mm lens: Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM
Best Sony a7 III 50mm lens: Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM
Best Sony a7 III 85mm lens: Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM
Best Sony a7 III Wide-Angle Lens: Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM
Best Sony a7 III Telephoto Lens: Sony FE 100-400 mm f/4.5-5.6 GM
Best Sony a7 III Travel Lens: Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Art
Best Sony a7 III Fisheye Lens: Rokinon 12mm f/2.8
Best Sony a7 III Vlogging Lens: Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 Di III RXD
See below for lower cost Sigma and Tamron lens options.
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Best Sony A7 III Lenses
1. Sony FE 35 mm f/1.4 GM
35mm prime lenses are a gold standard. And for good reason. They have wide apertures, excellent sharpness and provide a good field of view suitable for daily usage and travel photography with your Sony a7 III.
The Sony 35mm is part of their G Master series, a label that represents Sony’s flagship lenses. So, you can expect weather resistance, sturdy build quality, and compact size.
The lens also features an aperture ring that lets you choose between tactile feedback with ‘click stops’ or smooth transition without any clicking noise and a focus lock button.
The aperture of f/1.4 is very wide and fast. Provides amazing bokeh. And two XA — extreme aspherical — lens elements and a low dispersion glass provide excellent sharpness across the frame. If you need an ultra-fast prime lens for rugged use, the FE 35 mm f/1.4 is the best choice.
Pros
- Sturdy build quality with a plastic hood included
- Wide aperture of f/1.4 and excellent image quality
- Option to enable click stops
Cons
- Expensive
- No image stabilization, 35mm primes are generally not stabilized, and a7 III body has stabilization
2. Sony FE 50 mm f/1.2 GM
The 50mm perspective is perfect for general portraits and street photography, as it matches the field of view of human eyes. And the aperture of f/1.2 is one of the widest ever.
Featuring the same excellent build quality and weather resistance, the 50mm f/1.2 retains the focus lock button — which can be customized to perform other functions — and the clickable aperture ring.
The lens also has 4 XA elements and 11 rounded aperture blades for perfect bokeh and reduced aberrations with the Sony a7 III.
Designed for professionals who need the best image quality, the 50mm f/1.2 delivers what it promises.
Pros
- f/1.2 is the widest aperture you can get
- Bokeh looks very smooth and is completely circular
- Robust design and weather resistance
Cons
- No image stabilization, but it won’t be needed at this aperture anyway
3. Sony FE 85 mm f/1.4 GM
For those of you who need a prime lens with a longer focal length, the Sony FE 85mm is the obvious choice. With its maximum aperture of f/1.4 and almost-telephoto territory range, the lens becomes perfect for wedding and portrait photographers.
The only drawback is that the 85mm length will be too zoomed in for general use and group photos.
The FE 85mm f/1.4 is made using one XA element and three low dispersion elements, along with the focus lock button, clickable aperture ring, and weather resistance that is usual for the GM primes.
One point to note is that this lens requires heavier glasses to maintain this aperture and focal length. This makes the lens quite large and bulky, especially when attached to your Sony a7 III.
Fortunately, Sony provides the 85mm f/1.4 with a padded nylon pouch, and you can add just $10 more to add a polarizer.
Pros
- 85mm focal length is perfect for professional portraits
- Wide aperture of f/1.4
- Sturdy build that comes with the GM label
Cons
- Expensive
- Not very portable due to the size and weight
4. Sony FE 16-35 mm f/2.8 GM
Prime lenses come with only one focal length, which can get restrictive. But the FE 16-35 mm represents a great alternative with its wide-to-normal zoom range, transitioning from an ultra-wide landscape lens to a 35mm prime.
Two extreme aspherical and two extra-low dispersion elements maintain sharpness even at the maximum aperture. The autofocusing is almost noiseless and internal, so the lens doesn’t move in or out while focusing.
The wide zoom range with a constant aperture of f/2.8 makes this lens worth its price, especially if you plan on buying just one lens for most of your photography.
Pros
- Zoom range covers both wide-angle and the 35mm focal length
- Image quality is excellent
- Will work perfectly as an all-purpose travel lens
Cons
- Very expensive
- No internal stabilization to complement the a7 III’s stabilization
5. Sony FE 24-240mm f/3.5-6.3
One of the cheapest lenses on this list, the 24-240mm is an all-rounder lens you can walk around all day with and shoot almost anything.
A zoom range of x10, internal focusing, and optical stabilization make it a good choice for landscape and wildlife photographers.
The maximum aperture of f/3.5 is average, and it comes down to f/6.3 when you zoom in. This means that you will not always be able to use a fast shutter speed.
Performance-wise, the 24-240mm is better than you would expect. Although not the sharpest in the corners as you zoom in, the slight dip in quality is not easily noticeable. The Sony a7 II is an excellent travel camera, and if you travel a lot and want one lens to replace almost your entire kit, this is the one to buy.
Pros
- Provides a zoom range of x10
- Internally stabilized
- Affordable
Cons
- Not very sharp at the telephoto end
- Not weather sealed
6. Sony FE 100-400 mm F/4.5-5.6 GM
A telephoto lens for professionals, the 100-400 mm GM is one of the best pieces of glass money can buy. The focal length provides a magnification of four times, and the maximum aperture of f/5.6 at the extreme end is better than many other lenses. And since you get in-body stabilization, you can bring down the shutter speed slightly.
Telephoto lenses are notorious for getting soft as one zooms in, but this is not the case here. Two low dispersion and one super-low dispersion elements keep things sharp and aberrations to a minimum. A double linear AF motor keeps the focusing surprisingly quick and silent.
A lens like this is obviously large and heavy, so you may need a tripod to support it during long trips. Fortunately, a tripod mount and hood are included in the box.
Pros
- Zoom range goes up to 400mm without a significant loss in aperture
- Excellent sharpness
- In-body stabilization
Cons
- Very expensive
- Large and heavy
Best Sigma Lenses for Sony A7 III
1. Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG DN Art
Sigma is one of the most popular third-party lens manufacturers, and the Art series is its flagship. The ‘DG’ in its name means it will work with both full-frame and APS-C cameras. The ‘DN’ signifies that the lens is designed specifically for mirrorless, making it compact.
The 35mm f/1.4 is a good and inexpensive travel and street lens. Like Sony lenses, it offers an AF lock button, click stops that can be turned off, a lockable lens hood, and weather resistance.
There are no shortcomings performance and sharpness-wise, but the stepping motor for AF is not the fastest when subject tracking. However, full-time manual focusing is provided, and it makes fine-tuning the focus much more straightforward.
Pros
- Excellent image quality, especially bokeh
- Useful features like click stops available without a huge price tag
Cons
- AF is slower than average
2. Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art
The Sigma 50mm HSM was launched in 2014 for full-frame DSLRs. Although ancient by camera standards, it is one of the sharpest lenses ever with almost no distortion.
The ‘hyper-sonic motor’ provides reliable and fast AF, and you get manual focus override. The only downsides with the 50 mm f/1.4 HSM are its weight, lack of weather sealing, and a relatively higher price.
But if you don’t mind the weight or plan to use a tripod, there are not many lenses that will outperform this one.
Pros
- Fantastic image quality and sharpness
- Quick AF with manual focus override
Cons
- Very bulky and heavy
- Expensive
3. Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art
Very similar to the 35mm f/1.4, which we saw earlier, the 85mm makes for a professional portrait lens. Since it gives you a zoomed-in look, it will work well for casual wildlife and journalistic shots too.
The construction uses 5 low dispersion elements and 1 aspherical element for delivering outstanding sharpness. There is a very slight distortion, which can be easily fixed by the camera automatically. Valuable features like clickable stops, focus lock button, and manual focus override are retained.
If your budget allows, this 85mm Art lens is an excellent alternative to the Sony variant.
Pros
- Excellent image quality with negligible distortion
- Weather sealing, manual focus override present
- Compact and lightweight
Cons
- Expensive
4. Sigma 14-24mm f/2.8 DG DN Art
Sigma’s 14-24mm Art lens is an ultrawide landscape lens. The extra field of view and weather sealing is packed in a compact form — making it ideal for landscape and travel photographers.
The constant aperture of f/2.8 makes it ideal for low-light conditions, and even a tripod will not be absolutely essential since the a7 III has stabilization.
Constructed with a total of 18 elements — six low-dispersion and three aspherical — the lens manages to maintain sharpness, albeit with some expected distortion.
A significant drawback of such wide lenses is that they don’t come with standard filter threads. So, you will need to get customized mounts and filters which can be fit onto them.
Pros
- Excellent wide-angle range
- Great image quality
- Compact and weather resistant
Cons
- Distortion is visible since it’s an ultra-wide lens
- Filters cannot be attached easily
5. Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Art
An all-purpose lens should help you shoot almost any type of photo. And the Sigma 24-70mm can do just that.
The constant aperture of f/2.8 means that it can replace most 35mm and 50mm prime lenses and let you shoot wide landscapes at 24mm.
With a weight of about 800g and measuring 12cm long, the lens may not be portable enough to carry it with the camera by the neck strap. But it’s weather-resistant and reasonably priced, and its excellent image quality and valuable features like the AF lock button and full-time manual focus make it worth it.
Pros
- Excellent zoom range for travel
- Weather resistance, AF lock button, and manual focus override
- Affordable
Cons
- Heavy and a bit large for smaller camera bodies
- No stabilization
6. Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Sports Lens
Aimed at wildlife and sports shooters, the Sigma 150-600mm contains all the essential features a telephoto lens needs.
You get a decent aperture of f/6.3 at the long end, image stabilization, push-pull zoom along with the usual zoom ring, and a stepping motor for reliable AF.
The 150-600mm comes with a torque switch that lets you choose the resistance when turning the zoom ring. In terms of image quality, it matches other premium telephoto lenses, with some expected softness at the extreme.
Surprisingly, the lens comes with a minimum focusing distance of just 23 inches at 150mm.
At 2kg with the tripod collar attached, this lens is not light, but that’s usual for long telephotos. With an additional zoom range at a similar price, this lens can be a viable alternative to the Sony 100-400mm GM.
Pros
- Huge zoom range up to 600mm
- Image stabilization
- Push-pull zoom and resistance control are useful features
Cons
- Some softness at 600mm
- Very heavy
Best Tamon Lenses for Sony A7 III
1. Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 Di III RXD
Similar to the Sony 16-35mm and Sigma 14-24mm, the Tamron 17-28mm covers the wide-angle range with a constant aperture of f/2.8. The ‘Di III’ implies that the lens was designed for mirrorless cameras, and the ‘RXD’ label stands for the quick-stepping drive AF motor.
The lens is quite compact and one of the cheapest in this category — perfect for landscape and travel photographers on a budget. It’s sharp in the center, and the quality increases when you stop down to about f/4.
Apart from the obvious lack of stabilization and some negligible fringing and aberrations in the corner, there is nothing to complain about with the Tamron 17-28mm.
Pros
- Very affordable
- Ultra-wide coverage without being heavy
- Good image quality
Cons
- Weather resistance is not extensive
2. Tamron 28-75 mm f/2.8 Di III VXD G2
Another versatile standard zoom lens is the Tamron 28-75mm. Being able to zoom in with a fixed aperture of f/2.8 will come in handy when shooting in low-light. Even Sony’s own 28-70mm does not come with a wide aperture like this.
The ‘VXD’ in the name refers to the voice-coil linear motor focus mechanism, which is fast and silent. There is only some color fringing in the corners, which can be easily corrected in-camera. And since the Sony a7 III is already stabilized, the lack thereof in this lens won’t come in your way.
Reasonably priced and offering excellent image quality, this is a perfect upgrade from the limited 18-55mm kit lenses.
Pros
- Great image quality at a lower price
- Fast AF
Cons
- No stabilization
- 28mm focal length can be a bit too tight for landscapes
3. Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 Di III VXD
With a unique focal range of 35-150mm, this Tamron lens has the potential to replace all your 35, 50, and 85 mm prime lenses. And it was launched in the market in 2021.
There are quite a few customizable features available here. The Focus Set can be used to jump to a pre-set position or be assigned some other function. The method of manual focusing, linear or non-linear, can also be chosen by the user.
Continuing the recent Tamron trend, it offers excellent image quality without costing thousands of dollars like some premium Sony GM lenses, although stabilization seems to be missing.
Pros
- Covers normal to telephoto range
- Maximum aperture of f/2 is excellent
- Focus Set button and focus ring can be customized
Cons
- Starting focal length of 35mm is a bit too tight
- No stabilization
4. Tamron 150-500mm f/5-6.7 Di III VC VXD
A cheaper alternative to the Sony 100-400 GM, the Tamron 150-500mm provides extra zoom range and excellent image quality.
You also get image stabilization with 3 different modes and a pull-to-lock zoom ring.
The maximum aperture of f/5 at 150mm and f/6.7 at 500mm is slightly slower, so you will have to adjust the shutter speed accordingly. However, considering the overall image quality and compact body — which extends to 11 inches when zoomed in — is value for money.
Pros
- Compact and relatively affordable
- Focal length goes up to 500mm
- Image stabilization
Cons
- Aperture is slow
Best Fisheye Lens for Sony A7 III
Rokinon 12mm f/2.8 Ultra-Wide
The cheapest and probably the most fun lens on this list, the Rokinon 12mm is a manual focus fisheye lens that lets you capture almost as much as the human eye.
The lens is sharp and has a low field curvature – a problem where objects are not in focus because the depth of field is curved instead of being straight like a wall. If you are an architectural photographer or want to take landscape photos with a twist, this is a practical and low-cost lens for your Sony a7 III.
Pros
- Inexpensive
- Great field of view at 12mm
Cons
- Not suitable for general photography because of the unique perspective
- Only manual focusing
Conclusion
You won’t go wrong with our list of the best lenses for Sony Alpha 7 III.
The rule of thumb is to buy the least expensive camera that does what you need and the highest quality lens you can afford. What this means is that you should not compromise when buying a lens.
Premium lenses like the Sony GM series are aimed at professionals, especially primes like the Sony 85mm f/1.4. People looking for a general-purpose lens can check out third-party options like the Sigma 24-70mm Art lens and Tamron 28-7 mm.
Very helpful rundown of options. I just purchased a Sony A7III and I am trying to decide what lens I should go for. I probably broke the last rule of buying more camera than I need leaving me a little short when it comes to my lens options. I also have a wide range of interests from architecture to wildlife and city lights. Based on what I am reading the Tamron17-28 will probably be my first purchase. I am still undecided regarding the wildlife telephoto lens. I currently shoot with a Sony 6000 and I am using the 70-350 4.5 lens which I have been happy with. I am hoping it will work for me on my Sony. It would be nice if Sony offered something comparable for a full frame. I like its lighter weight and the ability to point and shoot without a tripod.