The Sony a6400 can be a bit of an upgrade from its predecessor, the a6000.
This newer mirrorless camera features more focus points, higher light sensitivity, weather-sealing, as well as a microphone input.
In short, this is an excellent blogging camera and the perfect companion for any one of your trips or vacations.
It’s also super versatile. Whether you’re a beginner or professional, a portrait or landscape photographer, this camera won’t do you wrong.
Although it comes with a decent kit lens, you may want to buy your own lenses to ensure better quality photos that are specific to your needs.
But yes, choosing the right lens for your camera can be a challenge in itself.
Good news: we’ve rounded up the best lenses for the Sony a6400 and created the ultimate guide to buying your perfect lens.
Want a quick answer? Our favorite lens is the Sony E 24mm f/1.8.
**Wherever possible I have included prices below. These are accurate at the time of publication but may change over time. Also, some links below may be affiliate links. This means that we receive a small commission if you click one of these links and make a purchase; but this comes at no additional cost to you. However it does help support our blog, so thank you! You can learn more about this here.
Let’s take a look at the main types of lenses for the Sony a6400!
A zoom lens refers to lenses that feature a variable focal length, which means you can adjust the angle of view and zoom in or out. This is different from most cameras on mobile phones that simply use digital zoom, as a real zoom lens can produce sharp and high-resolution images with optical zoom.
This is also perhaps the most versatile lens type there is, just because the focal range can cover a variety of travel photography types. A single lens can often be used for everything, from portrait and macro to landscape photography!
While a zoom lens may be convenient for reframing scenes, they may compromise quality and performance. This is where a prime lens can excel! With only a single fixed focal length, prime lenses usually have more to offer in terms of image quality.
Plus, they are often more lightweight and compact, making it a great type of lens to bring travelling. We also love a good prime lens to shoot portraits, although the lack of zooming capabilities means you need to physically move to reframe a scene.
Do you ever wonder how photographers can get super sharp photos of tiny objects in close up? Chances are they used a macro lens, which allows you to use 1:1 magnification, or life-sized ratio, on photographs.
This is great for capturing crisp details of anything and lets you get super close with your subject. Macro photography usually involves taking pictures of textured objects like fabric and tree barks, as well as small insects.
The next type of lens you can get for the Sony a6400 is a telephoto lens, which is the typical go-to for sports photographers and paparazzis alike. They are huge, heavy, and long.
This lens can zoom on faraway subjects without losing focus and sharpness, which can be great for capturing wildlife! On the downside, telephoto lenses can be quite expensive and less ideal for beginners.
While you can probably use any lens for taking photos of people, special portrait lenses can give you the best results. This is because the right focal length and aperture can produce realistic images of the human face that are also flattering.
We’d recommend a short lens if you want to take portraits with rich and diverse backgrounds, or a long lens if you want to focus on the facial features and produce blurry backgrounds.
Let’s not forget the wide-angle lens, which can be the best friend of travelers and architecture enthusiasts. This type of lens is able to capture most of a scene, even if it is wide and sprawling.
It’s the perfect type of lens for landscape photography and a must-have for the globetrotters who frequently encounter breathtaking sceneries. Not to mention that wide-angle lenses excel in low-light conditions and can also be great for shooting night skies.
Before you pick your favorite lens, be sure to look out for these factors:
The first factor to pay attention to when choosing a good lens is its focal length. Measured in millimeters, the focal length of a lens determines how much of a scene it can capture. While a short focal length can take in a wide field of view that’s great for landscapes, a longer focal length is better suited for macro and portrait photography.
We’ve talked about the different lens types above, and it can be crucial to choose the right one for you. Are you looking for something that’s compact and convenient for travelling? Or a specific type of lens that can take beautiful macro shots?
And if you are planning to shoot videos or create vlogs, then some lenses may be better for you! Whatever kind of photography you’re into, there will be the perfect lens type to fulfill your needs.
Aperture is another essential factor that makes a good lens. The aperture number of a lens represents how much light can enter the sensor and thus its capacity for handling low-light conditions.
A wider aperture would have a lower number, for example f/1.4, and can be great at capturing sharp images in dark environments. Meanwhile, a narrow max aperture that is less suitable for poor lighting would have a higher number, like f/4.
Choosing the best lens for your Sony a6400 is all about identifying your needs, which includes the budget. How much are you prepared to spare for a camera lens? For instance, you may want to spend more if photography is essential to your job, or go for more affordable lenses if you’re just starting out.
You can also save some money just by making smart choices. Let’s say that you will be mainly shooting outdoors and in well-lit rooms. Then, there’s no need to splurge on an f/1.8 lens when an f/2.8 aperture can do the job!
Build quality is also something worth looking at before picking out a lens. The Sony a6400 already comes with a pretty solid body and some weather-sealing for moisture and dust. This can be great for those working outdoors and travelling a lot.
However, you might still want to look for lenses that also come with built-in weather-sealing. This extra protection can give you peace of mind especially when it suddenly rains out and you don’t have time to pack your gear.
No, the Sony a6000 doesn’t feature built-in image stabilization, and yes, this may deter some people from buying it. While having stabilization in the camera can be a huge plus point, you can always ensure that your lens comes with its own image stabilization.
This is even more important for handheld shooting, though you might still want a gimbal for videos and vlogging purposes. For more information, check out our guide on the best gimbals for DSLR cameras.
Lastly, think about the portability of your lens by considering its size and weight. What are your priorities in a lens? Do you need it to be super lightweight and compact so that you can take it on backpacking trips?
Or perhaps you’re willing to trade convenience with the image quality it offers. For instance, a telephoto lens can help you achieve close-up shots of faraway subjects, but they do tend to be big and bulky. Although a good camera backpack can always help in this aspect.
Minimum focusing distance: 0.16 m
Focal length: 24 mm
Maximum aperture: f/1.8
Filter diameter: 49 mm
Weight: 225 g
Size (diameter x length): 63 x 65.5 mm
The Sony E 24mm f/1.8 is our top pick for today not only because of its versatile features and quality, but also because of its durable build and the metal barrel construction that gives this lens a sturdy feel.
Relatively lightweight and compact, this Sony lens features a fast aperture that excels in low-light conditions. Sharpness is not a question even when shooting wide open.
Its 0.25x maximum magnification ensures that you can achieve a 1:4 close-up for dramatic details. Meanwhile, the trademark ZEISS T* anti-reflective coating reduces flaring effect.
Moreover, the versatile focal length is wide enough for breathtaking landscape shots but still narrow enough to capture beautiful portraits. This is an overall great lens for travel and everyday use!
While this lens is quite pricey and the lack of stabilization and weather-sealing can be disappointing, this all-round lens is a truly excellent investment that you might like!
Minimum focusing distance: 0.19 m
Focal length: 17-70 mm
Maximum aperture: f/2.8
Filter diameter: 67 mm
Weight: 525 g
Size (diameter x length): 74 x 119 mm
It’s difficult to choose just one all-rounder lens for the Sony a6400, because the Tamron 17-70mm F2.8 is also a great lens that truly can do it all.
Unlike our top pick, this one is actually a zoom lens and therefore offers a wider versatility in terms of focal range and reframing your scene.
It comes with everything you’ll need in a good lens: outstanding photo quality, image sharpness even in dark environments, and great AF performance.
This lens can literally do it all, from capturing wide-angled landscapes to detailed portraits and even smooth videos.
Not to mention that it’s also the world’s first-ever 17-70mm lens with F2.8 aperture, and that Tamron's vibration compensation technology makes sure you always get vibration-free photos.
If we had to make one complaint about this lens is the lack of physical control for the focus and stabilization. This means you need to click through the menu settings to change them.
Minimum focusing distance: 0.33 m
Focal length: 16-55 mm
Maximum aperture: f/2.8
Filter diameter: 67 mm
Weight: 494 g
Size (diameter x length): 73x100 mm
Talking about zoom lenses, if you are strictly looking for the best possible zoom lens to pair with your Sony a6400, we’d recommend the Sony E 16-55mm f/2.8 G.
This excellent lens from Sony may not be the most affordable, but delivers exceptional quality and performance.
It comes with weather-sealing and a pretty impressive low-light performance, which means you can use it in outdoor shoots and dark, indoor sessions alike.
Sony also features Nano AR Coating on this lens to reduce flare and ghosting for the crispest photos you could wish for! Meanwhile, its trademark XD Linear Motor improves the autofocus for fast and precise results.
Not to mention that this lens has a handy AF/MF switch, which lets you switch between modes quickly.
This fine is also suitable for a range of photography types, from everyday street photography to architectural and landscape shots.
Minimum focusing distance: 0.45 m
Focal length: 18-135 mm
Maximum aperture: f/3.5
Filter diameter: 55 mm
Weight: 325 g
Size (diameter x length): 67 x 88 mm
Zoom lenses can certainly be expensive, so if you have just started out and want something easy on the pocket but still impressive in quality, the Sony E 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 OSS might be for you.
It’s a multi-purpose lens that can handle everything from wildlife to some close-up shots. It’s also surprisingly lightweight considering its wide focal range, which makes it a great lens to have when travelling to countries like India.
In terms of photo quality, there is little to talk about because this Sony lens delivers.
With superb central sharpness even at max aperture, you can’t ask for much more for the price it’s offered at. There is also minimal distortion and vignetting, while the autofocus uses linear motor technology that’s fast and accurate.
However, one of main drawbacks of this Sony lens is its lack of weather-sealing. This may not be the best thing if you’re going to be shooting outdoors a lot. It’s also not the best option for low-light conditions.
Minimum focusing distance: 0.5 m
Focal length: 56 mm
Maximum aperture: f/1.4
Filter diameter: 55 mm
Weight: 280 g
Size (diameter x length): 66 x 59 mm
The Sigma 56mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary has to be our favorite prime lens for the Sony a6400. This is what you go for if you want a compact prime lens with outstanding performance.
It’s an especially excellent choice for portraits, thanks to the edge-to-edge sharpness and super creamy bokeh effect. You’ll definitely get a lot of value for the money you spend!
This lens flaunts a sturdy yet compact construction, and has an optimized design that can correct peripheral light amount and distortion. It also has an SLD glass element to minimize axial color aberration.
With that said, the Sigma 56mm f/1.4 doesn’t have image stabilization, which means you may need a gimbal to shoot videos for a smooth and stable result.
The visible pincushion distortion may also be a drawback, but it’s nothing a little post-processing can’t quickly fix!
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Minimum focusing distance: 0.39 m
Focal length: 50 mm
Maximum aperture: f/1.8
Filter diameter: 49 mm
Weight: 202 g
Size (diameter x length): 62 x 62 mm
When it comes to taking portraits, your choice of lens is almost as important as the camera. For the Sony a6400, we think that the Sony E 50mm F1.8 is a truly excellent choice.
Plus, the fact that it’s quite affordable also makes it amateur-friendly. We can recommend this lens even for those just starting out and wanting to elevate their photography game.
It offers a fast and accurate autofocus, as well as excellent low-light performance. The super fast f1.8 aperture means you can always get sharp and blur-free portraits anywhere, anytime.
Another feature that we love from this lens is the SteadyShot image stabilization, which can be especially useful for when you’re taking videos.
Moreover, the design itself minimizes any flare and ghosting, and it can also resist backlighting to ensure flattering photos. Plus, you can also attach the lens hood to block out extra sunlight or glare.
Minimum focusing distance: 1.1 m
Focal length: 70-350 mm
Maximum aperture: f/4.5
Filter diameter: 67 mm
Weight: 625 g
Size (diameter x length): 77 × 142 mm
The Sony E 70-350mm f/4.5-6.3 G OSS is one of the best telephoto lenses on the market, and a perfect fit for the Sony a6400.
While it’s certainly not as lightweight and compact as some other lenses we’ve mentioned, it is surprisingly so considering the focal range and 5x magnification range it offers. And without compromising the performance!
You can use this lens to handle any long-range photography, including sports and wildlife, as well as landscape. It can even do some macro shots too.
An impressive thing about this lens is hands-down its incredible sharpness throughout the focal range. Not to mention the fast and quiet autofocus and beautiful bokeh at the long end.
Furthermore, this Sony lens also has image stabilization that can help when you are shooting handheld and have no tripods in hand.
So, if you want an excellent and versatile telephoto lens, you can’t go wrong with this one.
Minimum focusing distance: 0.28 m
Focal length: 90 mm
Maximum aperture: f/2.8
Filter diameter: 62 mm
Weight: 602 g
Size (diameter x length): 79 × 130 mm
Look no further than the Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro G OSS if you want the ultimate macro lens.
It also happens to be one of Sony’s sharpest lenses, which is a huge plus point when it comes to macro photography because you want all the tiniest details in sharp and crisp focus.
When you mount this full-frame lens to your mirrorless camera, you can get a 135mm equivalent field of view. In other words, you get to achieve close-up details even without having to be super close to your subject.
This means that the lens is perfect for capturing microscopic objects, especially moving ones, like small insects and bugs, without spooking them.
This Sony lens is also easy to use and delivers impeccable results, as well as sharpness even at wide open. Not to mention the creamy and stunning G lens bokeh!
Minimum focusing distance: 0.25 m
Focal length: 16 mm
Maximum aperture: f/1.4
Filter diameter: 67 mm
Weight: 405 g
Size (diameter x length): 72.2 × 92.3 mm
Do you enjoy taking wide shots of beautiful scenery? If you’re travelling to picturesque places such as Ireland, you may want to have a wide-angle lens at hand.
The Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary is one such example. This wide-angle prime lens is a brilliant option for those wanting to achieve high-quality photos without spending a fortune.
In addition to being budget-friendly, this Sigma lens also handles low-light environments really well and offers a sturdy build quality with weather-sealing.
On top of that, its Fast Hybrid AF supports face recognition that will ensure you can also shoot smooth, in-focus videos too.
We also love that this lens can correct distortions so you won’t have to spend too much time post-processing.
Minimum focusing distance: 0.12 m
Focal length: 9 mm
Maximum aperture: f/2.8
Filter diameter: 49 mm
Weight: 215 g
Size (diameter x length): 53 × 60 mm
Who says that third-party brands can’t work well on your Sony a6400? In fact, the Laowa 9mm f/2.8 Zero-D is a great ultra-wide-angle lens that can be perfect for astrophotography.
The coverage is up to 113° angle of view, but we’d say that the single most impressive thing about this lens is its virtually-zero distortion, which can be quite rare for such a wide angle.
At its affordable price point, it also has brilliant sharpness and works well in low light conditions.
This is why it’s also our most recommended lens for astrophotography. Yes, this is all you need to capture breathtaking shots of night skies and stars!
Moreover, this lens is also pretty compact and lightweight, making it awesome to travel with.
The main downside is that it features no autofocus - truly an unfortunate drawback especially for beginner photographers who love the convenience of AF.
Minimum focusing distance: 1 m
Focal length: 55-210 mm
Maximum aperture: f/4.5
Filter diameter: 49 mm
Weight: 345 g
Size (diameter x length): 64 × 107 mm
The Sony E 55-210mm f/4.5-6.3 OSS has to be our top pick when it comes to budget telephoto lens.
While it may not offer the focal range and photo quality of the previously mentioned Sony E 70-350mm f/4.5-6.3 G OSS, it is much more affordable.
So if you want something beginner-friendly to get you started in close-up photography, this is it for you.
This lens is also incredibly lightweight and compact, which is rare for a telephoto lens, therefore making it travel-friendly and super portable.
It has a decent AF performance, while the image stabilization can also ensure blur-free photos. Plus, the 7-blade circular aperture gives a pretty good and natural, rounded bokeh at the long end.
Instead of a standard polygon-shaped lens aperture, this lens features a 7-blade circular aperture for more natural, rounded defocusing or ‘bokeh’.
While it doesn’t actually come with weather sealing properties, this lens is quite sturdy in the first place.
We also love the sharp photos it produces, although you may notice the sharpness decreases in the longer end of the focal range. In this case, you’ll need to ramp up the aperture for sharp results.
Minimum focusing distance: 0.3 m
Focal length: 30 mm
Maximum aperture: f/1.4
Filter diameter: 52 mm
Weight: 265 g
Size (diameter x length): 64mm x 73mm
If you’re just looking for a quick, everyday lens, then the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary might be right for you.
It also offers some flexibility in terms of usage and works super well as a portrait lens.
You’ll get a superb image quality with excellent sharpness, even when shooting wide open. Plus, the wide f/1.4 aperture means you can get sharp and blur-free photos even in dark environments.
Considering that this Sigma lens is relatively affordable, the fact that it can produce stunning bokeh is all the more impressive!
What’s more, the lens also includes an extra-long hood with anti-reflective coating to remove any extraneous lighting.
In terms of drawbacks, this Sigma lens doesn’t come with weather-sealing and image stabilization, which doesn’t make it the best choice for vlogging. You may also notice some chromatic aberrations, but it won’t take long to fix in post-processing.
Minimum focusing distance: 0.20 m
Focal length: 20 mm
Maximum aperture: f/2.8
Filter diameter: 49 mm
Weight: 69 g
Size (diameter x length): 20 × 63 mm
The Sony E 20mm f/2.8 is hands-down among the best pancake lenses there is for the Sony a6400.
It’s the lightest lens on our list today, super compact, and adds pretty much nothing to the body of your Sony a6400, making it great for backpacking around Bali.
Despite being super tiny, the 20mm focal length is actually quite versatile and can be great for capturing landscapes and architecture as well as street photography and other general shots.
This is among the sharpest lenses out there and can remain sharp even when shooting at max aperture. With minimal flare and ghosting, this lens is also great for low-light conditions.
While it has no image stabilization, its fast f/2.8 aperture and light weight make it easier to produce blur-free images even when handheld.
Best of all, the circular aperture delivers attractive bokeh that can be beautiful for portraits!
Minimum focusing distance: 0.45 m
Focal length: 18-105 mm
Maximum aperture: f/4
Filter diameter: 72 mm
Weight: 428 g
Size (diameter x length): 79 × 111 mm
Last but not least, we’d like to talk about the brilliant Sony 18-105 mm f/4, which is our top choice for video lens for the Sony a6400.
It has everything you need in a good vlogging lens, including optical image stabilization, a flexible zoom range, and excellent autofocus.
We love the internal zoom barrel that doesn’t extend in or out when you’re adjusting the zoom. This also makes it perfect for use with gimbals!
Moreover, this Sony lens comes with a 7-blade circular aperture and ED glass elements that minimize chromatic aberration.
And while it doesn’t include a lens hood, you might want to use one to reduce flaring and get the absolute best image quality!
The Sony a6400 supports any E-mount lenses by Sony, but you can also use E-mount lenses from other third-party brands. All the lenses we’ve featured in this post are compatible with your a6400, so there’s nothing to worry about.
There really is no one answer for this question, because the best lens depends on what type of photography you want to do. For an all-round lens that can do it all, go for the Tamron 17-70mm f/2.8. It offers excellent image quality and does really well in low-light conditions too.
Yes, the Sony a6400 features a 24.2MP APS-C sensor, which produces quite brilliant photos. While it may not be as excellent as Sony’s full-frame line, this is a good mirrorless camera that can be very travel-friendly.
Yes, you can use a Sony FE lens on the a6400. This camera is compatible with any E-mount lenses as well as FE-mount lenses. It means you have a pretty huge range of options to choose from.
That’s all for our top Sony a6400 lenses.
From versatile, all-rounders to specific lenses for videos or macro photography, we’ve included them all.
It also helps to know what you’re planning to use your camera for.
That said, we really hope this could help you choose the right lens for you.
Do you think we missed any other good lenses for the Sony a6400?
Which one do you think you’ll go for?
Drop us a comment below!
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