Best Sony a6600 Lenses

Here are the best Sony a6600 lenses in 2023 for this impressive flagship APS-C mirrorless camera.

With so many great Sony lenses, it can be really difficult to choose which options give the best bang for the buck.

I have personally tested each of the below lenses and they are definitely ready to keep up with the amazing performance of the Sony a6600.

When selecting a lens to purchase, you must first consider it’s purpose. I tend to think of lenses like tools –  many will work, but there is usually one that is best suited to the job.

With that in mind, I encourage you to think of the types of subjects you’ll be shooting. Most landscape photographers want something wide angle.

Many portrait photographers will choose a telephoto lens to get the beautiful blurred backdrop (aka bokeh).

If you’re not sure what you’ll be photographing or you want something that is versatile enough to capture many subjects, I’d suggest a mid range zoom lens.

Read on to learn about my favorites for each of these categories. All of the selections pair very well with the Sony a6600, matching its top of the line performance and small form factor.

Best Sony a6600 Lenses in 2023

Image	Product	Features
	Sony 24mm f/1.8OUR #1 CHOICE	"Sonnar " optical design Direct Manual Focus Smooth & fast lens operation Superior corner-to-corner sharpness	View Price →
	Sony 16-55mm f/2.8TOP RATED	Precise, quiet AF and tracking 9-blade circular aperture Outstanding image quality Extreme Dynamic Linear Motor technology	View Price →
	Sony 20mm f/2.8GREAT VALUE	Outstanding resolution Ultra-slim & lightweight Circular aperture for attractive defocusing Smooth, quiet autofocus operation	View Price →
	Sony 10-18mm f/4	Refined optical performance Fast, agile focusing Optical SteadyShot 35mm equivalent focal length	View Price →
	Sony 35mm f/1.8	Customizable focus hold button Compact and lightweight 8.66” min. focus distance Large F1.8 maximum aperture	View Price →
	Sony 50mm f/1.8	Smooth defocusing Solid durability 7-blade circular aperture Refined optical performance	View Price →

 

In addition to all the Sony FE and E lenses which work with the Sony a6600, there are also several great third party options available, notably the lenses from Sigma.

However, in the interests of simplicity, I’ve concentrated on the Sony (own-brand) offerings.

Arguably, it’s usually these ‘native’ lenses that perform the best, since they have been designed specifically for the cameras that share the same brand.

1. Sony E 24mm f/1.8

Focal Length: 24mm (equivalent to 36mm)
Weight: 225g (7.9 oz.)
Size (Diameter x Length): 63 x 66mm (2.5 x 2.6in)
Filter Diameter: 49mm
Minimum Focus Distance: 0.16m (6.3in)

It is quickly evident that the Sony 24mm f/1.8 is a sturdy professional-grade lens. You can feel the quality and metal barrel and know that it is built for professionals.

Released in 2011, this lens has been a top performer in the APS-C Lineup for some time now. It feels similar to full frame lenses like the 55mm f/1.8, retaining the quality of these high-end lenses.

The low aperture of f/1.8 on this lens makes shooting in low light easy, even with autofocus. It never struggles to lock on to a subject even in very dark situations.

Sharpness is another area where this lens exceeded my expectations. Max sharpness is reached around f/4 but at f/1.8 the images still looked excellent.

If you’re committed to the APS-C cameras from Sony, you can’t go wrong with the 24mm f/1.8.

I love working with this lens, but my main complaint is that it’s heavier than some of the others listed here. The additional weight is likely due to the low aperture and excellent quality of this lens.

Despite being a bit heavier than the others, this lens is still regularly mounted on my camera. The quality is hard to ignore and the balance on the a6600 is excellent!

As a very versatile focal length, the Sony 24mm f/1.8 should be near the top of your list for a fast prime Sony lens.

Because it has a ~35mm equivalent focal length (24mm x 1.5 = 36mm with the APS-C crop factor) the 24mm f/1.8 is extremely useful for so many styles of photography and types of subject.

After 9 years as a professional photographer, I have been honing in on 35mm as my favorite focal length.

You can shoot portraits, family, travel, landscapes, glamour, etc because it is wide enough to capture the scene but not so wide that it has distortion.

With the fast aperture of f/1.8, you can even get some nice bokeh if you keep your subject close to the camera.

If you haven’t tried it yet, I strongly encourage you to get a 35mm lens, or get the Sony 24mm f/1.8 for your APS-C camera!

2. Sony E 16-55mm f/2.8

Focal Length: 16-55mm (equivalent to 24-105mm)
Weight: 494g (1.09 lb)
Size (Diameter x Length): 73 x 100mm (2.9 x 3.9 in)
Filter Diameter: 67mm
Minimum Focus Distance: 0.33m (1.08 ft)

There is a reason so many cameras come as kits with a mid-range zoom lens. For the Sony APS-C cameras like the a6600 (review), there are a few choices, but none are on par with the Sony 16-55 f/2.8.

This lens is unmatched in quality and low light performance when compared with the other mid-range zooms Sony previously offered.

If you’re unsure what type of subjects you’ll be photographing or if you want one lens that can do it all, I encourage you to check out the Sony 16-55mm f/2.8.

At the wide end (16mm) it can capture a big landscape. At the telephoto end (55mm) it can take a nice portrait with beautiful bokeh.

Throughout the focal range, it has a constant aperture of f/2.8 which makes it relatively good for shooting in dark situations.

It may not be as fast as the Sony 24mm f/1.8 but it is better than previous offerings.

I really appreciated when Sony released this lens because it felt like a very high-quality offering. Some of the APS-C lenses aren’t as sturdy feeling, but this lens feels very durable and well built.

If you want the top quality mid-range zoom for the Sony a6600, this is the perfect choice.

The lens is very sharp throughout the range (as you would expect from a G lens). The G rating or Gold line lenses are one level below the top of the line GM or Gold Master lenses.

The GM lenses are the top quality professional grade lenses for Sony mirrorless cameras.

Like the above lens, I’m a big fan of the metal-feeling design. This lens ups the quality by incorporating two very nice feeling rubber pieces of the focus and zoom rings respectively.

This is a heavy lens and it does extend a lot when you zoom between 16 and 55 mm. These downsides allow it to have a high level of quality and be more compact than an internally zooming lens.

The autofocus on this lens is exceptional, especially when paired with the Sony a6600. It felt extremely snappy and tracked subjects with no trouble.

I felt confident that this lens would make an excellent choice for someone who photographs events or action sports.

Overall, the Sony 16-55mm f/2.8 is the most versatile and top-performing zoom lens for the APS-C camera system.

3. Sony E 20mm f/2.8

Focal Length: 20mm (equivalent to 30mm)
Weight: 69g (2.4 oz.)
Size (Diameter x Length): 63 x 20mm (2.5 x 0.8in)
Filter Diameter: 49mm
Minimum Focus Distance: 0.2m (7.8 in)

As someone who loves to carry a camera on every adventure, this is the perfect lens for me!

The pancake design of the Sony 20mm f/2.8 is the perfect pairing the Sony a6600. Together they make an extremely powerful pocket size setup.

Having the performance that this combination offers in a package only marginally bigger than most smartphones was awesome.

I never hesitate to throw this setup in my bag, pocket, or jacket when I’m on the go. Normally most cameras feel like a burden to carry but not this one.

Aside from the compact/lightweight design of the Sony 20mm f/2.8, this lens offers a very versatile focal length.

As a 30mm equivalent, this lens felt similar to the Sony 24mm f/1.8, but with a slightly wider field of view.

The f/2.8 aperture also offers good low light performance. It is a great do-all lens for having with you all the time.

It is very capable at shooting travel and adventure although it may not be the best portrait lens unless you are wanting to capture the environment around someone.

The Sony 20mm f/2.8 sits right in the sweet spot between a wide angle and a 50mm “normal” lens.

With the feather-weight and compact design, the Sony 20mm f/2.8 is not quite as rugged-feeling as some of the other lenses for the Sony a6600.

It feels like it’s mostly plastic, although this may be due to its size. However, because it’s so light, it would likely survive a drop even though it’s not metal.

I find the wide angle focal length to have some distortion but not enough to cause problems. It is tolerable if you’re focusing on landscapes or scenes without a lot of straight lines.

This lens is fast focusing in all but the darkest scenes. I appreciated this especially because the lens is so affordable.

Lastly, I really liked how the lens hood protected the front element of the Sony 20mm f/2.8.

For a setup that will likely get thrown in jacket pockets and stuffed in packs, it was nice to not have to worry about using a lens cap.

The lens hood was also effective at keeping snow/rain off the lens when shooting in harsh weather.

Overall, a very impressive lens in an ultralight package!

4. Sony E 10-18mm f/4 OSS

Focal Length: 10-18mm (equivalent to 15-27mm)
Weight: 225g (7.9 oz.)
Size (Diameter x Length): 70 x 63mm (2.8 x 2.5in)
Filter Diameter: 62mm
Minimum Focus Distance: 0.25m (9.8in)

As a photographer who shoots a lot of landscapes and wide angle images, the Sony 10-18mm f/4 was the first lens I purchased for the APS-C system.

It allows you to capture dramatic landscapes utilizing a focal length similar to the Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 GM, my favorite Sony zoom lens.

The Sony 10-18mm f/4 is perfect for those Instagram-worthy big-landscape-small-person-style images. It features a super wide to wide zoom range that will capture any landscape and bring it to life!

In addition to offering a very useful focal range this lens is extremely compact/lightweight! I have spent many trips with it clipped to my harness or tucked inside my jacket.

Although the Sony 2omm f/2.8 lens disappears in my pocket, the Sony 10-18mm f/4 offers a bump in versatility that is extremely useful.

With a maximum aperture of f/4 you do sacrifice some low light performance but most of the scenes this lens is great for are outside during the daylight hours – taking pictures at sunrise, for example.

Also, the all-round sharpness of the Sony 10-18mm f/4 is excellent for the price.

I also used this lens on my Sony a7RIII a few times (it covers the full frame for a portion of the focal length, about 12-17mm).

On the high resolution of the a7RIII I do notice some loss in sharpness, but it’s more than adequate when shooting at 24mp on the a6600.

The one issue with using the Sony 10-18mm f/4 on a full frame camera is the increased distortion you get when shooting at such wide focal lengths.

I find the build quality of this lens to be pretty good. It’s not quite on par with the other designs that have more metal, but it held up surprisingly well to substantial abuse.

After several years of rugged use, it shows some wear but hasn’t suffered any performance loss.

The autofocus is fast and effective and with such a wide focal length, I rarely had issues with getting subjects in focus.

If you learn about hyperfocal distance, you’ll understand that with a 10-18mm lens, almost everything will be sharp through most of the frame as long as it’s focused at or beyond about 1.5 meters (5 ft).

If you’re looking for a lens to shoot the stars, I’d suggest a wide angle prime with an aperture more in the f/2 range, such as the excellent and affordable manual focus Rokinon 12mm f/2 (review).

Overall, this lens is great value and extremely versatile. The perspective it offers in unmatched and I have found it to be an excellent choice for the Sony a6600!

5. Sony E 35mm f/1.8 OSS

Focal Length: 35mm (equivalent to 52.5mm)
Weight: 154g (5.5 oz.)
Size (Diameter x Length): 63 x 45mm (2-1/2 x 1-13/16in.)
Filter Diameter: 49mm
Minimum Focus Distance: 0.3m (0.99ft)

There is a reason almost every camera company manufactures several 50mm lenses. Sony is no different with no less than 3 native offerings at varying price points.

If you want a 50mm equivalent for your Sony a6600, the Sony 35mm f/1.8 is a great choice. As a fixed focal length prime lens, it will encourage you to zoom with your feet and move around to capture the scene.

It’s the perfect option for an inexpensive fast prime lens.

It is a great choice for anyone wanting to ditch the zooms and try shooting with a prime lens.

With a great compact design and f/1.8 maximum aperture, this lens pairs well with the a6600.

It is very capable at focusing and capturing dark scenes. The combination of the 50mm equivalent focal length and f/1.8 aperture also makes this lens great for portraits.

Because it isn’t a telephoto zoom lens it won’t offer as much bokeh as the 50mm f/1.8. Despite this, the Sony 35mm f/1.8 still makes a great everyday walk-around lens for portraits or other scenes.

My main complaint with this lens is that it’s a little soft, specifically around the edges. It does get sharper if you stop down a lot but this is a bit frustrating for a prime lens.

I suppose you have to make a sacrifice for how affordable this lens is, especially in a lightweight/compact design.

The Sony 35mm f/1.8 is a plastic feeling design and doesn’t feel as durable. Despite this, it easily survived getting dropped!

The autofocus is fast and effective. For those looking for a standard focal length lens at an affordable price with a fast aperture, this would be a good choice.

Overall, I’d suggest checking out this lens as a good all-around prime, especially for how affordable it is!

6. Sony E 50mm f/1.8 OSS

Focal Length: 50mm (equivalent to 75mm)
Weight: 202g (7.1 oz.)
Size (Diameter x Length): 62x 62mm (2.4 x 2.4 in)
Filter Diameter: 49mm
Minimum Focus Distance: 0.39m (15.3 in)

The Sony 50mm f/1.8 is not normally a lens I would gravitate toward (I tend to like wider focal lengths) but it surprised me.

After trying it out, I realized it has a place in my bag. The 75mm equivalent focal length is awesome for compressing a scene and creating dreamy bokeh.

Lens compression is a great tool to bring backgrounds closer to the viewer and make it feel like a backdrop is closer than it really is.

The f/1.8 aperture combined with the focal length will really do an excellent job capturing a classic portrait. If you want the focus fall-off of a much more expensive lens without having to pay for it, the Sony 50mm f/1.8 is a great choice!

In addition, the focal length will create pleasing and accurate proportions when taking photos of faces. Where a wide angle would distort anything outside of the middle of the frame, the Sony 50mm f/1.8 keeps things in alignment.

If you’re taking head-shots or photographing people, this lens is a great pairing with the a6600.

This lens is also surprisingly compact for what it offers (50mm f/1.8). Other lenses with these specs tend to be much larger/heavier.

The sharpness is good, especially for the low price point of this lens. The design is similar to the 35mm f/1.8 and appears to be mostly plastic.

This does help to keep the weight down though, and at just 202g (7.1 oz.) it balances really well on a small mirrorless camera like the Sony a6600.

Overall, the Sony 50mm f/1.8 is an excellent choice for someone looking to take beautiful portraits without spending a ton of money on a lens!

At this price point, I’d definitely recommend it as one of the first lenses to buy for the Sony a6600.

What Lenses Work with the Sony a6600?

I thought I’d add a short explanation of the types of lenses that owners of the Sony a6600 can use.

Sony produces two main types of lens for its ‘E-mount’ mirrorless camera bodies – ‘FE’ and ‘E’ lenses.

Confusingly, ‘E-mount’ refers to the Sony mirrorless mount itself.

There’s also the A-mount, which is for the Sony unique Translucent Mirror type camera bodies.

If you see a Sony lens that contains an ‘E” (as opposed to an ‘FE’), this means that it’s been designed for their APS-C sensor range of mirrorless bodies – i.e. the Sony alpha a6600, and other a6xxx cameras.

Sony ‘FE’ lenses, on the other hand, cover the entire 35mm frame of a full frame camera, and as such, can be used on all Sony mirrorless cameras, even the Sony a6600 (albeit at a 1.5* focal length multiplication) – read more about the best FE Sony lenses.

Unless you’re planning to upgrade to a full frame Sony body soon, or perhaps already own one and wish to share lenses, it’s generally advisable to take advantage of lenses made specifically for the APS-C sensor (i.e. Sony ‘E’ lenses).

These lenses are usually smaller, lighter and much more affordable than their full frame (FE) counterparts.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best lens for Sony a6600?

You have a lot of great options when it comes to lenses for the a6600. Depending on your requirements and preferences, some will be better suited to you than others. As an all-rounder, our top pick is the 24mm f/1.8 – the build quality is excellent, it’s lightweight yet solid, and renders impressively sharp images.

What Sony lens is best for portraits?

For use with the a66oo, we’d recommend the 50mm f/1.8 for portraits. It creates beautiful bokeh that makes your subject stand out from the background, delivering that classic portrait look.

Can I use full frame lens on Sony a6600?

Sony full frame ‘FE’ lenses can be used on the Sony a6600, though at a 1.5* focal length multiplication. That said, you’re better off opting for lenses that are specially designed for the a6600 as they’re lighter and more affordable.

What is the sharpest Sony lens?

If you’re after a razor sharp native lens for the a6600, our pick is the 24mm f/1.8. For a wide angle, the 10-18mm f/4 also delivers impressively sharp results.

Best Sony a6600 Lenses | Final Words

Considering the endless lens options for the Sony a6600, I’ve tried to narrow down my selection to what I think are the 6 best choices available.

It’s a balance of value, features, size/weight, and versatility. Each of these lenses is going to serve a specific user best, and it’s up to you to evaluate your kit to make the best decision.

The great thing about lenses is that they tend to hold their value, so if you decide you want to buy one to try one, you can probably sell it easily if it doesn’t work out for you.

My hope is that some of you will find my input valuable and helpful in choosing the best lens for this awesome camera! Paired with a great lens, the a6600 is such a powerful image-making tool!

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below – do you agree with my selection?