- World’s fastest AF at 0 02 sec with real-time AF and Object tracking
- 24 2MP APS-C Exmor sensor with front end LSI and ISO up to 102 400
- Wide 425-phase/425-contrast detection AF points over 84% of sensor
What is the best portrait lens for Sony A6600?
So you’re wondering which lens is best for portrait photography with your Sony A6600? Portrait photography is something we do on a regular basis, whether with friends, family or strangers. Many beginning photographers bought their first camera with the kit zoom lens and a portrait lens is often one of the first tools needed as an extra.
If you want to get good results, it will be necessary to use the right equipment. However, there are many models and choosing a portrait lens can be complicated because it depends on several factors.
To help you, in this article we’ll explain all the features you’ll need to consider when determining which portrait lens to choose for your Sony A6600.
How to choose the best portrait lens for my Sony A6600?
Here are some things to consider when choosing your portrait lens to go with your Sony A6600:
Fixed or zoom lens? Which focal length to choose? The focal length is an important criterion to determine which portrait lens to choose: a fixed focal length cannot zoom, and you will have to move to change the size of your subject on the image.
You must choose according to the type of environment where you intend to take portrait photos: outside (during a trip for example), in a concert hall, in a studio, during a wedding… A zoom lens is more versatile, allowing you to go from a wide angle to a standard or telephoto lens very quickly. Their negative points are that they are generally heavier and more expensive than a fixed focal length.
Although fixed focal lengths don’t offer as much versatility as a zoom lens, they still have many advantages: generally the image quality they provide is far superior to a zoom lenses, for a much lower price. A fixed focal length portrait lens also allows the use of very large apertures such as f/1.4 or f/1.8 which is impossible to obtain with a zoom lens.
The larger this aperture (i.e. the smaller the f/number), the more light the lens will let in on the sensor. It will allow to reduce the depth of field in order to isolate the photographed subject and to realize superb effects of bokeh (background blur).
A large aperture also helps reduce motion blur in dark environments. The choice between a fixed focal length and a zoom lens is above all a matter of compromise between image quality and versatility.
As with any photographic equipment purchase, choosing a portrait lens also depends on your budget. If you are just starting out in photography and want to learn about portraiture without breaking the bank, you may want to consider third-party lenses such as those from Tamron, Sigma and Samyang rather than the official Canon, Nikon or Sony lenses.
They are much affordable and generally offer very similar image quality. On the other hand, the build quality is generally better on the official lenses. If you are a very demanding photographer and are looking for exceptional image quality, I would still recommend investing in a lens from the same brand as your camera.
If you are not sure on what portrait lens to choose for your Sony A6600, this small selection is suitable for most portrait photographers.
Note: the product links in this article lead to Amazon.com
Summary
Here’s the Top portrait lenses you should consider for your Sony a6400:
Sony 50mm f/1.8 OSS
Weight: 202 g
Filter size: 49 mm
One of the best lenses available for the Sony a6400. It offers very sharp images with a superb background blur, even in low light. The focal length is quite difficult to use indoors but outdoors it’s very practical. Among the advantages: it’s light and compact, it does not cost too much, it has integrated optical stabilization, it has a super autofocus that is both fast and silent, and it offers a simply superb image rendering, with a super sharp focus.
In short, with this kind of lens we can see the difference in terms of quality with the basic kit. Simply a must-have if you have a Sony a6400 and want to do a portrait (if ever the portrait photo is not the type of preference, the 35mm from Sony is a little more versatile and offers a similar image quality).
- Built-in Optical SteadyShot image stabilization and 7-blade circular aperture for beautiful defocus effects
- Minimum Focus Distance : 1.28 ft (0.39 m), Maximum Magnification ratio : 0.16x, Focal-Length : 50 mm and filter diameter (mm) is 49 mm
- Large F1.8 maximum aperture enables beautiful defocusing effects. Angle of View (APS-C) : 32°
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Sigma 56mm F1.4
Filter size: 66.5mm
With an equivalent full-frame focal length of 84mm the Sigma 56mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary is a very interesting lens for portrait photographers who own a Sony a6400. It’s well built and extremely sharp (even more than the Sony E 50mm f/1.8), compact and comfortable to use.
Its autofocus is silent and fast, and the f/1.4 aperture gives a fantastic bokeh. For the negative points, it’s not stabilized and there’s not MF/AF button.
Simply one of the best portrait lenses available for your Sony a6400.
- Featuring compact design, Light weight and outstanding image quality offered in sigma’s contemporary line
- N addition, this lens is characterized by smooth and quiet autofocus ideal for video shooting. Compatible with the Sony E mount fast Hybrid AF, it also achieves precise AF tracking.
- By using the face recognition or eye AF functions of the camera, focus Will continuously be on the face or the eye even if the subject Moves during the shoot.
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Sigma 60mm f/2.8 DN ART
Weight: 190 g
Filter size: 46 mm
If you have a small budget to spend on your Sony a6400 and you want to take a portrait photo, this Sigma 60mm f/2.8 is for you! Light and compact, it delivers images with a top sharpness (it’s one of the sharpest lenses in this selection). The f/2.8 aperture allows shooting in low light, although it does not offer as many possibilities as with the Sony 50mm f/1.8.
That said, I don’t have much to blame it for… given its price it’s really a good lens, which can also be used to make close-ups on a landscape, for example. Note that when you switch it over you can hear a noise as if something had come off inside, I reassure you it’s quite normal (it’s the autofocus motor)! In short, it’s a very good value for money that perfectly complements the Sony a6400.
- Minimum focusing distance of 50CM.Maximum Focusing magnification ratio of 1:7.2
- Our DN lenses make a rattle/loose sound when handled or shaken due to the auto focus component that is controlled by a magnetic field within the lens
- Excellent for taking shots with a pinpoint focus on a subject.
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☛ MORE PORTRAIT LENSES
- For other portrait lenses options, check this out: The best lenses for Sony a6600
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Useful accessories for portrait photography
They are essential to make photos and videos. Whether it’s for transporting your equipment, stabilizing your camera or protecting your camera and lenses, accessories are far from being superfluous. But you have to choose them well if you want them to last.
Here is a small selection of must-have accessories to complement your lenses and your Sony A6600 if you want to do portrait photography:
Conclusion
To summarize, the important things to consider when looking for the best portrait lens for Sony A6600 are focal range, aperture and price. If you’re not sure which portrait lens to choose, you can also go to Flickr and search for examples of photos taken with the lens you are interested in, this will give you a good idea of its possibilities.
Another thing, if you are planning to do portrait photography while on vacation or travel, consider the weight and bulk of the lens. If the whole thing is too heavy or bulky and lacks discretion, you won’t want to bother with it and would rather just take your smartphone with you. You may also not want to risk damaging an extremely expensive lens.
And finally, perhaps the most decisive point about choosing the perfect portrait lens for your Sony A6600 will be if you need to get a portfolio of professional quality portrait photos (it may be your business or it may become your business who knows?).
Last tips: Remember to always focus on the eyes. And whatever portrait lens you choose, try to snap as much as you can, as it is often during the selection phase that you’ll discover the perfect picture. Most importantly, be always ready, as the magic in a portrait may only last for a short moment.