The Best Video Lens for Sony A7R IV

Sony α7R IV Full-frame Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera (ILCE7RM4/B)
  • Stunning resolution: world’s first 61MP full-frame 35mm back-illuminated Exmore R CMOS Image Sensor. The product is compatible with Final Cut Pro X and iMovie
  • High speed: up to 10Fps continuous shooting at 61MP with AE/AF tracking; 26. 2MP in APS-C crop mode
  • Fast Hybrid Autofocus: 567 Phase detection AF points and 425 contrast AF points to cover more area

What is the best video lens for Sony A7R IV?

DSLR and mirrorless camera have replaced most of the consumer video camera market. The Sony A7R IV is part of these cameras that are perfect for video makers, if equipped with the right lens. Which lens should you buy for your video projects ? We prepared for you some tips on the best lenses to get depending on the kind of shots you want to achieve.

What to look for in a video lens ?

Even if some lenses are branded for a specific use in video, you can actually use pretty much any lens for your shootings, even some old school prime lenses. The rules of video making are only there to be transgressed. But generally, videographers may want to have fast and quiet autofocus, as it will take out the need for an expensive follow-focus on moving subjects. Having the brightest lens possible is a big plus for this sweet shallow focus. Finally, stabilized lenses, despite being more expensive, will always be better for a versatile use. As for the rest, follow our guidelines below!

The best video lens for a cinema look

When we talk about cinematic looks, we mostly refer to this classic cinema feel, with little to no distortion. Don’t look further, you need a prime 50 mm lens. This focal length gives results close to the human vision, and are widely used in the industry. Some are pretty affordable, but the stabilized ones will be a tad more expensive. If you have a consequent budget, we recommend you to have a look at anamorphic lenses, which will give you these beautiful lens flares and add to the overall feel.

The best video lens for run and gun

Run and gun is popular for vlogging, skateboard videos, or documentaries. For this setup, you need to be able to just grab your camera and start shooting. A wide angle lens is perfect for this use. 25 mm to 35 mm is good for a versatile use, but you can also go below and go for a fisheye look for these extreme distorted close-ups.

The best video lens for landscapes

Landscapes and cityscape shots are perfect to set your characters in their environment. As for pictures, you may want to invest in either a telephoto lens, or a zoom lens. 70 mm to 90 mm is usually a good range of focal length, but you may want to go beyond if you try to shoot remote locations.

The best all-rounder video lens

If you are on a budget, or want to get as much room as possible for your shots without changing lenses, zoom lenses are a solid bet. A 35-70 mm is perfect to get close-ups as well as scenery shots. Be aware that most affordable zoom lenses are not very bright, so you may need to work around their limitations or have to break your piggy bank.

Note: the product links in this article lead to Amazon.com


Must-have video lenses for filming with the Sony A7R IV:

Tamron 28-75mm F/2.8 Di III RXD

best full frame sony fe lenses (2)Weight: 550 g
Filter size: 67 mm

If you’re looking for an upgrade to the kit lens or if you just want one lens for everything, this is the best all-around lens that can even replace a couple of prime lenses. Since it’s relatively small and compact it’s perfect for travel, it’s weather resistant (not weather sealed however…) and its built quality overall is good.

Image quality is excellent, it gives wonderful results thanks to its constant f/2.8 aperture, with a nice bokeh, and it even has good macro performances.

The only downside is that the focal range doesn’t start at 24 mm and you’ll have to get used to the 28 mm. That said, it’s a must-have if you’re looking for the perfect all-around lens, and it’s sold at an incredibly competitive price.

Sale
Tamron 28-75mm F/2.8 for Sony Mirrorless Full Frame E Mount (Tamron 6 Year Limited USA Warranty)...
  • Superb optical performance, including both outstanding image quality and beautiful background Blur effects (bokeh), provided by fast f/2.8 aperture.
  • Comfortably light weight (19.4 oz.) and compact (4.6 in). Maximum Magnification Ratio: 1:2.9 (Wide); 1:4 (Tele)
  • Close-focusing; minimum object distance: 7.5 in at wide-angle setting and 15.3 in at the telephoto position.

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Sony FE 16-35mm f/4

best sony fe mount lenses (1)Weight: 518 g
Filter size: 72 mm

Released in 2014, it’s the first wide angle lens available for Sony FE hybrids: overall it offers excellent optical performance overall and is a very good lens for landscape photography and videos. It offers impressively sharp images, low vignetting, fast focusing, reasonable distortion and very good manufacturing quality.

Unlike the 16-35mm f/2.8 GM below, the f/4 has no AF/MF button and it’s much more affordable. If you hesitate between the two and wonder if it’s worth switching to the 16-35mm f/2.8 GM, let’s say it depends mainly on the budget you’re willing to put in and whether you want to shoot professional videos. In both cases they are excellent wide-angle lenses that will not disappoint you.

Sony 16-35mm Vario-Tessar T FE F4 ZA OSS E-Mount Lens
  • Ideal for landscapes and the a7 series of full frame cameras, ZEISS T (T star) coating to reduce flare and ghosting
  • Minimum Focus Distance: 0.92 feet (0.28 m), Maximum Magnification ratio: 0. 19x, Focal-Length: 5/8 - 1-3/8 Inches
  • Three ED glass elements suppress chromatic distortion, constant F4 maximum aperture throughout the zoom range

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Sony FE ZEISS SONNAR 55mm f/1.8

which sony fe lens chooseWeight: 281 g
Filter size: 49 mm

One of the best-selling lenses for Sony full-format hybrids. This focal range is mainly suitable for street photography, portraits and landscapes. It has a superb quality of construction, with a matt black coating similar to that of the A7 housings and is resistant to dust and moisture. It’s one of the lightest objectives of this ranking but also one of the least cumbersome, it can be carried everywhere easily. Its autofocus is silent, fast and accurate, even in low light.

The highlight of this 55mm f/1.8 is its sharpness, really impressive: the images you get with this lens are very sharp and rich in detail (it’s in the top 5 of dxomark.com).

What about the 50mm f/1.8? Although it’s sold at a very attractive price, its autofocus is really bad and the 55mm f:1.8 is definitely better in every respect, so it’s better to save money to buy it. As for the Sony Zeiss FE 50mm f/1.4 Planar T*, it offers slightly better performance (e. g. a slightly softer bokeh) but not enough to justify the huge price difference.

In terms of quality/price, the 55mm f/1.8 is simply THE best lens you can have to shoot videos with your Sony full-frame hybrid camera.

Sale
SONY E-Mount Interchangeable Lens Sonnar T FE 55mm F1.8 ZA SEL55F18Z - International Version (No...
  • This version is originally intended for sale outside the US and may contain adapters, manuals, and warranties not compatible with US standards.

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Sony 24mm f/1.4

best video lens sony feWeight: 445 g
Filter size: 67 mm

The Sony 24mm f/1.4 GM is one of the best 24mm of all camera brands: it’s extremely sharp from corner to corner, very compact, light and discreet, and offers stunning low-light performance. If you shoot at night a lot, you will love that lens. The build quality is very good (like all GM lenses it’s weather sealed) and its autofocus works extraordinarily well, which make it great for shooting videos. The f/1.4 aperture gives a very smooth background blur.

On the negative side, it’s very expensive, but if you work with your camera it’s an investment that will pay off quickly. Anyway, if you can afford one expensive wide-angle lens for your Sony A7R IV, this one is highly recommended.

Sale
Sony E-mount FE 24mm F1.4 GM Full Frame Wide-angle Prime Lens (SEL24F14GM), Black
  • Compact Master wide prime Lens w/stunning wide-open resolution
  • F1.4 max aperture provides extraordinary exposure and Depth of field
  • G Master design combines extraordinary sharpness and smooth bokeh

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Sony 35mm f/1.8

best video lens for sony feWeight: 280 g
Filter size: 55 mm

The Sony 35mm f/1.8 is an interesting choice for Sony A7R IV owners who want to shoot video: it offers a good optical performance, its focal range is very versatile and it’s compact and discreet.  Autofocus is crazy fast, even in challenging situations. The built quality feels really nice in hands. Basically, except the lack of Optical Steady Shot (OSS), it shows no real weaknesses.

Its weight of only 280 g is certainly one of its assets since it is particularly discreet and pleasant to use and makes it easy to fit into any camera bag.

Highly recommended it if you’re looking for a travel lens for videography.

Sale
Sony FE 35mm F1.8 Large Aperture Prime Lens (SEL35F18F)
  • F1. 8 with 9-blade circular aperture contributes to gorgeous bokeh
  • Compact and lightweight sets a new standard for portability
  • Aspherical element suppresses aberration to deliver high resolution

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MORE OPTIONS

There are obviously other photo lenses that work great for shooting video with the Sony A7R IV, so you’ll have to choose based on what you need, and your budget. Here are five additional lenses that round out this list and are among the most commonly used by Youtubers who primarily use it for filmmaking:

Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 Di III RXD for Sony Mirrorless Full Frame/APS-C E Mount, Black (AFA046S700)
Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 Di III RXD for Sony Mirrorless Full Frame/APS-C E Mount, Black (AFA046S700)
Superb image quality high mtf performance (utilizing the camera body compensation); The RXD stepping motor unit is exceptionally quiet
Tamron 70-180mm F/2.8 Di III VXD for Sony Full Frame/APS-C E-Mount, Black
Tamron 70-180mm F/2.8 Di III VXD for Sony Full Frame/APS-C E-Mount, Black
Lightest and most compact in its class of fast tele zooms for Sony full-frame mirrorless; Moisture-Resistant Construction, Fluorine Coating, and Zoom Lock switch
$1,199.00
Sale
Sony SEL85F18 85mm F/1.8-22 Medium-Telephoto Fixed Prime Camera Lens, Black
Sony SEL85F18 85mm F/1.8-22 Medium-Telephoto Fixed Prime Camera Lens, Black
Wide F1.8 maximum aperture enables beautiful defocusing effects; 9-Blade circular aperture creates beautiful round defocused bokeh
$599.99 −$51.99 $548.00
Sale
Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM Lens
Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM Lens
E-Mount Lens/Full-Frame Format; Aperture Range: f/1.4 to f/16 , Filter Diameter (mm) - 67 mm
$1,798.00 −$100.00 $1,698.00

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Useful accessories for video

Here is a small selection of extra tools you’ll need with your your Sony A7R IV to make your video shooting easier and improve the quality of your projects:

3 Legged Thing Punks Brian Carbon Fibre Compact Travel Tripod System … (Brian)
3 Legged Thing Punks Brian Carbon Fibre Compact Travel Tripod System … (Brian)
Weighs just 1.45 kg / 3.2 lb; Folds to just 41 cm / 16 "; Load capability 14 kg / 30 lb; Full-size detachable monopod
Sale
Rode VideoMicro Compact On-Camera Microphone with Rycote Lyre Shock Mount, Auxiliary, Black
Rode VideoMicro Compact On-Camera Microphone with Rycote Lyre Shock Mount, Auxiliary, Black
No battery required (powered by camera plug-in power - min 3V); Includes Rycote lyre shock mount and deluxe furry windshield
$59.99 −$11.99 $48.00
Sale
Manfrotto PIXI EVO 2-Section Mini Tripod, Black
Manfrotto PIXI EVO 2-Section Mini Tripod, Black
Mini tripod for entry level DSLRs with zoom lenses up to 200 mm; Two section legs that are adjustable for uneven shooting surfaces
$50.31 −$5.32 $44.99

Conclusion

If you are wondering what is the best video lens for the Sony A7R IV, you should think in advance about the types of videos you plan to shoot mainly: sporting events, weddings, vlogging… Think about the focal lengths you’ll need for that.

You can also go on Youtube, type in the name of the lens you want and you should find plenty of test footage made with your Sony A7R IV and the specific lens you want. This will give you an idea of what equipment you will need to get.

Also, if you plan to do a lot of travel videos or travel vlogs, take into account the total weight with the camera body and 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 shoot videos with your smartphone. You may also not want to risk damaging an extremely expensive lens.

And finally, perhaps the most decisive point about choosing the perfect video lens for your Sony A7R IV will be if you want to have professional quality videos.

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USEFUL LINKS

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