What are the best budget lenses for Sony mirrorless cameras?

Question

I finally pulled the trigger on a used a6400 last week since I wanted to get back into photography after a huge break. Im mostly taking shots of my toddler at the park here in rainy Seattle and trying to do some street stuff on the weekends. The kit lens is fine I guess but it is honestly pretty boring and bad in low light.

Ive been looking online and everyone keeps pointing towards the Sigma 30mm f1.4 as the holy grail for budget shooters. It looks great in the samples but then I read a few threads saying the autofocus can be a bit jumpy if youre trying to do any video which I might want to do later. Then there is the Sony 50mm f1.8 which is crazy cheap like under 200 bucks sometimes but people say the motor is loud and it hunts forever in low light. Im just kinda stuck because I dont want to waste my 400 dollar budget on something that I will want to replace in two months.

Are there any hidden gems or maybe newer Viltrox or Samyang lenses that actually hold up against the bigger brands without breaking the bank?

BenitoHeips · Accepted Answer

To add to the point above: I really think you should be careful with that Sony FE 50mm f/1.8. Tbh, on your a6400, that 50mm acts like a 75mm lens... its way too tight for chasing a toddler around a park unless you're standing like twenty feet away. Plus the autofocus really does struggle like people say. I'd actually disagree with the idea of sticking strictly to primes for street and kids when you're just starting back up. Primes are great but they can be a bit of a trap if you only have one and your subject is fast. If you can stretch that 400 dollar budget by maybe fifty bucks or find a used deal, please look at the Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN Contemporary. I know it's not an f1.4 prime but f2.8 is still a massive jump over your kit lens for low light and the background blur is still solid. It's tiny, the autofocus is way more reliable for video than the older Samyang stuff, and you wont be constantly switching lenses while your kid is running away. Plus it has a bit of weather sealing which is nice for that Seattle mist. If you really want a prime and the Sigma 30mm feels too risky for video, the Samyang AF 35mm f/1.8 FE is actually a sleeper hit. It's technically a full-frame lens but works great on the a6400. It's quiet, fast, and light. Just make sure you update the firmware if you get it used because the early versions were a bit buggy. Just my two cents tho... dont rush into the 50mm just cause it's cheap.

Ahmed Abdulla · Answer

> The Sigma 30mm f1.4 looks great in the samples but then I read a few threads saying the autofocus can be a bit jumpy I totally get the hesitation with the Sigma. Honestly though, I've been super happy with the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary Sony E for years and the AF issues are mostly overblown if you just update the lens firmware. It works well for most things, seriously. But if you want rock-solid video, the Sony E 35mm f/1.8 OSS is a beast. It has Optical SteadyShot (OSS) which is a lifesaver since the a6400 doesnt have in-body stabilization for those rainy Seattle street shots. Another sleeper hit is the Viltrox 33mm f/1.4 AF STM Sony E. It feels really premium and the AF is surprisingly snappy for the price. If you want to nerd out on technical specs, check out the lens database over at DPReview or look up Christopher Frost on YouTube. He does great side-by-side comparisons that show the real-world differences. You really cant go wrong here... both are solid picks.

Lens Rumors

Forum

What are the best budget lenses for Sony mirrorless cameras?