Make Your Traveling Memorable with the Best Travel Lenses for Sony A7III
The venerable Sony A7III is easily one of the best cameras that you can get your hands on in the market, and for the longest time, the camera has been featured on a number of our roundups, as well. So, it is more than safe to say that for anyone who has been on the hunt for something that is solid and does not falter, this camera is the answer.
But what do I do with the lens? Lenses are a key part of any camera and they can easily make or break the experience.
Well, in this post, we are going to start looking at the best travel lenses for Sony A7III. I do understand that it might seem derivative at best, but some of the lenses that we are going to mention here can be used for other purposes, too. So, even if traveling is not something that you will be doing all the time, you can still get an excellent experience out of these lenses.
Reviewing the Best Travel Lenses for Sony A7III
The purpose behind this round-up is the simplest, to be honest. We are going to mention all the best lenses that you can use for traveling but the best thing is that most of these lenses are multi-purpose, and can be used for other situations, too.
So, let’s not waste time and have a look at all the good lenses, shall we?
Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 Art – Best Overall
The Sigma 24-70mm Art is perhaps the best lens for not just Sony but any other camera. The lens can easily be considered the best lens that you can have in your arsenal, and the best thing is that it can be used for almost every photography type, and you will be good to go.
It should not come as a surprise that Sigma has been making some amazing lenses for a long time and they are not going to stop, either. However, over the past couple of years, Sigma has made a number of lenses that have helped establish them as the best company there is, and to be honest, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the lenses that they have provided, it is just that they have consistently gotten better over the past couple of years.
The Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 Art is just an example of that as this is perhaps the best lens that Sigma has made in a long, long time. The best thing about this lens is that aside from being the best travel lens for Sony A7III, it is genuinely the best lens overall, and delivers a top-notch experience that you cannot really overlook. So, yes, there is a lot to love about this lens and you cannot really overlook any aspect of it.
Right off the bat, the one thing that impressed me the most about the build quality is that it matches some of the more expensive Sony GM lenses, and that easily is one of the best things that one can say about this lens. However, this build quality only extends as the lens is completely and thoroughly weather-sealed, so if you do want to be sure that you are buying something that is solid, then this is a good way to get started.
The autofocusing on the Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 ART is one of the best in terms of overall performance; it is quiet, fast, and gets the job done right away. During my time with the lens, I did not really run into a lot of focus hunting, so that is definitely an excellent thing. For those wondering, the eye-AF works just as well. And yes, after getting this lens, you just need to implement the best external mic settings for Sony a7iii and you will literally start enjoying your travel vlog.
Another thing that I love about this lens is the fact that you are looking at perhaps one of the best image qualities and sharpness across the focal lengths. So, you are not just getting sharp images at just 24mm, but through the range. Sure, there are some discrepancies but they are not going to run you into issues with images that you cannot use.
The Sigma 24-70mm Art also performs beautifully with color and contrast, and I did not run into any other reproduction issues, either. The bokeh performance remains brilliant, and the image quality is easily comparable to more expensive offerings with the same focal range.
Honestly, I have been using the lens for some time, and the only issue that I faced with the lens is that there is noticeable barrel distortion at 24mm, but that is something that I had expected since that is a common woe of most of the standard zoom lenses.
Overall, however, the Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 is easily one of the best travel lenses for Sony A7III. It delivers an extensive list of features and experiences that other lenses cannot match and easily punches above the price tag in terms of performance as the lens manages to outperform some of the more expensive lenses.
Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 – Best Ultra-Wide Zoom Lens
The Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 is an excellent ultra-wide zoom lens available for both Sony APS-C and full-frame camera systems. It delivers solid performance across the board, with sharp image quality and a solid overall build for more outdoor adventures.
The first lens that we are looking at is from Tamron and we all know of the fact that the company has been giving us some amazing lenses over the past couple of years. Sure, they have had some misses, as well. But for the most part, the company has done a stellar job and the Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 is an excellent example of how good Tamron lenses can be and this one really is no different.
There is so much to love about this lens and I had a good time using it without really coming into any issues that would hinder my experience overall. Still, we are going to take a look at everything that I love about this lens.
For starters, the lens brings a solid build quality and even has a comprehensive level of weather sealing, making this lens really, really solid overall. This makes the lens easily one of the best options when you are talking about getting something along the lines of a travel lens because it can easily survive the outside world.
Not just that, the autofocusing performance on this lens is excellent and it is something that you are not going to regret, at all. Autofocusing is something that has become a really solid part for any lens and without good autofocusing, the experience can be severely lacking. Thankfully, the Tamron 17-28mm works really well with autofocusing.
The color and contrast reproduction is also excellent across the board, so if you have been wondering if the lens at hand is going to deliver the experience you want then I can assure you that there are not going to be problems as far as the overall experience is concerned.
The lens is also great when it comes to handling flare resistance, and the native lens support is always good as the post-production does not come in the way of how you are going to use the lens.
Last but not least, the value for money that you get from this lens is beyond impressive; the Tamron 17-28mm easily is one of the best lenses from the value perspective and does not really create any issues for anyone.
While there is a lot that I love about the Tamron 17-28mm, I do have to mention that when you are putting the lens on 17mm, there is going to be some barrel distortion, which is normally given at such focal lengths.
Overall, I would say that the Tamron 17-28mm is an excellent lens overall. If you have been searching for something that gets the job done in every single way, then this lens is definitely something that you need to look into it because it still remains one of the best lenses that you can get your hands on, in the market.
Sony – FE 16-35mm – Best Wide-Angle Zoom Lens
The Sony – FE 16-35mm is a top-tier lens that you can get your hands on for a good chunk of money. But the performance it delivers is more than commendable and it can easily hold itself as one of the best lenses in the market.
First-party lenses from Sony and other companies have always been the rage and for all the right reasons. It is more than understandable as to why you would want to invest in such lenses. However, it is always advisable that you keep the fact in mind that these lenses are not going to be cheap. So, if you are looking to get your hands on something, you will have to pay more money.
With that said, the Sony – FE 16-35mm is a lens that a lot of people want, but being a GM lens, this is not something cheap. If you happen to have a lot of money and you want something solid and without any hitches, then this lens is definitely something that you should be looking into as it will deliver great performance overall, and well, you cannot really rival it.
We are going to start with the fact that just like other lenses on this list, this one also has a constant aperture of f/2.8, which is amazing because you do get a standard zoom lens and although it is not much, it still delivers an experience that most people would want.
Sony has done a great job with the overall build quality and the Sony – FE 16-35mm GM is extensively weather-sealed and built like a tank. One thing is for sure this lens is not going to give in or break after using it for longer times or in less than favorable conditions. The lens is powerful and works really well.
Perhaps the best thing that I love about this lens a lot is the fact that it is going to deliver excellent image quality and sharpness. We have all heard just how good the GM lenses perform but it took me a few days of using it to realize that this lens clearly wins in almost every way, and does so with pride.
The lack levels and close-up performance are also excellent and I am pleased to announce that as far as the autofocus performance is concerned, you are getting an amazing experience… something that you will not regret.
As far as the downsides are concerned, I don’t really have any issues. I do have to mention that the lens is softer at the longer end of the focal range, and the minimum focusing distance is not as low as some would prefer.
Overall, it is more than safe to say that the Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 GM is perhaps the best wide-angle lens that you can get your hands on. Granted, it is not a cheap lens that you can get but if you are looking for a one-time investment and you want an unparalleled experience, then this lens is excellent in all cases.
Sony FE 35mm f/1.8 – Best Prime Travel Lens for Sony A7III
The Sony FE 35mm f/1.8 is an exceptional prime lens that you can get your hands on for not a lot of money. It delivers an excellent performance, great image quality, and solid build-through and through.
We are finally moving to prime lenses and well, they are a thing and two, for those who are looking for an exceptional experience. The thing that I love about prime lenses is that they are excellent in almost every regard and as compared to the zoom lenses, they tend to offer more sharpness.
Sure, they do come with their own set of limitations such as the whole aspect of the lens not being able to zoom in, but the good thing is that prime lenses have been around for a long time and the performance that they do deliver is exceptional, to say the least.
With that said, the Sony FE 35mm f/1.8 is a knockout lens for the price you are paying, and there is a lot to love about this lens.
Starting with the build quality that is exceptional across the board; it looks good, it feels good, and although the lens itself is small, it still feels solid in the hand, something that you do not get often when you are in the market looking for good lenses.
You are also getting weather sealing, so that is just another added benefit that you simply cannot overlook and if you have been after a lens that feels good in the hands, then this definitely is the lens that you need to look.
The one thing that I love the most about this lens is the autofocusing on it; it is quiet, fast, and accurate. Not a lot of lenses in the market are able to compete on the same level and this one does with excellent experience overall.
Moving forward, the bokeh that this lens produces is amazing, too. For a lot of people, having smooth bokeh is a priority, and at f/1.8, the lens produces gorgeous bokeh and still manages to retain the sharpness and color.
Not to forget, you are also looking at excellent flare and chromatic aberration control, and the minimum focusing distance and magnification of this lens are both very useful.
As far as the downsides are concerned, my only issue here is that when you are looking at the corner sharpness, that looks to be suffering a bit but that is about it.
Overall, the Sony FE 35mm f/1.8 is easily the best prime lens that I would suggest everyone get their hands on. If you have been searching for something that not only looks good but also delivers top-of-the-line performance, then spending money on this lens is not at all the wrong thing.
Tamron 150-500mm f/5-6.7 – Best Telephoto Zoom Lens
The Tamron 150-500mm f/5-6.7 is a top-notch lens for anyone who is looking for a telephoto zoom lens as it delivers excellent sharpness, a great zoom range, and a lot of features that you would want from a lens that delivers good performance overall.
When you are talking about travel lenses, telephoto zoom lenses are often overlooked but the thing is that people have slowly started realizing that having access to good telephoto lenses are important and you should not really go for something that is bad. With that said, when you are talking about telephoto zoom lenses, you can always rely on Tamron.
Thankfully, the Tamron 150-500mm f/5-6.7 is an excellent lens that you can spend money on and if you have been trying to figure out something that is going to deliver exceptional performance, then this is the lens that you should be going for.
Starting right away, the lens is definitely smaller than most competing lenses. Allowing you to have a great overall experience, to be honest. I love how this lens can easily be carried around without any issues. However, that is not all.
You are looking at one of the best constructions in a lens with solid build quality through and through and of course, for such a solid lens that is meant for traveling, you are also getting weather sealing around the lens to ensure that you can easily carry it with you and not worry about ruining your lens.
Tamron has also made sure that the lens you are getting has enough functionality and features because, after all, you are getting something that is not going to leave you with an average experience. The lens does everything to make the overall experience excellent and across the board.
The new zoom lock clutch is one of the best things about this lens and it makes the overall functionality of this lens really well.
The best thing about this lens, at least for me, is the new VXD autofocus; it is quiet, quick, fast, and works really, really well across the board.
The lens also brings vibration compensation, which is perhaps one of the most important things that you can get access to on such a lens with a long telephoto lens. You will not have any issues as far as the overall performance is concerned.
However, the one thing that surprised me the most was the fact that the sharpness across the board remains really, really well and you will not be running into any problems.
The magnification is another thing that I really like and the minimum focusing distance as it works really, really well overall. The bokeh rendering on this lens looks and works really well and the lens overall brings a stunning value for the price.
As far as the downsides are concerned, my concern is that you cannot use the lens with teleconverters and the maximum aperture on this lens is not as wide as some would want.
Frequently Asked Questions
Conclusion
I can understand that finding the best travel lens can be a difficult process because a lot of times, things tend to go wrong or sideways, but the purpose of this article is to ensure that things are a lot easier for everyone and we are finding the best travel lens that you can use.
I do understand that getting your hands on the right lens is very important, but hey, the purpose of this post is to ensure that you are not getting your hands on something that is not good enough.
All the lenses on this list have been tested thoroughly so everyone can get the experience they are looking for. We have to ensure that the lenses deliver the proper experience so no one really finds themselves in a rut.