These 24 Sony E lenses are rated for infrared photography from real-world tests by IR photographers. Ratings are Good (11 lenses), Maybe (9 lenses), Bad (4 lenses), and Unknown (0 lenses) for hot spots, the bright spot some lenses leave in the center of an infrared image, and follow the thresholds below.
Zooms
| IR | Focal Length |
Minimum Aperture |
Lens | Filter | Weight | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maybe | 11-20mm | ƒ/2.8 | Tamron 11-20mm F2.8 Di III-A RXD KEH Adorama B&H |
⌀67mm | 335 g | 11mm: Very mild hot spots from ƒ/9. 16mm: Very mild hot spots from ƒ/11. 20mm: Very mild hot spots from ƒ/11. Nathan D |
|
| Maybe | 17-40mm | ƒ/1.8 | Sigma 17-40mm F1.8 DC Art KEH Adorama |
⌀67mm | 525 g | This lens provides excellent picture quality with no hot spots from ƒ/1.8 to ƒ/5. From ƒ/5.6 onward minimal hot spots start to show up. From ƒ/8 onward hot spots are increasingly visible. However, one can get 99% of pictures shot with ƒ/1.8 to ƒ/5 without any hot spots. Zahnd Alex | |
| Good | 17-28mm | ƒ/2.8 | Tamron 17-28mm F2.8 DI III RXD KEH Adorama B&H |
⌀67mm | 420 g | ||
| Maybe | 18-55mm | ƒ/3.5-5.6 | Sony E 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 OSS KEH Adorama B&H |
⌀49mm | 214 g | Hot spots mild at ƒ/8+ -Miles | |
| Good | 20-40mm | ƒ/2.8 | Tamron 20-40mm F2.8 Di III VXD KEH Adorama B&H |
⌀67mm | 365 g | ||
| Good | 28-75mm | ƒ/2.8 | Tamron 28-75mm F2.8 Di III VXD G2 KEH Adorama B&H |
⌀67mm | 540 g | ||
| Good | 28-200mm | ƒ/2.8-5.6 | Tamron 28-200mm F2.8-5.6 DI III RXD KEH Adorama B&H |
⌀67mm | 575 g | Good up to ƒ/11, weak hot spots at ƒ/16 and above. | |
| Bad | 24-70mm | ƒ/2.8 | Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 DG DN Art KEH Adorama B&H |
⌀82mm | 830 g | At 50mm, very slight hotspot at ƒ/2.8. Visible at ƒ/4. Really bad from ƒ/5.6 onwards. | View images |
| Good | 12-24mm | ƒ/2.8 | Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM KEH Adorama B&H |
n/a1 | 847 g | Weak spot at ƒ/16 | |
| Maybe | 17-70mm | ƒ/2.8 | Tamron 17-70mm ƒ/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD (Model B070) Adorama |
⌀67mm | Hot spot starting at ƒ/5 and higher. Zahnd Alex |
Primes
| IR | Focal Length |
Minimum Aperture |
Lens | Filter | Weight | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | 9mm | ƒ/2.8 | Nisi 9mm F2.8 |
⌀67mm | 364 g | No hot spots. Nathan Dent | |
| Maybe | 12mm | ƒ/2.0 | Rokinon 12mm F2.0 NCS CS KEH |
⌀67mm | From ƒ/2 to ƒ/4 no hot spot at all. From ƒ/5.6 onward increased hot spot visible. Zahnd Alex | ||
| Maybe | 20mm | ƒ/1.8 | Sony FE 20mm F1.8 G KEH Adorama B&H |
⌀67mm | 373 g | Hot spots above ƒ/4. Joe Scotto | |
| Bad | 28mm | ƒ/4.5 | Viltrox AF 28mm F4.5 FE KEH Adorama B&H |
n/a1 | 60 g | Tested on a Sony A7R II. Very noticeable hot spot. (Tested on camera converted to Kolari Pro AR Anti-Smudge.) Stephen Sloan | |
| Good | 30mm | ƒ/3.5 | Sony E 30mm F3.5 Macro KEH Adorama B&H |
⌀49mm | 138 g | Adriana Goldfeld | |
| Bad | 32mm | ƒ/11 | Retropia Disposable Film Camera Lens 32mm F11 |
n/a1 | Built from a recycled disposable-camera lens, with fixed focus and a fixed ƒ/11 aperture. Tested on a Sony A7R II. Very noticeable hot spot. (Tested on camera converted to Kolari Pro AR Anti-Smudge.) Stephen Sloan | ||
| Good | 35mm | ƒ/2 | Voigtländer 35 mm / 1:2.0 APO-Lanthar aspherical E KEH B&H |
⌀49mm | 352 g | A truly impressive performer. No meaningful hotspots at any aperture and the visible red / IR color phasing is tighter than my other lenses, making 550nm/590nm-filtered false color much more usable when there are high contrast elements at the frame edges. Michael Piantedosi | |
| Good | 35mm | ƒ/2 | Zeiss Loxia 35mm ƒ/2 Biogon T* KEH |
⌀52mm | 340 g | Slight hot spot at ƒ/16-ƒ/22. Malcolm | |
| Maybe | 40mm | ƒ/2.5 | Sony FE 40mm F2.5 G KEH Adorama B&H |
⌀49mm | 173 g | No hotspot at ƒ/2.5. Hotspot visible from ƒ/4 onwards. | View images |
| Maybe | 50mm | ƒ/2 | Voigtländer 50 mm / 1:2.0 APO-Lanthar E B&H |
⌀49mm | 304 g | First report: 720nm B&W ok. Mild central hot spot (blue channel after white balance) by ƒ/6.3-ƒ/8. More evident with false color mixing. Second report: amazing no hotspot in IR from Pete. |
|
| Bad | 50mm | ƒ/1.2 | Sigma 50mm F1.2 DG DN Art KEH Adorama B&H |
⌀72mm | 740 g | Slight hotspot visible already at ƒ/2. Really bad from ƒ/5.6 onwards. | View images |
| Good | 50mm | ƒ/1.8 | Sony FE 50mm F1.8 KEH Adorama B&H |
⌀49mm | 186 g | Really good performance. Very slight hotspot appears at ƒ/8. | View images |
| Good | 55mm | ƒ/1.8 | Sonnar FE 55mm F1.8 ZA ZEISS KEH Adorama B&H |
⌀49mm | 281 g | No hot spots at any aperture. Best e-mount lens for Sony for infrared in my extensive experience. R Charles Curry Jr Confirmed great by Pete. | |
| Maybe | 80mm | ƒ/2.8 | Lensbaby Sweet 80 |
⌀46mm | Tested on a Sony A7R II with an 830nm filter and a 590nm filter. Mild hotspots at the smallest apertures. (Tested on camera converted to Kolari Pro AR Anti-Smudge.) Stephen Sloan |
Sony E Lens Mount Adapters
Use an adapter to mount lenses from other systems to Sony E cameras.