Some photographers want a very clinical look. And for that, they often reach for Sony lenses. Combined with high megapixel cameras like the Sony a7r IV, they’re capable of making beautiful portraits. But a good camera is nothing without great lenses. We dove into our Reviews Index and our Sony FE lens guide. Here are our favorite portrait lenses for the Sony a7r IV.
The Phoblographer’s various product round-up features are done in-house. Our philosophy is simple: you wouldn’t get a Wagyu beef steak review from a lifelong vegetarian. And you wouldn’t get photography advice from someone who doesn’t touch the product. We only recommend gear we’ve fully reviewed. If you’re wondering why your favorite product didn’t make the cut, there’s a chance it’s on another list. If we haven’t reviewed it, we won’t recommend it. This method keeps our lists packed with industry-leading knowledge. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Pro Tips on The Best Portrait Lenses for the Sony a7r V
Here are some pro tips on using the best portrait lenses for the Sony a7r V.
- What makes these the best portrait lenses for the Sony a7r V? They tend to produce flattering images of people. The ones we’re showcasing are zoom lenses for portrait photography on the Sony FE camera system. Specifically, we’re focusing on telephoto lenses.
- The Sony system has excellent autofocus for portrait photography. Just use the face and eye detection. If you’ve never used it before, it’ll feel like cheating.
- Portrait photographers typically reach for prime lenses because of the better image quality and shallower apertures. But these lenses aren’t bad.
- Make sure you’re using image stabilization if you’re shooting at the longer end.
- Want a sharper portrait? Get a flash or a circular polarizer. Both are capable of making an image look sharper.
- We’ve reviewed all of the best portrait lenses for the Sony a7r V. In fact, we’d only ever recommend product that we’ve reviewed. Lucky for you, we’ve done full evaluations of pretty much all Sony E mount glass. Keep this in mind as you use this roundup.
Sony 135mm f1.8 G Master
- Excellent image quality
- Preferred focal length for portraiture
- Dust and moisture resistant
- Sturdy magnesium alloy construction
- Lighter than most 135mm lenses on the market
In our review, we state:
Thanks to the pair of dual XD (extreme dynamic) linear motors found within the Sony 135mm f1.8 G Master, its autofocus system acquired and maintained focus swiftly, accurately, and consistently throughout our time with the lens. In rare instances when shooting with the 135mm G Master in extremely low light and/or low contrast environments, the lens will hunt occasionally, but almost all autofocus lenses will experience this to some degree and the 135 almost always nailed focus. The included Focus Range Limiter is a welcomed addition and will come in handy to minimize the amount of work the lens needs to do to focus on your subject.
Sony 50mm f1.2 G Master
- Fast to use on both the Sony a7r III and the Sony a7r IV
- Weather sealing
- Nice render
- Very sharp
- Wow, Sony actually listened to us and allowed a little bit of flare in. Bravo!
- I actually think that over $2,000 is a fair price.
- Pretty lightweight
In our review, we state:
The Sony 50mm f1.2 G Master is a fantastic lens overall, objectively speaking. The autofocus performance is quick and accurate in lots of cases. It will serve street photographers, portrait photographers, and any other professional or passionate photographer well. As we saw, it’s going to also stand up to the elements pretty well. Within the FE lens lineup, it’s the fastest aperture lens. It also has incredibly smooth bokeh, sharp optics, and decent color. Personally speaking, I like it more on the Sony a7r III more. We don’t need more megapixels. In all my years, I’m personally shocked that I’m finding myself saying that.
Sony 70-200mm f2.8 G Master OSS II
- Lightweight
- Excellent autofocus
- Dedicated aperture ring
- Excellent sharpness and colors
- Solid stabilization
In our review, we state:
“The Sony 70-200mm f2.8 GM OSS II has quite a few upgrades from the original. The autofocus is faster and also works much better on close-up subjects. The sharpness has improved and the lens is significantly lighter, yet Sony still managed to add a dedicated aperture ring. It’s a lens with a lot of technical greatness.”
Sony 70-200mm f4 G OSS
- Superbly sharp wide open
- Optical stabilization works like a charm even with an older camera body
- Fast focusing abilities, again even with an older camera
- Creamy bokeh, but I personally prefer what a prime lens can do
- Internal zooming
- Fairly compact size
In our review, we state:
“When it comes to image quality, the Sony 70-200mm f4 OSS lives up to the Sony name and reputation of delivering incredible results. All across the board, you won’t have a major issue with the image quality. This lens renders images to be super sharp; originally I thought that the images weren’t so when viewing them on the back of the A7, but when imported I was completely shocked.”
“The bokeh? Same thing. And the colors? Yup…it’s all incredible.”
Tamron 70-180mm f2.8 Di RXD
In our rev
- Affordably priced
- Small footprint
- Lightweight
- Robust weather sealing
- Good image quality overall
iew, we state:
“Thanks to a nine-bladed circular aperture design, the Tamron 70-180mm f2.8 produces bokeh that is pleasant overall. Haloing and onion rings are an issue with the Tamron though. It’s not quite as buttery smooth when compared to the Sony 70-200mm f2.8 G Master. The Sony produces even smoother bokeh thanks to its 11-bladed circular aperture design.”
Sony 70-200mm f2.8 G Master
- Great image quality
- Nice bokeh
- Fairly compact for a 70-200mm f2.8 lens.
- Good build quality
- Can focus pretty fast with the latest cameras
In our review, we state:
“I’m really, really not a big fan of zoom lenses but this is where Sony deserves absolutely nothing but credit. For years, one of the problems so many photographers spoke of with the Sony system was the lack of good lenses. But the company fought that statement hard and continues to do so with the lenses for the FE system. Not only is there variety, but there is also variety from third party manufacturers and good quality lenses available. The 70-200mm f2.8 G Master OSS is no exception here.”
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