8 Best Sony Lenses for Car Photography

Choosing the best Sony lenses for car photography can make all the difference between mediocre shots, and car photos that really “pop.” Whether you’re shooting a vintage car or the latest model, the lens you use is key to getting those stunning shots. Our top pick, the Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN | A for Sony E, stands out for its versatility and sharpness. However, we’ve also chosen seven other lenses that offer great quality and features for car photography enthusiasts.

What Is the Best Sony Lens for Car Photography?

Car photography ranges from sports cars whistling around a track, to artistic close-ups of beautiful cars in the paddock or showroom. So the best lens for the subject needs to be versatile.

Our Favorite Sony Lenses for Car Photography

Let’s take a closer look at the best Sony lenses for car photography that we’ve chosen. From ultra-wide angles capturing expansive landscapes to sharp primes for detailed close-ups, there’s a lens for every scenario. Explore these options to find the perfect fit for your photography bag.

The Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN | A for Sony E is a good option for car photography due to its versatile focal length and large aperture. The 24-70mm range allows photographers to capture both wide shots of cars and their environment, and tighter shots focusing on details. The constant f/2.8 aperture is great for low light and creating a shallow depth of field, making the car stand out from the background.

Although this lens is very capable, its sharpness in the corners is not the absolute best. Stopping down the aperture helps, but it’s not as pin-sharp as some. That being said, you’d have to go looking for it, and it has little real-world impact on your shots. Autofocus is pretty quick, accurate, and completely silent. Certainly, showroom shots will be great, and action shots aren’t going to be a priority with a lens that is 70mm at its longest.

The thing that sets the Sigma apart is that it delivers great-quality images at a price that other lenses of this quality can’t match. You’ll pay 50% more for the Sony equivalent lens. Remembering that a 24-70mm lens is often a photographer’s favorite, there’s little doubt that this is a superb choice of lens for your car photography and much more.

The Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM is a spectacularly standard range zoom lens, that’s ideal for car photography. It doesn’t matter what aperture you use, you’ll get whole-frame sharpness. And the f/2.8 aperture gives you plenty of creative possibilities.

That wide maximum aperture delivers really smooth bokeh, and this is ideal for creating artistic shots of a car’s beautiful lines. Fast and silent autofocus ensures quick focusing on moving or stationary cars. There’s almost no distortion and effective lens coatings reduce glare, and this is important for shooting cars with reflective surfaces.

This is a big, heavy lens for its zoom range. But it’s built to pro standards (and price!) and will give you many years of heavy daily use. So you won’t be limited to cars. Some pros almost never take the 24-70mm lens off their camera, because it’s so useful. And this Sony is an impressive version of the old favorite.

The Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM is a big, heavy, fast, and wonderfully sharp lens. Its f/1.2 aperture allows for shooting in low light and creating a shallow depth of field, making cars stand out against their backgrounds. It produces some of the smoothest bokeh you’ll find anywhere, and that can really make your static car photos stand out.

Autofocus is decently quick and very reliable, ensuring that even fast-moving cars are captured with precision. The lens’s minimal distortion and effective coatings also reduce glare and lens flare, which is crucial when photographing cars with reflective surfaces. 

The 50mm focal length offers a natural perspective that’s versatile for both action shots and detailed close-ups. The Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM is an expensive lens. But it’s a top choice for photographers who prioritize image quality and creative control in their car photography.

The Sony FE 50mm f/2.5 G is a very compact prime lens with excellent, sharp image quality, making it a great choice for car photography. Its f/2.5 aperture allows for decent low-light performance and the ability to create a shallow depth of field, which can make a car pop against its background. This lens is particularly good at capturing the fine details of a vehicle because it is sharp across the whole frame. It delivers attractive, punchy photos thanks to its excellent contrast.

The autofocus is reliable and accurate, without winning any awards for speed. The lens is lightweight and easy to handle, so the Sony FE 50mm f/2.5 G is a practical option for photographers who value both image quality and portability and a fast prime lens at a decent price.

The Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II is a versatile zoom lens, perfect for car photography. Its range from 70mm to 200mm makes it particularly useful for shooting cars on the go. The constant f/2.8 aperture lets you choose faster shutter speeds, and also to separate the car from the background (or foreground).

This lens is incredibly sharp at all apertures and focal lengths. It’s probably the best 70-200mm you can get for a Sony. More importantly, the fast and reliable autofocus is crucial for tracking moving cars, and this lens delivers, locking onto subjects swiftly. There are three programmable focus lock buttons, which can be used to great effect at the race track. It’s a solid, well-made pro-level lens with a price to match. But it is excellent in everything it does.

The Sigma 28-70mm f/2.8 DG DN | C for Sony E is a versatile zoom lens that strikes a balance between performance and price, making it an excellent choice for car photography. Its focal range is suitable for capturing both wide shots of cars in their environment and zooming in for detailed close-ups. The constant f/2.8 aperture allows for shooting in various lighting conditions, providing the flexibility to create images with a shallow depth of field, or making it easier to choose a fast shutter speed.

It might seem strange to have a 28-70mm lens and  24-70mm. However, if you can live with the slightly less wide zoom here, you pay 75% of the price of the 24-70mm. So it can be worth considering. This lens is from Sigma’s Contemporary range, aimed at the consumer enthusiast rather than the professional. So there is a difference in sharpness as well as price. But, it’s still a very sharp lens, and the autofocus is quick and reliable. Above all else, it’s a lightweight and compact lens. And the f/2.8 aperture gives you smooth bokeh and plenty of creative opportunities.

The Sigma 14mm f/1.4 DG DN | A for Sony E offers an amazing ultra-wide view for car photography. Whether that is a close-up of a detail, or setting the car dramatically against a vast landscape. Its ultra-wide angle allows you to include more of the environment, adding context and depth to the image. The fast f/1.4 aperture not only excels in low light conditions, enabling the use of faster shutter speeds, but also offers a unique opportunity for creative depth of field effects, even at such a wide focal length.

This lens is praised for its edge-to-edge sharpness, ensuring that every detail of the car, from the headlights to the bodywork’s reflections, is captured with clarity. Autofocus is both quick and precise, crucial for snapping sharp images of moving cars. Despite its considerable size and weight, the Sigma 14mm f/1.4 DG DN | A’s build quality and handling make it a reliable tool for professional car photographers seeking exceptional optical performance.

The Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM II is ideal for car photography, offering a wide to standard zoom range. Its constant f/2.8 aperture allows for excellent low-light performance and the ability to create a shallow depth of field.

Sharpness is a key feature because this lens is super-sharp at all apertures and across the zoom range. Fast and reliable autofocus ensures that subjects are quickly and accurately focused. Lightweight and equipped with weather sealing, the Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM II is a durable and high-performing lens for professional and enthusiast photographers alike.

Conclusion: The Best Sony Lenses for Car Photography

We think we’ve found the best Sony lenses for car photography for you to choose from. We’ve covered a range of lenses suitable for various aspects of car photography, from capturing wide landscapes to focusing on intricate details.

Our top choice, the Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN | A for Sony E, stands out for its versatility and sharpness, making it ideal for both wide shots and detailed close-ups. If that’s not quite right for you, then we think the other seven lenses should help you find just the lens for you.