Without fail, the same question slides into my DMs on my Instagram almost daily. “Michael, I am looking to improve my photography. Which Sony camera should I buy?”

My response is always the same. That’s an impossible question to answer. It’s akin to when people ask me what my favorite country is. For me, I love every country I have been to for totally different reasons, so it’s impossible to name just one. And for someone looking to jump into the amazing world of mirrorless camera systems, there is many factors that will have to be considered before making your purchase. What kind of photographer are you? Are you a landscape fanatic or just looking to capture those every day moments? What is most important to you in a camera and lens system? Megapixels? Speed? Compact size and light weight? And the most important question of them all, how much are you willing to invest in your photography passion?

Well I am here to help you make the right decision that is best for you. I have broken down the list into the ‘type’ of photographer that the kit is meant for, as well as the budget that photographer is willing to invest.

This guide is meant to be a jumping off point for your decision, and doesn’t answer in depth questions. If you have any questions about what might be right for you and your style, please feel free to send me a DM on my Instagram or send me an email. I would love to help you get the right system to fuel your creativity!

General Gary - Travel And Documentary Photographer

I am starting with this genre, as I think it is the most descriptive fit for me and my style, and I also think this is what many of my readers would describe themselves as. We love to travel, and we want to have the best all around kit to best document what we see across the world.

Under $3,000

Sony a7 III Full-Frame Mirrorless Interchangeable-Lens Camera Optical with 3-Inch LCD, Black - $1,998

I have said it before and I will say it again. In my opinion, the Sony A7III is by far the best all around camera on the market, especially for the ridiculously fair sub $2,000 price point. I am not going to get technical in this post, as there are plenty of other resources online to analyze specs. But what I can tell you is that I use a variety of Sony cameras in many different locations and projects around the world, and the Sony A7III delivers an absurd amount of features, killer full frame image quality, and fantastic low-light performance. The A7II was a great camera, don't get me wrong. But the third generation of Sony cameras added the two most sought after features that hard core photo enthusiasts wanted. A better battery and dual SD card slots. While the dual card slots are a great addition for wedding photographers and photojournalists, I mainly just take advantage of the fact that I don't have to switch SD cards nearly as often. But the one thing that always drove me crazy about the earlier versions of the Sony mirrorless cameras was the horrid battery performance. It wasn't rare for me to blow through 5-8 batteries a day when on assignment. Luckily Sony listened to our concerns and redeveloped a bigger battery system that lasts forever! If you aren't a hardcore landscape photographer who wants the freedom to crop 61 Megapixels, than most likely, the A7III is a camera that will fit your needs. This is also the one camera I continuously recommend for casual photographers who are looking into upgrading to the full frame universe.

Sony 24-70mm f/4 Vario-Tessar T FE OSS Interchangeable Full Frame Zoom Lens -$898 ($156 Off!)

When people ask me about which 'everyday' lens they should get, the 24-70mm is always my answer. This is by far the most useful walk around lens that will be able to let you capture wide angle shots at 24mm while also getting in closer to the action and creating background blur (bokah) for portrait photos at 70mm. Now, Sony makes two variations of the 24-70mm lens, this f/4 and the f/2.8. While the f/2.8 is an amazing lens, it's also three times the price of the f/4. So unless budget is not a problem and you really need the faster performance and better low light capabilities of the f/2.8, this f/4 should fit the needs of most casual photographers.

Around $6,000

Allright, so you really want to up your photography game? Well, believe it or not, you can get a killer Sony kit of one full frame camera and 4 lenses for under $6,000, covering the entire focal range spectrum from super wide angle 12mm to super telephoto 200mm.

Sony FE 70-200mm F4 G OSS Interchangeable Lens for Sony Alpha Cameras ($1,498)

For someone just starting their photography journey, a 70-200mm lens is a lens you didn't know you needed to have. But that all changes once you have one. The telephoto focal range allows for great bokeh, even though the minimum aperture is f/4 as opposed to f/2.8. The rule is, the more telephoto the photo is taken at, the more natural background blur is generated. In addition to being a nice portrait lens, the 70-200 doubles as a great landscape lens. While most think of landscapes only being photographed with a wide angle lens, once you start zooming in on dramatic snow capped mountains with storm clouds swirling, you will quickly realize some of your favorite landscape photos are being captured with this lens.

Sony - FE 12-24mm F4 G Wide-angle Zoom Lens - $1,773

This. Lens. Is. Fun! Before using the Sony 12-24mm lens, I was always limited to 16mm being my widest focal range. Now, 16mm is wide, but not nearly as wide as those extra 4mm get you! 12mm is SUPER wide. And the best thing about this lens? At 12mm, there is not much fish-eye effect, which is common in most lenses this wide. While this is a great lens, there is a better wide angle alternative for landscape shooters that we will cover below. But if you want to round out your casual travel kit, the 12-24 is a great lens.

Under $9,000

Break out the rewards credit card! If you are serious about your photography and have the financial means, the Sony A7III all around bad ass camera can be paired with Sony’s absurdly beautiful G-Master lenses. Yes, they are expensive. But treat them well and this kit could last you decades.

Casual Carl

Casual Carl is just getting into photography. Casual Carl wants to hone his new found passion with an entry level mirrorless camera that is light, easy to use and won’t break the bank. Well don’t you worry Casual Carl, Sony has you covered.

Under $500

Sony Alpha a6000 Mirrorless Digital Camera 24.3MP SLR Camera with 3.0-Inch LCD (Black) w/16-50mm Power Zoom Lens - $648 ($150 Off!)

Normally I wouldn't put a pre-made kit in this buyer's guide, but since the kit with the 16-50mm zoom lens is only $50 more than the camera itself, it's a no-brainer. The Sony a6000 is one of the best-selling APS-C cameras in Sony's lineup, and for good reason. It's the perfect camera for Casual Carl. Now, there is a big difference between APS-C sensors (cropped) and 35mm sensors (full frame), so if you aren't sure of the difference, a quick Google search will give you all the information you need.

Under $1,000

Under $1,900

Sony - E 10-18mm F4 OSS Wide-angle Zoom Lens - $898

While the kit 16mm lens is wide, it's not wide enough for some of the landscape photos you may want to take. That's where the beautiful 10-18mm comes in. If you didn't read the crop vs full frame articles yet, the most important thing to know is that the focal length of lenses is not equal. Because the a6000 is a crop sensor, all of the lens focal lengths should be multiplied by about 1.5 to give you the 35mm (full frame) equivalent. So essentially, this 10-18mm crop sensor lens is about about 16-30mm full frame lens. Bottom line? This is the best (and only) ultra wide angle for the Sony APS-C system.

Under $4,000

Sony Alpha 16-55mm F2.8 G Standard Zoom APS-C Lens - $1,398

Now, I know what you are saying. "But Michael, you just told me to buy the kit with almost the exact same focal range kit lens" Yes, yes I did. But that is because it's a great price. You are essentially getting a $200 lens for $50. But, just because the focal length is similar doesn't meant the lenses are equal. Just like any product, there is high quality builds and lower cost builds. The kit lens is lower cost, while this lens is KILLER. The difference in quality is going to be night and day. So if you want the quality and have the financial means, get this lens and sell the kit lens, give it to a friend, or keep it as a backup.

Casual Carl - Alternate APS-C Camera Bodies

The reason why I made all of these bundles with the A6000 camera is because it’s an incredible deal for Black Friday Weekend. But, if Casual Carl wants a newer, more advanced, and more expensive, APS-C Body, check out these two alternatives.

Casual Carl Goes Full Frame For Under $1,600!

Just because you are casual and don’t want to sell your car to join the full-frame community doesn’t mean that you can’t with this incredible kit!

Landscape Larry

We all know Landscape Larry. He will be at the overlook for sunrise 2.5 hours early just to claim his spot. And rightfully so, as he has some awesome photos to take with his Sony Landscape Kit!

Under $4,500

Sony a7R III: 42.4MP Full Frame Mirrorless Camera - $2,798

The R Series of the Sony Alpha A7 cameras were made for landscape photographers. Higher Megapixels and more dynamic range give landscape shooters all the tools they need to capture those stunning sunrises and sunsets. While you can get a pretty incredible deal on the A7II at the moment, I am going to only recommend the A7rIII and A7RIV strictly due to the battery. As I mentioned, the old batteries don't last long at all under normal conditions, so imagine how quick they go when shooting frigid landscapes. There is nothing worse than having to take off your gloves to change a battery every 15 minutes in negative temperatures, trust me. Save yourself the pain and get the newer models.

Samyang 14mm F2.8 Ultra Wide Lens for Sony E-Mount - $266

Why am I including a manual focus and manual aperture lens in Landscape Larry's kit? Because this is the go to Astro Photography lens for many photographers. Sure, there are comparable lenses that take great nightscapes. But they have bells and whistles and cost thousands more. I have been using this for my astro photos for almost a decade now, and it simply gets the job done. And at a constant $249, it is easy on the wallet.

Under $8,600

Prime Pam

The older I get, the more I become Prime Pam. I love prime lenses. The look you get from prime lenses just can’t be recreated with zoom lenses.Go ahead and argue with me. I will just sit here enjoying my dreamy prime photos. Not to mention, prime lenses are much faster aperture, making for easier and cleaner low light photography.

Under $8,900

The Bill Gates Billionaire Bonus!

Let’s be real. None of us can afford these unicorn lenses. But, if, by some off chance you can, please purchase through my affiliate links and I will be your best friend forever. And I will buy the beer.

All links are my affiliate links, and purchasing products through these links helps keep me on the road, creating the awesome travel content that you love!

1 comment

Gancho GANCHEV November 21, 2021 - 10:26 pm

There are more interesting lenses to discus:
Samyang 24mm f1.8, Sony 24-105mm f4 G OSS,
Sony 90mm f2.8 Macro OSS, Different Sigma lenses like 12-24. I also use Ttartisan 11mm f2.8 fisheye that makes seriously pictures and I easily remove distortion on Photoshop if I need. I also use Sigma 70-200mm f2.8 with adaptor as it is A mount and Minolta 500mm Reflex AF f8 with adaptor as well and non the less Sony 55mm f1.8

The Ultimate Sony Camera and Lens Buyer’s Guide For Every Budget