When it comes to choosing the best lenses for the Sony FX3 cinema camera, there are several factors to consider, including your shooting needs, budget, and personal preferences. The FX3 is a versatile and powerful camera designed for professional filmmaking, and pairing it with the right lenses can unlock its full potential. In this post, I'll guide you through some of the top lens options to help you make an informed decision.

1. Sony FE 24-105mm f/4 G OSS Lens

If you're looking for a versatile and reliable zoom lens, the Sony FE 24-105mm f/4 G OSS lens is an excellent choice for the FX3. This lens offers a wide-to-short telephoto focal range, making it suitable for various shooting scenarios, including documentaries, interviews, and run-and-gun shooting.

With its constant f/4 aperture, the lens delivers consistent performance throughout the zoom range, allowing for smooth exposure transitions during filming. Additionally, the built-in Optical SteadyShot image stabilization system helps to minimize camera shake, ensuring smooth and steady footage, even when shooting handheld.

2. Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM Lens

For those who prioritize wide-angle shooting and low-light performance, the Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM lens is an outstanding option. This lens is part of Sony's prestigious G Master lineup, offering exceptional image quality, sharpness, and bokeh rendition.

With its wide 16-35mm focal range and fast f/2.8 constant aperture, this lens excels in various shooting situations, from landscape and architectural photography to narrative filmmaking and music videos. The lens also features a direct-drive Super Sonic Wave Motor for fast, precise, and quiet autofocus performance, which is essential for video recording.

3. Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM Lens

If you're in the market for a versatile and high-quality standard zoom lens, the Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM lens is an excellent choice for the FX3. This lens is another member of Sony's G Master series, renowned for its exceptional optical performance and build quality.

With its constant f/2.8 aperture, the lens delivers excellent low-light performance and shallow depth of field control, making it ideal for various shooting scenarios, including interviews, events, and narrative filmmaking. Additionally, the lens features a direct-drive Super Sonic Wave Motor for fast and accurate autofocus, as well as a focus hold button for convenient focus locking during filming.

4. Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM Lens

For those who prefer the classic focal length and desire exceptional low-light performance and bokeh rendition, the Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM lens is an outstanding choice. This fast prime lens is part of Sony's G Master series, offering outstanding image quality, sharpness, and bokeh.

With its ultra-fast f/1.2 aperture, the lens excels in low-light conditions, allowing you to capture stunning footage with minimal noise and grain. Additionally, the shallow depth of field produced by the wide aperture creates beautiful background blur, making it an excellent choice for narrative filmmaking, interviews, and portraiture.

5. Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM Lens

If you're primarily focused on portraiture, interviews, and narratives that require a medium telephoto focal length, the Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM lens is an exceptional choice for the FX3. This lens is part of Sony's G Master series, offering outstanding image quality, sharpness, and bokeh rendition.

With its fast f/1.4 aperture, the lens delivers exceptional low-light performance and shallow depth of field control, allowing you to isolate your subjects from the background with creamy, smooth bokeh. Additionally, the lens features a direct-drive Super Sonic Wave Motor for fast and accurate autofocus, as well as a focus hold button for convenient focus locking during filming.

6. Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS Lens

If you require a versatile and high-quality telephoto zoom lens for the FX3, the Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS lens is an excellent option. This lens is part of Sony's G Master series, offering outstanding image quality, sharpness, and bokeh rendition, even at the longer focal lengths.

With its extended telephoto range, the lens is well-suited for various shooting scenarios, including wildlife videography, sports, and events. The built-in Optical SteadyShot image stabilization system helps to minimize camera shake, ensuring smooth and steady footage, even when shooting handheld or at longer focal lengths.

7. Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art Lens

If you're looking for a high-quality and affordable alternative to Sony's G Master lenses, the Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art lens is an excellent choice for the FX3. This lens is part of Sigma's renowned Art series, known for its exceptional image quality, sharpness, and bokeh rendition.

With its fast f/1.4 aperture, the lens delivers excellent low-light performance and shallow depth of field control, making it ideal for various shooting scenarios, including narrative filmmaking, interviews, and low-light environments. Additionally, the lens features a Hyper Sonic Motor for fast and accurate autofocus performance.

These are just a few of the many lens options available for the Sony FX3 cinema camera. When selecting lenses, it's essential to consider your shooting needs, budget, and personal preferences. Each lens offers unique advantages and strengths, and choosing the right ones can greatly enhance your filmmaking capabilities and creative expression.

Remember, investing in high-quality lenses is crucial for maximizing the FX3's potential and capturing stunning, cinematic footage that truly stands out. Don't hesitate to explore different lens options and experiment with different focal lengths and apertures to find the perfect combination that suits your filmmaking style and creative vision.

The Sony FX3 is a compact and versatile cinema camera that is capable of producing exceptional image quality. While it comes with an impressive 15+ stop dynamic range, 4K 120p recording, and 10-bit 4:2:2 color sampling, the true power of this camera lies in its ability to be paired with a wide range of lenses from Sony's E-mount lineup as well as third-party manufacturers. With the right glass, you can unlock the full potential of the FX3 and take your filmmaking to new heights.

For Versatile Shooting: Sony FE 24-105mm f/4 G OSS If you're looking for a versatile all-in-one zoom lens that can handle a variety of shooting scenarios, the Sony FE 24-105mm f/4 G OSS is an excellent choice. This lens offers a flexible focal range that covers wide-angle to short telephoto perspectives, making it suitable for everything from establishing shots and landscapes to portraits and close-ups. With its constant f/4 aperture, you can maintain consistent exposure and depth of field throughout the zoom range. Additionally, the built-in optical SteadyShot image stabilization helps to minimize camera shake, which is particularly useful when shooting handheld or in low-light conditions.

For Low-Light Performance: Sony FE 24mm f/1.4 GM When shooting in challenging low-light environments, you'll want a lens that can gather as much light as possible. The Sony FE 24mm f/1.4 GM is a premium wide-angle prime lens that delivers exceptional performance in this regard. With its bright f/1.4 maximum aperture, you can achieve shallow depth of field effects and shoot at lower ISOs, minimizing noise and preserving image quality. This lens is also exceptionally sharp, even when shot wide open, making it an ideal choice for capturing detailed and cinematic footage.

For Portrait and Interview Work: Sony FE 85mm f/1.8 If you frequently shoot portraits, interviews, or any other type of close-up work, the Sony FE 85mm f/1.8 is a lens that should be in your kit. This short telephoto prime lens is renowned for its ability to produce flattering and natural-looking portraits with beautiful bokeh (background blur). Its fast f/1.8 aperture allows you to isolate your subject from the background, while its precise autofocus and excellent sharpness ensure that your subject remains tack-sharp. Additionally, the 85mm focal length is ideal for headshots and medium close-ups, making it a versatile choice for various types of footage.

For Cinematic Footage: Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM When it comes to capturing sweeping landscapes, establishing shots, or any other type of cinematic footage, the Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM is a lens that should be on your radar. This ultra-wide-angle zoom lens offers a generous focal range that allows you to capture dramatic perspectives and create a sense of depth and scale in your shots. With its constant f/2.8 aperture, you can maintain consistent exposure and depth of field throughout the zoom range, while the built-in optical SteadyShot image stabilization helps to minimize camera shake, ensuring smooth and steady footage.

For Compact and Lightweight Shooting: Sony E 20mm f/2.8 If you're looking for a compact and lightweight lens that can still deliver excellent image quality, the Sony E 20mm f/2.8 is a great option. This pancake-style prime lens is designed specifically for Sony's APS-C sensor cameras like the FX3 (when used in Super35 mode), and it offers a versatile wide-angle perspective that's perfect for capturing expansive scenes or shooting in tight spaces. Despite its small size, this lens still manages to deliver sharp and detailed footage, making it an ideal choice for run-and-gun shooting or any situation where portability is a priority.

These are just a few examples of the many excellent lenses that can be paired with the Sony FX3. Ultimately, the best lens for you will depend on your specific shooting needs, style, and budget. However, by investing in high-quality glass from reputable manufacturers, you can truly unlock the full potential of this impressive cinema camera and elevate your filmmaking to new heights.

If you need only one lens, you may wait for the upcoming FE 24-70mm f2 lens.

If you got enough budget, I suggest you get the FE PZ 28-135mm f/4 G OSS, one lens for all kinds of work.

The best lens for FX3 depends on what you are shooting, in most time, the FE 24-70 GM II is the best choice for FX3.

For cinematic videos, you can't go wrong with the Sony FE 24mm f/1.4 GM. It offers exceptional image quality and a wide aperture, perfect for those shallow depth-of-field shots. For portraits, the Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM is a marvel; it’s sharp, has beautiful bokeh, and the focal length is just perfect for that purpose. These lenses are not the cheapest, but they're worth every penny. Check out local camera shops for deals, or online marketplaces for used ones in good condition.

Happy shooting!

I second the recommendation for the Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM for portraits. Additionally, if you’re looking for a more versatile lens that can cover a wider range of focal lengths, consider the Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM. It’s great for both video and photography, offering top-notch performance across its zoom range. For budget-friendly options, Sigma and Tamron have some fantastic E-mount lenses compatible with the FX3. Their quality has seriously improved over the years.

Posted by: @thomas

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If you need only one lens, you may wait for the upcoming FE 24-70mm f2 lens.

Price ?