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The Best Prime Lenses For Landscape Photography

Landscape photography has been a dominant genre of photography since the beginning, especially as we've moved away from paintings being the only source of sharing or expressing the way we view our surroundings. As the great photographer Robert Adams said, "If as individuals we can improve the geography only slightly, if at all, perhaps the more appropriately scaled subject for reshaping is ourselves." We have always had a desire to share our surroundings, but as Adams suggests, it may be more about what the landscape has to offer us on a personal level, the way it inspires both the photographer and viewer of the final image. In this article we will be looking at some of the best Sony prime lenses to help you create inspiring landscape images yourself. From wide-angle views with lenses like the Sony 24mm f/1.4 G Master, to the up-close and personal ones with lenses like the Sony 90mm f/2.8 Macro G – keep reading to see our list of best Sony primes for landscape photography.

From wide-angle to macro, see our list of the best Sony primes for shooting landscape photography.

Sony 14mm f/1.8 G Master 

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If you are looking to create vast and dynamic landscape images, this lens will do that. Using such a wide-angle lens forces you to really think about your angles and compositions. The wider you get the more chance of losing detail, but quality and precision of the 14mm f/1.8 G Master will not let you down. For a small and light 14mm lens at f/1.8, it is sharp. You will also notice that there is minimal distortion, giving you smooth and coherent landscape images.

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Photo by Tiffany Nguyen. Sony Alpha 1. Sony 14mm f/1.8 G Master. 1/100-sec., f/2, ISO 125


“14mm gives me a completely different perspective. It allows me to get creative and capture images that I typically wouldn’t be able to execute with a tighter lens. My favorite thing about this lens is how fast and sharp it is. I was so impressed that every shot was perfectly in focus, even in low light situations.” –  Tiffany Nguyen Landscapes, Astroscapes, Architecture & More. See What These Creators Are Capturing With The New 14mm f/1.8 G Master

Sony 24mm f/1.4 G Master

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A wide-angle lens at f/1.4 is perfect for those who want to get a sharp and pristine landscape image in that blue hour – you can get a lot of light in without losing any quality in the image. The 24mm is also a great focal length for those interested in creating photos of wide-open desert-scapes or more dense wooded areas, as it helps you find a well-balanced composition of your surroundings. This lens is light and packable, making it easy to take on all your adventures in pursuit of that ideal landscape shot.

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Photo by Gary Hart. Sony α7R III. Sony 24mm f/1.4 G Master lens. 1/10-sec., f/11, ISO 50

“This lens makes a tremendous difference and not just in terms of the exposure. A lot of people don't appreciate how much of a difference it makes in just being able to see the scene to compose and focus. Because so much light's getting through to the sensor at f/1.4, focusing is a piece of cake.” – Gary Hart, Sony 24mm f/1.4 GM First Looks For Street, Astroscapes, Landscape & Architecture

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Photo by Matt Ferr. Sony Alpha 7R III. Sony 24mm f/1.4 G Master. 1/320-sec., f/4, ISO 400

"Over the years I’ve tested all the 24mm E-mount lenses on the market. I’ve done this because I love having a wide lens in my bag while traveling. It’s a great focal length for shooting lifestyle images in wide landscapes and especially good for capturing video. When Sony released the 24mm f/1.4 GM I was first to pre-order and after owning it for some time now I can say it’s the best 24mm on the market. It not only hits all the features I needed but it’s very lightweight which makes it an easy add-in to my travel bag." – Matt Ferr, What’s In My Bag: How Matt Ferr Travels For Shooting Photo & Video

Sony 35mm f/1.4 G Master 

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The 35mm is one of the best focal lengths because of its versatility. When it comes to using this focal length for landscape photography, it is a happy medium between the 24mm and the 50mm as it allows you to get wide shots with foreground and background details in your frame and captures the scene as you see it. The Sony 35mm f/1.4 G Master is compact and lightweight, making it ideal for hiking. At f/1.4, it's an excellent lens to catch those beautiful landscapes just before or after sunrise and sunset.

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Photo By Caroline Jensen. Sony α7R IV. Sony 35mm f/1.4 G Master. 1/8000-sec., f/1.4, ISO 125

“The one big thing that stands out is that it [the Sony 35mm f/1.4 G Master] was just razor sharp which was awesome. That's always the number one thing for me, because I just need to know that that factor is there. Number two was the size. It was not as big as some of the 35s I've used in the past, which is a huge bonus. In fact, I often would sacrifice the wide aperture that I love and use the 2.8 version that Sony has, just to maintain the size and keep it smaller for my kit. This is perfect because it's not huge and it's also not heavy. It's well into the category of a first-pick lens for travel, or anything where weight is an issue.” – Caroline Jensen, "The Quintessential Storytelling Lens"

Sony 50mm f/1.2 G Master

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The 50mm may not be your first choice when choosing a lens for landscape photography, but it's one you should definitely consider. Especially the 50mm f/1.2 G Master with its high resolution, striking bokeh and fast autofocus – it will not disappoint. When you are not shooting wide with a prime, you have more of an opportunity to get compelling images from one location. You have to move around the space and get creative with how you want to tell the story of your surroundings and get the images you want. The lens is also smaller and lightweight, saving you space and weight in your pack and making it easy to have with you all day long.

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Photo by Caroline Jensen. Sony α7R IV. Sony 50mm f/1.2 G Master. 1/200-sec., f/1.2, ISO 400

"Most 50mm lenses have a fairly wide open aperture, but the beauty of an f/1.2 cannot be understated. It is the difference between a good image and a GREAT image. I am a bokeh lover and I think the first thing I ever searched for (in a card catalog, likely, ha!) was for books that would teach me how to make blurry backgrounds behind flowers. My favorite images have a dreamy quality that is nearly impossible without a lens that assists in getting that creamy-smooth bokeh. Digital editing never comes close in my humble opinion...the glass is everything!" – Caroline Jensen, Hands On With The New 50mm f/1.2 G Master

Sony 90mm f/2.8 Macro G

First off, this lens can be used both as a macro and a short telephoto. It is super sharp with beautiful bokeh at all focal lengths and smaller apertures. This lens also has a clutch, which is very handy when you want to switch to and from auto to manual quickly to get precise focus on your subject. The 90mm f/2.8 Macro G is a very versatile lens for a prime and allows you to capture a range of subject matter out in the wild.

Photo by Michael Castaneda. Sony α7R III. Sony 90mm f/2.8 Macro G. 8-secs., f/7.1, ISO 100

Photo by Michael Castaneda. Sony α7R III. Sony 90mm f/2.8 Macro G. 8-secs., f/7.1, ISO 100

"...this lens is my favorite. For landscapes, the compression from this lens allows me to create unique compositions while still retaining a landscape feel to the scene. It is one of, if not, the sharpest lenses in the Sony arsenal and makes for an incredible portrait and lifestyle lens.'' - Michael Castaneda, What’s In My Bag: A Complete Sony Alpha Kit For Stunning Landscapes

Sony 135mm f/1.8 G Master 

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The 135mm f/1.8 G Master is Sony's longest fixed-focal-length G Master lens, and at f/1.8 it offers beautiful depth of field that makes it an interesting lens to use for landscape. At 135mm, this lens gives you a chance to get tighter and focus in on a particular part of the landscape you want to highlight. It also allows you to get creative with how you capture specific landscape scenes. This lens is perfect if you're looking to show a different perspective and character within your landscape photography.

Photo by Lester Tsai. Sony Alpha 1. Sony 135mm f/1.8 G Master. 1/1000-sec., f/1.8, ISO 100

Photo by Lester Tsai. Sony Alpha 1. Sony 135mm f/1.8 G Master. 1/1000-sec., f/1.8, ISO 100

"One of the best E-mount lenses ever made. The sharpness and rendering of this lens are unmatched. From portraits to landscape (Yes, I shoot landscape with it) you will never be disappointed. If you haven’t tried this lens yet, you’re missing out!" – Lester Tsai What’s In My Bag: This Might Be The Ultimate Sony Alpha Kit For Max Versatility

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