The great outdoors are a fantastic place to clear your mind. Bring a camera with you. Distract yourself with your passion. And better yet, don’t give yourself anything to worry about later. By that, we mean you don’t need to break the bank. We dove into our reviews index to find some of the best Sony E-mount lenses to survive the great outdoors. Companies like Tamron make fantastic ones that don’t really make any compromises. Check out what we’ve tested!

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.

This piece is presented in partnership with TAMRON. We’ve independently and ethically reviewed all the products in this round-up already without sponsorship. And we worked with them to recommend a few key gems to you.

Pro Tips for Using Sony E Mount Lenses in the Great Outdoors

Sony photogs, here are some pro tips on using your e-mount lenses in the great outdoors:

Every Sony E-mount lens by Tamron in this roundup has been tested in inclement weather. Trust us, they work.

If you take your camera into the rain or snow, take the hot shoe cover with you.

Exposure preview will slow down the autofocus performance of your Sony E-mount lenses. Take it off.

Photographing birds? Make sure you’ve got the appropriate settings on your camera for photographing animals. The AI technology in Sony’s cameras is pretty amazing.

Tamron lenses for the Sony E-Mount will always autofocus quickly. But make sure the lens contacts are clean. Use Isopropyl alcohol and cotton swabs to get this done.

Tamron 20mm f2.8 Di III OSD: Part of a Trio of Small Sony E Mount Lenses

ModelF050Focal Length20mmMaximum ApertureF/2.8Angle of View(diagonal)94°30′(for full-frame mirrorless format)Optical Construction10 elements in 9 groupsMinimum Object Distance0.11m (4.3 in)Maximum Magnification Ratio1:2Filter SizeΦ67mmMaximum DiameterΦ73mmLength64mm (2.5 in)Weight220g (7.8 oz)Aperture Blades7 (circular diaphragm)Minimum ApertureF/22Standard AccessoryFlower-shaped hood, Lens capsCompatible MountsSony E-mount

“The Tamron 20mm f2.8 Di III OSD was tested for a few hours in the cold and rain of late January, 2020. Specifically, we took it into the rain during the opening ceremonies of NYC’s Chinese New Year. It also traveled with us to a very foggy salt marsh. This lens shrugged off all that mother nature threw at it. For $350 you’re getting a fantastic value when it comes to build quality.”

Tamron 150-500mm f5-6.7 Di III VC VXD: The Call of the Wild

ModelA057Focal Length150-500mmMaximum ApertureF5-6.7Angle of View(diagonal)16°25′-4°57′(for full-frame mirrorless format)Optical Construction25 elements in 16 groupsMinimum Object Distance0.6m (23.6 in) (WIDE) /1.8m (70.9 in) (TELE)Maximum Magnification Ratio1:3.1 (WIDE) / 1:3.7 (TELE)Filter Sizeφ82mmMaximum Diameterφ93mmLength209.6mm (8.3 in)Weight1,725g (60.8 oz) (without tripod mount included) /tripod mount 155g (5.5 oz)Aperture Blades7 (circular diaphragm)Minimum ApertureF22-32Standard AccessoryRound-shaped hood, Lens caps, Tripod mountCompatible MountsSony E-mount

Giant telephoto lenses are hard to hold. But, the Tamron 150-500mm f5-6.7 Di III VC VXD is equipped with stabilization. Tamron doesn’t list how much in the tech specs, but the company says it’s enough to use the lens handheld. Combine this with the image stabilization in Sony’s cameras, and you’ve got a winning combo. For the record, The Phoblographer’s editors are care...