What are the smallest prime lenses for the A7iii?

What are the smallest Sony brand prime lenses they will fit my new A7iii? I’m still a bit confused on some of the letters and numbers.

Also, the A7iii has a crop mode that I do NOT want engaged, but I believe it says “auto” for that feature. What does that mean?

Thank you.

from smallest to largest

FE 35 f2.8 zeiss
FE 50mm f1.8 sony
FE 28mm f2
FE 55mm f1.8 zeiss
FE 85 f1.8 is no longer small, but still about the smallest 85 on the market.

samyang/rokinon make native lenses that work fairly well, have a 24mm f2.8 on the way, and existing 35mm f2.8. both around the 100g mark....

auto crop means that if you mount on an E mount lens made for the A6xxx cameras (1.5x crop lens), it'll auto crop and seamlessly transition into a crop camera. This is generally fine if left in auto UNLESS you're using wonky aftermarket adapters. If you have no intention of using crop lenses, you can set that function to manual.

Sometimes, I like to use crop mode for video to give me the added reach. Crop mode + Clear image zoom (sony's digital zoom algorithm), you can turn your camera into a video monster. A 28mm f2 prime for instance, can be turned into a 28-85mm f2 video lens with no real degradation penalty. You cant use clear image zoom in slow motion, but it's handy as heck if you're only shooting primes or on a gimbal.

Charlie wrote in post #18652319
from smallest to largest

FE 35 f2.8 zeiss
FE 50mm f1.8 sony
FE 28mm f2
FE 55mm f1.8 zeiss
FE 85 f1.8 is no longer small, but still about the smallest 85 on the market.

samyang/rokinon make native lenses that work fairly well, have a 24mm f2.8 on the way, and existing 35mm f2.8. both around the 100g mark....

auto crop means that if you mount on an E mount lens made for the A6xxx cameras (1.5x crop lens), it'll auto crop and seamlessly transition into a crop camera. This is generally fine if left in auto UNLESS you're using wonky aftermarket adapters. If you have no intention of using crop lenses, you can set that function to manual.

Sometimes, I like to use crop mode for video to give me the added reach. Crop mode + Clear image zoom (sony's digital zoom algorithm), you can turn your camera into a video monster. A 28mm f2 prime for instance, can be turned into a 28-85mm f2 video lens with no real degradation penalty. You cant use clear image zoom in slow motion, but it's handy as heck if you're only shooting primes or on a gimbal.

Thank you. That made sense. I'll have to play with it a bit to see what kind of results I get (video).

The 55mm f/1.8 and 35 f/2.8 instantly come to mind, if you want absolutely the smallest, the 35mm f/2.8 is the most compact of the FE lenses

What do you want to shoot though... It doesnt help to recommend the 35mm f/2.8 if you're looking to shoot portraits for example.

And basically in Sony nomenclature FE are your Full Frame lenses

I want a couple primes. I'll eventually get an 85mm for portraits. I want something smaller for street photography and general convenience. I also plan to shoot more concerts and need the wider angle anyway that comes from a 35mm or 28, etc.

The samyang 35 2.8 pancake is smaller than the Zeiss. I have the SY and it's very sharp... I think the colors/contrast is better on the zeiss though.

Talley wrote in post #18653141
The samyang 35 2.8 pancake is smaller than the Zeiss. I have the SY and it's very sharp... I think the colors/contrast is better on the zeiss though.

it does look impressively small, and the zeiss is DEFINITELY a small lens too. I wish I didnt have to pay the sony fee for the lens, but I bought it used for 450, so I'm really not to bothered by that purchase, especially since I've used it a ton, and it's simply wonderful. I've read that the SY 35 f1.4 has the best AF motor among SY lenses, and even then, it's not super good. It's passable, but slightly inferior to the FE 50 nifty sony fifty. Supposedly the SY 24mm will have the latest and greatest AF motor, so I look forward to that.

Only issue I'm having is a place for it among my kit. I may get rid of the Sony FE 28 in favor of the SY 24, purely for the better optics, the 28's distortion is pretty heavy handed. It makes for a fantastic gimbal lens, my second favorite among gimbal'd lenses, however the 12-24 + internal focusing, hands down the winner. I really dig the internal focusing aspect of that lens, such a pleasure to use.

btw, have you got your tamron 28-75 yet?

EOS-Mike wrote in post #18652953
I want a couple primes. I'll eventually get an 85mm for portraits. I want something smaller for street photography and general convenience. I also plan to shoot more concerts and need the wider angle anyway that comes from a 35mm or 28, etc.

I'd get the 35mm f/2.8 Zeiss, the 55mm f/1.8 Zeiss and the 85mm f/1.8, They make an excellent trio and easily fit in a small bag, the 35 is easily had used for not too much

Check my gallery for some samples of the 55mm f/1.8 Zeiss on the A7III if you want BTW

KenjiS wrote in post #18653374
I'd get the 35mm f/2.8 Zeiss, the 55mm f/1.8 Zeiss and the 85mm f/1.8, They make an excellent trio and easily fit in a small bag, the 35 is easily had used for not too much

Check my gallery for some samples of the 55mm f/1.8 Zeiss on the A7III if you want BTW

This is good advice and what I’m doing. I’m swapping the 50 1.8 for the Zeiss and the SY for the Zeiss too. Have the 85.

The Tamron 28-75 and Sony 12-24 will finish my kit besides the non travel big stuff

Talley wrote in post #18653551
This is good advice and what I’m doing. I’m swapping the 50 1.8 for the Zeiss and the SY for the Zeiss too. Have the 85.

The Tamron 28-75 and Sony 12-24 will finish my kit besides the non travel big stuff

I'm so torn on my next addition, I kinda wanna go wide with the 16-35 f/4 (its smaller/lighter than the 12-24 and takes filters..but the 12-24 is def in the running as well) but i also kinda want something really practical like the 24-105 f/4 G, Then again part of me wants the 85mm but its so close to the 90mm Macro im just not sure

My A7III keeps shocking me with just how good it works as a package. I wish however that the focus peaking color could be adaptive somehow, because when i tend to need it (shooting flowers) I somehow ALWAYS end up shooting a flower that is the same color as the peaking setting....no matter what ive changed it to. Maybe i can assign a button to cycle focus peaking color?

KenjiS wrote in post #18654790
I'm so torn on my next addition, I kinda wanna go wide with the 16-35 f/4 (its smaller/lighter than the 12-24 and takes filters..but the 12-24 is def in the running as well) but i also kinda want something really practical like the 24-105 f/4 G, Then again part of me wants the 85mm but its so close to the 90mm Macro im just not sure

My A7III keeps shocking me with just how good it works as a package. I wish however that the focus peaking color could be adaptive somehow, because when i tend to need it (shooting flowers) I somehow ALWAYS end up shooting a flower that is the same color as the peaking setting....no matter what ive changed it to. Maybe i can assign a button to cycle focus peaking color?

I'm not sure what the size difference is between the 16-35 and 12-24, but the 12-24 feels smaller, and the 77mm filter trick works really well. It's a phenomenal lens, but a little on the expensive side when comparing to the 16-35. Handling is fantastic, it's internal focusing, which is awesome.

either are great lenses, if you dont want to be spendy, the 16-35 is certainly good.

the FE 85 simply kicks butt, awesome lens.

Charlie wrote in post #18654831
I'm not sure what the size difference is between the 16-35 and 12-24, but the 12-24 feels smaller, and the 77mm filter trick works really well. It's a phenomenal lens, but a little on the expensive side when comparing to the 16-35. Handling is fantastic, it's internal focusing, which is awesome.

either are great lenses, if you dont want to be spendy, the 16-35 is certainly good.

the FE 85 simply kicks butt, awesome lens.

I know... thats what makes it so hard.

The 16-35 is older so i can always watch used too for folks who upgraded to the GM or the 12-24 for example and grab one cheaper too..

The 85 is super cool i just am unsure the number of subjects i have for it and the focal length duplication vs my 90mm f/2.8.. I might find the f/1.8 aperture affords more creative opportunities for some subjects for example... Ive forgotten on full frame how huge the difference of f/2 vs f/2.8 for example is compared to APS-C it feels...

The issue I’m having is finding a small prime when my point of application is for low light shooting which requires F1.4 or F1.8.

I’d rather use a heavier fast zoom for versatility and use primes when I want either shallow depth of field or low light requirements.

I was going to purchase a 16 to 35 GM But I decided to test out the large clunky Sigma 24 mm art prime. So tempted to buy the 25 mm Batis but I decided I want a one-stop faster prime with some different image quality.

Once I cover my fast primes I’ll consider a slower small form factor prime possibly .