Sony lenses explained: which lenses to use on which cameras

With two different camera mounts and two different sensor sizes, plus a camera brand name change in 2013, there’s some confusion about which Sony lenses can be used on which cameras.

Fear not, here’s everything you need to know about Sony lens compatibility, along with an explanation of Sony camera types.

Two Sony camera types

Sony offers two types of interchangeable lens cameras; compact system or mirrorless cameras and single lens translucent (SLT) cameras.

Up until the end of 2013 Sony used the NEX brand for its compact system camera (CSC) line, while its SLT cameras came under the Alpha banner.

At the end of 2013, however, Sony stopped using the NEX name and both its CSCs and SLTs are now branded Alpha.

SEE MORE: Sony cameras – the full and complete range explained

Like the more common single lens reflex (SLR) cameras from Canon, Nikon and Pentax, Sony’s single lens translucent (SLT) cameras have a mirror.

However, rather than moving out of the way to allow light to reach the sensor when an image is captured, the mirror in an SLT is fixed in place and is translucent so that light is always able to reach the sensor. In an SLT the mirror is there to bounce light onto a dedicated phase detection autofocus sensor.

Also, unlike an SLR, an SLT has an electronic viewfinder that shows a live view image from the sensor.

Compact system cameras don’t have a mirror, fixed or moving, which means they can be made smaller. Also, if Sony gives them a viewfinder in addition to the main screen, it’s an electronic one.

Sony makes both APS-C format and full-frame SLT and compact system cameras.

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Two Sony lens mounts

Sony’s SLT cameras have the A-mount. This mount as was first introduced by Minolta back in 1985 and Sony adopted it when it bought the Konica Minolta camera business in 2006.

Sony’s compact system cameras have the E-mount, which was first introduced with the APS-C format Sony NEX 3 and NEX 5 models in 2010.

A Sony A-mount camera such as the A99 (full-frame) or A77 II (APS-C format) cannot accept E-mount lenses that are designed for use on compact system cameras. However, there are adaptors that enable Sony E-mount cameras to accept Sony A-mount lenses – they cannot be attached directly.

SEE MORE: Camera lenses explained – focal length, aperture, stabilisation and more

Sony’s full-frames cameras can accept APS-C format lenses with the appropriate mount, but images are restricted to an area equivalent to an APS-C sized sensor.

If you want the full benefit of a full-frame camera you need to use a lens that’s designed for use with a full-frame sensor.

Sony full-frame E-mount lenses are badged FE whereas the APS-C format lenses have the E label. The letters ‘DT’ (Digital Technology) denote that an A-mount lens is designed for APS-C format.

In some literature and on some packaging Sony uses the abbreviations SAL and SEL; standing for Sony Alpha Lens and Sony E-mount Lens respectively.

SEE MORE: DSLR vs Mirrorless: understanding the key differences

Full-frame vs APS-C format

Full-frame cameras have a sensor that’s the same size as a 35mm film frame, whereas APS-C format cameras have a smaller sensor which measures around 23.5×15.6mm.

Full-frame lenses produce an image circle that’s capable of covering a full-frame sensor, but APS-C format lenses only have to cover the smaller area of an APS-C format sensor.

This means that if a full-frame lens is used on a camera with an APS-C sized sensor, only the centre portion of the image circle is used and the image will look as if it has been produced by a lens with a focal length that is 1.5x longer than the actual marked length.

Meanwhile, if an APS-C format lens is mounted on a full-frame camera it cannot produce an image that covers the whole area of the sensor. However, Sony full-frame cameras have a crop mode that reduces the size of the image to match that produced by an APS-C format lens.

SEE MORE: Full-frame vs APS-C cameras: what you need to know

Sony lens format abbreviations

Here’s a quick summary of what the most important letters mean on Sony lenses and cameras:

A – A or Alpha mount, used on Sony Alpha SLT cameras and compatible lenses
E – E mount, used on Sony NEX and Alpha compact system cameras and compatible lenses
FE – Full-frame E-mount
SAL – Sony Alpha Lens
SEL – Sony E-mount Lens
DT – A-mount lens for APS-C format

SEE MORE: DSLR Lenses – 7 questions photographers must ask before buying their next piece of glass

Which Sony camera is which?

Use these lists to check which type of camera you have.

Sony Single Lens Translucent (SLT) cameras
Full frame: A99, A850, A900

APS-C Format: A77II, A77, A6, A58, A57, A55, A37, A35, A33, A700, A580, A560, A550, A500, A450, A380, A390, A350, A330, A300, A290, A230, A200, A100

Sony compact system cameras
Full frame: A7R II, A7II, A7S, A7, A7R

APS-C format: NEX-7, NEX-6, NEX-5, NEX-5N, NEX-5R, NEX-5T, NEX-3, NEX-C3, NEX-F3, NEX-3N, A3000, A5000, A5100, A6000, QX1

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