I am strongly considering getting the Sony a6400 with Nauticam housing as my first semi-pro underwater rig and have been looking at the e mount lens selection for Sony mirrorless cameras. I would like to eventually shoot dedicated macro and wide angle lenses but have to start somewhere and would like advice on a mid range zoom lens that will be versatile underwater as well as above. Preferably the lens should be compatible with wet wide angle and macro converters so that I have that flexibility as well should I choose to go that route before I get the 90mm macro lens and Tokina 10-17mm fisheye for wide angle.
I was looking at the 16-50mm and 18-135mm kit lenses. Does anyone have experience with these or have a recommendation on an alternative lens? I do not mind paying a bit more for a high quality lens, and as mentioned this lens will be used above and underwater so I am looking for a compact, high quality mid range zoom.
16-50mm in a flat port works well with wet lenses as it doesn't extend or retract when zooming. 18-135mm is not a good underwater lens, as it has a fairly long minimum focus distance, plus it extends to zoom, which makes housing it more challenging. 16-70mm Zeiss is a somewhat popular alternative, but it also extends to zoom, so it needs to be used in a dome and can't accommodate wet lenses.
I reviewed this camera in an Ikelite housing for issue #108 at uwpmag.com, free PDF download in back issue. The lenses I like most are the Sony E 10-18 zoom for wide and the Zeiss 50mm for macro. As stated above the 16-50 with a flat port and wet lens like the Nauticam WWL-1 is also an option. A very cheep solution is the Sony E 16mm with clip-on Fisheye adapter lens.
The 18-135mm is an excellent above water/travel lens but not a lens that can be supported underwater.
I have a like new A6400, 18-135 and awesome Zeiss 50 macro for sale, tropicalone@bellsouth.net for further information.
I would agree with the above. The 18-135 will be very difficult to use underwater. You might want to consider the 18-105 f4; it might be a bit slow for underwater but it's an amazing lens above water. I also happen to be selling my 18-105 lens if you find yourself interested in it.
I used it 2x times before moving up to the A7iii (full frame camera).
