These are the best Sony lenses under $500 when you want real optical quality on a sane budget—whether you shoot full-frame or APS-C—and here’s what to look for as you buy: confirm your sensor (FE = full frame; E = APS-C), decide prime vs zoom (fast primes for low light and blur; compact zooms for travel), check autofocus motor smoothness/noise if you film, look for OSS stabilization on bodies without IBIS (older a6xxx, a5100/6000 era), note minimum focus distance for detail shots, aim for shared filter sizes to keep a single CPL/VND, and weigh size/weight for all-day carry; stretch value with reputable used/refurb deals (often dipping sub-$500), but verify condition, firmware, and return policies. Full-frame budget primes that punch above price: FE 50mm f/1.8 (tiny, classic “nifty fifty” for portraits and low light), FE 28mm f/2 (small, sharp, great walk-around and environmental night shots); if you find the FE 50mm f/2.8 Macro near $500 on sale/used it’s a crisp 1:1 detail tool that doubles for product/food. Full-frame compact zooms under $500: FE 28–60mm f/4–5.6 (surprisingly sharp travel zoom that packs flat and takes 40.5mm filters) and FE 28–70mm f/3.5–5.6 OSS (starter mid-range with stabilization for older bodies). APS-C primes that feel premium for less: E 35mm f/1.8 OSS (the classic 52mm-eq storyteller with stabilization for clean handheld video), E 50mm f/1.8 OSS (portrait staple—creamy bokeh, OSS helps indoors), E 20mm f/2.8 (pancake wide that slips in a pocket), E 30mm f/3.5 Macro (true 1:1 for product/food/flowers), and the older E 16mm f/2.8 pancake (ultra-slim; add Sony’s converters for wider or fisheye play). APS-C zooms that travel light: E PZ 16–50mm f/3.5–5.6 OSS (collapsible kit that’s better than its reputation when stopped down and perfect for gimbals), E 18–55mm f/3.5–5.6 OSS (older but optically consistent), and E 55–210mm f/4.5–6.3 OSS (featherweight tele for daytime sports/wildlife with stabilization). Practical buyer tips: on full frame, build a simple two-lens kit with FE 28/2 + FE 50/1.8 and add the FE 28–60 for travel; on APS-C, start with E 35/1.8 OSS + E 55–210 OSS (portraits + reach) or E PZ 16–50 for all-purpose video and add E 30 Macro for detail; if you film, favor OSS on APS-C bodies and quieter focusing (the 35/1.8 OSS is a gem), and standardize cheap slim filters (40.5/49mm) to keep your kit tiny; used/refurb often brings the FE 85/1.8 or FE 35/1.8 down near this budget—watch holiday promos. Shooting tips: stop the pancakes/kit zooms to f/5.6–f/8 for edge discipline, use eye-AF on the 50/1.8 for portraits and step back to grow bokeh, leverage OSS for 1/15–1/30s city nights on APS-C, get close with the 28/2 for layered foregrounds, and for video pair a slim VND with the 28–60 or 16–50 PZ to hold a 180° shutter. Whether you’re packing ultra-light for travel, starting your first portrait kit, or adding a stabilized tele on the cheap, the best Sony lenses under $500 combine compact builds, honest sharpness, and reliable AF—so you shoot more, carry less, and still come home with files that look far pricier than your budget.