Viltrox AF 40mm F2.5 40mm
Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS
What Buyers Say
Viltrox AF 40mm F2.5 40mm
The Viltrox AF 40mm f/2.5 lens is widely praised as an exceptional value, delivering sharp images, good color rendition, and solid autofocus at a fraction of the cost of Sony alternatives. Users highlight its lightweight, compact design, making it ideal for travel and everyday carry. While some note it lacks weather sealing and the maximum aperture is f/2.5 rather than f/2, most find the optical quality and performance far exceed expectations for the price. A few mention it may require some post-processing, but overall sentiment is overwhelmingly positive.
Pros
- Excellent value for money
- Sharp image quality
- Lightweight and compact
- Good autofocus performance
- Pleasant color rendition
Cons
- No weather sealing
- Maximum aperture f/2.5 (not f/2)
- Plastic build (except mount)
- May require post-processing
- Manual focus not linear
Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS
The Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS lens is widely praised as an excellent all-in-one travel and walkaround lens for APS-C E-mount cameras. Users consistently highlight its sharpness, compact size, light weight, and versatile 27-200mm equivalent zoom range. While many note it is not ideal for low light and some report significant vignetting at the wide end, the overall sentiment is very positive, with most considering it a great value kit lens upgrade.
Pros
- Sharp image quality
- Compact and lightweight
- Versatile 27-200mm equivalent zoom range
- Effective optical image stabilization
- Fast and accurate autofocus
Cons
- Significant vignetting at 18mm wide end
- Not ideal for low light photography
- Variable aperture limits brightness at telephoto
- Some copies may have quality control issues
- Slight autofocus lag compared to premium lenses
Scores
Specifications
| Viltrox AF 40mm F2.5 40mm | Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS | |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | prime | zoom |
| Focal Length Min | 40 mm | 18 mm |
| Focal Length Max | 40 mm | 135 mm |
| Elements | 10 | 16 |
| Groups | 6 | 12 |
| Aspherical Elements | 1 | 1 |
| ED Elements | 1 | 2★ |
| Coating | high-definition nano multi-layer coating | — |
| Aperture | ||
| Max Aperture | f/16 | f/3.5 |
| Min Aperture | f/2.5 | 3.5-5.6 |
| Constant | ✗ | ✗ |
| Diaphragm Blades | 7 | 7 |
| Build | ||
| Mount | Sony E | Sony E |
| Format | full-frame★ | APS-C |
| Weather Sealed | ✗ | ✗ |
| Weight | 0.17 kg★ | 0.33 kg |
| Filter Thread | 52 mm | 55 mm |
| AF & Stabilization | ||
| AF Type | STM | Linear motor★ |
| Stabilization | ✗ | ✓★ |
| Focus | ||
| Min Focus Distance | 340 mm★ | 450 mm |
| Max Magnification | 0.14x | 0.29x★ |
Pros & Cons
Viltrox AF 40mm F2.5 40mm
- Strong build (88th percentile)88th %ile
- Strong af (85th percentile)85th %ile
- Below average bokeh (31st percentile)
- Below average versatility (34th percentile)
- Below average macro (34th percentile)
Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS
- Strong af (98th percentile)98th %ile
- Strong versatility (96th percentile)96th %ile
- Strong social proof (90th percentile)90th %ile
- Strong stabilization (80th percentile)80th %ile
Pricing
Viltrox AF 40mm F2.5 40mm offers 2.6x better value for money
Verdict
Scores 90 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 4 of 21 specs.
