Laowa Argus 18mm f/0.95 APO 18mm
Laowa
35 Overall Score
vs
Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS
Sony
90 Overall Score
What Buyers Say
Laowa Argus 18mm f/0.95 APO 18mm
No customer feedback yet
Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS
82 out of 100 high confidence 117 reviews
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
Image quality 35
Build quality 12
Value for money 18
Vignetting 6
Low light performance 10
Zoom range 25
Scores
Budget
Street
Travel
Wildlife Sports
Portrait
Video Cinema
Professional
Landscape
Macro
Specifications
| Laowa Argus 18mm f/0.95 APO 18mm | Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS | |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | prime | zoom |
| Focal Length Min | 18 mm | 18 mm |
| Focal Length Max | 18 mm | 135 mm |
| Elements | 14 | 16 |
| Groups | 8 | 12 |
| Aspherical Elements | — | 1★ |
| ED Elements | 2 | 2 |
| Aperture | ||
| Max Aperture | f/11 | f/3.5 |
| Min Aperture | f/0.95 | 3.5-5.6 |
| Constant | ✗ | ✗ |
| Diaphragm Blades | 9★ | 7 |
| Build | ||
| Mount | Micro Four Thirds | Sony E |
| Format | micro-four-thirds | APS-C★ |
| Weight | 0.50 kg | 0.33 kg★ |
| Filter Thread | 62 mm | 55 mm |
| AF & Stabilization | ||
| AF Type | manual focus only | Linear motor★ |
| Stabilization | ✗ | ✓★ |
| Focus | ||
| Min Focus Distance | 200 mm★ | 450 mm |
| Max Magnification | 1:6.67★ | 0.29x |
Pros & Cons
Laowa Argus 18mm f/0.95 APO 18mm
- Strong macro (84th percentile)84th %ile
- Strong optical (65th percentile)
- Below average social proof (3rd percentile)3rd %ile
- Below average af (13th percentile)13th %ile
- Below average versatility (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 (82nd percentile)82nd %ile
Pricing
Laowa Argus 18mm f/0.95 APO 18mm0.056score per dollar
vs
Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS0.115score per dollar
Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS offers 2.1x better value for money
Verdict
Winner: Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS
Scores 90 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 5 of 19 specs.
