Viltrox Air Z 35mm
Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS
What Buyers Say
Viltrox Air Z 35mm
The Viltrox AF 35mm f/1.7 lens is widely loved for its sharp image quality, fast aperture, and surprisingly low price. Users praise its lightweight design, compact size, and quick autofocus, making it an excellent everyday walk-around lens. Some note autofocus can be noisier or slower than premium lenses, and a few report chromatic aberration in high-contrast scenes. A handful of complaints involve inconsistent packaging or compatibility misunderstandings, but the overall sentiment is overwhelmingly positive.
Pros
- Sharp image quality wide open
- Fast f/1.7 aperture for low light
- Lightweight and compact design
- Great value for the price
- Fast and accurate autofocus
Cons
- Autofocus noise in quiet environments
- Chromatic aberration in high contrast
- No weather sealing
- Slow autofocus in low light
- Missing aperture ring
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 Air Z 35mm | Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS | |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | prime | zoom |
| Focal Length Min | 35 mm | 18 mm |
| Focal Length Max | 35 mm | 135 mm |
| Elements | 11 | 16 |
| Groups | 9 | 12 |
| Aspherical Elements | 1 | 1 |
| ED Elements | 1 | 2★ |
| Coating | high-definition multi-layer coating; waterproof front lens coating | — |
| Aperture | ||
| Max Aperture | f/16 | f/3.5 |
| Min Aperture | f/1.7 | 3.5-5.6 |
| Constant | ✓★ | ✗ |
| Diaphragm Blades | 9★ | 7 |
| Build | ||
| Mount | Nikon Z | Sony E |
| Format | APS-C | APS-C |
| Weather Sealed | ✗ | ✗ |
| Weight | 0.18 kg★ | 0.33 kg |
| Filter Thread | 52 mm | 55 mm |
| AF & Stabilization | ||
| AF Type | STM | Linear motor★ |
| Stabilization | ✗ | ✓★ |
| Focus | ||
| Min Focus Distance | 330 mm★ | 450 mm |
| Max Magnification | 0.13× | 0.29x★ |
Pros & Cons
Viltrox Air Z 35mm
- Strong build (86th percentile)86th %ile
- Strong af (85th percentile)85th %ile
- Strong optical (65th 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 Air Z 35mm offers 2.5x better value for money
Verdict
Scores 90 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 4 of 21 specs.
