Leica Super Elmar-M 11145 21mm
Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS
What Buyers Say
Leica Super Elmar-M 11145 21mm
The Leica 21mm f/3.4 Super-Elmar-M lens receives high praise for its exceptional sharpness, contrast, and compact build quality. Users highlight its superb optics and minimal distortion, making it ideal for travel and street photography. However, the lack of an included viewfinder and the need for an external finder on M bodies is a noted drawback.
Pros
- Exceptional sharpness
- Excellent contrast
- Compact and lightweight build
- Top-notch build quality
- Minimal distortion
Cons
- Viewfinder not included
- Requires external viewfinder on M bodies
- High price point
- Limited compatibility with non-Leica cameras
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
| Leica Super Elmar-M 11145 21mm | Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS | |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | wide-angle | zoom |
| Focal Length Min | 21 mm | 18 mm |
| Focal Length Max | 21 mm | 135 mm |
| Elements | 6 | 16 |
| Groups | 4 | 12 |
| Aspherical Elements | 1 | 1 |
| ED Elements | 4★ | 2 |
| Aperture | ||
| Max Aperture | f/16 | f/3.5 |
| Min Aperture | f/3.4 | 3.5-5.6 |
| Constant | ✓★ | ✗ |
| Diaphragm Blades | 11★ | 7 |
| Build | ||
| Mount | Leica M | Sony E |
| Format | full-frame★ | APS-C |
| Weather Sealed | — | ✗ |
| Weight | 0.33 kg★ | 0.33 kg |
| Filter Thread | 46 mm | 55 mm |
| AF & Stabilization | ||
| AF Type | manual focus only | Linear motor★ |
| Stabilization | ✗ | ✓★ |
| Focus | ||
| Min Focus Distance | 700 mm | 450 mm★ |
| Max Magnification | 0.0010347222 | 0.29x★ |
Pros & Cons
Leica Super Elmar-M 11145 21mm
- Strong build (71st percentile)
- Strong user sentiment (66th percentile)
- Below average macro (12th percentile)12th %ile
- Below average af (15th percentile)15th %ile
- Below average versatility (33rd percentile)
- Below average stabilization (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 (91st percentile)91st %ile
- Strong aperture (83rd percentile)83rd %ile
Pricing
Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS offers 23.6x better value for money
Verdict
Scores 92 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 4 of 20 specs.
