AstrHori Macro Probe 18mm f/8 Macro Probe 18mm

AstrHori Macro Probe 18mm f/8 Macro Probe 18mm

AstrHori
33 Overall Score
vs
Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS

Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS

Sony
90 Overall Score

What Buyers Say

AstrHori Macro Probe 18mm f/8 Macro Probe 18mm

92 out of 100 medium confidence 18 reviews

The Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens receives overwhelmingly positive feedback for its exceptional sharpness, fast autofocus, and low-light performance. Users highlight its suitability for both photography and video, with many noting a significant upgrade from previous lenses. A few Q&A entries address concerns about internal movement when powered off, which is confirmed as normal stabilizer behavior. Overall, it is praised as a professional-grade zoom that delivers outstanding results.

Pros
  • Exceptional sharpness
  • Fast and snappy autofocus
  • Great low-light performance
  • Excellent for video
  • Internal zoom mechanism
Cons
  • Internal movement when powered off
  • Not parfocal
  • Focus-by-wire system
👍 Image quality 6
👍 Autofocus performance 4
👍 Low light performance 2
👍 Video suitability 2
🤔 Build quality 5
👍 Value for money 1

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
AstrHori
21
Sony
100
Street
AstrHori
19
Sony
89
Travel
AstrHori
15
Sony
85
Wildlife Sports
AstrHori
14
Sony
84
Portrait
AstrHori
17
Sony
83
Video Cinema
AstrHori
16
Sony
83
Professional
AstrHori
22
Sony
73
Landscape
AstrHori
28
Sony
73
Macro
AstrHori
63
Sony
68

Specifications

AstrHori Macro Probe 18mm f/8 Macro Probe 18mmSony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS
Optics
Typemacrozoom
Focal Length Min18 mm18 mm
Focal Length Max18 mm135 mm
Elements2316
Groups1712
Aspherical Elements—1★
ED Elements—2★
Aperture
Max Aperturef/28f/3.5
Min Aperturef/283.5-5.6
Constant✗✗
Diaphragm Blades77
Build
MountSony ESony E
FormatAPS-CAPS-C
Weight1.78 kg0.33 kg★
Filter Thread—55 mm
AF & Stabilization
AF Typemanual focus onlyLinear motor★
Stabilization✗✓★
Focus
Min Focus Distance488 mm450 mm★
Max Magnification2:1★0.29x

Pros & Cons

AstrHori Macro Probe 18mm f/8 Macro Probe 18mm

  • Strong social proof (99th percentile)99th %ile
  • Strong user sentiment (91st percentile)91st %ile
  • Strong optical (87th percentile)87th %ile
  • Strong macro (79th percentile)
  • Below average build (2nd percentile)2nd %ile
  • Below average bokeh (5th percentile)5th %ile
  • Below average aperture (7th percentile)7th %ile
  • Below average af (13th percentile)13th %ile

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

AstrHori Macro Probe 18mm f/8 Macro Probe 18mm

No current pricing available

Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS

Verdict

★ Winner: Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS

Scores 90 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 6 of 19 specs.

Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS Better at:

MacroBudgetStreetTravelPortraitLandscapeProfessionalVideo CinemaWildlife Sports

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