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

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

Sony
92 Overall Score
vs
Tamron Di A037 17-35mm

Tamron Di A037 17-35mm

Tamron
60 Overall Score

What Buyers Say

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

Tamron Di A037 17-35mm

78 out of 100 medium confidence 11 reviews

The Tamron 17-35mm f/2.8-4 lens is praised for its sharpness, good build quality, and excellent value compared to pricier Canon alternatives. Users highlight its lightweight design and suitability for landscape, architectural, and real estate photography. However, some note issues like lack of vibration control, a loose manual focus ring, and occasional camera crashes with certain bodies. Overall, it's a solid budget-friendly ultrawide zoom with minor drawbacks.

Pros
  • Sharp corner to corner
  • Excellent value for money
  • Lightweight and portable
  • Good build quality
  • Fast and quiet autofocus
Cons
  • No vibration control
  • Loose manual focus ring
  • Occasional camera crashes with some bodies
  • Less vibrant color than primes
  • Zoom ring can be stiff
👍 Sharpness 5
👍 Value for money 4
👍 Build quality 3
👍 Weight and portability 3
👍 Autofocus performance 3
👎 Vibration control 2

Scores

Budget
Sony
96
Tamron
58
Street
Sony
89
Tamron
57
Travel
Sony
89
Tamron
60
Portrait
Sony
89
Tamron
62
Wildlife Sports
Sony
84
Tamron
55
Video Cinema
Sony
82
Tamron
53
Landscape
Sony
76
Tamron
55
Professional
Sony
74
Tamron
55
Macro
Sony
68
Tamron
61

Specifications

Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSSTamron Di A037 17-35mm
Optics
Typezoomwide-angle
Focal Length Min18 mm17 mm
Focal Length Max135 mm35 mm
Elements16—
Groups12—
Aspherical Elements1★—
ED Elements2★—
Coating—fluorine compound
Aperture
Max Aperturef/3.5f/4
Min Aperture3.5-5.62.8-4
Constant✗✗
Diaphragm Blades7★—
Build
MountSony ECanon EF
FormatAPS-C★—
Weather Sealed✗✓★
Weight0.33 kg★0.46 kg
Filter Thread55 mm—
AF & Stabilization
AF TypeLinear motor★OSD
Stabilization✓✓
Focus
Min Focus Distance450 mm280 mm★
Max Magnification0.29x★—

Pros & Cons

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

Tamron Di A037 17-35mm

  • Strong stabilization (79th percentile)
  • Strong versatility (74th percentile)
  • Strong macro (72nd percentile)
  • Strong aperture (71st percentile)
  • Below average user sentiment (32nd percentile)

Pricing

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

Tamron Di A037 17-35mm

No current pricing available

Verdict

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

Scores 92 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 7 of 21 specs.

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

MacroBudgetStreetTravelPortraitLandscapeProfessionalVideo CinemaWildlife Sports

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