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
Nikon NIKKOR Z 35mm f/1.8 S 35mm

Nikon NIKKOR Z 35mm f/1.8 S 35mm

Nikon
65 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

Nikon NIKKOR Z 35mm f/1.8 S 35mm

82 out of 100 high confidence 433 reviews

The Nikon 35mm f/1.8 lens is widely praised for its sharpness, fast autofocus, and excellent low-light performance, making it a favorite for street, portrait, and everyday photography. Many users highlight its lightweight build and value for money, though some note that it is not as sharp as the 50mm S lens and can suffer from vignetting and corner softness wide open. A few reviewers also mention quality control issues and a plastic feel, but overall it is considered a solid, versatile prime lens.

Pros
  • Sharp images edge-to-edge
  • Fast and accurate autofocus
  • Excellent low-light performance
  • Lightweight and compact design
  • Great value for the price
Cons
  • Vignetting and corner softness wide open
  • Not as sharp as 50mm S lens
  • Plastic build feels cheap
  • Quality control issues reported
  • Overpriced compared to alternatives
👍 Image quality 28
👍 Autofocus performance 15
👍 Low light performance 12
🤔 Build quality 10
👍 Value for money 14
👎 Vignetting and corner sharpness 6

Scores

Budget
Sony
96
Nikon
63
Street
Sony
89
Nikon
66
Portrait
Sony
89
Nikon
60
Travel
Sony
89
Nikon
58
Wildlife Sports
Sony
84
Nikon
61
Video Cinema
Sony
82
Nikon
64
Landscape
Sony
76
Nikon
61
Professional
Sony
74
Nikon
71
Macro
Sony
68
Nikon
56

Specifications

Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSSNikon NIKKOR Z 35mm f/1.8 S 35mm
Optics
Typezoomprime
Focal Length Min18 mm35 mm
Focal Length Max135 mm35 mm
Elements1611
Groups129
Aspherical Elements13★
ED Elements22
Coating—Nano Crystal & Super Integrated Coatings
Aperture
Max Aperturef/3.5f/16
Min Aperture3.5-5.6f/1.8
Constant✗✓★
Diaphragm Blades79★
Build
MountSony ENikon Z
FormatAPS-Cfull-frame★
Weather Sealed✗✓★
Weight0.33 kg★0.37 kg
Filter Thread55 mm62 mm
AF & Stabilization
AF TypeLinear motor★Stepping Motor AF System
Stabilization✓★✗
Stabilization Stops—5 stops★
Focus
Min Focus Distance450 mm250 mm★
Max Magnification0.29x★0.19x

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

Nikon NIKKOR Z 35mm f/1.8 S 35mm

  • Strong social proof (94th percentile)94th %ile
  • Strong af (85th percentile)85th %ile
  • Strong build (79th percentile)
  • Strong optical (79th percentile)
  • Below average versatility (33rd percentile)
  • Below average stabilization (34th percentile)

Pricing

Nikon NIKKOR Z 35mm f/1.8 S 35mm is £280 cheaper (2.9x less).

Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS0.214score per dollar
vs
Nikon NIKKOR Z 35mm f/1.8 S 35mm0.436score per dollar

Nikon NIKKOR Z 35mm f/1.8 S 35mm offers 2.0x better value for money

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

Nikon NIKKOR Z 35mm f/1.8 S 35mm

Verdict

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

Scores 92 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 4 of 22 specs.

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

MacroBudgetStreetTravelPortraitLandscapeProfessionalVideo CinemaWildlife Sports

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