Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS
Viltrox AF 15mm F1.7 E 15mm
What Buyers Say
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
Viltrox AF 15mm F1.7 E 15mm
This Viltrox lens range receives overwhelmingly positive feedback for its exceptional value, sharpness, and fast apertures. Users consistently praise the image quality and build, noting it punches far above its price point. A minority report issues with chromatic aberration, noisy autofocus in video, firmware updates, and occasional defective units, but the general sentiment is that these are excellent budget primes.
Pros
- Excellent sharpness
- Fast aperture (f/1.2, f/1.7, f/1.8)
- Great value for money
- Solid build quality
- Fast and accurate autofocus
Cons
- Chromatic aberration in high contrast scenes
- Noisy autofocus in video
- Aperture ring moves too easily
- Firmware update process is cumbersome
- Occasional defective units
Scores
Specifications
| Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS | Viltrox AF 15mm F1.7 E 15mm | |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | zoom | prime |
| Focal Length Min | 18 mm | 15 mm |
| Focal Length Max | 135 mm | 15 mm |
| Elements | 16 | 12 |
| Groups | 12 | 10 |
| Aspherical Elements | 1 | 2★ |
| ED Elements | 2 | 3★ |
| Coating | — | splash-resistance and anti-fouling coating |
| Aperture | ||
| Max Aperture | f/3.5 | f/16 |
| Min Aperture | 3.5-5.6 | f/1.7 |
| Constant | ✗ | ✓★ |
| Diaphragm Blades | 7 | 9★ |
| Build | ||
| Mount | Sony E | Sony E |
| Format | APS-C | APS-C |
| Weather Sealed | ✗ | ✓★ |
| Weight | 0.33 kg | 0.18 kg★ |
| Filter Thread | 55 mm | 58 mm |
| AF & Stabilization | ||
| AF Type | Linear motor★ | STM |
| Stabilization | ✓ | ✓ |
| Focus | ||
| Min Focus Distance | 450 mm | 230 mm★ |
| Max Magnification | 0.29x★ | 0.1x |
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 stabilization (80th percentile)80th %ile
Viltrox AF 15mm F1.7 E 15mm
- Strong build (94th percentile)94th %ile
- Strong af (85th percentile)85th %ile
- Strong optical (81st percentile)81st %ile
- Strong stabilization (80th percentile)80th %ile
- Below average user sentiment (30th percentile)
- Below average versatility (34th percentile)
- Below average macro (35th percentile)
Verdict
Scores 90 overall, wins 7 of 9 usage categories and 2 of 21 specs.