Sony DT SAL1870 18-70mm
A lightweight 235g build with an aspherical and ED glass element makes this an unobtrusive everyday zoom covering a 27-105mm equivalent range. Its DT design is optimized for APS-C Sony Alpha bodies, delivering corrected wide-angle accuracy and controlled chromatic aberration at a budget kit-lens price. This lens is best for beginners or casual shooters who want a single, leave-on solution for snapshots, portraits, and travel without added weight.
Snapshot
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Strong macro (97th percentile) 97th
- Strong versatility (87th percentile) 87th
- Strong aperture (80th percentile) 80th
- Strong bokeh (78th percentile) 78th
Cons
What owners think
How owner sentiment changed over time
ExclusiveBased on when customers actually wrote their reviews - so you can see whether early praise held up.
Based on 10 dated customer reviews, grouped by calendar quarter. Period analysis is in English.
The proof
Performance
Specifications
Full Specifications
Optics
| Type | zoom |
| Focal Length Min | 18 |
| Focal Length Max | 70 |
| Aspherical Elements | 1 |
| ED Elements | 1 |
Aperture
| Max Aperture | f/3.5 |
| Min Aperture | 3.5-5.6 |
| Constant | No |
Build
| Mount | Sony/Minolta Alpha |
| Format | APS-C |
| Weight | 0.2 kg / 0.5 lbs |
Focus
| Min Focus Distance | 35 |
vs Competition
| Spec | Sony DT SAL1870 18-70mm | Canon RF RF28-70mm F2.8 IS STM Macro | Sigma Contemporary 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS | Tamron Di III-A 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di III-A VC VXD | Nikon NIKKOR AF-S DX NIKKOR 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR | Panasonic LUMIX S S-R28200 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Focal Length | 18-70mm | 28-70mm | 16-300mm | 18-300mm | 16-85mm | 28-200mm |
| Max Aperture | f/3.5 | 2.8 | f/3.5 | f/3.5 | f/3.5 | f/4 |
| Mount | Sony/Minolta Alpha | Canon RF | Sony E | Fuji X | Nikon F | L-Mount |
| Stabilization | false | true | true | true | true | true |
| Weather Sealed | false | true | true | false | false | true |
| Weight (g) | 235 | 495 | 615 | 92 | 59 | 413 |
| AF Type | - | STM | HLA | VXD linear motor | AF-S | Autofocus |
| Lens Type | zoom | zoom | zoom | zoom | zoom | macro |
| Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare |
| Product | Af | Bokeh | Build | Macro | Optical | Aperture | Versatility | Social Proof | Stabilization |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sony DT SAL1870 18-70mm | 55.1 | 78 | 73 | 97.1 | 37.3 | 79.9 | 86.9 | 61.5 | 35.8 |
| Canon RF RF28-70mm F2.8 IS STM Macro Compare | 86 | 88.2 | 67 | 77.7 | 84.5 | 86 | 77.4 | 52.9 | 98.2 |
| Sigma Contemporary 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS Compare | 55.1 | 86.6 | 57.6 | 86.7 | 98.9 | 79.9 | 99.6 | 78.1 | 99 |
| Tamron Di III-A 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di III-A VC VXD Compare | 98.2 | 78 | 96.2 | 88.6 | 73.5 | 79.9 | 99.2 | 83.2 | 80.7 |
| Nikon NIKKOR AF-S DX NIKKOR 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR Compare | 55.1 | 78 | 98.5 | 59.9 | 64.2 | 79.9 | 94.2 | 88.1 | 92.3 |
| Panasonic LUMIX S S-R28200 Compare | 55.1 | 80.8 | 73.5 | 71.7 | 90.9 | 74.5 | 95.6 | 62.7 | 99.4 |
Usage Scores
A full written review is coming soon. The specs, scores, prices and charts above are always up to date.