Sony SEL35F18 35mm
Weighing just 156g and sealed against dust and moisture, its f/1.8 aperture, built-in Optical SteadyShot, and silent linear motor AF distinguish it as a compact stabilized prime for Sony E-mount. A nine-blade circular aperture and one aspherical element produce smooth bokeh and sharp contrast, while direct manual focus allows precise control. Best suited for APS-C Sony hybrid shooters needing a silent, stabilized 52.5mm-equivalent lens for handheld video work and low-light street photography.
Snapshot
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Strong af (98th percentile) 98th
- Strong stabilization (92nd percentile) 92nd
- Strong social proof (92nd percentile) 92nd
- Strong build (88th percentile) 88th
Cons
- Below average bokeh (16th percentile)
- Below average aperture (24th percentile)
- Below average macro (27th percentile)
- Below average versatility (34th percentile)
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 298 dated customer reviews, grouped by calendar quarter. Period analysis is in English.
The proof
Performance
Specifications
Full Specifications
Optics
| Type | Prime |
| Focal Length Min | 35 |
| Focal Length Max | 35 |
| Elements | 8 |
| Groups | 6 |
| Aspherical Elements | 2 |
| ED Elements | 1 |
Aperture
| Max Aperture | f/22 |
| Min Aperture | f/1.8 |
| Constant | Yes |
| Diaphragm Blades | 7 |
Build
| Mount | Sony E |
| Format | APS-C |
| Weight | 0.2 kg / 0.3 lbs |
| Filter Thread | 49 |
AF & Stabilization
| AF Type | Linear motor |
| Stabilization | Yes |
| Stabilization Stops | 4 |
Focus
| Min Focus Distance | 302 |
| Max Magnification | 0.15x |
vs Competition
| Spec | Sony SEL35F18 35mm | Sigma Contemporary 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS | Tamron Di III 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di III-A VC VXD | Canon RF 28-70mm f/2.8 IS STM | Panasonic LUMIX S S-R28200 | Nikon NIKKOR AF-S DX NIKKOR 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Focal Length | 35mm | 16-300mm | 18-300mm | 28-70mm | 28-200mm | 16-85mm |
| Max Aperture | f/22 | f/3.5 | f/3.5 | f/2.8 | f/4 | f/3.5 |
| Mount | Sony E | Sony E | Fujifilm X | Canon RF | L-Mount | Nikon F |
| Stabilization | true | true | true | true | true | true |
| Weather Sealed | false | true | false | true | true | false |
| Weight (g) | 154 | 615 | 92 | 495 | 413 | 59 |
| AF Type | Linear motor | HLA | VXD linear motor | STM | Autofocus | AF-S |
| Lens Type | prime | zoom | zoom | zoom | macro | zoom |
| Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare |
| Product | AF | Bokeh | Build | Macro | Optical | Aperture | User Sentiment | Versatility | Social Proof | Stabilization |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sony SEL35F18 35mm | 98.1 | 15.7 | 87.7 | 26.9 | 43.8 | 24.2 | 68.4 | 34 | 91.8 | 92.2 |
| Sigma Contemporary 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS Compare | 54.7 | 84.3 | 57.9 | 86.5 | 98.8 | 77 | 0 | 99.6 | 83 | 99.1 |
| Tamron Di III 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di III-A VC VXD Compare | 98.1 | 75 | 96.3 | 88.4 | 73.5 | 77 | 34.7 | 99.2 | 83 | 80.5 |
| Canon RF 28-70mm f/2.8 IS STM Compare | 85.5 | 86.2 | 67.2 | 77.4 | 84.4 | 83.8 | 0 | 77.4 | 88 | 98.2 |
| Panasonic LUMIX S S-R28200 Compare | 54.7 | 77.9 | 73.9 | 89.5 | 90.9 | 71.5 | 0 | 95.7 | 75.3 | 99.4 |
| Nikon NIKKOR AF-S DX NIKKOR 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR Compare | 54.7 | 75 | 98.4 | 59.8 | 64.1 | 77 | 83.1 | 94.3 | 88 | 92.2 |
Usage Scores
A full written review is coming soon. The specs, scores, prices and charts above are always up to date.
