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

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

Sony
91 Overall Score
vs
Pentax HD DA 20-40mm F2.8-4 Limited DC WR Wide Zoom 40mm

Pentax HD DA 20-40mm F2.8-4 Limited DC WR Wide Zoom 40mm

Pentax
86 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

Pentax HD DA 20-40mm F2.8-4 Limited DC WR Wide Zoom 40mm

82 out of 100 medium confidence 24 reviews

The Pentax HD DA 20-40mm f/2.8-4 ED Limited DC WR lens is highly praised for its superb build quality, sharpness, and beautiful color rendition. Users love it as a versatile walk-around lens for street photography and landscapes, especially on APS-C bodies like the K-3. The main drawbacks are its variable aperture and a price that many feel is too high for the performance gain over kit lenses.

Pros
  • Superb build quality
  • Excellent sharpness
  • Beautiful color rendition
  • Weather resistant
  • Versatile focal range for street and landscape
Cons
  • Variable aperture (f/2.8-4)
  • High price for performance gain
  • Limited zoom range
  • Not as wide as some kit lenses
👍 Build quality 8
👍 Sharpness 7
👍 Color rendition 5
👎 Value for money 4
👍 Weather resistance 3
👎 Variable aperture 3

Scores

Budget
Sony
100
Pentax
82
Portrait
Sony
89
Pentax
83
Street
Sony
88
Pentax
84
Macro
Sony
68
Pentax
86
Travel
Sony
85
Pentax
83
Wildlife Sports
Sony
84
Pentax
68
Video Cinema
Sony
83
Pentax
72
Professional
Sony
74
Pentax
73
Landscape
Sony
73
Pentax
69

Specifications

Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSSPentax HD DA 20-40mm F2.8-4 Limited DC WR Wide Zoom 40mm
Optics
Typezoomzoom
Focal Length Min18 mm20 mm
Focal Length Max135 mm40 mm
Elements169
Groups128
Aspherical Elements11
ED Elements2★1
Coating—HD coating
Aperture
Max Aperturef/3.5f/2.8
Min Aperture3.5-5.62.8-4
Constant✗✗
Diaphragm Blades79★
Build
MountSony EPentax K
FormatAPS-CAPS-C
Weather Sealed✗✓★
Weight0.33 kg0.28 kg★
Filter Thread55 mm55 mm
AF & Stabilization
AF TypeLinear motor★Autofocus
Stabilization✓✓
Focus
Min Focus Distance450 mm40 mm★
Max Magnification0.29x1:5★

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 (90th percentile)90th %ile
  • Strong stabilization (81st percentile)81st %ile

Pentax HD DA 20-40mm F2.8-4 Limited DC WR Wide Zoom 40mm

  • Strong macro (97th percentile)97th %ile
  • Strong bokeh (89th percentile)89th %ile
  • Strong aperture (87th percentile)87th %ile
  • Strong build (86th percentile)86th %ile

Pricing

Pentax HD DA 20-40mm F2.8-4 Limited DC WR Wide Zoom 40mm is €158 cheaper (1.4x less).

Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS0.166score per dollar
vs
Pentax HD DA 20-40mm F2.8-4 Limited DC WR Wide Zoom 40mm0.222score per dollar

Pentax HD DA 20-40mm F2.8-4 Limited DC WR Wide Zoom 40mm offers 1.3x better value for money

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

Pentax HD DA 20-40mm F2.8-4 Limited DC WR Wide Zoom 40mm

Verdict

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

Scores 91 overall, wins 7 of 9 usage categories and 2 of 21 specs.

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

BudgetStreetTravelPortraitLandscapeVideo CinemaWildlife Sports

Pentax HD DA 20-40mm F2.8-4 Limited DC WR Wide Zoom 40mm Better at:

Macro

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