Laowa 100mm f/2.8 2X Ultra Macro APO 100mm
Laowa
60 Overall Score
vs
Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS
Sony
92 Overall Score
What Buyers Say
Laowa 100mm f/2.8 2X Ultra Macro APO 100mm
No customer feedback yet
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
Scores
Budget
Street
Portrait
Travel
Wildlife Sports
Video Cinema
Macro
Landscape
Professional
Specifications
| Laowa 100mm f/2.8 2X Ultra Macro APO 100mm | Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS | |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | macro | zoom |
| Focal Length Min | 100 mm | 18 mm |
| Focal Length Max | 100 mm | 135 mm |
| Elements | 12 | 16 |
| Groups | 10 | 12 |
| Aspherical Elements | — | 1★ |
| ED Elements | — | 2★ |
| Coating | multilayer coating | — |
| Aperture | ||
| Max Aperture | f/2.8 | f/3.5 |
| Min Aperture | f/2.8 | 3.5-5.6 |
| Constant | ✓★ | ✗ |
| Diaphragm Blades | 15★ | 7 |
| Build | ||
| Mount | L-Mount | Sony E |
| Format | full-frame★ | APS-C |
| Weather Sealed | — | ✗ |
| Weight | 0.10 kg★ | 0.33 kg |
| Filter Thread | 67 mm | 55 mm |
| AF & Stabilization | ||
| AF Type | manual focus only | Linear motor★ |
| Stabilization | ✗ | ✓★ |
| Focus | ||
| Min Focus Distance | 300 mm★ | 450 mm |
| Max Magnification | 2:1★ | 0.29x |
Pros & Cons
Laowa 100mm f/2.8 2X Ultra Macro APO 100mm
- Strong bokeh (96th percentile)96th %ile
- Strong build (96th percentile)96th %ile
- Strong aperture (88th percentile)88th %ile
- Strong macro (86th percentile)86th %ile
- Below average af (15th percentile)15th %ile
- Below average social proof (33rd percentile)
- Below average versatility (33rd percentile)
- Below average stabilization (34th percentile)
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
Verdict
Winner: Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS
Scores 92 overall, wins 8 of 9 usage categories and 4 of 21 specs.