Zeiss Biogon T ZM 1486-394-L 35mm
Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS
What Buyers Say
Zeiss Biogon T ZM 1486-394-L 35mm
This Zeiss 35mm lens is highly praised for its sharpness and build quality, often compared favorably to Leica alternatives at a much lower price. Users appreciate its compact size and smooth operation, though the focusing tab is noted as slightly less intuitive than Leica's. It serves well as a versatile everyday lens, with one reviewer using it daily for all but portraits.
Pros
- Exceptional sharpness
- Great value for money
- Compact and lightweight
- Solid build quality
- Smooth focusing and aperture
Cons
- Focusing tab less intuitive than Leica
- Not ideal for portraits
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
Scores
Specifications
| Zeiss Biogon T ZM 1486-394-L 35mm | Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS | |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | wide-angle | zoom |
| Focal Length Min | 35 mm | 18 mm |
| Focal Length Max | 35 mm | 135 mm |
| Elements | 9 | 16 |
| Groups | 6 | 12 |
| Aspherical Elements | — | 1★ |
| ED Elements | — | 2★ |
| Coating | T-Antireflexbeschichtung | — |
| Aperture | ||
| Max Aperture | f/2.8 | f/3.5 |
| Min Aperture | f/2.8 | 3.5-5.6 |
| Constant | ✗ | ✗ |
| Diaphragm Blades | 10★ | 7 |
| Build | ||
| Mount | Leica M | Sony E |
| Format | full-frame★ | APS-C |
| Weather Sealed | ✓★ | — |
| Weight | 0.20 kg★ | 0.33 kg |
| Filter Thread | 43 mm | 55 mm |
| AF & Stabilization | ||
| AF Type | manual focus only | Linear motor★ |
| Stabilization | ✗ | ✓★ |
| Focus | ||
| Min Focus Distance | 700 mm | 450 mm★ |
| Max Magnification | 0.0534722222 | 0.29x★ |
Pros & Cons
Zeiss Biogon T ZM 1486-394-L 35mm
- Strong build (93rd percentile)93rd %ile
- Strong bokeh (90th percentile)90th %ile
- Strong aperture (84th percentile)84th %ile
- Strong user sentiment (81st percentile)81st %ile
- Below average af (13th percentile)13th %ile
- Below average macro (29th percentile)
- Below average versatility (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 (90th percentile)90th %ile
- Strong stabilization (82nd percentile)82nd %ile
Verdict
Scores 90 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 6 of 21 specs.