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

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

Sony
92 Overall Score
vs
Pentax DA 21790 55mm

Pentax DA 21790 55mm

Pentax
41 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 DA 21790 55mm

85 out of 100 low confidence 8 reviews

The Pentax DA* 55mm f/1.4 SDM lens receives overwhelmingly positive feedback for its sharpness, beautiful bokeh, and excellent performance in low light and portraits. Users praise its clarity and value, though some note it may have focusing issues on older Pentax DSLR bodies. Overall, it is considered a superb lens that delivers professional-quality results.

Pros
  • Razor sharp image quality
  • Beautiful smooth bokeh
  • Excellent low-light performance
  • Great for portraits and events
  • Weather-sealed for outdoor use
Cons
  • Potential focusing issues on older Pentax bodies
  • Slightly large size
  • Not as sharp as Carl Zeiss lenses
👍 Image quality 5
👍 Bokeh 2
👍 Low light performance 2
👍 Portrait photography 4
👍 Build quality 2
👍 Value for money 3

Scores

Budget
Sony
96
Pentax
34
Street
Sony
89
Pentax
41
Portrait
Sony
89
Pentax
34
Travel
Sony
89
Pentax
39
Wildlife Sports
Sony
84
Pentax
39
Video Cinema
Sony
82
Pentax
40
Landscape
Sony
76
Pentax
40
Professional
Sony
74
Pentax
46
Macro
Sony
68
Pentax
36

Specifications

Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSSPentax DA 21790 55mm
Optics
Typezoomprime
Focal Length Min18 mm55 mm
Focal Length Max135 mm55 mm
Elements169
Groups128
Aspherical Elements1★0
ED Elements2★1
Coating—Aero Bright coating, Super Protect (SP) coating
Aperture
Max Aperturef/3.5f/22
Min Aperture3.5-5.6f/1.4
Constant✗✓★
Diaphragm Blades79★
Build
MountSony EPentax K
FormatAPS-CAPS-C
Weather Sealed✗✓★
Weight0.33 kg★0.38 kg
Filter Thread55 mm58 mm
AF & Stabilization
AF TypeLinear motor★SDM
Stabilization✓★✗
Focus
Min Focus Distance450 mm450 mm
Max Magnification0.29x0.3x★

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 (91st percentile)91st %ile
  • Strong aperture (83rd percentile)83rd %ile

Pentax DA 21790 55mm

  • Strong build (79th percentile)
  • Strong user sentiment (66th percentile)
  • Below average aperture (22nd percentile)
  • Below average bokeh (25th percentile)
  • Below average versatility (33rd percentile)
  • Below average stabilization (34th percentile)

Pricing

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

Pentax DA 21790 55mm

No current pricing available

Verdict

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

Scores 92 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 5 of 21 specs.

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

MacroBudgetStreetTravelPortraitLandscapeProfessionalVideo CinemaWildlife Sports

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