Pentax DA 21430 70mm
Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS
What Buyers Say
Pentax DA 21430 70mm
The Pentax HD DA 70mm f/2.4 Limited is a compact prime lens that delivers outstanding sharpness, beautiful color rendition, and smooth bokeh, making it ideal for portraits and travel photography. Users praise its weather-resistant build, fast autofocus, and the retractable hood, though some note it can be a bit long on APS-C cameras for tight spaces. The HD coating improves flare resistance and color transmission compared to the older SMC version. Overall, it is highly recommended for Pentax shooters seeking a high-quality, portable telephoto prime.
Pros
- Outstanding sharpness
- Beautiful color rendition
- Smooth bokeh
- Compact and portable
- Weather-resistant build
Cons
- Slightly long on APS-C for tight spaces
- Bokeh not spectacular for some
- Focus ring feel not premium
- Lens cap can fall off if hood retracted
- Only for cropped sensor cameras
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
| Pentax DA 21430 70mm | Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS | |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | prime | zoom |
| Focal Length Min | 70 mm | 18 mm |
| Focal Length Max | 70 mm | 135 mm |
| Elements | 6 | 16 |
| Groups | 5 | 12 |
| Aspherical Elements | 0 | 1★ |
| ED Elements | — | 2★ |
| Coating | HD coating | — |
| Aperture | ||
| Max Aperture | f/22 | f/3.5 |
| Min Aperture | f/2.4 | 3.5-5.6 |
| Constant | ✓★ | ✗ |
| Diaphragm Blades | 9★ | 7 |
| Build | ||
| Mount | Pentax K | Sony E |
| Format | APS-C | APS-C |
| Weather Sealed | ✗ | ✗ |
| Weight | 0.15 kg★ | 0.33 kg |
| Filter Thread | 49 mm | 55 mm |
| AF & Stabilization | ||
| AF Type | Autofocus | Linear motor★ |
| Stabilization | ✗ | ✓★ |
| Focus | ||
| Min Focus Distance | 701 mm | 450 mm★ |
| Max Magnification | 1:8★ | 0.29x |
Pros & Cons
Pentax DA 21430 70mm
- Strong build (89th percentile)89th %ile
- Below average aperture (22nd percentile)
- Below average bokeh (25th percentile)
- Below average optical (31st percentile)
- Below average versatility (33rd 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 (82nd percentile)82nd %ile
Pricing
Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS offers 1.2x better value for money
Verdict
Scores 91 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 5 of 21 specs.
