Sony SEL18135
Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM
What Buyers Say
Sony SEL18135
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
Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM
The Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lens is widely praised as a versatile all-in-one walk-around lens for APS-C cameras. Users consistently highlight its silent and smooth STM autofocus, effective image stabilization, and useful zoom range that covers wide-angle to short telephoto. While image quality is considered very good for a kit-level zoom, some reviewers note softness at extreme focal lengths, barrel distortion at 18mm, and a variable aperture that limits low-light performance. Build quality is described as mostly plastic but adequate, though the focus-by-wire manual ring and occasional stiff zoom ring draw criticism.
Pros
- Silent and smooth STM autofocus
- Effective image stabilization
- Versatile 18-135mm zoom range
- Good image quality for a kit lens
- Lightweight and compact design
Cons
- Softness at extreme focal lengths
- Barrel distortion at 18mm
- Variable aperture limits low-light use
- Focus-by-wire manual ring
- Plastic build feels cheap
Scores
Specifications
| Sony SEL18135 | Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM | |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | zoom | zoom |
| Focal Length Min | 18 mm | 18 mm |
| Focal Length Max | 135 mm | 135 mm |
| Elements | 16 | 16 |
| Groups | 12 | 12 |
| Aspherical Elements | 1 | 1 |
| ED Elements | 2★ | 1 |
| Coating | — | Super Spectra Coating |
| Aperture | ||
| Max Aperture | f/3.5 | f/3.5 |
| Min Aperture | 3.5-5.6 | 3.5-5.6 |
| Constant | ✗ | ✗ |
| Diaphragm Blades | 7 | 7 |
| Build | ||
| Mount | Sony E | Canon EF-S |
| Format | APS-C | APS-C |
| Weather Sealed | ✗ | ✗ |
| Weight | 0.33 kg★ | 0.52 kg |
| Filter Thread | 55 mm | 67 mm |
| AF & Stabilization | ||
| AF Type | Linear motor★ | NANO USM |
| Stabilization | ✓ | ✓ |
| Stabilization Stops | — | 4 stops★ |
| Focus | ||
| Min Focus Distance | 450 mm | 390 mm★ |
| Max Magnification | 0.29x★ | 0.28x |
Pros & Cons
Sony SEL18135
- 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
Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM
- Strong versatility (96th percentile)96th %ile
- Strong af (93rd percentile)93rd %ile
- Strong stabilization (93rd percentile)93rd %ile
- Strong optical (81st percentile)81st %ile
- Below average user sentiment (30th percentile)
Pricing
Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM offers 3.3x better value for money
Verdict
Scores 90 overall, wins 5 of 9 usage categories and 4 of 22 specs.
