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

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

Sony
90 Overall Score
vs
Nikon NIKKOR AF-S NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G ED 35mm

Nikon NIKKOR AF-S NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G ED 35mm

Nikon
64 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

Nikon NIKKOR AF-S NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G ED 35mm

82 out of 100 high confidence 433 reviews

The Nikon 35mm f/1.8 lens is widely praised for its sharpness, fast autofocus, and excellent low-light performance, making it a favorite for street, portrait, and everyday photography. Many users highlight its lightweight build and value for money, though some note that it is not as sharp as the 50mm S lens and can suffer from vignetting and corner softness wide open. A few reviewers also mention quality control issues and a plastic feel, but overall it is considered a solid, versatile prime lens.

Pros
  • Sharp images edge-to-edge
  • Fast and accurate autofocus
  • Excellent low-light performance
  • Lightweight and compact design
  • Great value for the price
Cons
  • Vignetting and corner softness wide open
  • Not as sharp as 50mm S lens
  • Plastic build feels cheap
  • Quality control issues reported
  • Overpriced compared to alternatives
👍 Image quality 28
👍 Autofocus performance 15
👍 Low light performance 12
🤔 Build quality 10
👍 Value for money 14
👎 Vignetting and corner sharpness 6

Scores

Budget
Sony
100
Nikon
63
Portrait
Sony
88
Nikon
51
Street
Sony
87
Nikon
56
Travel
Sony
85
Nikon
58
Wildlife Sports
Sony
84
Nikon
59
Video Cinema
Sony
83
Nikon
65
Professional
Sony
73
Nikon
64
Landscape
Sony
73
Nikon
58
Macro
Sony
67
Nikon
56

Specifications

Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSSNikon NIKKOR AF-S NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G ED 35mm
Optics
Typezoomprime
Focal Length Min18 mm35 mm
Focal Length Max135 mm35 mm
Elements168
Groups128
Aspherical Elements11
ED Elements2★1
Coating—Super Integrated Coating (SIC)
Aperture
Max Aperturef/3.5f/16
Min Aperture3.5-5.6f/1.8
Constant✗✓★
Diaphragm Blades77
Build
MountSony ENikon F
FormatAPS-Cfull-frame★
Weather Sealed✗✓★
Weight0.33 kg0.31 kg★
Filter Thread55 mm58 mm
AF & Stabilization
AF TypeLinear motor★Silent Wave Motor
Stabilization✓✓
Stabilization Stops—5 stops★
Focus
Min Focus Distance450 mm250 mm★
Max Magnification0.29x★0.24x

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 (90th percentile)90th %ile
  • Strong stabilization (81st percentile)81st %ile

Nikon NIKKOR AF-S NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G ED 35mm

  • Strong stabilization (97th percentile)97th %ile
  • Strong social proof (86th percentile)86th %ile
  • Strong build (85th percentile)85th %ile
  • Below average bokeh (31st percentile)
  • Below average versatility (34th percentile)

Pricing

Nikon NIKKOR AF-S NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G ED 35mm is $629 cheaper (4.7x less).

Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS0.113score per dollar
vs
Nikon NIKKOR AF-S NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G ED 35mm0.377score per dollar

Nikon NIKKOR AF-S NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G ED 35mm offers 3.3x better value for money

Verdict

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

Scores 90 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 3 of 22 specs.

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

MacroBudgetStreetTravelPortraitLandscapeProfessionalVideo CinemaWildlife Sports

Also Consider