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
Nikon NIKKOR AF-S NIKKOR 24mm f/1.4G ED 24mm

Nikon NIKKOR AF-S NIKKOR 24mm f/1.4G ED 24mm

Nikon
72 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 24mm f/1.4G ED 24mm

78 out of 100 high confidence 74 reviews

The Nikon 24mm f/1.4G ED is widely praised for its exceptional sharpness, beautiful bokeh, and outstanding low-light performance, making it a favorite among professionals. However, a significant number of users report autofocus issues, particularly at distances beyond 30 feet or at wide apertures, which can be inconsistent across copies. Despite its high price, most agree it delivers superb image quality, though some note it is slightly soft wide open and heavy.

Pros
  • Exceptional sharpness
  • Beautiful bokeh
  • Excellent low-light performance
  • Fast aperture f/1.4
  • Good build quality
Cons
  • Autofocus issues at distance
  • Inconsistent AF across copies
  • Soft wide open at f/1.4
  • Heavy weight
  • High price
👍 Image quality 30
👎 Autofocus performance 15
👍 Low light performance 12
👍 Bokeh 10
👍 Build quality 8
🤔 Value for money 7

Scores

Budget
Sony
96
Nikon
66
Street
Sony
89
Nikon
70
Portrait
Sony
89
Nikon
86
Travel
Sony
89
Nikon
50
Wildlife Sports
Sony
84
Nikon
56
Video Cinema
Sony
82
Nikon
79
Professional
Sony
74
Nikon
78
Landscape
Sony
76
Nikon
64
Macro
Sony
68
Nikon
75

Specifications

Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSSNikon NIKKOR AF-S NIKKOR 24mm f/1.4G ED 24mm
Optics
Typezoomprime
Focal Length Min18 mm24 mm
Focal Length Max135 mm24 mm
Elements1612
Groups1210
Aspherical Elements12★
ED Elements22
Coating—Nano Crystal Coating
Aperture
Max Aperturef/3.5f/1.4
Min Aperture3.5-5.6f/1.4
Constant✗✓★
Diaphragm Blades79★
Build
MountSony ENikon F
FormatAPS-Cfull-frame★
Weather Sealed✗✓★
Weight0.33 kg★0.62 kg
Filter Thread55 mm77 mm
AF & Stabilization
AF TypeLinear motor★Silent Wave Motor
Stabilization✓★✗
Focus
Min Focus Distance450 mm250 mm★
Max Magnification0.29x1:5.55★

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

Nikon NIKKOR AF-S NIKKOR 24mm f/1.4G ED 24mm

  • Strong aperture (98th percentile)98th %ile
  • Strong bokeh (97th percentile)97th %ile
  • Strong optical (78th percentile)
  • Strong macro (75th percentile)
  • Below average user sentiment (32nd percentile)
  • Below average versatility (33rd percentile)
  • Below average stabilization (34th percentile)

Pricing

Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS is $349 cheaper (1.7x less).

Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS0.183score per dollar
vs
Nikon NIKKOR AF-S NIKKOR 24mm f/1.4G ED 24mm0.084score per dollar

Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS offers 2.2x better value for money

Verdict

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

Scores 92 overall, wins 7 of 9 usage categories and 3 of 21 specs.

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

BudgetStreetTravelPortraitLandscapeVideo CinemaWildlife Sports

Nikon NIKKOR AF-S NIKKOR 24mm f/1.4G ED 24mm Better at:

MacroProfessional

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