Sony  AF DT 18-250mm F3.5-6.3  reviews

sharpness: 4,5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: Stu-pie   review date: February-03-10  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

Sony 50mm F1.7
Tamron 70-300

price paid:

329 GBP (new)

positive:

Huge range!
Pretty sharp
Convenience

negative:

Some distortion at 18mm

comment:

It is exactly what you would expect from a lens of this range... and probably more. Sharpness is suprisingly good and colour is nice. With an impatient child (and wife) in tow on most outings with the camera not having to change lenses is a blessing. For just over £300 this is a great example of an affordable one lens solution.

sharpness: 4 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 5 

user: realgeek   review date: January-27-10  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

Sony 50mm 1.4.
Sony 100mm macro.
Sony 18-70.
Sony 28-75.
Sony 70-300 G.

price paid:

550 USD.

positive:

Great all-purpose lens. Highly versatile; performs surprisingly well. Very affordable.

negative:

Obviously, it's not as good as a prime or a zoom with a more reasonable range.

comment:

This was my first lens (other than a kit lens), and it serves me well. Especially as a walk-around lens, it offers great versatility and convenience.

Clearly, it doesn't perform as well as any of my other lenses (again, other than the kit lens). But it performs almost as well as all of them put together!

If you are only buying one lens, this is the one. It may not be professional quality, but it is easily good enough for amateurs and useful for enthusiasts.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 4 

user: JimmyMelbourne   review date: October-01-09  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

Beercan 70 210
Tamron 17 50
Kit Lens 18 70

price paid:

600AUS

positive:

Versatile
Steadily sharp throughout the range
Focusses well with high contrast and good light
Weight
Great day lens for walking around

negative:

Can flare a bit wide open at slow shutter speeds (probably normal)
Cannot focus when no contrast.
Focus very slow in low light, but to be expected, it is a day lens.

comment:

I am starting to enjoy this lens. Only had it a day but I feel that it will be really useful for when walking around during the day. Cant wait to give it a real test run. Based on initial test shots the lens does have limitations but useful for what it was designed for. Reasonably sharp, good colour for its class and not a lot of distortion at wide angle. A little vignetting but my camera seems to vignette with just about everything.

sharpness: 4,5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 5 

user: gnhock   review date: July-25-09  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

18-70 kit
75-300 kit
CZ 24-70mm
24mm f2.8
50mm f1.4

price paid:

450 USD new

positive:

Focal length range
Light & Compact
Optically v. good
Better than & replaces 2 kit lens

negative:

No complaints for the versatility it offers

comment:

Overall, a great 1 lens solution. If you must only have one and only one lens, then this is the one. Just get 1 fast prime to complement it.

Optically superior to 18-70 & 75-300 kit. Only flare control of 18-70 better (virtually no flare).

Don't expect contrast/clarity to challenge CZ 24-70; only CZ primes can do that!

On A700, autofocus is fast enough and useful even in Continuous mode.

sharpness: 5 

color: 4 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: Ouverture   review date: June-25-09  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

- CZ1680
- Tamron 17-50
- sal18-70
- sal55-200
- Minolta 28-85
- Minolta 28-75 f2.8

price paid:

800 SGD (new)

positive:

- Very sharp just 1 stop down.
- Very well built with good zoom feel.
- Handles distortion well.
- Reasonably priced.

negative:

- Rubber ring a dirt magnet (for all sony lenses).
- Not as colourful as legendary Minolta lenses.
- AF not fast at tele end.

comment:

A very versatile lens to own. Was terribly surprised by it's sharpness even at wide opened. It's razor sharp at 1 stop down for most focal length.

This superb lens (coupled with just a $10 bucks Tokina cheap UV filter) beats the hell out of my friend's Canon 24-70L lens (with expensive $100 bucks B+W UV filter)!!!

All images at F8, 70mm, ISO200 which came out shows my 18-250 on a700 are sharper than his 24-70L on 500D, even with SSS off.

Initially had reservations as heard many not so good comments about this lens. After owning it for almost a month, this is the lens to get for all-in-one solution.

It's actually almost as sharp as my cz1680 at 80mm, F8!!!

Must have for all Alpha owners!

sharpness: 4,5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 5 

user: karaatanasov   review date: April-25-09  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

- Sigma 17-70
- Sony 18-70
- Tamron 17-50
- Minolta 70-210/4

price paid:

400 EUR new!

positive:

- unexpectedly sharp
- extremely versatile
- excellent build quality
- smooth AF operation like SSM/AF-S lens

negative:

- relatively slow AF

comment:

A MUST have lens!

I have been resisting the urge to get a hyperzoom for 3 years. In the past I have tried Sigma 18-200 and was not impressed. I am now planing trip to Greece and do not want to carry a whole bag of lens with me. thus I got this hyper zoom based on the exuberant reviews it got all over the net.

sony 18-250 is quite remarkable achievement. Optically it cannot always come up to the standards of sigma 17-70 and Tamron 17-50 but is very very close. It outperforms the kit in just about any comparison except the AF speed. Sharpness is very good from 18 to 250.

AF operation is very interesting. It is not very fast but is very smooth and A700 can track moving subjects and position the focus with great precision. AF-C seems to operate incredibly well with this lens.

Build quality is excellent IMHO better than any offering of Tamron or Sigma sold today - including their top line stuff. Only thing is the rubber on the focus and zoom rings that is prone to collect small particles, but is easy to clean.

The lens does incredible portraits and bokeh. It is also suitable for close ups (not 1:1 macro although a friends says that 18-250 takes well few extenders that allow 1;1 macro too). See the dandelion photo in the "Forum sample images"

Distortion is a problem at 18mm simply horizon and other straight lines get curved quite visibly. Well AFAIK this can be corrected well but is not good. At longer end I have not observed noticeable distortion.

I cannot yet rate flare objectively.

Overall I am impressed and very very happy. It seems that this hyper zoom will replace all my other zooms and leave me only with lens like 50 1.7, 85 1.4, 30 1.3 etc that hardly can be replaced by any zoom.

Some samples here

http://picasaweb.google.com/karaatanasov/18250FirstTry?authkey=Gv1sRgCOjTuOTTm9jF-gE#

sharpness: 3,5 

color: 3 

build: 4 

distortion: 3 

flare control: 3 

user: nonac5   review date: April-13-09  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

price paid:

250 USd (used)

positive:

good vor traveling

negative:

optic performance but cheap

comment:

my first sony lens

sharpness: 4,5 

color: 4 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: Wombat37   review date: March-16-09  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

Minolta 70-210mm f/4 (beercan)
Sigma 400mm f/5.6
Vivitar 100mm f/3.5 (plastic fantastic)
Minolta 50mm f/1.7
Minolta 28mm f/2.8

price paid:

499 USD new

positive:

Excellent 'all-purpose' lens particularly for travel.
Great for close-up work.

negative:

Bit soft at above 200mm
Using a polarizing filter is a real pain - needs ultra slim filter and cannot be reached with hood on.

comment:

This lense hardly comes off my camera - it seems to perform in almost any situation. I have other lenses that give better perfromance in limited situations but aren't nearly so versatile.

One big surprise was its performance with extension tubes - you can really take some great close-up shots with this lens at the longer focal lengths. Most telephotos still need significant distance from the object being photographed when using extension tubes. Not this one!

sharpness: 4 

color: 4 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 5 

user: lifeodyssey   review date: March-12-09  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

price paid:

320 USD (used)

positive:

A versatile super zoom len ideal for travel.

negative:

comment:

This len is good in image quality consider its super zoom nature.

This len peforms better between 18mm -80mm range. and at 135mm - 250mm bit soft need to stop down to f ll to get the best result sharpness but CA still a problem

This len performs remarkbly good in short end particulary @18mm-24mm, acheive good sharpness at centre and reasonable sharp at the corner in that range ,though @18mm distortion is a bit high.

Overall , still a good len to own.

sharpness: 4 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: cruiser   review date: February-27-09  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

Sigma 28-70mm 1:2.8
Minolta 28-105mm

price paid:

550 USD (new)

positive:

amazing range, good IQ and colors

negative:

soft at the long end, too slow for a lot of occasions (indoor)

comment:

Amazing IQ for this zoom range. Sharp from 18 to about 120mm, but soft at the long end. If you consider close-ups of people the soft touch may not bother you. Colors are good and I did not experience a lot of flare.

I would still own this lens, if not some people in Russia would have decided otherwise (stolen with my Sony A350). I didn't want to buy the same lens again, so I got a set of three dedicated lenses (wide-, standard-, telezoom) instead.

sharpness: 4,5 

color: 4 

build: 4 

distortion: 2 

flare control: 4 

user: PieterB   review date: February-13-09  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

Sony 18-70
Sony 16-80CZ
Sigma 70-300 apo macro super F4-5,6

positive:

All in one. From wide end to tele.
Sharpness.
Fast autofocus (on A700)

negative:

Colours should me more saturated for my taste.
lens distortion too big.

comment:

It is a really versatile lens. It works pretty good from 18-250 mmm. I used to own the CZ lens and although this might be somewhat sharper in the corners from 18-40 mm, there really isn't that much difference. On the tele end, I think the 18-250 is much sharper. The colour saturation of the 16-80 is superior though. The colours of the 18-250 are pretty good but they might be a bit more saturated for my taste. But I admit, I like really saturated pictures which isn't to everyone's tastes.
The lens is quite sharp, even at 250 mm it is sharp in the center. The corners aren't tack sharp but that can't be expected.

The autofocus speed is good, just as fast as the cz lens on an A700. This could be different on the lower models.
It only hunts a bit at 250 mm in low light conditions.
Its sharpness is vastly superior than the Sigma 70-300 which is really soft (like at fur ball).

Build quality:
Plastic but quality plastic. I like the feel and handling. It has a lock knob to lock the lens in place but you don't need it. It is just stiff enough and just damped enough. The build quality is superior in handle and feel than the cz lens which is a lot more expensive. The 18-250 feels a lot more solid and better built than the cz lens.

I really like this lens. I have sold the cz lens to buy this one, and I haven't regretted it for one moment.

Distortion:
at 18mm really bad. It gets a bit beter down the scale.
But the distortion levels are rather high which can be expected from such a lens.

Flare:
not really a problem as long as you use the hood.

Colourfringing:
there is some purple fringing but acceptable.

Bokeh:
Well, I don't really like it that much. It sometimes is allright but sometimes downright ugly.

sharpness: 4,5 

color: 4 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 5 

user: dukeblue91   review date: January-11-09  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

Sigma 17-70 2.8 - 4.5
Minolta 24-105
Sigma 24-70 2.8 EX DG Macro

price paid:

549.95 New

positive:

Great focal range.
Sharpness.
Convenience

negative:

None
It does what it says it will.

comment:

My fallback lens when I don't know what to take or want to travel light.
This lens defies general wisdom for a super zoom, yes it's that good.
If you can only have one lens this is the one to get.

sharpness: 4 

color: 4 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: mikey2000   review date: December-16-08  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

18-70 kit lens

price paid:

GBP350 approx new

positive:

Superb range
Compact
Build quality

negative:

Distortion at wide end (easily corrected)

comment:

I replaced my 18-70 kit lens with this. I am so pleased I did too!

If I need a one lens solution for a day out, this is my choice nearly all the time unless I know I'll be indoors and don't need the extra reach. In this case, I prefer my sigma 24-70 f2.8.

On the camera, it is just perfectly balanced, even at the 250mm end - you can't feel the c-of-g change at all when zooming. It always feels very sturdy.

My only minor problems are the f6.3 at the 250mm end and pronounced barrel distortion at 18-25mm or so. The distortion is automatically corrected in Bibble with just about 3 clicks so this is really no problem at all. Occasionally, the bokeh can be a bit "donutty" (if you get my meaning) but is generally fine.

A top lens, everyone should have one!

EDIT:- I forgot to mention the lens hood. A cinch to attach in the "use" position but a nightmare to reattach reversed in the "storage" position. Nice centre-pinch lens cap though.

EDIT:- After playing with some close up lenses in my attempt to enter the macro world, I discovered that the manual focus is notchy to say the least.

sharpness: 4,5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: maui2k9   review date: November-19-08  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

Tamron 17-50mm
Sony 18-70mm
Minolta 50mm f1.7

price paid:

549 USD (new)

positive:

Sharpness
Range
Build Quality

negative:

Soft at 250mm
Slower to focus in low light

comment:

I bought this as my first lens to replace the kit lens that came with my A350. The results I have been able to produce are very good and I am happy with the purchase. The photos are much better than the Kit lens and at the same settings with proper lighting, near the quality of my Minolta (now sold) and the Tamron 17-50mm.

In low light, the lens does hunt a bit, but that is to be expected with a lens of this wide of a zoom range. Focusing speed in proper lighting is quick.

When traveling or going somewhere when I need a wide range and do not have the luxury of carrying a lot of gear, this will go every time. If you can only afford one lens, this is one to buy in my opinion. And if you travel this is a great lens to bring along.

Highly recommended!

sharpness: 4,5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 4 

user: utcreeper   review date: November-14-08  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

Kit lens

price paid:

550 New

positive:

Enormous range, useable throughout.

negative:

Not prime sharp? But .. it's a zoom.

comment:

This was my first lens other than the 18-70 kit. I used it exclusively for about a year. I'm now having fun with a 100mm 2.8 Macro and a 16-80 CZ. However, this 18-250 is amazing for it's range and the flexibility in framing it allows. I mostly shoot outdoors, where sometimes you just need some reach to get the shot you want. With this in the bag, I feel more comfortable carrying primes, because I know I can still get anything framed well with this even if the prime doesn't work for the situation. It's a bit slow on the long end, but it's flexibility is really it's strength imo.

sharpness: 4,5 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 3 

flare control: 4 

user: D5lof   review date: November-03-08  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

Minolta 50 /1.7
KM 18-70 /3.5-5.6
Minolta 75-300 /4.5-5.6

price paid:

468 EUR (new)

positive:

Zoom range
Sharp

negative:

Distortion @18mm
Focus not so fast
f/6.3 from 150mm

comment:

My first Sony...
A nice upgrade for my 3 year old KM 5D
Today I tested it against my other lenses, to see if I still need those.
This lens is mostly 0.3-0.7 stop faster than the kit lens and definitely sharper. The only aspect the Kit lens is better in is the distortion @18mm. No reason to keep the kit lens. However, maybe for those occasions with high risk of damaging my lens.
This lens is much sharper than the 75-300. So much sharper, that a 125% crop of the 18-250 @ 250 f/6.3 has more detail than a 100% crop of the 75-300 @ 300 f/6.3. So, there is no reason to keep the 75-300 for the 250-300mm part. I must say, at short distances, the lens is less than 250mm. Even at 20m distance, the FL is more like 230mm on the 75-300.

I also compared the lens to the 50/1.7. Both @ 50/4.5 (the 18-250 wide open, the other 3 stops stopped down). Conclusion: with a 6MP sensor, the difference is almost not visible. Correct focus has more impact than the used lens. The 50 /1.7 wins with a tripod and accurate focus, I don't expect to see a difference in real life.

Focus speed: faster than the 75-300, a bit slower than the kit and the 50 /1.7, especially in low light.

My conclusion: a fantastic all-round lens, which will stay on my camera for most of the time. I will only use the 50/1.7 in low light situations or when I need a small DOF

sharpness: 4,5 

color: 3 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 5 

user: AsuAmo   review date: September-30-08  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

Minolta 24-105
Sony 18-200
Sony 70-300G

positive:

Range
Sharp from f8
Small minimum focus distance
Build and size

negative:

Colour
Digital noise

comment:

I use this lens with A200 as my "no camera bag" option. The sharpness is really good from 6.3-8, but not a match to 70-300G SSM or to primes. I would rate colours of the zoom lenses I owed in the order 24-105 > 70-300G > 18-200 > 18-250. Digital noise makes image little dirty. Short focus distance is very convenient, but bokeh can be better.

sharpness: 4,5 

color: 4 

build: 4 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: tobyjay   review date: September-29-08  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

18-70 DT
Tamron & Sigma fast zooms
Beercan

positive:

Technical marvel - sharp & accurate
All-in-one solution
Light weight for range
Good value

negative:

Colours left me cold
Gritty manual focus feel
Not the wildlife lens I hoped for

comment:

Just an amazing lens, in technical terms. Very sharp nearly everywhere. Very accurate colours and almost no distortion or flare - just a little vignetting at the very widest end.

I was a little underwhelmed by the colours and contrast, even though they are in fact accurate - what you see is what you get.
Also I overlooked just how slow f/6.3 is, although wide open the pictures at 250mm were plenty sharp enough by zoom standards. At more usual combinations of focal length and aperture, the lens can be razor.
Focus can be noisy and slow at the long end, but it nails it every time.
Highly recommended travel lens, but not a low light performer.

sharpness: 4,5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: turbobugster   review date: September-17-08  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

Beercan
Minolta F3.5-4.5 24-85
Minolta F3.5 35-105
Minolta F1.7 50

price paid:

550 USD (new)

positive:

Spends 99% of time on the camera.

negative:

Slightly soft wide open.
Small amount of vignetting at wide end.

comment:

Considering it's range of features and capabilities, the designers did an excellent job of optimizing, end to end. Until I splurge for G lenses (RSN, not), this one is likely to stay on the camera, and the rest in the bag.

sharpness: 4,5 

color: 4 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: PLLD69   review date: September-11-08  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

Minolta 24-105, Tamron 17-50 2.8

price paid:

£320

positive:

The ultimate 'all-in-one' travel lens, clean sharp results, fast focusing

negative:

Obviously could do with a little more aperture speed but no real complaints at this price/spec

comment:

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 3 

flare control: 4 

user: tommyrider   review date: September-05-08  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

DT 18-70
CZ 16-80
Maxxum 28-135
50mm 1.7
Sony 75-300

positive:

-Versatile range
-Fast and accurate AF even in
low light.
-Sharp all over the range
-Good built
-Nice Bokeh
-pretty nice &accurate colors
-Great value for the money,maybe the best deal for A mount.
-I didnt notice any serious flare issues-

negative:

-Distortion at 18mm (anyway some people could find in it an interestig effect)
-"Dust colector" rubber barrel grip.

comment:

I own this lens from 2 weeks ago. I buy this one because i returned a 16-80 due some build quality issues,specially
regarding to focus ring-
I found in 18-250 an interesting replacement,despite the lack of 16mm
.Its as fast as the two Cz samples i tried, and as sharp as Cz in their common range (18-80), maybe a little sharper at 24mm @F8 than CZ.
I´m not saying 18-250 is better than CZ ,there are two different products.CZ (assuming a good copy)is a great lense and maybe resolves better micro-contrast detail(sometimes),but the sony´s wider range, overall sharpness and color,nice macro hability,fits more with my type of shooting, specially when you are on the streets ,its gives me more confidence for some usual "unexpected" photographic opportinities.
With this great lens, and a couple of bright primes, my setup will be ok.Maybe later a 500mm + for nature shots.
Anyway 250mm isnt that short for some nature shooting.
In conclusion, a pretty serious glass ,more than I expected for a superzoom,with great value , and it worths every single penny invested.Sinceryly if Sony were listed this item at same price as 16-80, i´ll would paid for it anyway.

sharpness: 4,5 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: madtownkeith   review date: September-05-08  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

Sigma 18-200
Sony 16-80 (2 copies)
KM 28-75 2.8
KM 28-135
Tamron 24-135
Beercan
Minolta 100-300mm apo

price paid:

450 USD

positive:

Versatility, without losing much (if any) quality
Close focus capability
Size/weight

negative:

Slow max aperture
Slow focus when going from near focus to far

comment:

My favorite lens, and it's on my camera the vast majority of the time. My copy is sharp wide open, throughout the range, and was about on par with 2 different copies of the 16-80.

AF speed is something everyone talks/asks about with this lens. If you're subject is within the range of your previous focus point, AF speed is actually quite good (and very accurate). If you're going from close focus to far/infinity, it will take a while (but again, it's accurate).

Really an excellent lens - I like to try a lot of different lenses, but have yet to find one that would make me want to take this one off my camera for my general shooting. When I travel, I pair it with a fast prime and I'm covered for just about anything I could encounter.

sharpness: 4 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 5 

user: godsakes   review date: September-05-08  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

tamron 17-50mm
beercan
min 50mm 1.7
min 100-300 (non APO)

positive:

amazing zoom range
nice colours
perfectly usable results straight from the camera

negative:

brokeh could be better
CA

comment:

as far a light weight solution is concerned this lens is amazing. This and my A350 fits nicely into my holster and does pretty much everything i need it to. I can hike up a big hill in Cumbria without being weighted down by equipment and don't have to worry about dust or rain when swapping lenses.

very plesantly surprised by it's sharpness - it's sharper than the minolta 100-300 (non APO) but beaten by the tamron 17-50 & min 50mm.

Colours are great, i them more pleasant then the tam 17-50 & min 100-300.

sharpness and colours compares well to the beercan (although i'd say the beercan does beat it). It's main problems is it's brokeh could be better and there's also CA. The CA is controlled enough provided you're not blowing up your pics.

while this is not a fast lens, i don't find the AF speed an issue. For the most part this lens is going to be used outdoors for landscapes and animals and provided you avoid BIF shots this lens won't hunt often. But if you wanted to do BIF then zoom out so the lens locks into the subject quicker then zoom back in.

sharpness: 4,5 

color: 4 

build: 5 

distortion: 3 

flare control: 5 

user: LuisLopes320   review date: July-09-08  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

Minolta 17-35mm f2.8-4
Minolta 50mm f/1.4
Minolta 28-70mm f/2.8 G
Minolta 80-200mm f/2.8 G APO HS
Sigma 70-300mm f4.-5.6 macro
Sigma 28-70mm f2.8
Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4.5 macro

price paid:

450€ (new)

positive:

Sharpness for such zoom
Contrast
Nice colors
Boken
Zoom range
Small, compact and light
versatibility

negative:

Apertures (which it had more light)
Extend a lot
Distortion at 18mm
Little CA

comment:

First of all, this lens is 5+ star lens.

As you can see for the lenses i am comparing it to, i know quality lenses, i own a few, and this lens surprised me. I'm not saying it is as good as G lens, no way, but it can handle well even compared to then. Maybe i got lucky (almost sure of it), because i've been searching this lens for a while and i have seen a lot of photos of it, and it looked soft at 200+mm, not this one, i was amaized with the sharpen of this one.

Let be describe what i thing of the sample i own:
Positives:
Versatibility is a must really, if you can, have this lens always on your second camera, you won't miss a photo.
Sharpness is incredible for such a lens, even wide open, this lens perform better then my (gone) sigma 17-70 (with only 1/2stop less light) and a lot better then sigma 28-70mm f2.8 and huge difference between sigma 70-300mm f4-5.6 macro in my A700, and i was expecting the same response on this field, but it is way better.
Contrast is nice for such a zoom, it equals the sigmas mention except it excells 70-300. no flare that i've seen.
Colors are nice, not a match for G lens, no way, but a match to Sigma 17-70 without the green boast sigma does.
Boken is quite good in my opinion, again not a match to G or the 50mm but, a good positive fell of it.
A very well design lens, light, compact, robust feel and tact, smooth on zoom and focus.

Before the negatives, i have to say that focus speed is in between. It's not great, but it's not bad at all. It is smooth, which is good, not fast if the subject is far from the field your lens is in (ex: subject in 10m; focus 0.7m) but when it comes near it, the lens gains focus speed and prontly focus. Quite accuratly, but sometimes passes thru deu to speed, just lift your finger for a tiny bit, press again and it's dead on. In this words it might seem bad, but it isn't, and if you're focusing subjects near the same region, it's very fast indeed with no hunt even in low light, like in a teather stage, it works perfectly.
This was my biggest concern in this lens and it passed to my aproval.

Negatives:
Of course light isn't the best feature of this lens, it is probably the worst, but there's always compromises and i accept this one. During daylight you won't have a problem, but when it start to go dark, you have to push a lot of ISO. Until night set of, i have no problem pushing A700 to ISO2000 even open wide at 250mm this lens still looks good, but at night use a tripod..
This is something that i hate, but i have to live with, the extended lens thru the zoom, it really gets big, 3 times longer actually. Not that it unbalances the camera, on the contrary, but it's attraction to what you are doing in the eyes of others.
Distortion could be better, i just mention it, it really doesn't affect me, if i really want a better photo on that area i will correct it on PS, no problem to me.
CA's could be lower, but it's not a concern unless you do a lot of 100%+ crops on your pictures (can't see why you would do with such a zoom range).

All in all, perfect investment, worth every penie, and excellent lens for what it is supposse to do. I sold my 3 sigmas, only the macro performance was better, everything else this lens bit's them all together, even individualy, and it add versatibility to it. Of course i still use a lot my G lens which have a quite superier quality as well as 50mm, but even compared with my wide angle 17-35mm, i prefer to use this one in day light, i just didn't sold it, because of the film cameras that i have and the future FF A900.

Again, must have lens for me.

sharpness: 4 

color: 3 

build: 3 

distortion: 3 

flare control: 4 

user: chrishurley   review date: July-01-08  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

70-210mm, 18-70, 28-105mm, 28-300mm Tamron

price paid:

400 USD (used)

positive:

Long reach, compact body.

negative:

Feels and looks cheap. The Sony ribbed grip design is just awful with dust. Colors seemed cold. UNBELIEVABLY SLOW FOCUS. Soft at tele end. 1 year warranty compared to the 6 year Tamron.

comment:

People say that it is slow to focus and they aren't kidding. I couldn't have imagined that the Beercan could be faster than any lens, but it surely is. The Tamron 18-250mm is said to be slower than the Sony on the merits of the turns ratio of the screw but that just can't be. I just can't imagine that a lens can be slower to focus than this one. Even on the A700. Its fine for static subjects, but will require some skill for moving subjects.

Certainly the range is nice and this is a workable lens if you need that range. I found the tele end seemed to be soft enough that I probably would avoid it.

This is definitely a step up from the 28-200 and 28-300mm lenses I've used- except in terms of focus speed. wowsers!

sharpness: 3 

color: 4 

build: 4 

distortion: 3 

flare control: 4 

user: cryocon   review date: June-13-08  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

Sony 18-70
Tamron 90 Macro f2.8
Minolta 50 f1.7

price paid:

400 GDP

positive:

Good range of focal lengths
Fairly light and compact

negative:

Soft wide open
Only really gets sharp around f11
Distortion at the wide end

comment:

I've had this lens on the A700 for about 4 months now and i haven't been sure about this lens. I find it more tricky to get a good shot compared to the A100 + 18-70. I don't like to use the higher ISO's as i find the noise too much, so for a lot of my shots that means a wider aperture. This then gives me softer pictures. I never seemed to have this issue with the A100 + 18-70. I thought it may be that camera rather than the lens, but i tried my Tamron 90mm macro, used wide open, and got some incredibly sharp shots. Maybe i don't have a great copy of the lens, but i find i limiting because of these issues.

I have just done a load more shots with this lens on my holidays and have changed my opinion slightly. I have managed to get some very sharp shots, but it did help that there was lots of light.

sharpness: 4 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: jolives   review date: May-26-08  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

18-70 Kit
Various Primes

price paid:

499 USD

positive:

Probably the best one lens walk around solution for the Alpha mount.

negative:

It doesn't excel at any one thing, but gives acceptable results in almost all situations.

comment:

A great vaule as a single lens solution. Not extremely sharp on the long end, but easily the best single lens solution for the Alpha mount.

sharpness: 4,5 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: steve_rolfeca   review date: May-25-08  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

Sony 18-70 DT
Sony 70-300 DT
Minolta 70-210 F:4.5/5.6
Tamron 28-300

price paid:

621 CAD

positive:

Precise, reasonably quick AF
IQ crisper than kit lenses
Surprisingly sharp at 250mm
Low CA & distortion

negative:

Loss of focal length at short and medium distances
Stiff zoom ring, sloppy MF ring
Would prefer a couple of stops faster at full telephoto

comment:

I shoot concerts with my A200. I need coverage from at least 28-250mm, and would prefer something much faster than F6.3 at the long end. Unfortunately, security often won't permit imposing-looking gear or a gadget bag full of lenses. Thus, my need for a compact super-zoom as my main lens.

One point that's overlooked in many reviews of the 18-250, is that the focal length drops to 180mm or less up close. I was surprised to find that my 70-210 actually has more reach indoors. Still, as long as I can move closer to the subject, the 18-250 has more magnification than the 70-210, because of the admirably short minimum focusing distance.

Before buying this lens, I tried a Tamron 28-300, but focusing was slow, the CA was unacceptable, and the lack of sharpness at 300mm negated the extra reach. My Minolta 70-210 is more compact than the 18-250 and the manual focusing ring feels better, but it just doesn't have enough zoom range for my needs.

Under the circumstances, this lens is an excellent compromise. It's much cheaper and more convenient than an equivalent pair of G lenses, and while I don't expect prime lens IQ from a super-zoom, it's a noticeable step up from the Sony kit lenses. Nice job, Tamron/Sony!

sharpness: 4,5 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 5 

user: hnz   review date: May-01-08  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

Minolta A2 28-200
Tokina 2.8 28-70
Nikon 2.8 80-200

price paid:

790 CHF (new)

positive:

wide zoom range
sharp
small size
low weight
no problems with flare

negative:

some vignetting, if used wide open
some distortion at the wide end, but not really a problem
little bit soft at the long end

comment:

Great lens for nature photography. Vignetting disappears if stopped down 1-2 f-stops. Distortion is not really a problem for nature photography. Highly recommended!

sharpness: 4,5 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: MartinM   review date: April-07-08  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

- Minolta AF 24-105 (D)
- Sony DT 18-70 Kit lense
- Minolta 75-300mm (D)

price paid:

780 CHF (new)

positive:

- Large zoom 14x
- Excellent wide angle
- compact size

negative:

- Not good for Low Light conditions.
- AF tends to hunt at LL
- price

comment:

I have the lense now about one month. I use it as may daytime walk around lense. It turned out that at low light indoors it is not that good as i would have expected. I intended to replace my 24-105 but at low light, the 24-105 is better. Anyhow the lense is mature enough to have it always with me. On vacation time i can live with the fact that i need to carry a fixed focal lense for indoors. The IQ is excellent. I have not seen any vignetting that other users mentioned. Neither i detected any barrel disortion. For my plane spotting activities, 250mm is still not enough. I don't save a lense change for that. AF works well. I have no problems with planes taking off to catch them.

In summary. Good lense, high price

Tested on Sony Alpha 200 and Alpha 100

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: Wayne   review date: March-01-08  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

18-250 Tamron
18-200 KM

price paid:

495 USD

positive:

Nice range
Great one lens solution for vacations
Good hiking/street lens
Relatively small for such a range
Low distortion for a super zoom

negative:

Focusing is a little slower than shorter lenses
Watch out for flare when shooting into the sun

comment:

Not a bad lens for a super zoom. Certainly the best I have tried and much better build than the older 18-200. Focusing in good light is accurate but slower than the shorter zooms (but faster than many 70-2xx zooms). Colors are good and the build is above average (very solid feel). Distortion at 18-20mm can be an issue for those shooting buildings and other linear items (but no more than other wide digital lenses). Flare is an issue but can be controlled by using a quality filter and the lens hood. To preserve the Minolta colors, you should use the old Minolta filters (yes, you can tell if you look close between the Minolta filters and other brands - especially German filters which tend to cool down the colors - but still acceptable or the Hoya filters which tend to be too warm). Even though it is slow at the long end, the small size makes it a viable alternative for a tele zoom as a companion to the CX16-80 or the SAL 16-105 (or kit lens).

If you need a one lens solution (and most of us will need one sometime), this is the lens to get. When coupled with either the 16-80 or 16-105, you have a great travel setup with the added bonus of sharing filters (62mm)

sharpness: 4,5 

color: 4 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: womprat4   review date: February-27-08  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

- beercan
- 18-200
- 50mm f1.4
- canon 17-85 IS (wha?)

price paid:

500 usd

positive:

- a one stop shop lens
- good price

negative:

- terrible manual focus control
- loses it's "bang" beyond about 180mm

comment:

Pretty much the best one lens solution you can get. Sharper than my previous 18-200, particularly in the long end. As with all the sony lenses, the thin rubber grips are annoying and collect a lot of dust.

Should really be part of every alpha owner's kit, and while it's not an ideal solution for any particular shooting situation, it's great as an all round, run out the door, travel light lens. If I have the time and energy to pack all my gear with me, I will choose other lenses over this one, BUT, in many cases I simply want to grab my camera and go, without carrying a pile of camera gear with me, and then this lens is excellent. I also find changing lenses quite often impractical, and again, this lens is indispensable. Images are very sharp from about 24mm to 140mm in particular, but very very good through the whole range.

Impossible to manually focus well, since the focus ring moves in rather distinct notches, but it's not really a big deal since the AF is excellent, even at 18mm. Focus, while very accurate, is also very slow sometimes, and can be annoying.

Very nice piece of kit, especially given the reasonable price. Highly recommended.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 5 

user: Siniestro   review date: January-22-08  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

-sony 18-200
-sigma 30mm
-sony 18-70
-CZ 16-80

price paid:

599 EURO (new)

positive:

-Very good image quality
-Very Sharp
-Very well built
-Nice design and operation
-Compact (for the range)
-Nice Bokeh

negative:

-Very expensive (in Europe)

comment:

Tested on A-700
I love this lens, is the first "super-zoom" with high quality and good performance in all the aspects important to me. The price was high but worth all the money paid. Highly recommended.

sharpness: 4,5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: alphaholic   review date: January-05-08  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

Tamron 18-200

price paid:

550 USD

positive:

My go to lense when time matters more than the perfect lense for the light. Focus is quiet and faster than I can even see to manual focus. Takes over where the Sig. 10-20 stops. Very vivid color even without flash. Great diameter for using the built in flash and a great all day lens. A lot sharper than the 18-200. A real value.

negative:

comment:

I would pay a thousand more for this great lens if it started at F2 and held to a 2.8 at 70mm but then we would want it sealed to the A700.

sharpness: 4,5 

color: 4 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 5 

user: Aresee   review date: November-04-07  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

KM 18-70 wide end
KM 75-300 long end
Sigma 28-200
Sigma 24-135

price paid:

$549

positive:

Great carry all lens
Very Sharp stepped down a bit
AF equal or better than 18-70
AF sound no louder that kit lens

negative:

More costly than other superzooms
The difference from 200mm to 250mm not that great
6.3f after 150mm

comment:

The previous review really goes into detail. Much more detail than what I will go into in my comments. I would have to say I agree with most of the points made.
The Sony 18-250 lens feels and looks very high quality.
From the packaging and instructions all the way to the
zoom lock and small alignment marks on the lens hood, the Sony
instills confidence in it's build quality.

I am using is lens on my 5D, and I feel the focus speed is equal to my other KM lenses. I bought my 5D to specifically be a carry and hiking companion. I like the smaller size, and with this lens I have a perfect carry all combo.

There are lenses that can do a better job at either the wide or tele than this lens, but that requires carrying a lot of extra gear. I call this lens my "Swiss Army Knife Lens".

The Sony 18-250 can do a lot of things pretty well, and it is all you need to carry.

sharpness: 5 

color: 4 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 5 

user: Rush2112   review date: October-28-07  

    tested on film camera:

    tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

Tamron 18-250
Sigma 18-125

price paid:

549 USD

positive:

Very sharp, even at 250mm
Color and contrast very good
Considering the range, this lens has very good distortion characteristics
SUPERFAST autofocus
Excellent minimum focus area of 2.75"
Excellent Bokeh

negative:

Thinly ribbed focus and zoom rings gather dust easily

comment:

SONY DT 18-250mm f3.5-6.3
Lens Review for the Alpha Mount: By Carl Garrard


October 28, 2007


Tested on: Sony Alpha A700 (and A100)
www.AlphaMountWorld.com

Preamble:

The Sony 18-250 is one of the newest lenses offered under the Sony brand name. It is an exciting optic, in theory giving the DSLR photographer a very high quality “one lens solution” for travel, or lighter packing/convenience situations and more. Basically, the Sony is an upgraded and rebadged version of Tamron’s 18-250, but there are key differences worth noting. For about $50.00 more you get a lens that focuses faster, has better build quality (externally), and has rounded aperture blades for better out of focus performance or “Bokeh”. It is a very compact and handsome lens and could turn out to be one of the best deals going on the market for the Alpha Mount considering you would have to buy at least two lenses to get the same range that the Sony does all in one. Up till now, “superzoom” lenses featured convenience with a sacrifice in image quality thru the range. The Tamron, and subsequent upgraded Sony version, seem to blast thru that barrier finally with a lens that offers the widest focal range of ANY mount. But just how good is this lens? Read on…

Lens Features and Specifications:

1. Finish- The Sony comes in a semi matte black finish with coloring that matches its current DSLR’s. The thinly ribbed rubber zoom and focus rings are black and give the design a very sophisticated and clean all business look that matches to the A700/A100’s very well. Focusing scales are included in meters and feet on the lens in white and Alpha Mount orange.

2. Weight and other specifications-

Weight -440 grams ( 15 ½ ounces)
Angle of view- 76degrees@18mm to 6 degrees 30’ @ 250mm.
Aperture range and sweet spot- f3.5 to f40. Sweet spot is f5.6-f11 (normal, with f8 being the best overall)*
Minimum focusing distance- .4 meters or about 1.48 feet per manual, about 1.1 feet tested( A constant 7” in from the front of the lens to the subject @250mm) tested
Filter size-62 mm
Dimensions overall- 75 x 86mm, or 3 x 3 3/8th inches (VERY small considering focal range)
Maximum magnification- about 1:3.5 manual specs, which seems a bit large.. I find it at about 1: 2.95
Minimum focus area (macro)- 2.75 inches or just about 7 centimeters wide
Minimum aperture to focal length range- f 3.5 to 24mm, f-4 to 35mm, f-4.5 to 55mm, f-5 to 75mm, f-5.6 to 150mm, and f6.3 to 250mm
Focal length conversion w/ 1.5x crop sensor- 27mm to 375mm
Manufactured in- Japan
Price-$549.99 USD (Sony’s website)

3. Focus and Zoom rings/action- The focus ring is tight and dampened, and feels very nice to operate. It does make a bit of a gritty noise inside when focusing fast back and forth, but the impression is that things are working well inside. It has just a tad bit of play from focusing from left to right (very little) but the ring itself has no wobble to it and is very tight. The thin ribbed rubber grip feels very nice and is very tacky to the fingers (probably the tackiest grip surface of any lens design), and as a cost gathers dust very easily.

The zoom ring action is very tight, but smooth and consistent thru the entire zoom range and does wear in a little. The zoom ring grip is also the thin ribbed black rubber, again very grippy and feels very nice. *Tip- I find that a lens pen brush cleans out the ribbed surface very well and quickly.

4. Lens Hood/Lens Caps- All come with the lens of course, and the hood is petal shaped and snaps into place nicely. Also the lens cap is the preferred center pinch design.

5. Mount/Fit- The mount is aluminum and of very high quality and mates nicely to the A-100 or A700, with the latter being very tight. It has a very clearly marked protruding orange dot for mating with the camera body, which I like.

6. Auto focus speed and accuracy- One of the best upgrades this lens has over the Tamron is the AF speed. The simplest technical explanation is that the Tamron takes 21 screw turns to focus from one end of the focus plane to the other, whereas the Sony only takes 12. Just about half! Mated with the A700, this lens has no issues keeping up AF at any focal length, and zips into focus very prompt. Tracking is even faster and this lens has no issues keeping up with moving objects such as birds or cars, or kids. This is a welcome upgrade in my opinion over the Tamron and makes the extra $50.00 well spent.

Does the extra speed sacrifice accuracy? It doesn’t appear too at all, in fact, this lens focuses very accurately. In over 700 test images this lens did not fail to hit the focus mark perfectly (when I did my job right). It is a precise instrument. Overall, a very impressive performance here.

Another point worth mentioning is that this lens will also be faster focusing for A100 users over the Tamron as well, which many have complained about in the Tamron version. Since the A100 is slow poke in comparison to the A700 it may be marginal, but still welcome nevertheless for users deciding on which version to buy for their trusty sharp A100.

7. General notes- The front element does not rotate during auto focus which allows the use of circular polarizer’s and other filters such as grad neutral density filters without fuss. * Worth noting-The lens is not waterproof and will condensate if you take it from a very cold temperature to a warm one quickly. Putting your whole camera in a zip lock before you come indoors will solve this issue (and is a very common one). Just remember your camera may be sealed but your lens isn’t. Another point worth noting is the weight. This lens is just under a full pound, or 440 grams. The weight is appreciated when shooting at long focal lengths and does not appear to be too heavy to carry all day. The lens also has a zoom lock @18mm only, and I find that normally it isn't needed. When running on a trail I noticed it creeped out a bit however. For a lens as small as this one, the weight inspires confidence in its build quality.

8. Image Quality- Now, on to the meat and potatoes (the gourmet meat and potatoes in this case).

Normally, a lens of this range would be scoffed at by any professional touting the usual rhetoric of “you don’t get something for nothing” and passing on the purchase of it. And normally they would be right; except in this case that would be well, just plain dumb. This lens performs exceptionally at just about every focal distance, and considering the scale of the design excellent overall. Wide open there is some vignetting but stopping down 1-2 stops practically cures this at any range.

Sharpness is really excellent thru the entire focal distance, and stopping down to f5.6 to f11 helps even more. I find the sweet spot in the focal for sharpness to be about 24mm @ f8-f11 which is welcome to landscapers. But the lens does very good everywhere really. At 250mm f6.3, it is its softest (with f3.5 @18mm being second place) but really is still very good. Stop it down a bit, and again, things improve more.

Bokeh is surprisingly good too, with the rounded aperture blades giving a nod towards the Sony as well. Also worth noting is that the images seem to have a 3D effect to them that is very pleasing to the eye. When used correctly, this lens will give you very smooth, pleasing, and consistent backgrounds.

Color is very good as well. I wouldn’t say it was excellent; I’d go for just under excellent. This could be because the contrast isn’t as high as say the Zeiss offerings, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it is just different and worth noting. Overall the perception in difference is slight in every day use and one must have a certain degree of experience to really notice the difference between the two. Really good news is that it doesn’t suffer from the dreaded yellow tinge that some of the less expensive lenses suffer from, which I am very pleased to report and overall I really like the color. I will add that color is subjective and more of a personal preference, but the Sony and Tamron should satisfy.

9. Distortion- Considering the range of this lens distortion has been kept to a bare minimum. You will see some barrel distortion at 18mm, but it moves out to almost imperceptible at 24mm. Pincushion is noticeable at 200-250mm, but overall tamed pretty good at about 1.25% to about 1.5% considering. So basically, the range perceptive free distortion is about 24mm to 150mm. Hey that is pretty good! Chromatic aberration is at its worst (but pretty well controlled) at wide open apertures, but again, stopping down 1-2 stops nearly eliminates all CA.

10. Macro Performance- While this lens is by no means a “Macro” lens, it is worth noting that the minimum focus area is quite small @250mm. This was a surprise actually. At 2 3/4ths inches wide at roughly a 1-2.95 magnification ratio (tested), it is simply an added feature and another notch of value added to your purchase. The minimum focus distance is about 7” from the end of the front element or about 1’1”
from the subject to the sensor. Sony says about 1’ 6” but I find I can get closer than that and as is often the case with testing.

Overall cost to performance verdict:

The question seems to be if the Sony is worth $50.00 more than the Tamron. While I admit that I don’t have a working copy of the Tamron, I’ve read enough on it and talked to users enough to know that the changes are indeed welcome. Faster AF, (marginally) better bokeh, and seemingly better build quality in some facets of its construction (in no way to subtract anything away from the Tamron, it is at a very high level indeed). Optically from what I have gathered, they perform the same. The lens is tight, and free from any wobble even at its greatest extension, a very tightly engineered optic that exceeds its price. So overall I believe this lens is an incredible value. It will give you sharp landscapes with good color and contrast, it will keep up with the birds kids and cars, it will give you nice big close ups of wildlife, flowers etc.

Will this lens do it all? Well, of course not. However, there isn’t a lens on the market that can do more than this lens can, at any price.

Considering you would have to spend about 700.00 or more to get the optical quality in this range with two different lenses, I believe this lens is probably the best deal on the market for the Alpha Mount. And yet, you get the convenience of carrying just one without a size or weight penalty. From the moment it arrived, I was excited to do this review. Not only to use a lens that had such a wide range of use, but to find out if it was worth the extra cost. Considering what I know now, I would easily pay 650.00- to 750.00 dollars for it (but don’t tell Sony that!), and instead of testing and selling this lens on Ebay, I will be keeping this little gem all to myself for quite a long time. It simply is a great companion to the A700 both technically and esthetically.

Unequivocally, highly recommended.


As always, happy shooting and be safe!

-Carl Garrard

Sample images with the Sony 18-250mm are located here: http://72.249.83.153/Sony%2018-250%20images/

* The “sweet spot” of the lens is the range in aperture value of the most sharpness average over the entire focal range.