Sony AF DT 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 SAM A-mount lens review by Margina

Margina#11748 date: Mar-30-2014
sharpness: 4.5 color: 5 build: 4 distortion: 5 flare control: 5 overall: 4.7	tested on: film camera: APS-C: 6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP; 16MP; 20MP; 24MP full frame: 12MP; 24MP; 36MP; 42MP; 61MP
ownership:	I own this lens
compared to:	- Minolta AF 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 - Konica Minolta DT 18-70mm f/3.5-5.6 - Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4.5 DC HSM
price paid:	75 USD (new)
positive:	- Good sharpness - Superb color accuracy and contrast - Almost natural bokeh - SAM drive for video AF - Smooth focus ring mechanism - Light weight with plastic mount - Hairline steel finishing on the front of zoom ring
negative:	- A little bit stiff on zoom ring machenism
comment:	It's not necessary to write this review since find out various of country of origin on this lens model. I bought this lens since initial release of DSLR-A500 and A550, it's a Japan made lens comes with clean condition. When I explore most of second hand shops today, they are selling Thailand made lenses in stock, they may comes with next generation of Alpha DSLRs / SLTs. It a good choice and highly recommended either. Some of the latest batch of this lens model might come from China. We should concern about the manufacturing quality of them, since some of A-mount users figured out the China made Sony 85mm f/2.8 SAM comes with glue traces on front element is quite difficult to swipe out.