Sony DT 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 SAM A-mount lens reviews

reviews found: 42    << 1 2
reviewer#10829 date: Jan-10-2013
sharpness: 5
color: 5
build: 5
distortion: 5
flare control: 5
overall: 5
tested on:
  • film camera:Film camera
  • APS-C: 6MP6 MP; 10MP10 MP; 12MP12 MP; 14MP14 MP; 16MP16 MP; 20MP20 MP; 24MP24 MP
  • full frame: 12MP12 MP; 24MP24 MP; 36MP36 MP; 42MP42 MP; 61MP61 MP
ownership:I own this lens
compared to:Sony SAL 55-200
Kit lens 18-55
price paid:550 CAN
positive:fast focus
colors
fits excellent with Sony A57
negative:non
comment:Very good lens compare to lenses listed above. Now I'm looking forward to buy macro lens 50/2.8 or 100/2.8.
reviewer#10826 date: Jan-10-2013
sharpness: 4.5
color: 5
build: 5
distortion: 4
flare control: 5
overall: 4.7
tested on:
  • film camera:Film camera
  • APS-C: 6MP6 MP; 10MP10 MP; 12MP12 MP; 14MP14 MP; 16MP16 MP; 20MP20 MP; 24MP24 MP
  • full frame: 12MP12 MP; 24MP24 MP; 36MP36 MP; 42MP42 MP; 61MP61 MP
ownership:I own this lens
compared to:Minolta 25-105
price paid:500 USD
positive:fast focusing , Color
negative:nothing
comment:
missing
reviewer#10745 date: Dec-1-2012
sharpness: 3
color: 4
build: 4
distortion: 4
flare control: 4
overall: 3.8
tested on:
  • film camera:Film camera
  • APS-C: 6MP6 MP; 10MP10 MP; 12MP12 MP; 14MP14 MP; 16MP16 MP; 20MP20 MP; 24MP24 MP
  • full frame: 12MP12 MP; 24MP24 MP; 36MP36 MP; 42MP42 MP; 61MP61 MP
ownership:I own this lens
compared to:18-55 sony
24-135 Tamron SP
35-105 Minolta
price paid:200 euro
positive:Good built quality
Good range
SAM autofocus
negative:Not so sharp as expected.
comment:I think the sharpness of this lens is somewhat overrated, and the lens is just as sharp as to be expected for this kind of zoom range.
reviewer#10736 date: Nov-29-2012
sharpness: 4.5
color: 5
build: 4
distortion: 5
flare control: 5
overall: 4.7
tested on:
  • film camera:Film camera
  • APS-C: 6MP6 MP; 10MP10 MP; 12MP12 MP; 14MP14 MP; 16MP16 MP; 20MP20 MP; 24MP24 MP
  • full frame: 12MP12 MP; 24MP24 MP; 36MP36 MP; 42MP42 MP; 61MP61 MP
ownership:I own this lens
compared to:16-105 Sony
24-70 f2.8 CZ
price paid:425 USD (new)
positive:The weight is considerably lighter than the 16-50
It doesn't creep like the 16-105.
the color is good I find I need to uner exppose to get good saturation.
I have not shot any structures so I may be off on the distortion
no flare yet.
negative:Plastic construction.
comment:I bought the lens because it covered the focal range I needed and found it to be much better than I expected
This is a keeper. I will review the build rating after I have used it more and can see how well it holds up.

After using this lens for a year for my hiking companion it is still working well.

I just purchased an Sony A7R and discovered that the lens works equally well with either my A99 or my new A7R. I have tested it with both the EA1 and EA4 A to E adapters with equal success.
reviewer#10684 date: Nov-10-2012
sharpness: 4.5
color: 5
build: 5
distortion: 4
flare control: 5
overall: 4.7
tested on:
  • film camera:Film camera
  • APS-C: 6MP6 MP; 10MP10 MP; 12MP12 MP; 14MP14 MP; 16MP16 MP; 20MP20 MP; 24MP24 MP
  • full frame: 12MP12 MP; 24MP24 MP; 36MP36 MP; 42MP42 MP; 61MP61 MP
ownership:I own this lens
compared to:Tamron 17-50 2.8
Sony Sal55-200
price paid:305 euro bulk new
positive:Feel
focus and zoom ring
Color
Price!
negative:nothing to mention
comment:Balances well with my A57. Zoomring and manualfocus ring are well placed en big enough to have a good grip. No lenscreep tiny lock button not necessary. Range is great. I am used to the combo 17-50 and 55-200 but thes two lenses will stay in my bag. Great lens for daily use. Love it.
reviewer#10661 date: Nov-6-2012
sharpness: 4.5
color: 5
build: 5
distortion: 4
flare control: 5
overall: 4.7
tested on:
  • film camera:Film camera
  • APS-C: 6MP6 MP; 10MP10 MP; 12MP12 MP; 14MP14 MP; 16MP16 MP; 20MP20 MP; 24MP24 MP
  • full frame: 12MP12 MP; 24MP24 MP; 36MP36 MP; 42MP42 MP; 61MP61 MP
ownership:I own this lens
compared to:KM 1870, Sony 18-70, Minolta 24-28, Minolta 100-300, Tamron 90mm.
price paid:<£300
positive:Well made and nicely proportioned lens with a nice firm feel to the zoom ring. Good for colour, contrast, sharpness and speed of operation. Nice bokeh at the 135mm end with closeups.
negative:Distortiion at 18mm needed to be fixed in Photoshop from KM 5D image. Sony A57 appears to autofix it with just a little cropping. 62mm filter required.
comment:I can recommend this lens for anyone who wants something better than the basic kit lens and who doesn't want to pay a premium for the nicer shorter zooms. If light weight is vitally important then stay with the standard kit lens and use Photoshop CS to improve contrast and sharpness etc.
reviewer#10599 date: Oct-16-2012
sharpness: 5
color: 5
build: 5
distortion: 4
flare control: 5
overall: 4.8
tested on:
  • film camera:Film camera
  • APS-C: 6MP6 MP; 10MP10 MP; 12MP12 MP; 14MP14 MP; 16MP16 MP; 20MP20 MP; 24MP24 MP
  • full frame: 12MP12 MP; 24MP24 MP; 36MP36 MP; 42MP42 MP; 61MP61 MP
ownership:I own this lens
compared to:SAL16-105, SAL18-55
price paid:bundled with the a77
positive:Range
Fast and Quiet AF
Build
SAM motor
Sharp
negative:Not weather sealed
Distortion at 18mm
comment:This piece came bundled with my a77. At first, I thought about selling it. But then I decided to use it a little and found it is a keeper. It is as sharp as a zoom of this range can be - which is, comparing it to the 16-105, damn sharp. I think it really shines when you use it with the a77. Didn't have to do AF adjustment on it, since it was spot on from the beginning. Seems to be as sharp as the 16-105

Colors are really good - not Minolta good, but Sony good. Comparing it to the SAL-16-105, I probably could not tell one lens from the other at the same focal lenght.

This lens seems to have a rather sturdy built - it is much better built at first glance than the 16-105, which was not poorly build lens at all. It has a metal mount, doesn't expand when focusing and the focus rings is very smooth thanks to SAM. AF is fast and quiet. I would probably rate this as 4.75 if it were possible, since it doesn't have weather sealing. As it came bundled with the a77, it would be a rather nice feature to have. What made me keep this lens is the SAM motor. Since I intend on doing video, having a quiet AF motor and smooth MF is welcome.

Oh, and this lens looks sexy on new sony bodies.

Distortion is pretty pronounced at 18mm. Vignetting is also present and noticeable. Something that is expected in a lens of this range.

This lens comes with a petal hood, which is a great aid in flare control. If you don't take the hood off, you won't have much problem with flare as far as my testing of it goes. One interesting thing to point out is the format of the light flare it produces. I am into long exposure night photography and this lens produces a much more pleasing (IMO)pattern of light sources than the SAL16-105. Despite both having round aperture, the 18-135 produces a rounded pattern, which is really easy on the eyes, even when the lens is stopped down - while the 16-105 produces that star like patterns if is isn't used wide open, which I find really distractive.

If you are looking for a super zoom lens, this one is a great option to consider. Only if Sony had put this nice SAM motor on the 16-105...
reviewer#10594 date: Oct-15-2012
sharpness: 5
color: 5
build: 4
distortion: 4
flare control: 4
overall: 4.4
tested on:
  • film camera:Film camera
  • APS-C: 6MP6 MP; 10MP10 MP; 12MP12 MP; 14MP14 MP; 16MP16 MP; 20MP20 MP; 24MP24 MP
  • full frame: 12MP12 MP; 24MP24 MP; 36MP36 MP; 42MP42 MP; 61MP61 MP
ownership:I own this lens
compared to:16-50
cz16-80
18-250
M 28-135
price paid:
missing
positive:135 bokeh
more than sharp enough
negative:
missing
comment:Exactly what I was looking for with more versatility than the CZ16-80 and quiet faster focusing than the 18-250.

It's as if the 16-50/2.8 SSM and the 18-250 had a "love child" lens... inheriting some versatility and bokeh from the 18-250 and approaching build quality, IQ, almost quiet quick focusing of the 16-50.

if looking foe a versatile focal length walk around lens for photos, quiet and quick AF... this is it...

reviewer#10537 date: Sep-22-2012
sharpness: 5
color: 5
build: 5
distortion: 4
flare control: 5
overall: 4.8
tested on:
  • film camera:Film camera
  • APS-C: 6MP6 MP; 10MP10 MP; 12MP12 MP; 14MP14 MP; 16MP16 MP; 20MP20 MP; 24MP24 MP
  • full frame: 12MP12 MP; 24MP24 MP; 36MP36 MP; 42MP42 MP; 61MP61 MP
ownership:I own this lens
compared to:Sony 16-50
Tamron 17-50
Sigma 50-150
Tamron 70-210
Tamron 18-250
price paid:499 USD
positive:Sharp
Color
Focal range
Build
negative:Distortion at 18mm
comment:I have only owned this lens a short time, but I can say my initial impressions are great. I sold my Sony 16-50 to get this lens to have more range and I am very happy with this decision. The lens is very sharp and will be on my A57 the vast majority of the time. Great all around lens. Highly recommended.
reviewer#10523 date: Sep-20-2012
sharpness: 4.5
color: 5
build: 5
distortion: 4
flare control: 4
overall: 4.5
tested on:
  • film camera:Film camera
  • APS-C: 6MP6 MP; 10MP10 MP; 12MP12 MP; 14MP14 MP; 16MP16 MP; 20MP20 MP; 24MP24 MP
  • full frame: 12MP12 MP; 24MP24 MP; 36MP36 MP; 42MP42 MP; 61MP61 MP
ownership:I own this lens
compared to:Everything else in this category on the market :)
price paid:$425.00
positive:Build quality, silent focusing, 135mm performance, magnification, bokeh, weight and size, versatile
negative:Nitpicking- Barrell and vignetting distortions on 18mm end, wide open (but normal for such a lens)
comment:Full review on photographic-central.blogspot.com for more comments, but basically this is my favorite wide angle consumer zoom kit lens to date. Great features (full time DMF for example) great performance on the long end (no drop off and sharp wide open), good weight, great handling, great price and more.
reviewer#10465 date: Aug-22-2012
sharpness: 5
color: 4
build: 5
distortion: 5
flare control: 5
overall: 4.8
tested on:
  • film camera:Film camera
  • APS-C: 6MP6 MP; 10MP10 MP; 12MP12 MP; 14MP14 MP; 16MP16 MP; 20MP20 MP; 24MP24 MP
  • full frame: 12MP12 MP; 24MP24 MP; 36MP36 MP; 42MP42 MP; 61MP61 MP
ownership:I own this lens
compared to:18-70, 18-55, 18-250
price paid:£295
positive:Quick AF, handy range and lightweight
negative:Colors may need some adjustment?
comment:Got this lens to replace 18-55 and has a much improved efficient edge. Sharper images throughout.
Newer SAM is evident with quicker AF and am very plesed so far with performance on a57.
Very reasonable for anyone looking for better smaller lightweight zoom lens.
reviewer#10457 date: Aug-18-2012
sharpness: 4.5
color: 5
build: 5
distortion: 4
flare control: 5
overall: 4.7
tested on:
  • film camera:Film camera
  • APS-C: 6MP6 MP; 10MP10 MP; 12MP12 MP; 14MP14 MP; 16MP16 MP; 20MP20 MP; 24MP24 MP
  • full frame: 12MP12 MP; 24MP24 MP; 36MP36 MP; 42MP42 MP; 61MP61 MP
ownership:I own this lens
compared to:Sony 2.8 16-50mm
Tamron 70-300mm USD
Sigma 18-200mm
price paid:500 EUR
positive:- the range
- quite and fast focus
negative:
missing
comment:Great travel lens. It is quite, fast and very light. The range is great for holiday, hiking, and for different occ. when you want to have wide angle and tele in one lens.

The lens is very quite thanks to the obvious new SAM. It is also fast. Therefore useable for video as well.
reviews found: 42    << 1 2

rating summary

lens image
  • total reviews: 42
  • sharpness: 4.52
  • color: 4.74
  • build: 4.48
  • distortion: 4.31
  • flare control: 4.62
  • overall: 4.53

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