Sony 18-135mm
APS-C E-Mount OSS (2018-)
Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS (APS-C, 55mm filters, 11.5 oz./325g, 1.45'/0.45m close focus, $598). bigger. I'd get mine at Adorama, at Amazon, at B&H or at Crutchfield.
This 100% all-content, junk-free website's biggest source of support is when you use those or any of these links to my personally-approved sources when you get anything, regardless of the country in which you live. Sony does not seal its boxes in any way, so never buy at retail or any other source not on my personally approved list since you'll have no way of knowing if you're missing accessories, getting a defective, damaged, returned, store demo or used lens. Buy only from the approved sources I use myself for the best prices, service, return policies and selection. Thanks for helping me help you! Ken.
January 2019 Sony Sony Lenses Zeiss Nikon Canon Fuji LEICA All Reviews
Sample Images
Top Sample Images Intro Format
These are all shot hand-held as Standard JPGs; no RAW or FINE JPGs or tripods were used or needed.
Golden Light on Barrio Logan. Sony A6400, Sony 18-135mm at 26mm, f/11 (for a sunstar) hand-held at 1/5 at Auto ISO 200, Perfectly Clear. bigger or full-resolution.
Ocean Beach Pier. Sony A6400, Sony 18-135mm at 100mm, f/16 at 1/800 at Auto ISO 100, Perfectly Clear, split-toned print. bigger or full-resolution. I deliberately added a little edge darkening for artistic effect.
Two Red Trees, 8:24 AM, 20 December 2019. Sony A6600, Sony E 18-135mm OSS at 34mm, f/8 at 1/250 at Auto ISO 100 (LV 14.0), Perfectly Clear v3.) bigger, full-resolution © file or camera-original © file.
Santa Barbara Morning, 8:28 AM, 20 December 2019. Sony A6600, Sony E 18-135mm OSS at 40mm, f/6.3 at 1/160 at Auto ISO 100 (LV12.6), perspective correction in Photoshop CS6, Perfectly Clear v3.) bigger, full-resolution © file or camera-original © file.
The Long Drive Home, 4:19 PM, 20 December 2019. Sony A6600, Sony E 18-135mm OSS at 135mm, f/5.6 at 1/250 at Auto ISO 500 (LV 10.6), as shot.) bigger or camera-original © file.
Dog Catching a Frisbee. Sony A6400, Sony 18-135mm at 135mm, wide-open at f/5.6 at 1/1,000 at Auto ISO 100, Perfectly Clear. bigger.
Southwest Airliner and Moon. Cropped from Sony A6400, Sony 18-135mm at 135mm, wide-open at f/5.6 at 1/640 at Auto ISO 100, Perfectly Clear. bigger.
Bathing Beauty. Sony A6400, Sony 18-135mm at 135mm, wide-open at f/5.6 at 1/500 at Auto ISO 100, Perfectly Clear. bigger or full-resolution.
Introduction
Top Sample Images Intro Format
I buy only from these approved sources. I can't vouch for ads below. |
This Sony 18-135mm is a tiny little wide-range zoom that does just about anything, and is light enough to carry everywhere all day, every day.
This lens is sharp, fast- and close-focusing and has optical stabilization so I can hand-hold it in any light.
It's only about half the size of full-frame DSLR lenses. You have to hold it to believe it.
I'd get my 18-135mm at Adorama, at Amazon, at B&H or at Crutchfield.
Good
All-encompassing zoom range.
Small.
Light.
Fast focus.
Close focusing.
Reasonable price.
Bad
Electronic focus ring, like most mirrorless lenses, has no direct mechanical connection to the optics. It only works when you have the camera set just rignt.
Missing
No focus or depth-of-field scales.
No stabilizer on-off switch.
Sony 18-135mm. bigger.
Format
Top Sample Images Intro Format
I'd get my 18-135mm at Adorama, at Amazon, at B&H or at Crutchfield.
This is an APS-C (cropped-sensor) lens. It also works on full-frame cameras, which automatically crop their sensors to APS-C.
Compatibility
Top Sample Images Intro Format
I'd get my 18-135mm at Adorama, at Amazon, at B&H or at Crutchfield.
This is an APS-C (cropped-sensor) lens that works on all Sony E-mount cameras. This includes all the variations of NEX, A9-, A7-, A6xxx and A5xxx series cameras.
Full-frame cameras will automatically crop to APS-C.
It will not mount on any Sony A-mount DSLR or any Minolta MAXXUM 35mm SLR of any kind. Those use the old A mount which was actually the Minolta MAXXUM mount from 1987.
Specifications
Top Sample Images Intro Format
I'd get my 18-135mm at Adorama, at Amazon, at B&H or at Crutchfield.
Name
Sony calls this the E 18-135mmf/3.5-5.6 OSS:
E: E-mount.
OSS: Optical Steady Shot (Image Stabilization).
Optics
Sony 18-135mm optical construction. Aspherical and ED extra-low dispersion elements.
16 elements in 12 groups.
One Aspherical element.
Two ED extra-low dispersion elements.
Internal focus.
Front section moves in and out as zoomed.
Diaphragm
Sony 18-135mm. bigger.
7 rounded blades.
Stops down to f/22-36.
Focal Length
18-135mm.
When used on APS-C, it sees the same angle of view as a 28-200mm lens sees when used on a full-frame camera.
See also Crop Factor.
Angle of View
76º ~ 12° diagonal on APS-C.
Autofocus
Internal focus.
"Advanced Linear Motor."
No external movement as focused, so no air or dust is sucked in.
Close Focus
1.48 feet (0.45 meters).
Maximum Reproduction Ratio
1:3.4 (0.29×).
Optical Stabilizer
Yes.
Filters
55mm filter thread.
Hood
Sony ALC-SH153 hood for 18-135mm. bigger.
ALC-SH153 hood included.
Size
2.64" maximum diameter × 3.46" extension from flange.
67.2 mm maximum diameter × 88 mm extension from flange.
Weight
11.5 oz. (325 g).
Included
Lens (SEL18135).
ALC-F55S front and ALC-R1EM rear cap.
ALC-SH153 hood.
Announced
04 January 2018.
Promised for
February 2018.
Sony Model Number
SEL18135.
Price, USA
$598, January 2018 ~ January 2019.
Performance
Top Sample Images Intro Format
Overall Autofocus Bokeh Distortion
Ergonomics Falloff Flare & Ghosts
Lateral Color Fringes Maximum Apertures
I'd get my 18-135mm at Adorama, at Amazon, at B&H or at Crutchfield.
Overall
This Sony 18-135mm is ultralight and performs very well.
Autofocus
Autofocus is fast and silent. It tracks anything I can!
Dog Catching a Frisbee. Sony A6400, Sony 18-135mm at 135mm, wide-open at f/5.6 at 1/1,000 at Auto ISO 100, Perfectly Clear. bigger.
Bokeh
Bathing Beauty. Sony A6400, Sony 18-135mm at 135mm, wide-open at f/5.6 at 1/500 at Auto ISO 100, Perfectly Clear. bigger or full-resolution.
Bokeh, the feel or quality of out-of-focus areas as opposed to how far out of focus they are, is fine. This is a slow f/3.5~5.6 lens, so not that much ever gets out of focus.
For the softest backgrounds shoot at 135mm and f/5.6 as I've done here, and get as close as possible.
Distortion
At least as shot on the Sony A6400, the Sony 18-135mm has no visible distortion — especially because the A6400 won't let you turn off distortion correction. Be careful if you shoot raw and use non-Sony software because you probably won't get any automatic distortion corrections.
At infinity |
Correction factor to use with images made with correction ON in A6400 |
18mm |
±0.0* |
24mm |
±0.0 |
35mm |
±0.0 |
50mm |
±0.0 |
70mm |
±0.0 |
100mm |
±0.0 |
135mm |
±0.0 |
© 2019 KenRockwell.com. All rights reserved.
* has some residualwavy "mustache" distortion.
Ergonomics
 |
 |
Sony 18-135mm at 18mm. bigger. |
Sony 18-135mm at 135mm. bigger. |
This is a great little lens.
About a third of the little barrel is the zoom ring.
The electronic focus ring is usually ignored depending on camera settings.
Falloff
Falloff is invisible with the camera's default "Shading Correction" ON.
I've greatly exaggerated it here by shooting pure gray and displaying it against more gray. It won't look this bad in actual photos:
Sony 18-135mm falloff on an A6400, correction ON AUTO.
© 2019 KenRockwell.com. All rights reserved. |
Sony 18-135mm falloff on an A6400, correction OFF.
© 2019 KenRockwell.com. All rights reserved. |
Flare & Ghosts
There is no significant flare and only negligible ghosting. See Sample Images.
Lateral Color Fringes
There are no color fringes as shot on Sony cameras, most of which correct any that might be there by default.
Mechanical Quality
Sony 18-135mm. bigger.
This Sony 18-135mm is all plastic, which is why it's so light and easy to carry all day.
Everything is plastic, except the glass, the mount and gold electronic contacts. There is a shiny black metallic front trim ring (the ring with the red index mark), and otherwise the barrels and filter threads and focus and zoom rings and everything else is all made-in-China plastic.
Maximum Apertures
Maximum Aperture |
|
| 18mm | f/3.5 |
| 35mm | f/4.5 |
| 70mm | f/5.6 |
| 135mm | f/5.6 |
Sharpness
As you can see at the Sample Images, it's super sharp.
Lens sharpness has nothing to do with picture sharpness; every lens made in the past 100 years is more than sharp enough to make super-sharp pictures if you know what you're doing. The only limitation to picture sharpness is your skill as a photographer. It's the least talented who spend the most time worrying about lens sharpness. Skilled photographers make great images with whatever camera is in their hands; I've made some of my best images of all time with an irreparably broken camera! Most pixels are thrown away before you see them, but camera makers don't want you to know that.
If you're not getting ultra-sharp pictures with this, be sure not to shoot at f/11 or smaller where all lenses are softer due to diffraction, always shoot at ISO 100 because cameras become softer at ISO 200 and above, avoid shooting across long distances over land which can lead to atmospheric heat shimmer, be sure everything is in perfect focus, set your camera's sharpening as you want it and be sure nothing is moving, either camera or subject. If you want to ensure a soft image with any lens, shoot at f/16 at ISO 1,600 in daylight through heat shimmer of rapidly moving subjects at differing distances in the same image.
This caution aside, this 18-135mm is super sharp from corner to corner at 70mm and longer, even wide-open.
At 35mm the corners are just slightly softer wide-open at f/4.5, and get super sharp as stopped down.
At 18mm in the lab the sides and corners aren't quite as sharp, but I doubt anyone will ever notice for actual photos.
MTF at 18mm. f/3.5 and f/8, 10 and 30 cyc/mm. |
MTF at 135mm. f/5.6 and f/8, 10 and 30 cyc/mm.
|
Sunstars
Golden Light on Barrio Logan. Sony A6400, Sony 18-135mm at 26mm, f/11 (for a sunstar) hand-held at 1/5 at Auto ISO 200, Perfectly Clear. bigger or full-resolution.
This 18-135mm makes good 14-pointed sunstars on brilliant points of light at the smallest apertures. The rounded blades make them softer at larger apertures.
Recommendations
Top Sample Images Intro Format
This Sony 18-135mm shoots just about anything. If you're considering it, you'll love it — especially when you feel how light and tiny it is and see your own great pictures.
I'd get my 18-135mm at Adorama, at Amazon, at B&H or at Crutchfield.
I use a clear (UV) protective filter instead of a cap. I only use a cap when I throw this in my bag, otherwise I leave a clear protective filter on my lens at all times so I'm ready to shoot instantly.
The very best protective filter is the Hoya multicoated HD3 55mm UV which uses hardened glass and repels dirt and fingerprints.
For less money, the B+W 55mm 010 is an excellent filter, as are the multicoated version and the basic multicoated Hoya filters, but the Hoya HD3 is the toughest and the best.
Filters last a lifetime, so you may as well get the best. The Hoya HD3 stays cleaner than the others since it repels oil and dirt.
This junk-free website's biggest source of support is when you use those or any of these links to approved sources when you get anything, regardless of the country in which you live. Sony does not seal its boxes in any way, so never buy at retail or any other source not on my personally approved list since you'll have no way of knowing if you're missing accessories, getting a defective, damaged, returned, store demo or used lens. I use the stores I do because they ship from secure remote warehouses where no one gets to touch your new lens before you do. Buy only from the approved sources I use myself for the best prices, service, return policies and selection.
Thanks for helping me help you!
Ken, Mrs. Rockwell, Ryan and Katie.
© Ken Rockwell. All rights reserved. Tous droits réservés. Alle Rechte vorbehalten.
Help Me Help You
I support my growing family through this website, as crazy as it might seem.
The biggest help is when you use any of these links when you get anything. It costs you nothing, and is this site's, and thus my family's, biggest source of support. These places always have the best prices and service, which is why I've used them since before this website existed. I recommend them all personally.
If you find this page as helpful as a book you might have had to buy or a workshop you ma have had to take, feel free to help me continue helping everyone.
If you've gotten your gear through one of my links or helped otherwise, you're family. It's great people like you who allow me to keep adding to this site full-time. Thanks!
If you haven't helped yet, please do, and consider helping me with a gift of $5.00.
As this page is copyrighted and formally registered, it is unlawful to make copies, especially in the form of printouts for personal use. If you wish to make a printout for personal use, you are granted one-time permission only if you PayPal me $5.00 per printout or part thereof. Thank you!
Thanks for reading!
Mr. & Mrs. Ken Rockwell, Ryan and Katie.