Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS Review

Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS Handling and Features

The lens weighs in at a modest 320g, without hood or caps. This is achieved with extensive use of plastics, but we do have a metal mount to improve durability. Construction quality is good and there is no sloppiness in any of the controls. It is unfortunately immediately apparent that there is no weather sealing, which considering its possibilities as an all-purpose travel lens is disappointing.

Starting at the front, a bayonet lens hood is provided that clips securely into place. The fitting surrounds a standard 55mm filter thread. The front element does not rotate, making the use of polarising and graduated filters easier.

The ribbed manual focusing ring is smooth and operates electronically. There are no end stops to this. Likewise, there is no distance scale, although when using manual focus a scale does appear in the electronic viewfinder or on the monitor of the camera. Focusing is down to 0.45m (1.48 feet), a maximum magnification of 0.29x, or around 1:3, a usefully close distance.

Behind the focusing ring is the zoom ring, and whereas focusing does not extend the lens, zooming does. Creditably, moving to full zoom does not result in any wobble in the extended barrel. It remains solid and stable. There are clear markings for various zoom positions at 18mm, 24mm, 35mm, 50mm, 70mm, 100mm and 135mm.

The only other control on the lens barrel is the AF/MF selector.

The metal mount has the usual electronic contacts and communication with the camera body yields a full range of features. For example, distance scale, aperture values and, very usefully when using manual focus, moving the focusing ring immediately engages the focus aids on the monitor/EVF. The mount is very secure, with absolutely no play in the fit.

Lens construction is 16 elements in 12 groups, including 1 Aspherical and 2 ED (Extra Low Dispersion). The diaphragm has 7 circular blades to produce a circular aperture and enhance the bokeh. The lens is not compatible with any of the teleconverters.

In use, there are no particular vices to distract us from what is a very well designed piece of kit. All the controls, such as they are, operate smoothly and the placement is spot on. Balance is good with the A6500, AF is fast and precise, we can move in to what are approaching macro distances. A very useful range of focal lengths makes for versatility and, as we shall see, with the appropriate choice of settings some excellent results are possible.

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