Sony 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 Zoom Lens

By Jim Fisher

The Sony 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 Zoom Lens ($499.99 direct) is a recent addition to the Sony D-SLR lens lineup. It's now being offered as an option in pricier kits, generally sold at a $200 premium when compared with?cameras bundled with the DT 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 Zoom Lens . The 18-135mm is an overall sharper optic, and it's got a longer zoom range. It's an attractive kit option for new buyers, and a worthy upgrade if you're a Sony shooter who is looking to move beyond the standard kit zoom.

The lens itself is a bit larger than the standard kit zoom, but not so big that it doesn't balance well on an SLR. It measures 3.5 by 3 inches (HD) and weighs 14 ounces. The front filter thread is 62mm in diameter, and the front element doesn't rotate, so using a polarizer is not a problem. It's at its shortest at 18mm?it extends out as you zoom out, but there is a lock switch so you can keep it set at 18mm for storage and transport.?

I used Imatest to check the sharpness and distortion characteristics of the 18-135mm when paired with the Sony Alpha 57 . At 18mm f/3.5 it's just a tad bit shy of the 1,800 lines per picture height required for a sharp image. It records 1,733 lines there, but stopping down to f/5.6 increases the score to an impressive 1,940 lines. There is significant barrel distortion?4.5 percent?which noticeably curves straight lines. This can be corrected in Lightroom or other software applications, though.?

Zooming to 35mm increases the sharpness to 1,904 lines at the maximum f/5 aperture, which increases to 2,013 lines at f/6.3. Distortion there is of the pincushion variety, which is makes lines curve in rather than out, and is a noticeable 1.8 percent. At 135mm the lens is software, recording 1,475 lines at f/5.6 and 1,618 lines at f/8. Distortion there is 1 percent of the pincushion variety.?

Even though it's not a perfect lens, the Sony 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 Zoom Lens is capable of capturing some impressive images. It's respectable at its widest setting, quite sharp at the middle length of its zoom range, but a bit soft at its telephoto end. It's worth the $200 premium over the DT 18-55mm lens when buying it bundled with a new Sony D-SLR, and current Sony owners who are dissatisfied with the image quality of their kit lens will find it to be a worthwhile upgrade, even at its full asking price.

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