Preemptive annoyance tinges my whispered words because I know this rabbit is going to run. There is no threat. I just want a photo or two. But rabbits don’t know a camera from a gun, nor a lumbering human with good intentions from a ravenous coyote, apparently.

“Stop being so twitchy and just relax, so that I can relax, and then we can both relax together, for Christ’s sake!”

But then the pea-sized brain in the animal’s skull screams the existential warning, “DANGER! DANGER!” It bounds away chaotically, and one of its half-dozen leaps brings it three feet into the air, its hind legs flailing pointlessly against the snatching predatory jaws that it has entirely imagined. It flees approximately twenty feet, stops when it realizes it’s not dead, and turns its head to look at me, a blade of half-eaten grass dangling stupidly from its lip.

“Wow. Very impressive. You escaped.”

I wearily push myself up and stalk toward the creature once more. I wonder about those enormous black eyes. Placed as they are on the side of its skull, does it see ahead of itself when fleeing? Or can it only see to its sides like a deer? When panicked, is it prone to career into a tree?

I’ve apparently approached in an acceptable way this time, since I’m allowed to get about ten feet closer than the time before. I stoop once more to sit in the grass alongside the rabbit.

“Alright.” I sigh. “Let’s try it again.”

Photography has been a good friend. A way to chill out. A salve for anxiety and worry. At times in my life I’ve used cameras and lenses and film and tripods to philosophically refocus. As I’ve written in previous articles, even the worst cameras end up pointing at what’s important. I could add to that observation that even if the camera points at nothing of particular importance, the act of pointing it at anything can itself be important.

This rabbit is important enough. A small living thing with the same hopes and dreams as all living things (though we humans tend to complicate what is so fundamental); to have food to eat and a place to live, for our kids to live lives that are happier, healthier, and longer than our own. That’s all most of us want. Sometimes we don’t get it. At those times, photography has been useful. As it is now.

I raise the camera and feel the weight. It’s not insignificant, because I’m using a Sony A7 mirror-less camera fitted with a ten-dollar Nikon F mount adapter and a sixty-dollar Soligor 90-230mm F/nothing-to-write-home-about telephoto zoom lens from, like, 1971. The lens weighs more than the camera, but it’s all-metal and glass and feels, surprisingly enough, wonderful. The focus throw is long and gentle and the aperture clicks into its detents beautifully.

In addition, because the lens was designed to operate uncoupled to the mechanisms within the camera (Nikons in the 1970s and Sonys in the 2020s alike), it features a second aperture ring which stops the lens down in a progressive way. The iris is circular and beautiful, and before I’ve ever mounted it to a camera I’m sure it will make interesting, if not creamy, bokeh.

The lens.

The rabbit.

So anyway, there I am sitting in the grass peering through a viewfinder and fiddling with an aperture ring and a focus ring, and zooming in and composing and framing, and remembering which button on the mirror-less Sony activates “close-magnification focus assistance” or whatever they call it, and the worries are sloughing off.

No, that’s not entirely accurate, if I’m honest. They’re not sloughing off. But maybe they’re out-gassing, dissolving at a molecular level, becoming ever so slightly lighter. I suspect that another two hours of shooting this rabbit might get me to a point where I feel like everything is going to be just fine. But this rabbit has got shit to do, and it hops away after about three minutes.

“Well, let’s see what we’ve got in Lightroom.”

The thing about photography, for me, is that I’m sort of adrift. I don’t exactly know what I’m doing anymore. My whole photographic life has been taking pictures of my children and trying out cameras that I think look neat. I still like my children, so that’s fine. I take pictures of them, same as always. But as far as the “cameras that look neat” thing is concerned, I’ve tried them all.

I love film cameras. Always have, always will. I’ve shot every film camera I care about, and hundreds about which I’ve cared very little. Plus, film is expensive and getting pricier every year. And then I have less time to do it, and more bills to pay, and personal situations to work through, and oh, boy, we are going down this hole again, Jimbo? Where’s that rabbit when I need him.

Let’s get back to cameras and photography.

My pictures of the rabbit are pretty good. They contain a rabbit, and some grass, and nice colors and sharpness most of the time, when I’ve focused right. The shots made at wide-open aperture have strong subject isolation and interesting bokeh, as I suspected they might. The shots made with a tighter aperture are sharp. Not as sharp as would be with a modern lens, naturally, but sharp in that old fashioned way which lacks of clinical perfection. A good thing.

In Lightroom I’m able to turn my decent RAW photos of a rabbit into whatever I want. I can make these pictures look like clean digital photos, or Ilford HP5 film or Kodak T-Max 100, Kodak Portra, Delta 3200, all by sliding a few sliders and knowing what I’m doing. I’ve even managed to create a pre-set which makes a shot look very much like images made with the long-ago discontinued Fujifilm Natura 1600 color film, which is my favorite film I’ve ever used. (And wouldn’t you know it, there’s a picture of a rabbit in that article, too!)

I love using old lenses on new cameras. I love it more than I love shooting film cameras or shooting the newest digital Leica, or instant film, or anything else. Old lenses adapted to new mirror-less cameras; nothing is better. We get the more interesting imaging characteristics of old cameras and film, without the hassle and cost of actually shooting film.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed the rabbit.

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[Some of the links in this article will direct users to our affiliates at B&H Photo, Amazon, and eBay. By purchasing anything using these links, Casual Photophile may receive a small commission at no additional charge to you. This helps Casual Photophile produce the content we produce. Many thanks for your support.]

The post A Cheap Lens and a Rabbit appeared first on Casual Photophile.

Do I need this? Is this item worth the money? How much do I need to spend to get quality results?

These are questions I frequently ask myself when looking to add new gear to my camera bag. Needless to say, in my efforts not to break the bank, I’ve never had the opportunity to shoot with any of Sony’s high-end lenses, and it’s left me curious as to what I’m missing out on. Luckily, one of the perks of writing for Casual Photophile is having the ability to test photography gear I wouldn’t normally consider within reach of my personal budget. So, with a specific goal in mind, I decided I’d test and write about the Sony E 16-55mm f/2.8 G, the company’s most expensive APS-C zoom lens, and a lens that my budget would preclude me from buying. My goal: Determine whether the results from this lens clearly justify its $1300 price-tag.

First Impressions

Let’s address the elephant in the room; the Sony E 16-55mm f/2.8 G costs $1300. At this price-point, this lens is not what I’d consider a budget-friendly addition to Sony’s APS-C platform, which I feel is generally populated by casual shooters and enthusiasts who don’t have fat wallets or high credit limits. In fact, the lens alone costs the same price as Fujifilm’s X100V (a premium compact camera) and significantly more than almost all of the interchangeable lens camera bodies in Sony’s APS-C lineup (the A6600 costs $100 more). However, Sony never said this lens was supposed to appeal to budget-conscious shooters. Instead, it’s billed as a professional-grade option.

Though I’m sure Sony utilized premium materials to create this lens, its design and build quality aren’t all that much different from other E-mount zooms I’ve attached to my A6000. Regardless, its lightly textured matte-black finish looks good and the build feels sturdy in the hand. The glass itself is big (67mm in diameter), beautiful, and treated with a couple of different fancy coatings that give it an extra edge over lesser APS-C lenses. This includes a “Nano AR” coating to reduce possible ghosting and flares, as well as a fluorine coating to resist water, oil, and fingerprints. The lens details are nicely embossed on the barrel, and the infamous “G” badge has a reflective silver finish to ensure it gleams in the sunlight.

The lens also features weather sealing against dust and moisture, which gives it another leg-up over more budget-friendly zooms and makes it that much more versatile to use in challenging outdoor conditions. However, it’s important to note that Sony chose to omit optical image stabilization (OIS) from this lens, which is a curious move. At this price point, go big or go home, am I right? But I guess with 55mm as its longest focal length and with a constant f/2.8 aperture, we’re unlikely to suffer camera shake while using this lens for stills, unless we’re taking photos during an earthquake.

The zoom functionality of the Sony E 16-55mm G is external and manual. The throw is fairly short given its wide-to-normal focal range and takes less than a second to go from one end to the other, which I really like for stills. The focus mechanism is internal and electronically controlled by the camera. The zoom ring, which sits at the back of the lens barrel, is larger than the focus ring, but they both glide along the barrel with ease. The rings are overlaid by tough, grippy rubber, are smartly spaced for easy differentiation, and nicely dampened to prevent any sort of lens creep or missed focus. In addition, the body includes an AF/MF switch and a focus hold button, which can be remapped to a custom function. These physical controls are welcome additions that add a little extra tactility and functionality to the A6-series camera experience.

Physically the 16-55mm G lens is hefty. Due to its constant f/2.8 aperture, this thing utilizes some serious glass, making it larger and longer than any of the other E-mount lenses that I currently own. It weighs in at 17.5 oz (494 g) and measures 4 inches (100mm) long un-extended, though zooming from 16mm to 55mm extends the barrel and adds about an extra inch to its overall length. I’m not used to handling a zoom lens with a constant aperture, so this lens can make the Sony A6000 feel front heavy and a bit unbalanced, especially when it’s fully extended. My guess is that this lens is better suited for the beefier A6600 or A6500 bodies.

While the lens’ 16-55mm zoom range (24-82mm full-frame equivalent) is a great option for every-day-carry, I can see this thing possibly causing some fatigue if you’re keeping it slung around your neck all day without a well-padded strap. But despite my minimalist reservations concerning its size and weight, in the grand scheme of things, the 16-55mm G lens is largely considered compact compared to other lenses in its class. And remember that its zoom range makes it an ideal choice for a one-lens travel solution, covering urban, landscape, and portrait work all in one. This has the potential to lessen our overall photography load.

Real-World Performance of the Sony E 16-55mm f/2.8 G

Once you take the Sony E 16-55mm f/2.8 G out into the wild, the asking price begins to make more sense. On the inside, the lens is made up of 17 elements in 12 groups, including two “advanced” aspherical, two aspherical, and three extra-low dispersion elements that, according to Sony, “suppress aberration for outstanding corner-to-corner G Lens resolution” and “reduce color bleeding to a minimum.” In addition, the lens features a 9-blade circular aperture, which creates “luscious background bokeh for deep, impressive imagery.”

Marketing copy notwithstanding, this lens might very well be the best E-mount lens I’ve ever used, producing some of the cleanest images I’ve ever taken with my A6000. Needless to say, everything Sony did with this lens (except for excluding OIS) ensures that we can capitalize on the full potential of Sony’s excellent APS-C sensor.

In terms of sharpness, the Sony E 16-55mm f/2.8 G is tack sharp across the frame throughout the entire zoom range, even at f/2.8. No need to stop down to get the best results, simply because it’s consistently crisp at all apertures (though I should note that I don’t typically stop down past f/11, and this lens can go as far as f/22). To add to that, those fancy lens coatings I mentioned earlier must be doing something, because in my time with the lens I only experienced one instance where flare caused some blown highlights and softness in my image and one extreme contrasty instance that produced strong purple fringing. Other than that, flare, ghosting, and chromatic aberration are virtually non-existent with this lens, even in the uncorrected RAW files, which I can’t say about images made with other E-mount lenses that I own.

The constant aperture is probably the main reason this lens is so attractive to Sony APS-C shooters, not to mention it’s the first native E-mount zoom lens to have a constant aperture this fast. For a zoom lens, f/2.8 is bright and extremely useful in all kinds of situations, especially for indoor and low-light photography. With my go-to zoom lens (the Sony 18-135mm which I reviewed here) I tend to avoid low light situations due to its slower, variable aperture. But with the Sony E 16-55mm f/2.8 G, I found myself reaching for my camera despite the sun being below the horizon. While I would normally switch to one of my f/1.4 primes for low light snaps, I really enjoyed the freedom that the 16-55mm G lens afforded me with its combination of zoom range and fast aperture. I typically don’t like to push the ISO on my A6000 as I find the results to be too noisy past 1600. But with this lens I was pleasantly surprised to find that I was able to stay at or below 1600 in low light while achieving a reasonable shutter speed with the lens wide open. OIS would have been welcome in these situations, but I was able to avoid camera shake for the most part and get relatively clean results by keeping the lens wide open (as long as the area I was in was fairly well lit).

There’s not much to say about autofocus performance as, in general, Sony’s AF technology is arguably the best of the best, even on their more mature products. But for the sake of being thorough, the AF performance of the 16-55mm G lens is fast, silent, and accurate. I honestly didn’t expect any less, especially since this is a native lens. Even in low light conditions (despite some hiccups in extremely dim light), I didn’t find this lens to struggle to a fault, thanks to that constant aperture. This lens can also focus as close as (about) 1 foot, which I acceptably close and comparable to my 18-135mm lens in this regard. This lens is not meant for macro work, but I think the 16-55mm allows for some pretty decent close-up shots.

I’m not one who fixates on bokeh performance, but I will say that the nine-blade rounded aperture Sony put in this lens produces soft, pleasing separation at all focal lengths, especially when shot wide open at f/2.8 and zoomed into 55mm. Achieving bokeh this soft with a zoom lens is a really nice perk to have when looking to isolate subjects, so I can see why this lens would be an ideal choice for versatile portrait and lifestyle photography.

Left uncorrected, images from this lens do show some significant barrel distortion and light fall-off at 16mm, but minimal pin cushioning on the long end. While zooming in to about 20mm will clear up the light fall-off, and software corrections make distortion a non-issue these days, with a price tag of $1300, I was expecting the 16-55mm G lens to be optically perfect straight out of the camera at every focal length. But I guess complete perfection is unattainable even at this price point. It just goes to show that some imperfections are to be expected when you’re considering a versatile zoom lens, even if it costs more than the camera body on which it’s mounted.

It could just be me, or the environments in which I was shooting, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that the Sony E 16-55mm f/2.8 G renders colors truer to life than I’ve come to expect from Sony optics, which (to my eye) typically lean toward cooler tones. After picking up film photography, I found that I have a penchant for warmer tones, so I’m not a huge fan of Sony’s color science, and I typically find myself messing with the colors in post-processing. However, with this lens, the colors looked pleasing straight out of the camera on most occasions (even if they still lean a bit cooler than I’d like), and I felt like I didn’t need to do much color-correcting or white-balancing in post. In fact, the majority of the sample photos in this article did not require any color corrections, which (for me) says a lot.

[The slide above shows distortion of the lens at its widest focal length (16mm at f/2.8). One shot is corrected for distortion and the other is straight out of camera.]

How Much is Perfection Worth?

It’d be discourteous to say that the 16-55mm f/2.8 G is anything but an exceptional lens. In fact, I think the performance of this lens easily puts it at the top of its class in almost all possible categories. With that said, I would highly recommend it to two types of people: Professional photographers relying on Sony’s APS-C sensors for paid work, and Sony-fanatic APS-C shooters with no budget restrictions looking for the best native standard zoom lens. If you identify as one of these people, you can close this article and pull the trigger. If you don’t, you might want to keep reading.

Like every conclusion to an article like this, whether or not a lens is worth its price tag is a matter of opinion. With that said, I personally don’t think the Sony 16-55mm f/2.8 G lens is worth the $1300 asking price. I mainly say this because (while I might be overstepping here) I think the Sony APS-C platform is best suited for shooters who enjoy photography as a hobby, looking to capture moments along their travels as well as in their everyday lives. For casual photographers like these, spending $1300 on a lens might not be an advantageous decision. And despite all the praise I’ve given the lens in this write-up, I don’t think the average enthusiast photographer shooting on an A6000-series body needs to drop an outrageous amount of cash to get Sony G-level results. This is especially true when there are other lenses for the system which cover about the same zoom range (or more), are significantly less expensive, and produce comparable results.

An excellent example of one of these greater value lenses is the Tamron 17-70mm f/2.8, which is probably the most direct competitor to the Sony 16-55mm G lens. Though it’s fairly new (released January 2021), by all accounts, Sony’s $1300 money-sink is outmatched by the Tamron’s value to performance ratio. The lens sells for just $800 but covers a wider zoom range, rivals the Sony in sharpness, and includes weather sealing as well as image stabilization. An even cheaper competitor is the Sony 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 zoom lens, whose exceptional performance and portability I can personally vouch for. Despite its optical limitations, with a bit of care and post-processing work, you can get top-notch images for $1000 less than the 16-55mm G lens.

At the price point of $1300, you might even consider making the jump to full-frame glass (FE-mount). Luckily, APS-C sensors have the benefit of supporting both E-mount and the full frame FE-mount lenses, which basically future-proofs your photography kit should you decide to upgrade to a full-frame sensor down the line. Even with the added flexibility, some of these lenses still come in cheaper than the APS-C-dedicated 16-55mm G lens. Some good full frame FE-mount options include the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 and Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8, which retail for $880 and $1100 respectively.

Final Thoughts

Considering their significant market share in the mirror-less industry, it’s not news to anyone that Sony makes some of the best cameras and optics money can buy. However, it is my opinion that they tend to overprice some of their products to a fault, especially when the competition is producing similar optics and selling them at a lower price. To reiterate, I do think the Sony E 16-55mm f/2.8 G is an exceptional lens and a worthy purchase for professionals, but not necessarily for the average photographer like me. In order to consider it a viable option, I think this lens would have to be priced much closer to $1000 or less.

After trying out Sony’s most expensive APS-C lens, I’m happy to conclude that I’m not really missing out on much, other than that fast constant aperture, which isn’t worth the $1300 at this point in my photography journey. With my 18-135mm lens, I think I can get comparable results in a smaller package with some added range and OIS. But when I do finally make the decision to upgrade to a faster, higher-quality zoom lens, it’s good to know that there’s always more affordable fish in the sea.

Buy the Sony E 16-55mm G Lens from B&H Photo here

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[Some of the links in this article will direct users to our affiliates at B&H Photo, Amazon, and eBay. By purchasing anything using these links, Casual Photophile may receive a small commission at no additional charge to you. This helps Casual Photophile produce the content we produce. Many thanks for your support.]

The post Sony E 16-55mm f/2.8 G Lens Review appeared first on Casual Photophile.

Like countless other experiments in the realm of camera gear, this unusual piece of equipment first gained interest on Kickstarter. The inventors and manufacturers based in Guangzhou, China launched their campaign in October of 2019 and shipped the first version a couple of months later, just in time for Christmas. Over the last year the company expanded their product to include various mounts, which makes it an interesting piece of equipment for a wider range of people. 

But being an 18mm f/8 lens with a fixed aperture and focus field, there are significant limitations that you should be aware of before you go out and buy one. First, let us work out what this thing really is.

As implied, defining the Funleader isn’t so simple. With six glass elements in four groups and multi-coating, it seems to be just another pancake lens. But it feels more like an accessory. It “fits” a compact Sony a6000 or a Leica CL, but looks ridiculous on a Sony a7 or a Leica SL. It protrudes about as far from the body as the legendary Zeiss Hologon 16mm f/8 (11mm to be exact) which is less than most camera grips, but comparing it to the Hologon would not be fair. You pay 150 bucks for the Funleader – add a zero at the end of that price and we’re closer to the cost of the classic Zeiss glass. 

Of course, there are reasons for the price difference. One stems from the fact that the Hologon is an excellent lens despite its very unique design, while the Funleader seems indefinable. If it is a lens, then it’s not a very convincing one. The Funleader vignettes heavily and suffers from coma. The Hologon, though a tad wider, handles these problem areas better. 

But maybe this misses the point – Funleader does not even try to be a proper lens in terms of optical performance. The brand’s original Kickstarter proudly describes their product as being “not a lens for high-quality optical performance, but a lens for playful usage.” It goes even further by writing that with this product you can get the same vignette effect as with “Lomo cameras,” with a higher level of detail and better color accuracy – which I guess is true. 

Though it disappoints in regards to certain criteria, the quality of the photographs I get from my Sony’s 24 megapixel sensor is pretty decent. It is not a low-light champion, neither is it a bokeh-master. It is a super-wide angle lens that keeps everything in focus from 0.8 meters to infinity. There is nothing to twist and turn, no adjustments to be made, no settings to be chosen. Testing it thoroughly and pixel-peeping the files is pointless. You will not be bringing this thing to a professional shoot. Well, maybe you will, but not to photograph with it. Which brings me back to the question of what the Funleader cap lens really is. 

If someone asks me whether they should spend money on a new camera body or buy an excellent lens for their system instead, I will always recommend investing into great glass. Especially with digital cameras, the life span of modern technology has shortened year after year. The features from your favorite brand’s newest flagship are outdated by the time the product hits the shelves. Something new is always underway. The only thing that remains consistent is the mathematics of lenses. 

What once worked on an analog camera will in nearly all cases work just as well when adapted to digital. So why should you buy this cheap lens instead of saving for an optically better alternative? Because you can literally throw the Funleader on your camera instead of a body cap and still buy that premium masterpiece of a lens you have been longing for since the day you first stumbled across it.

If you view the Funleader as an alternative to your unspectacular and relatively useless body cap, it suddenly throws all criticism overboard and convinces with its solid metal design and an unrivaled functionality. It is a dumb lens, but a genius body cap. And there lies the joy of using it.

Sure, Funleader did not invent something new here. Olympus has been offering a 9mm f/8 body cap lens long before this product came along. But the Olympus version is a fisheye and has a little lever to focus with. Plus it is made out of plastic. I would argue that Funleader completed what Olympus had begun and made a better product than what the established Japanese brand came up with. Funleader decided not to offer their version for micro-four-thirds cameras, therefore the mentioned cap lenses are not direct competitors, but the Funleader lens does fit most other current camera bodies are – the Funleader cap lens is available for Sony E-, Fuji X-, Leica L-, Canon RF- and Nikon Z-mount cameras.

I own a number of adapters and lenses that I can use on my digital body, but none of those stay on it as much and as often as the Funleader. I went on trips with a bag of beautiful glass but ended up shooting the entirety of my experience with my camera’s body cap. The simplicity and constraints are what makes this product outstanding, and therefore its biggest weaknesses are actually its greatest strengths. On Kickstarter, the product is marketed as a small, light and playful lens. But while it really cannot compete with other small and light pancake lenses out there in terms of quality, the playfulness just makes it an ideal accessory. 

So the next time you misplace your body cap, don’t go out and buy another piece of plastic. Choose something more useful. Treat yourself to the best body cap lens that currently exists. 

Get your Funleader Cap Lens here

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[Some of the links in this article will direct users to our affiliates at B&H Photo, Amazon, and eBay. By purchasing anything using these links, Casual Photophile may receive a small commission at no additional charge to you. This helps Casual Photophile produce the content we produce. Many thanks for your support.]

The post Funleader 18mm F/8 Cap Lens Review appeared first on Casual Photophile.

Introduced in 2018, the Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS lens is a relatively new APS-C zoom lens that covers a highly versatile focal range equal to 27-202.5mm on full-frame. The focal range of this lens puts it in the “all-in-one” or “super-zoom” lens category, which makes it useful for all types of photography genres and compositions, from wide-angle landscapes to isolated portraits. Zoom lenses like this tend to get a bad rap for making quality concessions in the interest of convenience, and yes, Sony did have to make some compromises to make this lens what it is.

But then again, convenience is exactly why this lens stays attached to my camera. Why complicate my photography experience by cycling through multiple lenses when I can have one lens that covers it all? Everything about the 18-135mm seems like it was built to be that go-to travel lens. It’s versatile, compact, and budget-friendly compared to other E-mount zooms on the market.

Those invested in the E-mount system know that there’s been some neglect regarding Sony’s APS-C lenses. And the available lenses on the market aren’t exactly easy on the wallet. Most zoom options are either full-frame oriented and/or have pro spec’d glass that will easily run the cost up to and over $1,000. However, the 18-135mm retails for about $550 new, which is already significantly cheaper than other zooms in the E-mount system. But because you can get this lens bundled with the A6400, A6500, or A6600, you can easily find it being re-sold used on eBay for significantly less than its retail price. At this price-point, the lens is geared towards consumers in search of convenience, so I wouldn’t recommend the lens for professional gigs. However, it’s definitely a worthy option for budget-oriented enthusiasts or beginners looking to travel minimally, while still retaining the image quality of multiple prime lenses.

Build and Handling

Design-wise, the 18-135mm isn’t anything special. It’s basically just a matte-black cylinder that tapers down slightly towards the mount end of the lens with an unassuming front glass element and a 55mm diameter filter thread. It’s got a generic look to it that keeps it in line with most kit lenses I’ve seen on other cameras. Looks aside, the real draw of this lens is its size and weight. In fact, this lens is even smaller and lighter than a can of your favorite brew.

Weighing in at 11.5 oz (325 g) with a diameter of 2.75 inches (67mm) and length of 3.5 inches (88mm) unextended, the lens is impressively tiny compared to other super-zooms. For comparison, its closest competitor, the Sony 18-105mm f/4 G lens, is about an inch longer and 5 oz heavier.

To make the lens so compact and light, Sony made two trade-offs: they used lightweight plastics to make the barrel (don’t worry, the lens mount is made of metal), and they gave it a variable aperture. Despite being made of plastic, the lens feels pretty solid, and when mounted on one of Sony’s APS-C cameras, the whole package feels well balanced (though its matte black paint job doesn’t exactly match with the glossy finish of the A6000). Regardless, combined with the camera body, the combination is compact enough to fit in a small side bag or purse, and light enough to keep slung around your neck all day. Its ultralight form-factor alone makes this lens my go-to for outdoor and city adventures that require significant travel on foot (though I have to be conscious of weather conditions as this lens does not sport any type of protection from the elements).

On the center of the barrel is the zoom ring, which takes up a large portion of the real estate, and in front of that sits the electronic focus ring. Both rings are smooth in operation and textured with a ribbed rubber that’s easy to grip. The zoom throw is fairly short—about 90 degrees of a full turn—so it only takes a couple seconds to zoom from 18mm to 135mm and back. Extending the lens fully to 135mm adds about an inch to the barrel’s original form-factor, but it still feels balanced on my A6000. The zoom itself is nicely dampened, and helped in part by its lightweight nature there’s no zoom creep to worry about when shooting at an upward angle.

Additionally there’s an AF/MF switch on the left side of the barrel. This feature is convenient for when you want to switch between auto and manual focus on a whim. I don’t use it much, since I use Direct Manual Focus most of the time, but it’s a nice little bonus to have in a pinch.

Image Quality

The most obvious caveat about the Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS is that it’s a variable aperture lens. The lowest aperture value shifts between f/3.5 and f/5.6 based on the focal length. At its widest, the fastest aperture is f/3.5, but halfway through the zoom range (55mm) the aperture shrinks to f/5.6, which remains constant through its longest focal length. This might be off-putting to many (it was for me personally), especially since there are competitor lenses with constant apertures on the market, but after using the lens for some time, I’ve learned to work around this limitation to create some images that I’m really proud of.

The lens utilizes seven aperture blades to create a circular aperture, but because it’s a slow lens, don’t expect dreamy out-of-focus areas in your shots. While bokeh from this lens is a bit harsh, you can achieve some decent separation by zooming in and getting as close to your subject as possible. Luckily, the lens has a surprising ability to focus as close as 1.5 feet at all apertures, which helps to make up for its relatively harsh depth of field rendering. With that said, I find that this lens performs best outdoors during the day (when its variable aperture doesn’t make too much of a difference) and shines most when used at lower apertures (f/5.6-f/11) to provide a deep depth of field for travel and landscape type photographs.

Despite being primarily a day-time use lens, the 18-135mm can produce some decent results in low light thanks to the stabilization technology (Optical Steady Shot (OSS)) integrated in this lens. As someone who absolutely hates carrying around a tripod, OSS (in combination with higher ISO settings) allows me to handhold the camera at lower shutter speeds than I initially expected. OSS makes capturing handheld shots very easy, canceling out any possible camera shake you might experience once you enter the telephoto range of this lens. Personally, I’ve taken handheld shots as slow as 1/50th of a second zoomed to about 80mm with no visible camera shake. Unfortunately, the lens does not include a dedicated switch to disable OSS, but you can easily dive into the menu to disable it when necessary.

In combination with its compact footprint, the sharpness of this lens is another reason that I can so honestly recommend it. For a lens of this class, a kit lens which  can “do it all” at a minimal cost, it’s remarkably sharp from 18 to 135mm across the frame, even shot wide open. For pixel-peepers, I’ll concede that there can be some softness in the extreme corners when you’re shooting wide open at 18mm, but either stopping down or zooming in a bit easily clears this up. Regardless, this lens is consistently sharp in the center (where it really counts, ‘cause who’s really scrutinizing the extreme corners?). Despite a minimum aperture of f/22, I typically avoid stopping the lens down to apertures lower than f/11 to ensure the sharpest photos possible and to prevent diffraction, which can lead to some softness in the frame.  

If it means anything to you, the glass is constructed of 16 elements in 12 groups with one aspherical and two extra-low dispersion elements. With that said, the glass used in the 18-135mm can be considered inferior to more pricey zoom options, so there are some optical imperfections to be expected. Most notably, the lens displays significant vignetting and distortion, which is strongest when shot at the widest and longest focal lengths (18 and 135mm). However, closing the aperture down a couple stops from the max and/or zooming to one of the mid-range focal lengths almost entirely helps to mitigate the distortion (though there’s still a bit of vignetting). You’d honestly probably never notice these imperfections because the in-camera software does a fantastic job of eliminating optical issues for immediate viewing, which is particularly good for JPG shooters.

The only way to see the extent of the distortion is by importing the RAW files into Lightroom. At 18mm, you’ll notice that the lens doesn’t fully cover the APS-C sensor it was made to work with. But luckily, Adobe has a dedicated lens profile to easily make the necessary corrections in post. I can see how heavy reliance on software corrections might be off-putting to some purists out there, but personally, I’m okay with adding an extra step to my workflow in order to keep a couple hundred dollars in the bank.

Despite heavy optical distortion, everything else is well controlled on this lens, including chromatic aberration, flaring, and ghosting. Occasionally, I can see some minimal fringing in high-contrast areas of my photos (like where foliage meets a bright sky), but it’s significantly less than the faster E-mount lenses I own. Depending on the conditions, there can be some minimal flaring/ghosting, but you’d have to point it almost directly at the sun. I haven’t noticed anything significant in more normal situations, but I typically keep the included tulip-shaped hood attached to the lens at all times.

The internal autofocus motor in this lens is quick, accurate, and completely silent in basically all kinds of lighting, even indoors. And because the 18-135mm is a native Sony lens, it plays nice with their excellent autofocus system, so you can rest assured that you’re utilizing its full auto-focus potential despite losing light with the lens’ varying aperture.

Quick Notes on the Competition

As mentioned earlier, there aren’t too many all-in-one zoom options for the Sony APS-C system, but there are some other lenses I considered before ultimately deciding on the 18-135mm. Its closest competitor is the Sony 18-105mm f/4 G lens, which costs $50 more and sports a constant f/4 aperture. I was between these two lenses initially, but ultimately chose the 18-135mm based on its size and weight comparisons. The 18-105mm is considerably larger and heavier, and as a stills shooter, its electronic zoom was less than ideal for me personally. If you’re between these two lenses, I say go with the 18-105mm if you’re a videographer or if size and weight are not deal breakers for you. Otherwise, the 18-135mm is equally as sharp and a more ideal choice for travel.

There’s also the Sony 18-200mm OSS f/3.5-6.3, which has a slightly longer zoom, but it’s outdated, more expensive ($750), heavier, and (by all accounts) is not as consistently sharp compared to the 18-135mm. Another close competitor is the Sony Zeiss 16-70mm f/4, which is about the same size, but doesn’t offer as much reach and pushes the budget to almost $900 new. Additionally, many users of this lens suggest that its optical quality is not quite on par with what is expected of the Zeiss moniker.

Even including these honorable mentions, no other E-mount lens on the market offers the same combination of flexibility, cost, and quality as the Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS.

Jack of all Trades, Master of None

If there was ever a photography-related embodiment of the “jack of all trades, master of none” figure of speech, it might be Sony’s 18-135mm lens. The versatility of this glass allows it to fill many shoes, but at the end of the day, it’s not perfect. The not-so-premium build quality, lack of weather sealing, slow, variable aperture, and heavy reliance on software corrections will certainly deter buyers in search of pure optical perfection. However, those willing to make some compromises for the sake of convenience might actually consider this lens the perfect companion.

While this lens won’t exactly put an end to your case of GAS, the Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS is an excellent solution for photographers looking to simplify their decision making process, and ultimately their photography experience. This includes avid travelers and outdoor enthusiasts on a budget who value minimalism and versatility over optical perfection. From personal experience, the combination of size, zoom range, stabilization, and image quality this lens provides outweigh the caveats in real world use. I am consistently impressed with the results produced by what could technically be considered a kit lens.

Despite the compromises Sony made with this lens, I think the only thing I would change is the price. Personally, I think the lens is just slightly overpriced, and it would better serve its user base if it was listed closer to $450-500. But at $550 for a new copy, I think you get the most value when you buy this lens second-hand or bundled with one of Sony’s newer APS-C cameras. If you already own an A6-series body, and you’re considering the 18-135mm lens, I highly encourage searching eBay and other outlets where you’ll find this lens being resold in abundance for between $300 and $400. Probably the only instance in which its reputation as a kit lens works in its favor.

I’m fully aware of the zoom versus prime lens debate, and while prime lenses produce cleaner results, they just don’t offer the sheer flexibility of an all-in-one zoom lens. Don’t get me wrong, keeping a couple extra primes in my travel kit to complement my Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS has turned out to be a good thing, but I feel like sometimes the physical and mental burden of multiple lenses isn’t worth it.

Call me lazy, but that’s what I like about the 18-135mm lens; it just simplifies things for me. I’ve found that limiting my lens options and traveling light helps me mitigate my decision fatigue and enjoy my experiences more. I sincerely think that the real-world performance of this lens far exceeds the expectations of what can be considered a budget-friendly, all-in-one zoom kit lens. And in my humble opinion, this lens deserves more recognition in the E-mount ecosystem as a worthy contender for the best ultralight lens option for Sony APS-C shooters.

Get the Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS Lens new from B&H Photo here

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I wanted to experience photography in all its high-resolution, bokeh-doused glory. I wanted a new device that was portable, could produce higher-resolution photos, and offer me more control and versatility. But most of all, I didn’t want to break the bank. With some research, a little luck, and two Benjamins later, I ended my search as the owner of a Sony A6000. 

The First of Many

The Sony A6000 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera that was released in 2014 to replace Sony’s NEX line of cameras. Initially, it retailed for about $800 with the 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 power-zoom kit lens ($650 for the body only). Sony marketed its new offering towards entry-level consumers and photography enthusiasts, and it sold so well that by 2016 it was considered the best-selling mirrorless camera of all time.

At the time of its release, the Sony A6000 had an impressive set of features, with Sony touting it as having the “world’s fastest autofocus” system. The camera is capable of shooting continuously at 11 frames per second with an autofocus lag of just 0.06 seconds. It also boasts a 24-megapixel APS-C sensor with 179 focus points and 25 contrast points across 100% of the frame, an ISO range of 100-25600, a Bionz X image processor, full HD video capabilities, wireless connectivity, a 3-inch tilting LCD, AND an OLED electronic viewfinder all packed into a body that weighs just 344 grams and can fit in the palm of your hand. What’s not to like?

Before we go any further, we should address the elephant in the room. Earlier I said the Sony A6000 was released in 2014. Yes, you read that right. The A6000 is indeed a six-year-old piece of technology—basically ancient these days. Sony has added five newer, more advanced models to the A6-series line-up in that time: the A6100, A6300, A6400, A6500, and A6600. Yet, the A6000 can still be found, brand new, on shelves at B&H Photo for around $450. Why is this seemingly outdated camera still being manufactured and sold by Sony? The first step toward answering that question is to shoot one.

First Impressions

The A6000 isn’t the most handsome camera. Sony decided to go with a bland, boxy design that doesn’t capitalize on the retro vibe that offerings from Olympus or Fujifilm did half a decade ago. But it’s not ugly. I like to consider it the Joaquin Phoenix of cameras; not aesthetically pleasing, but a great performer.

Build quality is also nothing out of the ordinary. The camera is made mostly of composite plastic with some magnesium alloy thrown in there somewhere. But overall it feels solid. It’s not the most robust, but it can take everyday wear and tear. Keep in mind that it doesn’t sport any weather sealing, so I wouldn’t recommend scaling Mt. Everest with it.

Handling

The A6000 feels great in the hand, surprising for such a small camera. I attribute this to the boxy grip on its right side. This grip protrudes enough from the body of the camera to create a comfortable notch for your forefingers to rest and a thumb indent around the back, allowing for an ergonomic grasp. And it’s covered in a rubbery, textured leatherette, which adds mechanical stiction when grasped. These factors allow the A6000 to fit in hand for long periods of time while exploring your surroundings.

The compact size and light weight of the camera make it very comfortable to tote around for a full day of shooting. Compared to my Olympus OM-2 film camera, known for being one of the most compact 35mm film SLR cameras ever produced, the A6000 is about half the weight and slightly smaller in dimension. It’s not pocketable, but it’s portable enough to fit in a small shoulder bag and light enough to have slung around your neck or shoulder for long periods of time without creating fatigue. While the overall weight of the rig will vary depending on the lens attached, it still feels like a feather compared to any similarly specced DSLR kit.

All of the controls on the camera are arranged to the right side of the device, making it easy and ergonomic for one-handed use. I assume Sony did this on purpose to ensure that if you’re enjoying, say, an ice cream cone in your left hand and you see a decisive moment, you can turn on the camera, change settings as needed, and take the shot(s) without missing neither a beat nor a lick. I’d like to note here that the camera can be quite slow on cold start-up (about 7-10 seconds) compared to newer models, particularly after replacing the battery. Start-up in stand-by mode is much faster (about 2 seconds).

While the right-handed positioning of the controls is nice, the clustered button layout and icons printed on the back make the operation of the camera appear more complicated than it actually is. Like any new device, we get used to it. Busy looks aside, the buttons have a nice click to them and the dials are stiffer than expected (you won’t change any settings by accident).

The most important controls to focus on here are the dials at the top, the thumbwheel, and the function (fn) button on the back. With a few exceptions (depending on how you configure your shooting experience), these are the main controls you’ll use while shooting. Aside from camera modes, aperture, shutter speed, ISO, and drive modes (which are controlled by the dials and thumbwheel) mostly everything is accessed through digital menus, which would be fine if the menus were easier to navigate.

The Menu button on the back is where you get access to basically all the features of the camera, and it’s one of my biggest pain points. The menu system is not very intuitive and navigating the plethora of options with the thumbwheel can get tedious, ultimately slowing down the shooting experience if you’re trying to enable features on the fly. In the beginning, expect to do some excessive menu-diving to get everything set up the way you like it.

Luckily, Sony allows you to customize your button layout to some extent. The body includes two custom function buttons (C1 and C2) and you can remap some of the buttons with existing functionality (this is particularly useful for those who prefer back-button focus). Depending on how you choose to map these controls, you can avoid deep menu-diving in the long run.

The Sony A6000 has a decent 1.44 million-dot OLED electronic viewfinder (EVF) that is positioned on the camera in a rangefinder-esque position. The EVF shows the whole frame, corner to corner, so you’re seeing the photo you get the moment you hit the shutter. Key camera settings and modes are shown in the margins of the frame, so they do not interfere with the actual image display. Additionally, the camera features a proximity sensor that controls the EVF and LCD displays when you bring the camera to your eye, which is meant to save battery. However, the sensor can be too sensitive in some situations, inadvertently turning the LCD screen on and off when taking a photo with the device too closely to your body.

The three-inch LCD screen on the back is fairly bright in most situations and can tilt up or down, providing options for waist-level and over-the-head shots, though it won’t swing out to the side. At default, the screen is not quite bright enough to use in direct sunlight. You can adjust the brightness settings to make it easier to see, but you’ll have to go menu-diving for that. Expect to opt for the EVF during extreme sunny conditions. You can choose how busy (or useful) you want your display to be by toggling through the five display options with the top button on the thumbwheel. Options include graphic display, display all shooting info/icons, no display info, histogram, and viewfinder priority (which forces you to use the EVF to view the image).

In addition, the LCD isn’t the best in terms of resolution. At 922k dots-per-inch, it’s on the lower end of the spectrum, and because of this, image sharpness on the LCD is not quite as accurate as we’ve come to expect in the year 2020, especially with photos taken at higher ISOs. I’ve found that it can be somewhat challenging to determine whether I’ve actually achieved critical focus when relying on the LCD alone. As a budget camera, the display is not a touchscreen, so you’ll have to let the autofocus do the work, or manually select your focus point with the thumbwheel, which can slow down the shooting experience.

The camera’s battery life is decent, not really anything to complain about or praise. You can expect to take around 300-400 photos on a single charge. Personally, I’ve made the camera last a whole day by shooting conservatively and not chimping too much. However, the battery is fairly small and light, so I recommend investing in a couple spare batteries to keep in your kit for more liberal shooting days. Pro-tip: to squeeze out a few more shots on a single charge, try enabling airplane mode, which disables the built-in Wi-Fi and NFC transfer capabilities until you need it.

A quick note on the A6000’s file transfer capabilities: this is a welcome feature, as it makes sharing photos from your camera easier than it normally would be otherwise. To browse the photos on your phone, you need to download Sony’s Imaging Edge app, which is a bit clunky in design and functionality, and tap your phone to the NFC symbol on the grip of the camera. Your phone should connect to the on-board Wi-Fi and launch the app automatically. It can be finicky in practice, but it works. 

Shooting

There’s not much to say about how it feels to shoot a Sony A6000—nothing is really aesthetically pleasing about the way it works. It just does. When taking a photo, the shutter button feels springy and travels quite a bit on the half-press but requires little force to actually take the shot. And it has a relatively quick, high-pitched shutter sound that’s not necessarily obnoxious, but it’s not exactly stealthy either (and there’s no silent shutter mode). However, this thing is satisfyingly quick. In hi-speed burst mode, the A6000 can capture a continuous 11 frames per second, but expect it to take a good chunk of time to write that burst of images to memory. Other than that, the main draws for shooting this camera are easily the image quality and autofocus performance.

When paired with quality lenses, the images produced by the A6000 do not disappoint. For being a six-year-old camera, the resolution output of the 24-megapixel crop-sensor is crisp and clear, matching that of newer offerings and, to the amateur eye, is on par with even those above its class. Being a crop sensor, the dynamic range is not as, well, dynamic as a full-frame sensor, but it’s not something most enthusiasts and entry-level photographers will notice. What’s more, the A6000 can shoot in RAW so you can shoot the densest files and squeeze the most out of them in post-production.

While an APS-C is smaller than a full-frame sensor and therefore doesn’t technically perform as well in low light conditions, the A6000 is still more than capable for most people’s needs, especially when paired with fast lenses. ISO performance is flexible as well, ranging from 100 to 25600; however, taking photos with ISO 3200 and above might result in images that are too noisy for my fellow pixel-peepers. Personally, I set the Auto ISO setting to vary between 100 and 1600 for safe measure.

Taking to the forums, one will find many debates questioning the choices Sony made while developing their color science. Default colors out of the camera can be a bit understated for some, leaning closer to cooler hues. But this isn’t much of an issue for RAW-shooters who expect to do some color correcting later on. Seasoned photographers might not get that “wow” factor straight out of the camera, but the potential is definitely there with a small degree of post-processing. For JPEG-shooters who want results without any post work, the A6000 offers Creative Styles that allow you to customize the color profile (prior to taking a photo).

Focusing

What good is the image quality without accurate autofocus capabilities? Luckily, the Sony A6000 boasts fantastic autofocus performance. Upon its release, Sony touted the camera as having the “world’s fastest autofocus.” While I can’t say for certain that this is still true in 2020, the autofocus is, without doubt, the camera’s strongest feature.

The camera gives you control over the autofocus of the A6000 through various Focus Modes, Areas, and a few tracking features. Aside from full manual focus (MF), it offers multiple modes including Single-shot AF (AF-S), Automatic AF (AF-A), Continuous AF (AF-C), and Direct Manual Focus (DMF). Each of these is quick, highly accurate, and lends a good deal of versatility to the camera.

For example, AF-C works fantastically well for tracking moving subjects, and AF-S works quickly for stills. However, for the set-it-and-forget-it photographer, AF-A offers a hybrid of the two modes, intelligently switching between them based on whether the subject is moving or not. In practice, I found this functionality impressively accurate, though the camera can still hiccup in certain situations. For those looking for manual control over the camera’s autofocus, DMF is another hybrid option that allows you to refine your focus after the camera has done its job. To ensure critical focus, be sure to do some menu-diving to enable the focus assist and focus peaking settings. Personally, unless I’m shooting a moving subject (in which case I use AF-C), I almost exclusively use DMF. Paired with the back button focus technique, focus assist, peaking, and flexible spot focus area, this combo always gives me the clearest results.

The A6000 also has some intelligent tracking features to make its already impressive autofocus performance even more versatile. In my experience, the face detection feature works extremely well, locking focus on the face I’ve intended. When using the wide or zone focus areas with multiple people in the frame, sometimes I have to move the camera around a bit before it guesses the correct subject, so it’s not entirely foolproof. With a little menu-diving, you can register specific faces so they take priority in crowds to ensure even more precise results. Eye-AF works really well too if you’re doing close up, still portraiture, though you need to set it to a custom button to use it entirely. I found that I typically opt to leave the face recognition feature on over dedicating a button to eye-AF, as it’s quicker to use in most settings. Lock-on focus is also very accurate for singling out a moving subject in a relatively busy environment, but it’s another one of those hidden features that can be tedious to activate unless it’s assigned to a custom button.

Exposure Modes

The A6000 offers a total of ten exposure modes. Manual mode, Shutter Priority, Aperture Priority, and Program mode work exactly as expected. However, its fully automatic modes are where the camera makes itself accessible to anyone who wants to pick it up and take perfectly exposed photos without the learning curve.

The Sony A6000 offers Intelligent Auto, Superior Auto, and Scene Selection. All three of these modes give the camera full control over exposure. Intelligent and Superior Auto both automatically analyze the scene and set the appropriate exposure. Sony recommends using Intelligent Auto for quick shooting, as Superior Auto takes multiple shots and merges them together to get the best photo possible with little to no noise. Scene Selection is similar in operation, except you manually decide the type of scene you expect to shoot.

For me, the exposure mode that makes this camera is Memory Recall (MR). Here, Sony gives you the opportunity to fully tailor your shooting experience to your personal preferences. MR gives the user three memory recall slots with which to save your shooting configurations. Basically, you can switch the camera to any of the PSAM exposure modes, set your preferred drive mode, focus mode, focus area, white balance, and ISO requirements, and then save that combination using the memory recall function hidden in the main menu. Once registered to memory, you can access these configurations on the fly using the function (Fn) button (with the dial set to MR). I keep my camera on this exposure mode 100% of the time because it allows me to quickly utilize the various features of this camera without excessive menu-diving or dial-switching.

Worth it in 2020?

Sony has updated its A6-series lineup five times since the 2014 release of the A6000. You’re probably wondering why I’m reviewing the oldest camera of the bunch. Though they all share the same 24-megapixel APS-C sensor, these newer models include notable upgrades that will surely boost your shooting experience. All of the newer A6000-series models offer improved AF performance with 425 phase detection focus points (versus the A6000’s 179), faster processing speeds, higher resolution EVFs and LCDs, and even 4k video. For those who want to ensure crisp shots and video in any situation, the A6500 and A6600 best the A6000 with in-body stabilization (IBIS). The A6100 and 6400 offer 180-degree flipping LCD screens for selfie-lovers and vloggers. And for all-weather adventurers daring to go where no A6000 could ever go, the A6600 is completely weather sealed.

However, these upgrades naturally come at a higher cost. The latest models like the A6100 (technically the A6000’s replacement) go for about $700 new with a kit lens, while the high-spec A6600 can stretch the budget up to $1,800. If money is not an issue, or you are primarily a videographer, the A6000’s successors are indeed a better camera to buy. But if you’re an amateur or enthusiast photographer asking yourself whether it’s worth it to drop a significant amount of cash for a slightly better shooting experience, the simple answer is no.

While you can still find the A6000 new for just under $550 (often bundled with a kit lens and a plethora of accessories), the real value comes when we consider buying a second-hand camera. Remember, this camera is one of Sony’s best-selling cameras of  all time, so it’s widely available on sites like eBay, KEH, and MBP in excellent/like-new condition for well under $400. Don’t let the body-only part discourage you, as the Sony 16-50mm kit lens is a let-down in terms of optical quality, anyway. The real value here comes with the ability to pair any legacy lenses you might already have with a cheap e-mount adapter at a fraction of the cost of most native and third-party e-mount lenses. Legacy glass is a breeze to use on the A6000, especially with focus peaking turned on.

If you’re set on utilizing the excellent autofocus system, investing in high-quality autofocus-enabled glass is naturally essential to getting the best results from this camera. And quality glass of this type is abundant within the e-mount system, including highly praised offerings from the likes of Zeiss, Sigma, Tamron, and of course Sony. I recommend the Sigma f/1.4 series of prime lenses, which offer an impressive balance between value and optical quality. Additionally, the ability to use FE glass (meant for full frame sensors) on the A6000 makes it a flexible entry-level option for those interested in upgrading to one of Sony’s full frame cameras in the future.

Final Thoughts

Despite its six-year-old tech, ho-hum design, and less-than-ideal menu layout, I think the A6000 is still worth plenty of consideration in 2020 based on the value it offers relative to its performance and accessibility. This is especially true for digital photography beginners, or enthusiasts on a budget. It’s a lot of digital camera at a price that certain film SLRs from the 1970s still command.

After ending my quest for my first digital camera as an A6000 owner, I found myself questioning whether cheaping-out for an out-of-date model was the right decision. But after using the camera for quite some time (and using other more modern models since), I’ve come to realize that the A6000 is all the camera that most people could ever need. And with that many units sold, I think it’s fair to call the Sony A6000 a modern classic.

Get your own new Sony A6000from B&H Photo

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The post Sony A6000 Review – a Modern Classic in 2020? appeared first on Casual Photophile.

Before we get too far, let’s quickly digest the alphabet soup of that lens name. The numerous acronyms tell us that it’s a full frame Sony E mount lens (FE) in the brand’s premium G Master range (GM), and that it’s got Optical Steady Shot image stabilization (OSS). Okay, but the most important acronym of all is STF, which stands for “Smooth Trans Focus.” And it is this feature alone which sets the Sony FE 100mm F/2.8 STF GM OSS apart from almost every other lens.

What is a Smooth Trans Focus (STF) Lens?

A Smooth Trans Focus lens is a type of lens which uses an apodization (APO) filter to create exceptionally smooth bokeh (rounded out-of-focus elements) in both the foreground and background of a photograph. The apodization filter is a neutral-grey tinted lens element positioned internally, near to the lens diaphragm. The tint is graduated in such a way that it’s clear in the center and becomes darker toward the edges of the element. This is the magic glass that blurs the bokeh.

The easiest way for us to demonstrate the APO filter’s effect is with highlight bokeh, or out of focus points of light. Where normal lenses will render out of focus points of light as circles or ellipticals with clearly defined edges (commonly called bokeh balls), the STF lens renders these as perfectly round blurry blobs with less defined edges. The same effect is applied to all out of focus elements of a shot, not just bright light sources of course, but seeing the way that the APO filter renders these hard points of light is instructive. It allows us to visualize just how well this lens and its apodization filter blurs all of the blurry bits compared with normal lenses.

STF technology was originally invented and patented by Minolta in the 1980s, but was not made available in a photographic consumer lens until 1999 when the brand released the Minolta 135mm F/2.8 STF lens for their Alpha SLR/DSLR mount. When Sony acquired Minolta and their patents in 2006, the 135mm STF continued to be produced and sold under the new Sony name. In 2017, Sony released the lens which we’re discussing today, the inarguably better Sony FE 100mm F/2.8 STF GM OSS for their E Mount digital mirrorless system cameras.

The genius of the STF lens is that it not only enhances the blur of the out-of-focus areas of an image, but it also renders a perfectly sharp image on the point of focus. This perfectly sharp plane of focus differentiates STF lenses from soft focus lenses, like the $7,195 Leica Thambar-M 90mm F/2.2, which blur the entire image. Additionally, the STF lens’ ability to enhance the blur of both the foreground and background at the same time differentiates the STF lens from so-called defocus control lenses, like the Nikon 135mm F/2 DC lens, which can only enhance the blur of either the foreground or the background, but not both at once.

And that’s the real selling point of the STF lens. It’s not so much the bokeh alone, though the bokeh really is unbelievably refined. And it’s not just the sharpness of the in-focus elements, though they are quite literally the sharpest of any lens I’ve ever used. It’s the perfect juxtaposition of the two qualities. The STF lens excels over other lenses because it provides exceptional bokeh without sacrificing sharpness in the in-focus elements of the shot. There is, in fact, no lens which produces such an incredible combination of in-focus sharpness and out-of-focus blur. There just isn’t.

Quick Specifications

Let’s quickly get through some technical details, and then we can move on to the fun stuff. Being part of the G Master series of Sony E Mount lenses, I expect top shelf specs. The 100mm STF doesn’t disappoint. This lens has everything one could want in a pro-spec lens today. Here’s the list –

• • Native Format – Sony E Mount full frame
  • Focal Length – 100mm (150mm on APS-C cameras)
  • Optical Formula – 13 elements in 10 groups (excluding apodization element); 1 aspherical lens element; ED glass; Nano AR coating
  • Angle of View – 23º (full frame) 16º (APS-C)
  • Maximum Aperture – F/2.8 (T/5.6)
  • Minimum Aperture – F/20 (T/22)
  • Aperture Blades and Shape – 11, circular
  • Aperture Control – Yes, aperture ring with click stops and de-click switch
  • Focus Modes – Automatic (Direct Drive SSM); manual (electronic) with focusing ring; focus position control for close ups, and mid-to-infinity; focus hold button
  • Minimum Focus Distance – 2.79 ft/0.85 m (at “0.85 m–∞” position); 1.87 ft/0.57 m (at “0.57 m–1.0 m” position)
  • Maximum Magnification Ratio – 0.14 (at “0.85 m–∞” position); 0.25 (at “0.57 m–1.0 m” position)
  • Weather and Dust Resistance – Yes
  • Filter Diameter – 72mm
  • Hood Type – Round, Bayonet
  • Size (Diameter x Length) – 3 3/8 x 4 3/4″ (85.2 x 118.1 mm)
  • Weight – 24.7 oz (700 grams)

The F-stop and the T-stop

The lens’ maximum f-stop is F/2.8, but its maximum t-stop is F/5.6. There’s some confusion around what this means, but it’s pretty easy to understand. Here are two quick definitions to get us started.

An f-stop (or f-number) is the ratio of a lens’ focal length to the dimension of its entrance pupil. It is a dimensionless number used to express lens speed in photography. Even if you or I don’t necessarily understand the math behind f-numbers, most of us geeky photographers at least understand, generally, the difference between F/1.8 and F/8 on our lenses and how these numbers impact depth-of-field and light transmission. Assuming we understand f-numbers, t-numbers are fairly easy to understand, too. A t-number is an f-number adjusted to account for light transmission. So if we remember that the apodization filter inside an STF lens is essentially a tinted piece of glass, it’s easy to understand why the light transmitted at the lens’ f-number of F/2.8 might be equivalent to a t-number of T/5.6.

What’s happening is that we’re losing some light as it passes through the apodization filter. So shooting wide open at the lens’ maximum f-stop of F/2.8 correlates to a t-stop of F/5.6, and this progresses in a curve as the aperture is closed with the f-numbers and t-numbers eventually converging to the same value. Since the apodization filter in the lens is graduated, with the neutral-grey tint diminishing to clear glass toward the center of the element, by F/8 the f-number and t-number values eventually match. From F/8 and smaller, f-stops match the t-stops.

One important note – the f-numbers and t-numbers are connected of course, but not in the way that some people say. It’s not right to say that the Sony FE 100mm F/2.8 STF GM OSS isn’t an F/2.8 lens, or that its maximum aperture is really F/5.6, because that’s the t-number and only refers to light transmission, not depth-of-field. A simple way to think of it is that the lens, when shot wide open, has the depth-of-field of an F/2.8 lens but the light collecting ability of an F/5.6 lens. While some reviewers have cited this as the lens’ Achilles heel, I just don’t see it. We’ll get into this in-depth later on, but the quick and easy note – the lens gathers plenty of light.

Practical Use and Ergonomics

The lens is substantial in both size and weight, with an enormous and beautiful front element. The barrel is made of metal, as is the mount. The filter threads and rotating rings (aperture, focus control, focus ring) are made of plastic, with the focus ring lined with a beautifully knurled rubber grip. There’s a weather seal at the mount, and the lens is generally dust and splash proof. It’s luxuriously built and meticulously finished. If you like lenses, you’ll love this lens.

Practical use is effortless. In automatic focus and automatic shooting modes, it’s a point and shoot lens. When we switch to manual controls, things are almost as simple. Aperture can be controlled via the camera body, or via the dedicated aperture ring (this electronically controls the aperture inside). There’s a click control switch on the underside of the lens which allows us to de-click the aperture ring for a fluid rotation.

The manual focus ring is positioned near the front of the lens, and is light and easily rotated with a single finger. Focus is electronic, just like the aperture, fast and responsive. The focus lock button is positioned on the left hand side of the lens, perfectly placed under the thumb when the camera and lens are held in the customary shooting position. Also on the left side of the lens is the Optical Steady Shot image stabilization switch, and a manual focus/automatic focus switch. The focus distance selector ring is positioned near the lens mount. This ring moves the lens elements inside the body to allow close focusing from 0.57 to 1.0 meters.

Image Quality, Shooting, and Sample Shots

Arguably the only section of this lens review that matters, image quality from the Sony FE 100mm F/2.8 STF GM OSS is simply astounding. I’m not sure I’ve ever used a better lens, all things considered. MTF charts are boring, but they are instructive. The Sony MTF chart on this lens is damn near perfect. What more can I say? Just look at the photos.

If you’re interested in a short tele lens for general use, or in a dedicated portrait lens, or you just want perfect sharpness at the plane of focus and unbeatable bokeh everywhere else, this is the only lens you need for Sony E mount. Some people will say that “Lens X or Y makes bokeh that’s just as good.” and in some cases that’s true. But they’re missing the big picture. Other lenses might make equally pleasant bokeh shot wide open, but no other lens makes bokeh like this combined with such perfect sharpness at the plane of focus. And no normal lens can make bokeh this beautiful when stopped down one, two, or even three stops. The blur that this lens can make shot at F/8 is better than some standard F/1.4 prime lenses I’ve used when shot wide open!

There are virtually no optical anomalies to speak of. There’s no distortion that anyone would ever notice. There’s no vignetting. There’s no chromatic aberration (though there is a tiny bit of bokeh color fringing which almost nobody will ever notice). Flaring and ghosting is controlled better than any other lens I’ve used (though there are tiny, tiny flares when we point that big honkin’ lens element directly at the sun).

Shot wide open, we’re naturally seeing the lens’ best bokeh. Again, naturally, bokeh is best presented when we’re shooting subjects which are close. Different from most other lenses, even when we stop down the aperture we’re able to create exceptional bokeh. This is the benefit of the apodization filter. Even at F/8 I can make bokeh blur. That’s just not possible with normal lenses.

Sharpness is exceptional at any aperture, as mentioned many times already. When focusing on distant subjects, the entire field is sharp and contrasty. There’s excellent subject isolation as well, with a beautiful gradation between the point of focus and blurrier bits.

The relatively meager light transmission when shot wide open is often cited as a limiting factor compared with faster, non-STF prime lenses. While it’s obviously true that an F/1.8 will transmit more light wide open, I’m not sure it matters as much as people tend to say. I almost feel like this is an area where reviewers are looking to balance their praise of the lens against a drawback. And sure, I guess it’s a drawback theoretically. But in my time with the lens, the relatively slow maximum t-number didn’t impact my photos at all. Not once did my camera top out its ISO, or even come close. Not once did the shutter speed become so slow that my images suffered from camera shake (remember that we’ve got Optical Image Stabilization within the lens, and that with the newer Sony mirrorless cameras we’ve also got in-body stabilization helping to keep things steady). Yeah, T/5.6 is less bright than F/2.8, but I’m just not seeing that it matters. This lens isn’t typically going to be used in low-light situations, and even when I did so for testing purposes, my camera handled it.

The AF system is silent and responsive, with no external moving parts. Some articles that I’ve read on this lens have called the AF slow. I don’t see it. I’ve been able to instantly focus on whatever I need to focus on, without any fuss. Flying birds, flying bees, kids that won’t stop running, nearly transparent bubbles floating on the breeze; Sony’s DDSSM does the job well (in conjunction with my old workhorse A7II).

What’s been most surprising about this lens isn’t how effortless it is to make incredible looking pictures, though it is effortless. The big surprise is just how versatile it is. The 100mm focal length isn’t what I’d call a “go-to focal length” for me. But in my time with this lens I’ve shot portraits of my kids, macro photos that I’ve not been able to make with any other lens, shots of bees in flight, shots of helicopters and planes in flight, headshots, full body portraits, shots of my motorcycle, landscapes. It’s astounding how many uses I’ve found for the lens, and how excellent it’s been at such a variety of image styles. I could easily see this lens being packed into my everyday camera bag, alongside a 50mm and a wide angle. This trio would cover all of my needs, and I’d be hard-pressed to find a better short tele lens in any system.

Comparison with Other Lenses

In the world of lenses at large there are few competitors to the STF lens. Within the Sony mirrorless system, there’s even less competition. The apodization filter of the Sony FE 100mm F/2.8 STF GM OSS sees to that. Of course there’s the original STF lens, the 135mm that was originally made by Minolta for their A mount. This 135mm STF lens is still available for what’s now known as Sony’s A mount, but this lens has fewer lens elements and performs worse on MTF charts compared with the 100mm. It has fewer aperture blades, and is manual focus only. That lens is 18 years older than the modern 100mm STF. I don’t see any reason to shoot the older lens over the new one.

Outside of Sony’s systems, there’s the Fuji 56mm F/1.2 APD, which is an STF lens for Fuji’s X-series crop-sensor mirrorless cameras. This lens, by all accounts, makes beautiful bokeh. I haven’t yet used it. There’s the Chinese-made Venus Optics Laowa 105mm F/2 STF. This lens is available for Nikon F, Pentax K, Canon EF, Sony E, and Sony A mount, and costs one third to one half the price of the Sony STF (depending on mount). But it’s a manual focus only lens, with no electronic control, with worse build quality. Optical performance in all metrics is inferior.  For many users the Laowa lens will work just fine. If the cost benefit is most important, this may be a good choice.

Final Thoughts

For me, there’s no better short tele lens than the Sony FE 100mm F/2.8 STF GM OSS. And this surprised me. I expected to like the lens, write a review about a one-trick pony that makes blurry bokeh, and return it to my friends at B&H Photo. I didn’t expect to find a lens that’s helped me make some of my favorite photos that I’ve made all year. It’s been a breath of fresh air, and a fun marvel of optical engineering to get lost with.

At $1,495, it’s not a cheap lens. But make no mistake – this is a world-class optic for professionals and enthusiastic amateurs. It’s a lens that will allow us to make world-class photos if we have enough talent and vision and time to practice. Even if we’re not going to make exclusive use of the STF tech, it’s still one of the best lenses we can buy in the short telephoto segment.

Buy your own Sony FE 100mm F/2.8 STF lens from B&H Photo

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