lenslover's reviews

  • Sony 16-50mm f/2.8 DT SSM SAL1650

    9 out of 10 points and recommended
    Useful range 11-50mm, excellent sharpness, solid built, overall image quality
    little softness at corner at 50mm

    If you are looking for a lens in this range ( 11-50mm ) for your Sony APS-C, try to make some savings and only buy this Sony DT16-50mm F/2.8. Sony did a very good job to produce this kit lens ( I'd say '' a G kit lens '' ) Its performance is well worth the money you spend. Tamron and Sigma also had their beautiful products as alternatives ( also tested at SLRGEAR ) but, you will discover some points that they still cannot match the Sony DT 16-50mm f/2.8 quality.

    reviewed July 24th, 2012 (purchased for $684)

  • Sony 135mm f/1.8 Carl Zeiss Sonnar T* SAL-135F18Z

    10 out of 10 points and recommended
    Sharp ! sharp ! sharp ! Perfect bokeh, contrast
    May be a bit heavy for some. Nothing else to say.

    - In RAW, absolutely no need of processing.
    - Very sharp, very technically balanced in every way
    - Built quality : top notch
    - At 1.8, dreammy bokeh, fantastic night scene, unbelievable portrait with natural light.
    - From 4.0, perfect sharpness from center to corners for landscape.
    - Fast, precise and silent focusing
    - For some, it could be a little heavy walk around lens, but you wont feel any fatigue when seeing its results.
    If you owned Sony Alpha system, this is the very best investment after the useful standard zoom DT16-50mm SSM.

    reviewed November 8th, 2012 (purchased for $1,990)

  • Sony 35mm f/1.8 DT SAM SAL35F18

    9 out of 10 points and recommended
    Excellent sharpness, light (170gr), fast aperture for low light hand held
    mainly plastic

    I owned it and shoot with my A77 :
    - Focusing with SAM motor : a bit noisy, not fast for action but accurate for most of the cases
    - Plastic built : looks cheap and the cost is cheap indeed
    - I recommend you to try some chose-up shots ( at about 0.30m ), you will be amazed by the result even at the max aperture 1.8
    - From f/2.0, very impressive for landscape, candids, portrait.
    - Very good sharpness from center to corner from f/4
    - At 170gr, you never notice that you have this lens attached to you camera.
    Sony DT 35mm f1.8 simply deserved a BRAVO.

    reviewed January 7th, 2013 (purchased for $220)