The background:
From the Sony A57 with Tamron 70-200 F2.8, F2.8 Tamron 17-50, SAL (but Great pictures too heavy) 50 F18 I switched over to the other extreme, Sony RX 100 M2 and M3 after (very easy, especially in low light blurred, blurred images) and then ultimately to land at the Sony Alpha 6000.
After Festbrennweite SEL 35 F1.8 (super, highly recommended) and SEL16-50 F3.5-5.6 (not as poor image quality and super compact) I bought Sony SEL 55-210 F4.5-6.3. This telephoto zoom lens seems to have a certain scatter. For my sister it's amazing sharp, with me it was rather disappointing. I have it sent then to Sony customer service, but get there by pointing the no error it exactly back.
I have it re-sold and ordered the SEL P18105G as a substitute.
About the Lens
The SEL is P18105G knackscharf, reported without correction as hell. Chromatic aberrations, ghosting and lens flare, so symptoms when the light from the front or the side is, I can not provoke. !
Sharpness:
The focus is not far away from the fixed focal length and very far above that of the SEL and SEL 55-210 16-50.
At the edges of the fixed focal length is sharper in the center there is a head to head race, which I find very impressive for a travel zoom.
Distortion:
What you need to know: This lens has been developed in the knowledge that there is a correction. Anyone who sees the RAW images in Lightroom, will first check a strong distortion. Easy Lens Corrections switch and everything is beautiful. Who is photographed in jpg format not notice the the lens correction takes place in the camera.
Some smart aleck put this out as a problem, which is of course nonsense.
The correction means software has advantages over an optical correction with additional glass elements. The sensors of the Nex 7, Alpha 3000, 5000, 5100 and 6000 have been able to provide much more resolution than lenses for APS-C at all. Thus the sensors have no problem to accommodate the high density of image information in the center and then distribute via software so that an image is formed without distortion. Sure, an optical rectification using additional glass lenses would be possible third-party or old lenses have the even, as there is for this no software correction, but however this additional glass elements provide necessarily for damping (image becomes darker), phase shift (Chromatic Aberration) and blur due smallest impurities in the glass.
Focal length range:
Wide 18 mm - what can I say, 16 mm would have been nice, but in most cases also extend 18 mm. The support with the 16 mm fixed focal length make little sense, the thing is not worth much. It makes even more sense to consider taking account of price, weight and size over the SEL1018.
Normal range 35-50 mm: Very good even the edges are slightly sharper.
Light telephoto 70-105 mm: Very good, the edges are not as sharp, which does not bother me in practice, since I use the telephoto rather in portraits and animal photography. These images are designed so that the depth of field is to be small and only of human, animal or plant must be sharp in the middle area.
Caution:
Since the last camera software update (11/03/2014) the Clear Image Zoom is in JPG format possible so simulated 210mm (at reduced resolution).
Aperture:
F4 enough to blur to the background at telephoto setting and keeping the shutter speed low.
In an intermediate focal length a little more brightness would be nice. Not to blur the background to F4 ranges at 35-50 mm but still has enough to get good pictures to even indoors, night markets and dusk.
In the wide-angle end is likely to operate at higher f-numbers. Typical wide angle photos are landscape or architecture where everything should be sharp (sinnigerweise benefited especially the wide-angle range from dim in sharpness at the edges!).
The good brightness also allows the use of polarizing filters. They must have 72 mm diameter.
Macro:
Nah, it can not. At 105 mm I, a 20 cm full width representing approximately 75 mm I have the maximum magnification, since I can represent 13 cm Full Frame.
There is a solution: PSC = 1
Move so-called intermediate rings to photograph the zoom range to insects or caterpillars Full Frame.
Video:
But actually it has been done the lens. What I can say, the zoom is inaudible to me. Otherwise, I have to admit that I hardly recognized myself with video and therefore the specialists leave the word.
I have a few pictures inserted, so you can get an idea already times. Follow holiday pictures so I hope next year.
As a very nice addition I can the Sony Festbrennweite SEL 35F18 highly recommended. This objective fits in many cases, when the zoom lens is reaching its limits, or I want to have something small, lightweight, light-strong, universal here.
The lens gets me 5 stars!
Although the lens has weaknesses, but only there where it is not relevant in practice. Distortion can be corrected or camera Intern in popular image editing software. Edge blurring interested in telephoto less, do not exist in the central area or can be greatly reduced by stopping the wide angle end.
Focal range is sufficient. Sharpness is very good!
Have fun with it
Achim Pancke
