Sony E 18-105mm f/4 PZ G OSS Lens

Has anyone bought this lens? If so, what do you think of it?

DON

Has anyone bought this lens? If so, what do you think of it?

 

DON

It's my everyday carry lens, I really like it. Very sharp, pretty fast (high school night football games, hiking, family gatherings) and not overly huge on my a6000.

I also do some video, and the variable speed power zoom is a nice feature. Mostly I manually zoom it, and it's easy to manually focus as well.

Daily lens. Good range, fast enough with a constant f/4 aperture. The power zoom worried me before it arrived but I have not noticed any problem with performance or usability issues since.

Dave

Has anyone bought this lens? If so, what do you think of it?

 

DON

I just came back from about three weeks cruise and port stay in Asia. All Sony equipment (A6300) with a 70mm-300mm, 18mm Rokinon, 35mm and the 18mm-105mm.

Other thn some stage shots with the 300mm and night ehots mainly with the 35mm. I would say that the 18mm-105mm was my carry-everywhere. Was pretty good for night shots as well.

Sharp, dependable, and thank you Dave for recommending that lens. It was everything you said it would be!

It has been ordered used from Adorama. Will be here on Friday. I will be taking it on a Caribbean cruise in a week.

DON

It has been ordered used from Adorama. Will be here on Friday. I will be taking it on a Caribbean cruise in a week.

 

DON

Lens came in today. Based on my first 10 minute test, it looks impressive. Also not large so I can easily carry it on my wrist strap or on my belt clip. Seems like it's low light capability is very good.

BTW - it might be technically used but it came in the original box with all the original parts and I can see no marks or wear on it.

DON

Lens came in today. Based on my first 10 minute test, it looks impressive. Also not large so I can easily carry it on my wrist strap or on my belt clip. Seems like it's low light capability is very good.

 

BTW - it might be technically used but it came in the original box with all the original parts and I can see no marks or wear on it.

 

DON

I prognosticate happiness... ;)

When I was researching before I got mine I read a review by someone who had bought one used. The salesman told him that the first user had returned it because of its size without ever mounting it. While it takes the A6000/A6300 out of the "Jacket-pocketable" realm, I have been very happy with the handling and overall performance. It rarely leaves the A6300 these days.

Happy shooting!

Dave

Some plane shots with it this week:

I do like this lens, very fun once I get me camera settings dialed in correctly...

Lens came in today. Based on my first 10 minute test, it looks impressive. Also not large so I can easily carry it on my wrist strap or on my belt clip. Seems like it's low light capability is very good.

 

BTW - it might be technically used but it came in the original box with all the original parts and I can see no marks or wear on it.

 

DON

Turns out that the lens is brand new and has never been registered w Sony. I was able to go onto the Sony WEB site and register it as a new lens. Seems as if I made out on this one.

DON

A number of the reviews of this lens say it has a good bit of (pin cushion) distortion at the longer focal lengths. Have you guys experienced this?

I'm a jpeg shooter, I'd be using the lens on my a6000, and am wondering about this possible problem. I do like to take a lot of architectural images (cathedrals, etc.).

Will the a6000's in-camera Distortion Correction take care of distortion issues with this lens? (Any reason to set that feature to Auto rather than On?)

Basically, I'm asking whether there's a distortion problem with this lens, and if so, whether it can only be dealt with in post.

Thanks for any advice!

So KEH had a flash 15% off sale... so I bit on the Zeiss 16-70/4 in excellent condition for $700. I've read mixed things, so we will see. I figure if I hate it, I can eventually re-sell it without much of a loss.

So KEH had a flash 15% off sale... so I bit on the Zeiss 16-70/4 in excellent condition for $700. I've read mixed things, so we will see. I figure if I hate it, I can eventually re-sell it without much of a loss.

I paid $480 for mine.

DON

Here's a shot from tommui from his trip to Asia. Shot on the A6300 with the 18-105. F/4 is pretty fast with the A6x00 camera's low -light capability.

Dave

Here's a shot from tommui from his trip to Asia. Shot on the A6300 with the 18-105. F/4 is pretty fast with the A6x00 camera's low -light capability.

 

 

Dave

I'm seeing a lot of artifact and noise...... did you shoot that as raw or jpeg, and what ISO?

I'm seeing a lot of artifact and noise...... did you shoot that as raw or jpeg, and what ISO?

Yep - usually I would process it further using Topaz or something similiar to reduce the noise and artifact but I don't print beyond 8x10 (no wall space!). But I wanted DonaldSC to see what the lens was capable of doing in the dark.

Forgot what the metadata on it was - it's somewhere on the photo - but it was in jpeg, f4, believe the ISO was around 3600.

Thanks Dave!

Yep - usually I would process it further using Topaz or something similiar to reduce the noise and artifact but I don't print beyond 8x10 (no wall space!). But I wanted DonaldSC to see what the lens was capable of doing in the dark.

 

Forgot what the metadata on it was - it's somewhere on the photo - but it was in jpeg, f4, believe the ISO was around 3600.

 

Thanks Dave!

Surprised it isn't cleaner at 3600.... but then again, I don't love the A6300 jpegs.

Surprised it isn't cleaner at 3600.... but then again, I don't love the A6300 jpegs.

The copy I got from Tom was a downrezzed 1200x800 .psd. I cleaned some of the noise (file tags indicated ISO6400) but noise is much harder to eliminate on a small file.

Dave

It's usually the first lens I recommend for any Sony crop user. Followed by the Zeiss 55 and 90 Macro.

It's usually the first lens I recommend for any Sony crop user. Followed by the Zeiss 55 and 90 Macro.

May want to add the Rokinon 12mm f/2.0 to the recommendation list. Fantastic lens and the combination of native depth of field and focus peaking make it very user-friendly for a manual lens.

Dave

I've heard good things about it.

Sailing this weekend. This will be my first cruise as a photographer really..traveling with more than a point and shoot. Which means it's been too long.

Well I bit the bullet after the recommendations from my favorite Picture takerers, I will be using it for my two trips to Hawaii next year, continuing the photo project of a Senior and videotaping my son's junior rectal next spring. It was a Craig's special so I will hope for the best. The day here in Phoenix is pouring rain so I had to test it indoors, not the best. But the price was right and the seller seem genuine.

John

What is everyone using for a filter on this lens? looking at UV/haze but don't know if I should go light or medium Haze. Anyone give me a education on filters?

John

I'm not using one this time around - just the hood as a protector.

I did get a really dark ND for it so I can try to do those long exposures in daylight at busy scenic spots to try and soften the water and make the people disappear (castles, Giants Causeway, etc.)

I thought you bought CP for Hawaii early this year, I really wanted to know how it went since I will be going in acouple months for my first of two visits. Thinking about Dave's Moose CP he has not steer me wrong yet.

John

I thought you bought CP for Hawaii early this year, I really wanted to know how it went since I will be going in acouple months for my first of two visits. Thinking about Dave's Moose CP he has not steer me wrong yet.

 

John

I ended up ordering a Moose CP for mine. It's about the only filter other than an ND that I still use.

Dave