Header banner
Revain logoHome Page
sony sal-135f18z: high-performance 135mm f/1.8 carl zeiss sonnar t telephoto lens for sony alpha digital slr camera logo

Sony SAL-135F18Z: High-performance 135mm f/1.8 Carl Zeiss Sonnar T Telephoto Lens for Sony Alpha Digital SLR Camera Review

12

·

Very good

Revainrating 5 out of 5  
Rating 
4.8
👓 Lenses, 📷 Camera & Photo

View on AmazonView on ЯM

Media

(1)
img 1 attached to Sony SAL-135F18Z: High-performance 135mm f/1.8 Carl Zeiss Sonnar T Telephoto Lens for Sony Alpha Digital SLR Camera

Photos by authors

(5)
img 2 attached to Sony SAL-135F18Z: High-performance 135mm f/1.8 Carl Zeiss Sonnar T Telephoto Lens for Sony Alpha Digital SLR Camera
img 3 attached to Sony SAL-135F18Z: High-performance 135mm f/1.8 Carl Zeiss Sonnar T Telephoto Lens for Sony Alpha Digital SLR Camera
img 4 attached to Sony SAL-135F18Z: High-performance 135mm f/1.8 Carl Zeiss Sonnar T Telephoto Lens for Sony Alpha Digital SLR Camera
img 5 attached to Sony SAL-135F18Z: High-performance 135mm f/1.8 Carl Zeiss Sonnar T Telephoto Lens for Sony Alpha Digital SLR Camera

Details

BrandSony
Lens TypeWide Angle
Compatible MountingsMinolta Alpha
Camera Lens Description135 millimetres
Maximum Focal Length135 Millimeters

Description of Sony SAL-135F18Z: High-performance 135mm f/1.8 Carl Zeiss Sonnar T Telephoto Lens for Sony Alpha Digital SLR Camera

Product Overview

The Sony SAL-135F18Z 135mm f/1.8 Carl Zeiss Sonnar T Telephoto Lens for Sony Alpha Digital SLR Camera is a powerful lens designed to deliver exceptional telephoto shots with outstanding sharpness and clarity. With its wide aperture and advanced features, this lens is a perfect choice for photographers looking to capture stunning images with ease.

Key Features and Benefits

Superb Optical Performance: The Carl Zeiss Sonnar T 135mm f/1.8 Telephoto Lens boasts a wide aperture, allowing for incredibly bright and detailed telephoto shots. The lens utilizes two ED Glass elements, ensuring sharp and clear long-distance images with minimal aberrations.

Enhanced Focusing Capabilities: With the internal focusing mechanism and close-up focusing capability of less than three feet, this lens offers precise and fast auto-focus response, making it suitable for a wide range of photography genres, including portraits, wildlife, and sports.

Sony Super Steady Shot System: The lens incorporates the Sony Super Steady Shot system, which helps to stabilize images and minimize camera shake, resulting in sharper and blur-free photos even in challenging shooting conditions.

Wide Application and Versatility

This versatile lens is a valuable addition to any photographer's kit. Its remarkable characteristics make it suitable for a variety of photography styles and situations. Whether you are capturing breathtaking landscapes, stunning portraits, or distant subjects, the Sony SAL-135F18Z delivers exceptional results.

Expand Your Creative Possibilities

By investing in the Sony SAL-135F18Z lens, photographers can overcome the limitations of standard lenses and unlock new creative opportunities. With its impressive focal length and wide aperture, this lens allows for unique perspectives, beautiful background blur, and superb subject isolation.

Who Can Benefit from This Lens?

Photography enthusiasts and professionals alike can benefit from the exceptional capabilities of the Sony SAL-135F18Z lens. It is particularly suitable for portrait photographers who desire stunning bokeh and sharp subject details. Wildlife and sports photographers will appreciate its long focal length and fast autofocus performance, enabling them to capture action-packed moments with precision.

Where Can This Lens Be Used?

  • Landscape Photography: Capture breathtaking scenic vistas and nature's wonders.
  • Portrait Photography: Achieve professional-level portrait shots with beautiful bokeh.
  • Wildlife Photography: Get up close and personal with distant wildlife subjects.
  • Sports Photography: Freeze fast-paced action and preserve the excitement of the game.
  • Event Photography: Document special occasions with clarity and detail.
  • Carl Zeiss Sonnar T 135mm f/1.8 Telephoto, Wide aperture for amazingly bright telephoto shots, Superb sharpness with Sony Super Steady Shot system. Close-up focusing capability (less than three feet), Internal Focusing to speed auto-focus response. 2 ED Glass elements for sharp clear long shots. Carl Zeiss Sonnar T 135mm f1.8 telephoto with wide aperture for amazingly bright telephoto shots. Superb sharpness with Sony Super SteadyShot system. Close-up focusing capability (less than three feet). Internal Focusing to speed autofocus response. 2 ED glass elements for sharp clear long shots.

    Hide

    Reviews

    Global ratings 12
    • 5
      10
    • 4
      2
    • 3
      0
    • 2
      0
    • 1
      0

    Type of review

    Revainrating 4 out of 5

    Well done, but I wont buy any more.

    There is sharpness, but not what others say. The picture quality is normal, focusing is fast, the lens is very good for its money, but it does not cost as much as any Sigma 135mm or Kenon or Nikon. I can’t say anything particularly bad for him, and I can’t say anything particularly good either. Did he satisfy me? Well, probably more yes than no. I switched from it to 85mm 1,4 Karl, it is much worse than 135. Examples of photos of Sony a99 and 135.

    Pros
    • Well, nothing such a lens
    Cons
    • Heavy, with a large hood, not the sharpness for which everyone writes.

    Revainrating 5 out of 5

    The best product, from those that I have viewed, I advise everyone!

    For a very long time, I dreamed about this lens, read forums, looked for reviews (of which there are not so many) and eventually decided to buy. The lens completely changes the idea of ​​​​photos and processing. Awesome drawing, Zeiss color, (I heard a lot about it, but I didn’t think it was such a bomb.) sharpness, acceptable XA. Honestly, I don’t know what could be better than this lens, it’s perfect. I’m shooting on a Sony a57 crop and even on it the picture is very nice. It will be very…

    Pros
    • Sharpness, aperture, autofocus, pattern, color are not so terrible XA, in general, an ideal lens.
    Cons
    • Weight and that's about it. You can say about the price, but I bought for 35 bu in very good condition.

    Revainrating 5 out of 5

    Very pleased with this purchase, will recommend it to everyone!

    Picture - removal of the brain. The focus works faster than its counterpart 85 1.4. There were comments that when autofocus is working, there is nowhere to put your hand away, it interferes with focusing, I did not notice this. So far, only positive emotions, if something disappoints, I will write Got pros: The sharpness is amazing. bokeh! Compared with 85 1.4, which I have been using for 2 years already, I like this one much more. The picture is larger. Cons below: Haven't found it yet. In the

    Revainrating 5 out of 5

    A great option for this money, one of the best offers.

    Half a year went licking his lips at him, And then it came true. Having made the first deliberate shots with him, he received a volume of joy that did not know the chapel. In the studio, he performed even better than I expected. The plasticity of the picture makes you enter into an indescribable delight =) Who shoots portraits - must have. Very good for subject shooting with its plasticity and "oiling" the background. Lens for Thoughtful Shooting

    Pros
    • Sharp, very nimble, weighty, Resistant to backlight.
    Cons
    • longitudinal XA on an open aperture.

    Revainrating 5 out of 5

    The best I ever used, recommend it to everybody.

    This is, without any stretch, the best glass in its class, the brightest star in the entire line of lenses for Sony. And yes, perhaps the best portrait lens on the market. I had experience with the Canon 135 2/0L and I can say that it surpasses it in the most important thing - in the final perception of the picture, and surpasses it convincingly. But it is inferior to "Elka" in practicality for professional use and in autofocus speed. The difference in their price, I think, is justified. A must

    Pros
    • 1) Emotional perception of pictures. Definitely, there is some magic in the photographs from him. The picture is simply mesmerizing. Even from the unremarkable composition of the frame made on him, it is impossible to take your eyes off. In skillful hands, he is not at all capable of doing something different from masterpieces. 2) Exceptional optical qualities. Very fast for such a focal length. High contrast, dense, saturated color. And, perhaps, the most important thing is a soft transition to the blur zone, which gives the picture such volume. 3) Precise autofocus 4) Excellent sharpness from wide aperture
    Cons
    • 1) Autofocus, although accurate, is rather slow, which makes the lens unsuitable for shooting sports. However, there are completely different glasses for this. 2) Dimensions and materials. This is the largest and heaviest glass in the class. The lens is completely metal, which in practice is not good. It is not for nothing that the main manufacturers of optics, starting from the mid-80s, tried to use high-quality plastics and rubber in the decoration of even professional models. Of course, that same "feeling of premium", for which marketers are ready to sacrifice everything, appears at the first glance at it, and intensifies when you pick it up. This was clearly done not for professionals, but for wealthy amateur photographers. For the pros, this excellent blackening wears down to metal after a couple of months of heavy use, which does not add to the resale value of the lens. In addition, the metal is quite thin, which, combined with a large mass, leads to the most deplorable consequences even with a small fall. In winter, you can’t shoot without gloves on it, your fingers tan immediately. 3) A hood made of the same metal as the lens is very heavy. In addition, the mount for it on the lens is plastic. With frequent use, it loosens instantly. No matter how blasphemous it may sound, it is better to replace this beauty with a light Chinese lens hood, at least in order to preserve the lens itself. 4) There is no protection against twisting the focus ring beyond the working positions, which creates a high risk of accidentally damaging the mechanics. Strange for a lens for such money.

    Revainrating 5 out of 5

    Valuable purchase, nothing but pluses!

    It combines two characteristics that are incompatible for conventional lenses: razor sharpness and image plasticity, for which we pay. The bokeh is unsurpassed, perhaps the best I've ever seen. Gives magical shots due to the ultra-shallow depth of field and at the same time is very sharp across the entire field. Autofocus is not very fast, but tenacious. Very rarely, AF works with strong "soap" in the viewfinder, but this is immediately noticeable. There are no autofocus micro-misses, which is…

    Pros
    • Sharpness across the entire field at an open aperture, beautiful bokeh, aperture, plastic, metal, excellent lens hood and a case that can be put on the lens mounted on the camera.
    Cons
    • Weak, delicate design of the front element, on which the lens hood sits, in the autofocus mode on the camera, the focusing ring can break the kinematics of the AF lens when twisting (there is no at least manual unlocking like Tokin), no ultrasonic motor, slow autofocus (on Sony a 850) , autofocus can in some cases drive back and forth and focus inaccurately, which was never the case with cheap zooms on the same camera. Light sources in the frame can give ghost reflections and halos. Attracts the attention of others.

    Revainrating 5 out of 5

    Just Beautiful in SLR Camera Lens

    I've been using this lens for several months. This is the best lens I've ever had. I use it with my Sony A65. I learned my craft as an amateur and this lens made a huge difference. There is a lot of feedback on the technical side, so I wanted to highlight the fact that this lens will up everyone's game and deliver great images.

    Pros
    • Close focus (less than a meter), internal focus for faster autofocus response
    Cons
    • Dimming

    Revainrating 5 out of 5

    Amazing piece of glass!

    This lens is the pinnacle of technology and optical quality for portrait artists. Although it's a bit difficult to use on the mirrorless A7R, I haven't taken this lens off the camera since I've had it. Images are rendered beautifully and the bokeh at f/1.8 is amazing. The center of the image is very sharp when the aperture is wide open and makes for incredible shots.

    Pros
    • 2 ED glass elements for sharp, clear distance shots
    Cons
    • Slightly wrinkled

    Revainrating 5 out of 5

    Beautiful portraits

    This is my favorite lens on my Sony a68. This Zeiss lens is ultra-sharp and thanks to the camera's built-in stabilization I can use it handheld in surprisingly low light. I use it almost everywhere in every situation, especially for portrait work. I also like to use it for astrophotography. By the way, I recommend buying a Hoya 77mm HD3 UV filter to protect the lens. I wish it was weatherproof.

    Pros
    • Inner focus for faster autofocus response
    Cons
    • Crumpled packaging

    Revainrating 4 out of 5

    This is the one. on SLR lenses

    This really is a unicorn lens as others have attested. I've used a number of specialized fixed focal length portrait lenses, usually in the 85mm to 100mm range, but this is by far the best. Crisp, vibrant colors, superbly rounded bokeh. Yes, it's a heavy monster - definitely not a 'walking' lens like my trusty 24-70mm - but it's the 'big gun' you fire when you're snapping someone's picture in the studio. I've attached a few example photos (including a selfie) taken with my Alpha 7 II camera…

    Pros
    • 2 ED glass elements for sharp, crisp shots from long distances
    Cons
    • Quality

    Revainrating 5 out of 5

    Great lens but really need SSM!

    This lens produces sharp images with lots of detail. However, I believe you need a full frame body to get the most out of the quality of this lens. With a wide range of working focal lengths, it can hunt a bit in low light (similar to the range of a macro lens). If he had SSM, maybe it could solve this problem. The lens weighs over 2 pounds but has all-metal construction, including a focus ring (much better than rubber ones, which pick up dust, dirt, and white oxidation easily). I personally…

    Pros
    • Close focus (less than 3 feet)
    Cons
    • Zero

    Revainrating 5 out of 5

    Fantastic lens with excellent optical design. Its worth it!

    Exceptional optical design. Made in Japan. I use this lens with a LA-EA4 adapter on my Sony A7rii. The pictures are excellent. The lens is an older screw mount design and therefore requires a built-in motor adapter (LA-EA4). Focusing is noisy but image quality is excellent. I bought this lens a while ago and it's one of my favorites. I can't justify buying the outstanding Sigma 135 1.8 Art lens that just came out. I think the pictures are comparable. The advantage of the Sigma is that with the…

    Pros
    • Carl Zeiss Sonnar T 135mm f/1.8 wide-angle telephoto lens for amazingly bright telephoto shots
    Cons
    • Traded in