Sony PZ 18-105mm f/4 OSS 'G' lens review with samples
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- Опубліковано 20 вер 2018
- Here we have yet another zoom lens option for Sony's APS-C cameras, this time, with some special features for video makers. With its nice zoom range and constant maximum aperture of f/4, will it be attractive enough for stills photographers, too? It's for Sony's E-Mount mirrorless cameras, and it covers and APS-C image circle.
Find it here (Amazon affiliate link):
geni.us/sonypz18105
All pictures taken by me on Sony a7r ii and Sony a5100 cameras.
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Music:
'Opportunity Walks', Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
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The smooth jazz, the voice, the knowledge. Heaven-like!
Love the consistency of your reviews and they are one of the most informative around. Thanks!
Something very very important about this lens that wasn't mentioned very much is that it has internal zoom and focusing.
Many zoom lenses during zoom are extended and eventually attract dust particles inside the lens. Also many lenses during autofocus extend the front element and that can also attract dust inside.
With the 18-105mm f/4 nothing is moving externally and that is a great protection against dust and maybe moisture.
This lens probably has rear focusing. The rear elements is moving during autofocus. But this element is much more protected by the mount than the front element.
so the elements pull and push inside the len right? oh hell no, the air suck and breathing still active and dust still get in no matter what, it just less than common zoom, so just minor protection, unless sony add rubber gasket to len joints to enhance the resistance....
and the problem is.....you can't block air 100%, zoom need air, or else it will fail!
HaiNam Nguyen The lack of rubber on the mount is a problem too.
love your reviews straight up and you know you have seen enough glass to be balanced. many thanks
this is the best review i've seen on this lens. subbed!
I really enjoy your lens videos and humour. Keep up the great work my friend. 👍🇨🇦🇻🇳
It's an awesome lens IMO, unbelievably, I got it cheap on Chile, cheaper than purchasing it on B&H. Another great review, Christopher, I really enjoy your channel.
Great review Christopher. For Video on APS-C just great for the price. I own it together with the a6000. I like it also for travelling.
Good review! I love your channel Chris! From Indonesia much love!
Please don't stop reviewing and preaching! 😀
Really like your camera image testing it brings me back to photography school. This is the type of info i need but don't always get. Well done mate. Still looking for a good grey scale test with an 18% cardboard as i did when i shot film.
The best and most concrete review of this lens👍
Ever reliable with methodical analysis.
Thank you Christopher!
I've used it a lot on my a6000 and a6500. Good image quality, very versatile. I do always need to frame my pictures a bit wider, because fixing the distortion in Lightroom means it crops the image significantly unfortunately. This of course isn't an issue shooting video, and 4K on the a6500 is really crisp.
One of the best reviews on this lens...!!!
I've had this lens for about 2 years and mainly use it for stills. It has lot going for it and is far better than than the 16-50mm kit lens. It's very versatile and ridiculously light, it really is the perfect travel lens in my opinion. However, it's not my favourite lens. That pin-cushioning is crazy bad though.
I love your reviews! You're very objective. Thanks!
thanks Christopher for this new video, i like so much your sweet voice, very easy to understand for a non-english borned
actually i bought this PZ 18-105 andi can't wait to use it after have seen what you make yourself with it !! :D
Thank you, Christopher! I've been all morning watching your reviews contrasting with the market prices trying to decide which lens to get for an upcoming video project. I think the conclusion is this lens, despite it being wildly different from my original gut instinct.
Glad to be of service :-)
I like how music & font of content changed when discussing distortion.
I keep this on my A6500 all the time, despite having Canon &Sigma lenses. It’s a great walk around lens and awesome for video. It goes well with my Sony 10-18 and Sony 35 1.4 as I am a hybrid shooter. I These 3 lenses without the lens hoods fit (sweet) in a small camera bag like the Peak Design 5l bag. So glad I left DSLR’s and didn’t invest (yet) in full-frame. It also comes in really handy for gimbal work. It suffers in low light but if you are running around town or on vacation, it has a sleek design and is lightweight. It is a great (better than average) kit lens, but not remarkable.
Thanks for the review. I have this and some good primes. I actually love this lens because it does everything well - if not brilliantly, and not many lenses do everything well. I'm taking about gimbal work, ibis, auto focus, video quality, still quality, zoom range, aperture, bokeh. All very decent. That's actually amazing when you think about it. That's why it's worth the money. And great for holidays. I bring this and a high quality prime and I'm all set.
what is your high quality prime?
Holy shit I thought I recognised that view of the sea, and I was just up at Cilgerran castle a few weeks ago- fished in that river and stated in tresaith- small world eh? Great vid cheers mate
This has been the best breakdown of this lens that I've seen so far. Excellent work thank you. What's the best lens for the best bokeh?
The scary piano music and the creepy text font is a good touch
Great review!
I must say, you have one of the most detailed and interesting videos out there. Amazing work!
I was wondering what you would choose to upgrade the 16-50 kit lens on an a6000? Preferably a fast zoom. Im struggling to decide and can't really afford anything above £600 otherwise i wouldve gone for the sony 16-55 f2.8 :(
that was some spoooky distortion, shame it's only September
Great review! :)
for now this lens is my daily lens on my a6000, together with my sigma 16mm f1.4
i like the flexibility of zoom lens, since i don't have to replace lens each time i want different focal length.
the only time i switched to my sigma 16mm is when i want the widest focal length(16mm), for great bokeh, and when in low light/night time situations.
I recorded a full vlog with Sony a6600 and Sony 18-105 lens. Here it is: ua-cam.com/video/_OOU_1yX3iM/v-deo.html
Great content! you should definitely be more known!
The best apsc all around zoom lens.. I have it along with sel 35 and FE 85
This sounds like a great gimbal zoom lens. As the zoom is internal it won't put too much stress. Great when you are in a boat filming animals for example.
Zoom speed can be corrected easily when editing and this is a great lens for full frame video work as 4k crops in anyway by default .
What a beauty. Zoom part as canon PZ E1
Just bought this for some video and stills projects in africa. Overall it performed fairly well. The biggest challenge of it is its not wide enough at 18mm (im used to a 24 to 105 on full frame) so the extra 3mm sounds small but is huge in real world use... So i eas constantly switching to a wider lens. I have owned the zeiss 16-70 before which does give a 24mm equivalent and i found that lens much more useful for general use. (Although the long end of the 18-105 is also nice). I sold the lens after the project as i still have the canon 24-105 with a speed booster and works great apart from no eye focus. I really dont see myself using this sony 18-105 much again so its gone!
For video this lens is fantastic! You get a wide range of focal lengths, a constant aperture, an electronic zoom, and a relatively compact package! Add a variable ND filter and you're golden! The ideal zoom lens does not replace prime lenses, it compliments them and this lens does just that. Combine this lens with a set of primes and you've got a great collection for film work! At least that's my plan. I have this lens but I need to get a set of primes when the money is available.
Hey Christopher, great review as usual!!
I have a question: would you suggest this lens as an all-around-traveling lens on a Sony a6000? In the case of limited luggage space this to be a solution you would take if you could only take camera body & 1 lens, for instance? [and being on a reasonable budget too... :) ]
Thanks for your help!
The music @7:09 is just priceless lol
Is it safe to say that I secretly love you and your reviews???
Great review as always. Just one notice: you mentioned that you didn't test if the lens is parfocal or not. As far as I know there are no parfocal lenses below cinema line quality lenses. If you are lucky it can work as a parfocal, but it's not consistent. For example I tested the Canon 24-70 2.8 on two APS-C bodies for this reason, and on one it was sharp all the way long, but on the other one it became soft during zooming. So even if you tested it, the result could have been different from other buyer experiences. At least this is what I know about the subject matter but correct me if I'm wrong.
This lens has completely replaced my 16-50. The 18-105 is on my a6300 all the time. It’s a great value. My brother has the 16-70 Ziess, which is much more money - I think I prefer the extra range though.
I just got this lens yesterday and you nailed it. Video is good the photos side is just okay I have this on my A7Rii not sure I love it. 55 still looks amazing
Yes and yes lol works fantastic for video zoom is all in the body ~ and photos still crop at 18 megapixels
Constant aperture is black magic
Clown World you might just be trolling but the aperture is basically the ratio of the lens length to the diameter of the opening. And the length if this lens stays constant
@@nogum100 it's the ratio of the lenses *focal length* and its opening diameter. And with a zoom lens, your aperture changes.
If you have an opening diameter of 25mm at a focal length of 50mm, your aperture is f/2.
If you don't change the opening at 25mm, but zoom in to a 100mm, your aperture changes to f/4 by formula.
Cheap lenses like your kit lens often don't correct or only slightly correct it. That's why they have an aperture of 3.5-5.6 for example. More expensive lenses have to compensate for that, if they want a fixed aperture. So the 18-105 at f/4 has to have a 4,5mm opening at 18mm, but a 26mm opening at 105 to achieve its constant aperture and that sounds like black magic to me!
Hey Christopher, is there a way to know which focal length you are using with this lens?
I wonder how, since there is no marks on the lens body.
I´m a big fan of your reviews by the way :)
I just ordered this lens for my Sony FX30 and I’m excited to make my dream setup
how did it work out for you?
Thanks for the review! :) I've decided to buy this lens as some upgrade from the kit lens and "half" telephoto... After running some test have to admit the sharpest photos come at aperture f8... Corners come much better than with the kit lens... On sunny days you can make really nice portraits or details with defocused background/ bokeh at f4. The only problem I've noticed so far is some issue with focusing.... In single autofocus mode sometimes I get green squares as a sign that the focus has been caught (on A6000), but it doesn't... SONY claims it might happen with taking shots of some reflective surfaces such as windows, glass, white walls etc... But it's not the case... Haven't figured it out so far... Bad lens? You just need to make sure the focus has been caught right - otherwise you get blurry shots... It works better in point autofocus mode, zone or continuous autofocus mode (keep in mind though this mode drains the battery quicker...). Overall I'm pretty satisfied with this lens as you don't need to switch between kit and telephoto lenses back and forth letting btw dust in into a sensor... Don't buy rubber hoods for this lens - you'll get really heavy vignetting. This plastic one is the only compatible solution...
Très belle vidéo j’ai acheter cette objectif mais il disent qu’il est stabilisé mais je trouve pas le bouton pour l’activer sur l’objectif es que c’est automatique ? Et esque c’est normal quand je fait un zoome sur l’objectif c’est plus rapide que sur l’appareil quand je veut faire un zoom merci
Hey Christopher! Would you still recommend the Sigma 17-50 2.8 OSS? Or do you think the Sigma 18-35 1.8 is the better choice in terms of value? I want to buy one of them as a „walkaround lens“ to step up my game from the kit lens.
Can you help me out i just wanna ask, in 105mm shot, do you have issues on autofocusing? I have that issue
Yay!!! I was waiting for this review for some time!! you're awesome as always and also.... FIRST!!!! :P
Is it as sharp as the 24-105 f4 G OSS?
Hey there. So for video, you would say that it is not possible to easily get slow steady even zooming using the zoom switch on the lens?
I was under the impression that it was possible to get slow even zooms using the button. is there some setting that limits it to a slow even zoom?
Please, please please do a test of 18-105 f4 on your A7R2 in only full frame mode in regards to sharpness(chart), bokeh & distortion(will require manual correction in Lightroom)
Great review. Does the lens physically extend when zooming or focusing? I plan to use it with a mattebox so I don't want push-pull.
No, it doesn't
Hey chris, are you in the UK? i got a bunch of sony/zeiss glass that id be happy for you to test if you werent far
I live in Wales, how about you?
Did you tested the 24-105mm F4 for A7 Cameras?
Would be Amazing if you have or can do any time =)
Christopher, I really enjoy your your videos, and somebody has probably already made this comment that owns this lens, but I'm not going to read all the comments, but at about 2:30 you say you can't get a very smooth slow zoom, but you TOTALLY CAN LIKE NOTHING ELSE. I have owned the lens about two years and use it effectively for such things as kids' soccer games and also chorus concerts and other concerts. If you put just the slightest pressure against the PZ slider, you can zoom so slowly it is almost imperceptible to the viewer (I hope). It allows changing the scene on live continuous performances/sports without having two cameras to inter-cut. I just did a simple test to post the result here, and on first try in my den, I did a zoom from 18 to 105 totally smooth that took 40 seconds. I am glad the 16-55 2.8 has finally arrived, and I think it is worth the (reduced $1200) price even though I'm not putting-out the dough for it right now, but I believe the 18-105 PZ is an almost-unique event-lens tool with respect to size, weight, cost and capability in camera history. Of course part of that is because the camera can make in-camera corrections that were impossible not-so-long-ago.
I said that the zoom is smooth :-) it's cool you managed to get a very slow zoom! I couldn't manage it with my copy of the lens. All the best :-)
This lens is so beautiful, minimalist industrial design, I love it
Can you help me out i just wanna ask, in 105mm photoshoot, do you have issues on autofocusing? I have that issue
The in-body correction drops the resolution though, unfortunately.
this len is small, you gotta kidding me :D
If this was bit sharper and 2.8, it would have been my dream lens.
I like the design with the tele-zoom - if you’re a videographer, you know what I’m talking about (photographers, stay out of it:).
Hello! I am curious can i use fx30 power zoom option with this lens for smooth zoom for video work? Thanks!
Crystal Clear Pepsi!! Subbed
I wonder will the quality improve when stacked on top of a better sensor such as the A6000 or A6500?
The sensors on the A5100, A6000, and A6500 are practically identical, with the same size and same processor equipped.
I have it. Good first lens.
Would you prefer the 18-105 to the 16-70 from zeiss for photography?
I'm now thinking I should've got a mirror less camera 🤔
I wish this lens could just work properly on full frames!
I love how the background music suddenly becomes disconcerting when the pincushion effect is shown at 7:10.
Any issues in regards to the non existent of weather sealing?
How does this lens compare for video work against the Sony kit lens 28-70mm f3.5 to f5.6. This kit lens is quite impressive. Is it worth the upgrade ?
I really appreciated the jagged fonts ;) I used this lens as a travel zoom and I have to say f4 was not really sharp, but 5.6 and upwards was ok. Like you said, ok performance but nothing special.
I want a zoom for my a6000. This lens dont worth the money? Maybe 18-135 is better?
Sony or Sigma or Tamron really needs to make a 17-50ish f2.8 native E mount lens for the A6xxx. I'm using an adapted Sigma 17-50 f2.8 and it works, but less than ideal.
A6 xxx ;)
Travel Minds It is pretty convenient, overall it served me well. I haven't tried the new 18-135 but it looks to be similar in sharpness but smaller when collapsed. However, it is also more expensive and not as bright. The best thing to do is to check them both out in person and then decide.
i have it for a year now, and i can tell you for sure that with sufficient light, it is more than ok...it struggles a bit in lower light, but i am more than pleased, with image quality and versatility....i don t mind about distortion, as you never see it if you shoot jpg, or you can t see it even in raw, as it is autonatically corrected - i use capture one...should be considered also the construction quality and the almost half price of the zeiss...but should anyone desire sonething better may have a look at the bigger and more expensive ff g's or gm's
How do you feel about the size? That's the one big hang-up I have about this generally decent lens -- it seems huge, especially for a mirrorless camera.
…still feeling that, now that the Tamron 17-70 is out?
hello :) first I would say, it's really good review :)
How would you compare this lens to Sony E 18-135 mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS from your other review? Which one is better and why and if you would go for the A6400 as a kit which lens would you choose? Thx and Take Care :)
I think I would slightly prefer this on for that brighter maximum aperture. Take a look at my review of the 18-135 to see the differences :-)
Hey Chris, how are you, I thought you stopped reviewing lenses for a while but thank God you are here. BTW I don't use #Sony camera but still i love all the reviews you do.
at what focal lengths is it usable on full-frame?
Hello sir, this is an amazing preview that I ever have. Can I ask you one question.
Can I use this for a portrait photo, cause I want to shooting for lookbook fashion too, I already have sel 1.8f 50mm. But I need one with a wide screen
Not really sure what you mean here
@@christopherfrost I think what he mean by lookbook fashion is the one where they shoot full body shot to showcase the fashion product.
Does it match or better than the Sony Zeiss 24-70mm f/4 ZA OSS ?
Still my favorite APS-C lens for my a6300, good for casual photography and video.
Also in 2022? :)
New to photography, I have the Sony 6400 with the kit lens and sigma 30mm. I’m looking to upgrade a lens. Would you recommend this over the tamron 17-70? I am miso shooting pictures of my kids. However, I am quite interested in street photography.
NICE.
Very informative review! I'm looking forward to buy this one. Could you please tell me how to turn on/off the OSS? I always thought that it is always turn on. Does it depends on the lens or sony alpha cameras?
OSS should be able to turned off in camera menu. I'm buying this myself lol.
@@samuelsulaiman what do you think of this lens after using? I'm looking for a video lens for my 6400.
@@nedmacfadden2833 It's great video lens imo, its good all rounder. But it's pretty weak in dark environment. Footage would be a lot softer at higher ISO
Thnx
Nice review. I agree with one of the comments below. The lens is not really made for stills. Whenever I zoom all the in, press half way to get focus, but it never really focus. It is blurry. I don't know if the lens is defective or not. I order the 18-135 and about to sell this one off to B&H.
Hi Christopher, I'm still missing a review of the Sony E 10-18 mm F4.0 super wide-angle lens. It would be nice to hear from you a review of this compact but expensive lens. Thank you for your expertise; CF photography is widely unmatched.
I'll take a look at it one day. I did actually buy one for testing, but it was badly de-centered so I sent it back
can i used on my a6300 for landscape photography for compression ??
considering it start at 18 it should. and Im replying to a 2 years old comment lol
best zoom for sony aps-c!
MyLifeFrAiur Yang True.
i still the Zeiss 16-70mm F4 OSS for wide and Portrait shot. .. more contrast more blur more bright.. . its Sharp too. ..
Are there any chance to also review the 18-135 comparing against 18-105?
My tests are all standardised, so you can go to my review of the 18-135 and check out the differences :-)
5:47 at 50mm f/8 was sharper than f/11.
YOU SHOULD TEST THE NEW VILTROX FE MOUNT LENSES !!!!!!!
Ahhh no! I wanted to see if its Parfocal 😢 i films football and my current lens loses focus when zooming in and out quick
Fisheye like telephoto. :-)
4:26 what is that subtle flickering on the subject? unless im seeing things.
The autofocus was being a bit jittery there, for some reason
Could also be the difference in fps of recording and playback. The conversion sometimes gives that flickering effect IIRC.
Why is the object @4:26 blinking? Is this visible in camera output too or YT re-encoding (720p) only?
I wanted to ask the same question....I have the same problem with this combo in some of my videos.
Couldn't find an answer to that
Can You do a review for 100mm yongnuo?
Maybe one day :-)
Beautiful and very thorough review, as usual!
I might add, though, that, in spite Christopher pointed out, that the bokeh is only OK, and that the stills are "Workable", that the bokeh is very beautiful for the lens' class, and the fact that at 105mm the corners are marginally soft - that's not a bad issue, because you mainly shoot portraits at 105mm, f/4. Forarchitecture, landscapes at 105mm, tou can use f/8. I did not find that limiting. At dusk landscape I managed to find a foreground to suit the corners nicely, or, simply, didn't noticed the soft corners at all (shoot with Sony A6300 at 24MPx). Beware of AF locking on the background, sometimes (zone AF or even Felxible spot) or blurry images (stills) in fast paced action on bright sunshine with POL filter. I
t is a very good lens, mostly for video, but the price is a little steep.
I even shoot event video with it on Sony A7 3 and works great, especially if you invert rotation for zoom ring (...) Don't use the side zoom button for slow zoom, it won't work right.
Thank you for your little review on this lens.
The tele-zoom button works perfectly.
It is like a analog joystick - you have to to “feel” it and learn to push it, to get the zoom speed you want or even CONSTANT zoom (you don’t have that on any lens, so far!).
;-)
hey man a new lens is released at Photokina
Manufacturer is Viltrox/Meike
the lens is an 85mm f1.8 in Sony and Fuji mounts
can you have a review of that in the future??
Meike? I've reviewed that one already
I'm interested in this zoom to attach to my FS700 and FS7 video cameras. These have a zoom lever on the Sony hand grip. Do you know if this would allow the zoom to be controlled via the handgrip instead of the built-in zoom rocker (which I'd assume would be a lot easier and ergonomic to control)? Thank you
Yes you can control the Sony 18-105 f4 on the hairgrip on the Sony FS700. It was the kit lens that came with the camera back in the day. I was just using the 18-105 f4 recently on the Sony ZV--E10 and it works great.
Hi! Quick question. Do you notices a moving element on the mount side when you turn the lens up and down. Just noticed and wanted to know if it’s normal. (Lens not attached to the camera) very appreciated!
I'm sorry that I am so late to this comment but maybe you find some help in this. You mean the side of the lens that is pointing to the sensor correct? I saw this too with my lenzes and I suspect it's the focus motor having no power to it, so the lens can move freely. I noticed this on this lens and the 18-55mm kit lens I got with the camera, so I shouldn't worry!
@@fabimawn thanks a lot. Lucky me you’re an other people were right. It’s the motor racking when the lens is off. :)
i have plans to get a 2nd hand a5100 with this lens would you recommend it ?
Well, watch the review, and you'll find out! Incidentally, I hate the a5100 - there's no quick menu so it's a real pain to use