The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Sony E 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 OSS and the Sony E 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 OSS for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is a crucial factor to consider when comparing two lenses. Sony E 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 OSS is the longer of the two lenses at 88mm. The Sony E 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 OSS with a length of 60mm, is 28mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Sony E 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 OSS also has a larger diameter of 67mm compared to the Sony E 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 OSS's 62mm diameter.
The weight of a lens is equally significant as its external dimensions, particularly if you intend to handhold your camera and lens combination for extended periods. Sony E 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 OSS weighs 214g, 34% (111g) lighter than the Sony E 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 OSS's weight of 325g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the SuperZoom Lenses in Sony E Mount for size comparison purposes.
Superzoom Lenses in Sony E Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
The Sony E 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 OSS has a filter size of 55mm whereas the Sony E 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 OSS has a 49mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 55mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Sony E 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 OSS:
And these are the 49mm filters that we recommend for the Sony E 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 OSS:
Lens Mounts
Both the Sony E 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 OSS and the Sony E 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 OSS has the same Sony E lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Sony E lenses are Sony A6700, Sony FX30 and Sony ZV-E10.
Focal Range
Sony E 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 OSS has a focal range of 18-135mm and
7.5X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
27-202.5mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
On the other hand, the Sony E 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 OSS has a focal range of 18-55mm and 3.1X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 27-82.5mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.