Sony DT 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 SAM II is a Variable aperture Auto Focus (AF)
Standard Zoom lens with APS-C / DX max sensor coverage, and it is designed to be used with
A Mount cameras.
Sony replaced the older Sony DT 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 SAM with this model. Follow the link to read our detailed comparison of these models:
Compare Sony DT 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 SAM II vs Sony DT 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 SAM
What type of photography is the Sony DT 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 SAM II lens good for?
The type of photography that you are planning to use the Sony DT 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 SAM II is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated its suitability to various photography scenarios:
Lenses in Sony Alpha Mount with Same Focal and Aperture Range
Reasons to Buy Sony DT 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 SAM II Lens
Here we've included a summary of the advantages and disadvantages of the Sony DT 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 SAM II lens in a list form to help you determine whether it offers the features you need.
| Autofocus |
| Minimum focus distance of 0.25m / 9.8 inch |
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| Hood is not supplied |
| Lens Extents while zooming |
| Slow Aperture at Tele end |
| Variable Aperture |
Lens Mount
Sony DT 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 SAM II is compatible with cameras that have a Sony Alpha lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Sony Alpha lenses are Sony A68, Sony A77 II and Sony A58.
Size, Weight and Filter Thread
Size and weight is a very important decision factor when searching for your next lens. Sony DT 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 SAM II has a maximum diameter of 72mm and total length of 69mm when not extended. It weighs 222g / 7.8 oz.
Sony DT 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 SAM II has a filter thread of 55mm. Below are links to the filters that we recommend you to consider for your Sony DT 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 SAM II:
Focal Range
Sony DT 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 SAM II has a focal range of 18-55mm and 3.1X zoom ratio which has a 35mm equivalent focal range of 27-82.5mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
Optical Image Stabilization
Sony DT 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 SAM II doesn't have an optical image stabilization system so the only option to stabilize the image taken with this lens is to mount on a camera body with IBIS (sensor based In-body image stabilization).
Alternatively, you can check the Sigma 17-50mm F2.8 EX DC OS HSM in Sony Alpha mount that have similar focal range but features Optical Image Stabilization.
Lenses Similar to Sony DT 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 SAM II With Optical Image Stabilization
Zoom Method
Sony DT 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 SAM II features Rotary (extending) zoom method where the length of the lens changes as you zoom in or out. This makes it possible to design the lens with a smaller minimum length ( generally when it is zoomed out) compared to internal zoom lenses. The disadvantages of this design are being harder to seal against dust and moisture, weight balance shifting while zooming and zoom creep in certain lenses.
Maximum Magnification Ratio
Sony DT 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 SAM II has a Max Magnification Ratio of 0.34x and has a minimum focusing distance of 0.25m. For a non-macro lens, the 0.34x is considered a high magnification and will come handy for close-up shots.
Below are the 3 Standard Zoom type Sony Alpha mount lens alternatives with highest max magnification ratios:
Aperture
Sony DT 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 SAM II is a variable aperture lens with a max aperture of f3.5 and a minimum aperture of f at 18mm, and a max aperture of f5.6 and minimum aperture of f at 55mm .
| Focal Length |
Max Aperture |
Min Aperture |
|
18mm
|
F3.5 |
F |
|
55mm
|
F5.6 |
F |
Optical Formula
Sony DT 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 SAM II's optical formula consists of 8 elements in 7 groups .
Lens Hood
Sony DT 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 SAM II doesn't come with a lens hood.
Popular Comparisons of Sony DT 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 SAM II
Here are the eight most popular comparisons of the Sony DT 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 SAM II amongst Camera Decision readers.
Top Alternatives of Sony DT 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 SAM II Lens
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