Camera Labs

Hi everyone, just a quick note to let you know we've just posted a full review of the Sony DT 11-18mm ultra wide angle lens for Alpha DSLRs (and KM models too!).

The review is here:

http://www.cameralabs.com/reviews/Sony_DT_11-18mm/

and the video tour is here:

http://www.cameralabs.com/reviews/Sony_ ... view.shtml

Hope you enjoy it!

Gordon Laing

Interesting, their new 55-200mm and 18-250mm also seems to be rebadged Tamron lenses. Havn't checked up on prices compared to Tamron but could imagine that Sony wanted a bit more which leaves Tamron a better buy?

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Minolta primes: 2.8/20 2.8/24 1.7/50 2.8/135
Minolta zooms: 28-135 35-70 70-210(beercan) kit
Minolta cameras: Dynax 5D 7000
M42: Pentax Asahi S-M-C Takumar 1.4/50 and 2.8/105 Carl Zeiss Jena Flektogon 2.4/35 Industar-61L/Z Kiron 2.8/105 Macro

Watch out: Being of similar design doesn't mean that e.g. the quality of the internally used lenses is the same. It could be that there are more multicoated lenses inside. That should reduce flare, where the Tamron is already very good (see my test-report here).
It would be easy for Sony to ask Tamron to give them some higher quality lenses in the same construction. But that obviously didn't help them improve the corner-sharpness

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Thomas (beware: Nikon-fanboy and moderator!) My Lens Reviews, My Pictures, My Photography Blog
D800+assorted lenses

yep, Sony probably use their own coating like Minolta so not entirely the same. But my guess is that lens design also has something to do with corner sharpness or is it only the elements that is the factor?

Interesting to see the new 18-250 then. As far as I have read Tamron 18-250 should be much better than their 18-200 so Nikkon might get some serious competition with this lens

I was wondering about the AF speed on this lens. On the video it's as slow as the slowest tele lens over 20 years old when used in lowlight situations. Did you experience the same AF speed in bright light?

_________________
Minolta primes: 2.8/20 2.8/24 1.7/50 2.8/135
Minolta zooms: 28-135 35-70 70-210(beercan) kit
Minolta cameras: Dynax 5D 7000
M42: Pentax Asahi S-M-C Takumar 1.4/50 and 2.8/105 Carl Zeiss Jena Flektogon 2.4/35 Industar-61L/Z Kiron 2.8/105 Macro

Hi Rune, yep this was the same AF speed in very bright light...

As for other differences, the Sony lens definitely supports ADI for flash, whereas I'm not sure about the Tamron - and the focusing ring turns the other way too! But they are definitely similar...

Corner-sharpness has more to do with lens geometry than with coating. And as I found out in my test, ghosting and flare of the Tamron 11-18mm were already on an excellent level. So nothing here to be won...
Perhaps it's more a marketing-driven decision to take the Tamron-design and just give it the more "sexy" Sony-badge (and command a premium).
Gordon, was there a schematic of the lens with the documentation? Even a hint of #lenses/#groups? Perhaps we could compare the design...

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Thomas (beware: Nikon-fanboy and moderator!) My Lens Reviews, My Pictures, My Photography Blog
D800+assorted lenses

Hi Thomas, there sure was a schematic and the optical design looks identical on both lenses - same number of elements, same groups, same distances, same shapes!

Both is same lens and Sony is a major shareholder in Tamron...

Tamron Co., Ltd. (株式会社タムロン, Kabushiki-gaisha Tamuron?) (TYO: 7740 ) is a Japanese company manufacturing photographic lenses, optical components and commercial/industrial-use optics. Sony is a major shareholder in the company.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamron

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Samsung NX100
18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 OIS
iFn 20-50mm f/3.5-5.6 ED
iFn 20mm f/2.8 (coming soon)
30mm f/2
50-200mm f/4-5.6 ED OIS
Sony VAIO CR140F White

Nice investigative journalism Alex!

Hi, here is the comparison of the both lenses...

Sony 11-18
http://www.dyxum.com/lenses/detail.asp?IDLens=311

Tamron 11-18
http://www.dyxum.com/lenses/detail.asp?IDLens=191


You compare this lenses Tamron and Sony in this web...

11-18mm

18-200mm

18-250mm

55-200mm

and this lenses KM an Tamron...

11-18mm (same Sony lenses)

18-200mm

17-35mm

28-75mm

All lenses Sony like Tamron have the climbs of focus printed in the plastic, the lenses Sony, CZ and Minolta copy have not this, you see the DT 16-80mm and DT 16-105mm...

_________________
Samsung NX100
18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 OIS
iFn 20-50mm f/3.5-5.6 ED
iFn 20mm f/2.8 (coming soon)
30mm f/2
50-200mm f/4-5.6 ED OIS
Sony VAIO CR140F White