The Sony DT 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 Zoom Lens ($219.99 direct)See it at Amazon UK is the standard zoom lens that is bundled with Sony D-SLR cameras. In that context it's not that bad of a lens—you're either paying nothing for it, or a $100 premium over a body-only price—but on its own there aren't any compelling reasons to add it to your gear bag. It matches the focal length and aperture of zooms included with most entry-level cameras, covering a 27-82mm field of view in terms of full-frame 35mm photography.

At only 7.4 ounces the lens is pretty light, partially due to Sony's choice to use a plastic lens mount—it shaves a bit of weight when compared with lenses with sturdier metal mounts. It measures 2.7 by 2.7 inches (HD) when set to the 35mm zoom position, although it does extend a bit as you zoom in or out. The filter thread accepts 55mm filters, although it will be tricky to use a polarizing filter with the lens as the front element rotates during focus.

I used Imatest to check the sharpness of the lens when paired with the Sony Alpha 57 SLR. The results were disappointing, even for a kit lens. At 18mm f/3.5 it recorded only 1,597 lines per picture height, which is shy of the 1,800 lines required for a sharp image. Stopping down to f/5.6 didn't improve the score, so you can't even eke more performance out of the lens by narrowing its iris. Distortion is an issue at this setting—it shows 3.5 percent barrel distortion, which will make straight lines appear to be curved.

Zooming to 35mm reduces the sharpness a bit, the lens only records about 1,505 lines there at both f/4.5 and f/5.6. It actually performs best at 55mm, hitting 1,589 lines at f/5.6 and actually crossing the 1,800-line mark at f/8. Distortion isn't an issue at these focal lengths. Sony's own 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 Zoom Lens £439 at Amazon UK is sharper and has a longer zoom range, although it does display more distortion and is more expensive.

Unless you get this lens bundled with a D-SLR, it's really not worth your money. Images captured by the lens are soft throughout its zoom range, and there's a good amount of distortion at the wide end. You're better off spending a bit more on the 18-135mm for its sharper performance and longer zoom range, or, if you've got deep pockets, opting for the 16-50mm f/2.8 Standard Zoom LensSEE IT—it's extremely sharp and has a fast aperture to boot.

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