The Sony E 10-18mm F4 OSS ($899.99) is the company's only ultra-wide zoom lens for its APS-C mirrorless system. It's a compact, lightweight lens with a big angle of view, and pairs well with Sony's mirrorless cameras. Optics are strong, but we wish it was a bit better built given its asking price. That said, there aren't a lot of compelling alternatives, unless you want to fiddle with adapted lenses or manual focus alternatives.

Small and Light

The E 10-18mm works with Sony's APS-C mirrorless camera system. Sony's cameras are generally smaller all around than SLRs, so it's good that this zoom keeps its size under control. It measures 2.5 by 2.8 inches (HD) and weighs just 7.9 ounces. The lens is finished in black.

There's no dust or splash protection included, though. It's a feature that Sony has included in select a6000 series cameras for some time now, but it's only recently started to offer dedicated APS-C lenses to match as part of its G series. Only time will tell if it updates or supplements the 10-18mm with a G edition. For now, you'll have to look to the full-frame FE 12-24mm F4 G if you want weather protection.

Many ultra-wide zooms for full-frame systems, the FE 12-24mm included, have bulbous front lens elements that preclude the use of screw-in filters. The E 10-18mm has a bit of a curve, but the glass sits deep enough in the barrel that you can use a 62mm filter if desired.

There are two control rings, both with a knurled finish. The zoom ring sits closer to the camera body and is marked at 10, 12, 14, 16, and 18mm. In full-frame terms, the zoom covers the same angle of view as a 15-27mm lens.

The focus ring sits just behind the front element and turns infinitely in either direction. Most lenses for mirrorless systems, this one included, offer electronic manual focus control, so there aren't hard stops. If you prefer a manual focus feel, consider the Venus Laowa 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 FE. It doesn't offer any sort of autofocus, but does get you full-frame coverage as an option, for about the same cost.

The E 10-18mm does include optical stabilization, absent from both the FE 12-24mm and Laowa 10-18mm. It's a useful feature for still photographers—you can get away with a longer handheld shutter speed, which can save packing a tripod—but is more important for handheld video. If your camera doesn't include in-body stabilization, the lens will prevent jitter in handheld footage.

Focus is available to 9.8 inches. It's certainly not a macro lens, but you'll be able to get close to subjects without issue.

Stop Down for Landscapes

I tested the E 10-18mm with the 24MP a6400 and Imatest software. At 10mm f/4, it puts up very good marks when averaged across the frame (2,293 lines), but resolution suffers significantly toward the edge of the frame, dropping to a blurry 761 lines at the periphery.

For scenic landscape shots, you'll notice that the edges aren't quite as clear as the center. You'll want to narrow the f-stop for clearer results edge to edge. They improve a bit at f/5.6, but you'll really want to use f/8 or f/11 to get the most out of the lens. It puts up outstanding results through much of the frame there, with edges that are a little less crisp, but still excellent.

See How We Test Digital Cameras

We saw a modest drop in resolution at f/16, to a still very good 2,344 lines, and a more significant one at f/22, to an unacceptable 1,585 lines. This is due to diffraction, an optical effect that scatters light waves as they pass through a very small iris.

It's not something unique to the 10-18mm—all lenses show it to some effect. Photographers often stop down to f/16 or f/22 to get a sunstar effect, but the 10-18mm will show it at wider settings too. You can see the effect in lights in the Manhattan skyline shot above, an 8-second exposure shot at f/10.

Things improve a bit at 14mm. We see an excellent 2,575-line average at f/4, with edges that lag only slightly behind (2,244 lines). Resolution jumps to the outstanding range (3,155 lines), and remains steady through f/11. Diffraction limits what the lens is able to do at f/16 (2,382 lines) and f/22 (1,589 lines).

There's a slight drop at 18mm, but image quality remains quite strong. Resolution is very good at f/4 (2,100 lines), and ticks up at f/4.5 (2,871 lines). It manages an oustanding 3,000 lines at f/8 and f/11, before dropping off as expected at f/16 (2,426 lines) and f/22 (1,611 lines).

There is some distortion. There's some barrel distortion at the wide end and the pincushion effect when zoomed in. It's not extreme, and is easily corrected using Raw processing software. For JPG shots, distortion is compensated for automatically. The same goes for the modest vignette cast at f/4—it's easily removed using the Lightroom lens profile.

A Good Ultra-Wide Zoom

The Sony E 10-18mm F4 OSS is a solid option for system owners shopping for an ultra-wide zoom with autofocus. Of course, it's also the only option, barring moving up to full-frame lenses. Its optics are good, and offer excellent edge-to-edge results at narrower f-stops. You also get optical stabilization, and front filter support—all in a very light, compact package.

But it's not an inexpensive lens. At $900, it's solidly in the premium realm. It doesn't feel premium, though. The light build makes it easy to carry, but also gives it a slightly cheap feel, and doesn't include any sort of dust or splash protection. We'd love to see Sony offer a G series lens in this focal length, as it would supplement the E 16-55mm G and E 70-350mm G perfectly.

Until then, Sony system owners can reach to the FE 12-24mm G as a pricier, but better made, ultra-wide zoom; its angle of view isn't quite as wide, but you do have the option of taking it to a full-frame camera if you ever upgrade.

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