Sony - 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 Alpha E-Mount Lens for Alpha NEX DSLR Cameras - Silver

I almost didn't buy this lens, but right before I left for my trip I decided it would be worth it and thank gosh I did! I did a safari in South Africa and in the wild, of course, animals don't come up to your car, but with this lens I was able to shoot close up photos of lions that were hard to see with the naked eye, as if I were right next to them. I bought the NEX 5 for the high quality video and this lens made it a real joy to shoot video. I just returned home yesterday and now I have so much video that I would never have taken except for the fact I could get so close up! I love the auto focus function. It exceeded my expectations for performance in videos, especially given alot of negitive stuff written in reviews I had read. That said, it is expensive and had I not been on a safari, I probably would have been fine with the lens that came with the NEX 5. Also, within a couple days two specs of dirt or something appeared on the inside. This has luckily not affected the images that I took, but for good measure I am going to test the Warranty since dusk inside the lens is obviously not my fault and for this price that shouldn't happen, and I assume that it will be taken care of by Sony since I only bought it less than a month ago. However, if not, I will update this review and let the world know. Also, I am planning to buy a protection lens filter to over lay over the lens so that I don't have to be so parinoid about scratches. Overall, I love the NEX 5 and for my trip, knowing what I know now, this was a great accessory despite the price. If in doubt, I say go for it, you will have the best lens for the size and it will last you along time!

First off im a novice and primarily wanted this for general photos of the family, kids, and trips, I was hoping to replace the 1650 kit lens with this lens. I realize the camera would no longer be compact but I loved the idea of how universal this lens was. What I didn't expect was how heavy this lens was. I did read reviews before purchasing the lens and thought I could deal with it. I love the build quality, the picture quality, and love that it is 18mm to 200mm. But after carrying it around for a few days it gets tiresome. The nex6 hand grip is to small for the weight of this lens and after a lot of debate the weight was just to much. It made taking pictures a chore instead of fun. Again this is just an opinion from a novice family man.

This lens is amazing. Cost me my wallet but definately impressed me. Once you take this thing outta the box you'll be throw by the quality compared to other brands. You can actually put standard UV filters on and don't require the proprietary filters sony has on the 16mm and 18-55mm. Love this lens it has an auto focus motor built in which is fantastic and you can subtly feel it working. Definately a good lens for the NEX series. I was debating whether to get an LA-EA1 adapter an a amount lens but decided the cost would add up to the same price of the 18-200mm. Definately get the protection on it. This thing is a very complicated lens and god forbid you drop it the lens will be done.

This lens image quality is so much better than the 70-210 mm FD lens I was using with an adapter on my nex-5n. This sel18200 lens really makes beautiful images. I think it has less lens distortion than the 18-55 mm kit lens and has no lens aberrations that my novice eyes can detect. But everybody I show my pictures to is impressed too so it's not just me. I use it to film school sports and get about 90% of the shots in focus. I especially like the look of the video I take with this lens. The zoom is a bit stiff so cinematic deliberate zooms require patience and a few takes. Very nice lens.

I bought this lense before a trip to the Galapagos Islands. I would have been so lost without it! It is also amazing for pics of fast moving children and sporting events. I agree the price is a bit much as it was more than the camera itself with the 55mm lense but I would still recommend it to anyone who bought the NEX. Amazing lense and camera! I toss it in my backpack (I am "busy single parent" abusive to inanimate objects) and it has a scratch or two but it has survived the backpack toss and drop on more than one occasion without issue. Fantastic!

Takes great photos and allows you to get a wide view, and far views too.. only thing that sucks for me is that I have the Sony Alpha 5100 and the lens is so big it interferes with the flash and gives a black shadow to pictures...

I've been very happy with Sony NEX cameras. I started on a NEX-5N, and now have a NEX-6. I've had the kit lens and the 55-200 zoom as well, but found myself switching back and forth a lot. I really didn't want to spend the big buck on this lens, but finally gave in. I received the lens quickly (a lot quicker than quoted, actually), and was able to enjoy the Christmas holidays with my family and this new lens. What a joy. To have the range is amazing, and I'm very happy with the quality of the shots. The only concern is the weight of the lens, not because it's too heavy for me, but I can sense it puts a bit of stress on the mount on the camera. Regardless, I know this will be better than the constant switching. If you have the $, I would recommend this glass...

Great all in one lens. I was so frustrated changing lenses, depending on the distance. This one has the benefits of both. But.... it is heavier and bigger. Takes great pictures.