Sony E 11mm F1.8 review

The tiny but mighty Sony E 11mm F1.8 is a highly desirable APS-C format ultra-wide-angle prime

Sony E 11mm F1.8
(Image: © Matthew Richards)

Digital Camera World Verdict

Designed for Sony’s APS-C format E-mount mirrorless cameras, this ultra-wide-angle prime lens feels a perfect fit, thanks to its compact and lightweight build. It’s brilliant for landscapes, architectural interiors, astrophotography and vlogging, with intuitive handling and excellent all-round performance. It’s reasonably priced for an own-brand Sony lens as well, making it good value for money.

Pros

  • +

    Impressive edge-to-edge sharpness

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    Customizable function button

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    Multiple weather-seals

Cons

  • -

    No aperture control ring

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    Hefty barrel distortion (uncorrected)

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    Noticeable vignetting (uncorrected)

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With Canon and Nikon reinventing themselves in the APS-C format mirrorless arena, and Fujifilm still being a force to be reckoned with, the E 11mm F1.8 strengthens Sony’s E-mount line-up of lenses. With an effective focal length of about 16mm in full-frame terms, it gives a generous viewing angle of 104 degrees, compared with the 94.1 degrees of the competing APS-C format Viltrox AF 13mm F1.4, which is also available in Sony E-mount.

Specifications

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Matthew Richards

Matthew Richards is a photographer and journalist who has spent years using and reviewing all manner of photo gear. He is Digital Camera World's principal lens reviewer – and has tested more primes and zooms than most people have had hot dinners! 

His expertise with equipment doesn’t end there, though. He is also an encyclopedia  when it comes to all manner of cameras, camera holsters and bags, flashguns, tripods and heads, printers, papers and inks, and just about anything imaging-related. 

In an earlier life he was a broadcast engineer at the BBC, as well as a former editor of PC Guide.