---
product_id: 1654927
title: "SEL35F18 35 mm f/1.8 Prime Fixed Lens"
brand: "sony"
price: "R19912"
currency: ZAR
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 8
category: "Sony"
url: https://www.desertcart.co.za/products/1654927-sel35f18-35-mm-f-1-8-prime-fixed-lens
store_origin: ZA
region: South Africa
---

# Optical SteadyShot image stabilization for smooth video Bright f/1.8 aperture for stunning low-light shots 35mm fixed focal length for versatile framing SEL35F18 35 mm f/1.8 Prime Fixed Lens

**Brand:** sony
**Price:** R19912
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

## Summary

> 📸 Elevate every frame with the Sony SEL35F18 — your compact secret weapon for pro-level shots!

## Quick Answers

- **What is this?** SEL35F18 35 mm f/1.8 Prime Fixed Lens by sony
- **How much does it cost?** R19912 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.co.za](https://www.desertcart.co.za/products/1654927-sel35f18-35-mm-f-1-8-prime-fixed-lens)

## Best For

- sony enthusiasts

## Why This Product

- Trusted sony brand quality
- Free international shipping included
- Worldwide delivery with tracking
- 15-day hassle-free returns

## Key Features

- • **Low-Light Hero:** Wide f/1.8 aperture lets in 5x more light than kit lenses, perfect for moody interiors and night scenes.
- • **Bokeh Like a Pro:** Circular aperture blades deliver creamy, natural background blur that makes your subject pop.
- • **Compact Powerhouse:** Lightweight 155g design fits your on-the-go lifestyle without compromise.
- • **Steady & Silent Focus:** Fast, whisper-quiet stepper motor autofocus with manual override keeps your shots sharp and smooth.
- • **Video-Ready Stabilization:** Built-in Optical SteadyShot reduces shake for crisp handheld video and photos.

## Overview

The Sony SEL35F18 is a compact, lightweight 35mm prime lens with a bright f/1.8 aperture and built-in Optical SteadyShot image stabilization. Designed for Sony E-mount APS-C cameras, it offers a 44° angle of view (equivalent to 52.5mm full-frame), fast and silent autofocus with manual focus override, and superior peripheral sharpness thanks to advanced optical elements. Ideal for low-light photography, portraits, and smooth video capture, this lens delivers professional image quality in a portable form factor favored by creators on the move.

## Description

High performance and a compact design make the SEL-35F18 an ideal “second lens” that is easy to carry around when capturing the action. It’s ideal for a wide variety of photos, including snapshots while strolling, night shots (thanks to the bright maximum aperture) and portraits with superb background/foreground blur. Designed for use with: Hasselblad Lunar Sony PXW-FS5 Sony PXW-FS7 Sony PXW-FS7M2 Sony PXW-FS7M2K Sony Alpha A5000 Sony Alpha A5100 Sony Alpha A6000 Sony Alpha A6300 Sony Alpha A6500 Sony Alpha NEX-7 Sony Alpha a5100 Sony Handycam NEX-VG30 Sony NXCAM NEX-EA50M Sony XDCAM PXW-FS7 Sony Alpha a6500 Sony NEX-EA50M Sony NEX-EA50UH Sony NEX-FS700R Sony NEX-VG30 Sony NEX-VG900 Sony PXW-FS5 Sony PXW-FS5 Kit Sony PXW-FS5M2 Sony PXW-FS7 Sony PXW-FS7M2 Sony QX1 High performance and a compact design make the SEL-35F18 an ideal “second lens” that is easy to carry around when capturing the action. It’s ideal for a wide variety of photos, including snapshots while strolling, night shots (thanks to the bright maximum aperture) and portraits with superb background/foreground blur. When changing your aperture to defocus the background, the light sources appear blurred. This ‘bokeh’ effect of the blurred background can be enhanced with circular aperture blades used in this lens. Conventional aperture blades have flat sides creating unappealing polygonal shaped defocussed points of light. α lenses overcome this problem through a unique design that keeps the aperture almost perfectly circular from its wide-open setting to when it is closed by 2 stops. Smoother, more natural defocusing can be obtained as a result. As focal lengths get longer, lenses built with conventional optical glass have difficulties with chromatic aberration, and as a result images suffer from lower contrast, lower color quality, and lower resolution. ED glass dramatically reduces chromatic aberration at telephoto ranges, and provides superior contrast across the entire image, even at large aperture settings. Super ED glass provides enhanced compensation for chromatic aberration. Aspherical lens design dramatically reduces spherical aberration while also reducing lens size and weight. Spherical aberration is a slight misalignment of the light rays projected on the image plane. This is caused by differences in refraction at different points on conventional spherical lenses which degrade image quality in large-aperture lenses. Specially shaped “aspherical” elements near the diaphragm restore alignment of light rays at the image plane, maintaining high sharpness and contrast even at maximum aperture and can also be used at other points in the optical path to reduce distortion. Well-designed aspherical elements can reduce the total number of elements required in the lens, thus reducing overall size and weight. Advanced Aspherical (AA) elements are an evolved variant, featuring an extremely high thickness ratio between the center and periphery. AA elements are exceedingly difficult to produce, relying on the most advanced molding technology to consistently and precisely achieve the required shape and surface accuracy, resulting in significantly improved image accuracy and quality. Gyro sensors built into the lens detect even the slightest movement, and the stabilization lens is precisely shifted to counteract any image blur that might occur. The use of precision, quiet linear motors and technology inherited from high-end Sony professional camcorders results in exceptionally quiet, effective image stabilization that contributes to high-quality movies as well as stills. Only the middle groups of the optical system move to achieve focus, so the overall length of the lens does not change. Other important benefits include fast autofocusing and a short minimum focusing distance. Also, the filter thread at the front of the lens does not rotate, which is convenient if you’re using a polarizing filter. 2012 Sony Electronics All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Sony is not responsible for typographical and photographic errors. Features and specifications are subject to change without notice. Sony, BIONZ, BRAVIA, Exmor, InfoLITHIUM, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Duo, Memory Stick PRO Duo, Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo, PlayMemories Home, Smile Shutter, Stamina, Theatre Sync, Sweep Panorama, and the Sony make.believe logo are trademarks of Sony. AVCHD is a trademark of Panasonic Corporation and Sony Corporation. Microsoft, Windows, and Windows Vista are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Mac OS and iMovie are trademarks of Apple Computers, HDMI is a trademark of HDMI Licensing . All other trademarks are trademarks of their respective owners.

Review: Great lens for video and otherwise - "nifty fifty" - MAKE SURE you update your lens' firmware (and camera firmware) to get the most from this lens. I have this, and the 50mm prime from Sony and I love both of them. I'm not an expert but I can tell you practically what these lenses are good for: - the 35mm is better for making sure you get SHOTS IN FOCUS (much more forgiving depth of field), it's better for video (because you don't want to use autofocus for video), and it gives you a wider field of view of course. It is similar to a 50mm on a 35mm. - the 50mm has more "reach" (zoomed in more if you like) and a smaller field of view. However, you get a MUCH shallower depth of field which makes getting beautiful bokeh very easy. That said, it can also make it a royal pain to get things in focus because especially at close range, the depth of field is super shallow. Still good for video, when you can't be right up in the action, but less useful than the 35mm. The 50mm is also going to show more hand movement (even with OSS) than the 35mm though OSS is EXCELLENT on both. The 1.8 aperture is good for indoors and low light situations, again, with the depth of field issue in mind for the 50mm. In confined spaces the 35mm would be better for both field of view and depth of field reasons ESPECIALLY in low light. I can generally shoot video at 1/50th at ISO 100 or 200 with some help from some small portable LED lights with no issues whatsoever. If you have any of the NEX cameras, then you probably know that you need to stay below ISO 400-800 for video unless you're a fan of noise. While it's fine up to ISO 1600, you really get a much nicer quality video in the lower ISO numbers. Past ISO 1600 you might as well be using a cheap camcorder. The 1.8 really opens up that door and when used properly can produce some really nice looking video. The 35mm also doesn't SEEM to moire as badly as the 50mm. I'm not sure if my 50mm is sharper than my 50mm or what the technical reason is, I just know that while moire is still present (that's a camera body issue not a lens one), it's not as bad in stuff I shoot with the 35mm. While I prefer my 50mm for the image it produces raw, I usually reach for my 35mm when I'm going to be walking around or maybe covering a birthday party or something silly like that. Mostly because I find that 35mm is wide enough for most indoor shots, though I might take my 16-50 with me in case I really need that super wide angle for some reason. If you can only pick one, between the 50 and the 35mm. I'd say that if you do a lot of video or shooting in something like a bedroom sized room (10x10) that you might want to grab the 35mm. It's more flexible than the 50mm. I do use the 50 quite a lot though. Oh, and the 35mm is roughly the size of the 16-50 kit lens, the 50mm is much larger and heavier to boot. That said, if you want that delicious bokeh, the 50mm is better for stills imho. As far as image quality...well, I'll leave that up to the pixel peepers and lens experts to explain. They look pretty sharp to me and BLOW THE KIT LENS AWAY.
Review: The "nifty fifty" many NEX users have been waiting for - EDIT #2: I have gotten ahold of and thoroughly tested the new Zeiss Touit 32mm f/1.8, with a review both here on desertcart and my website. Though the below review still stands, the Zeiss is overall an optically better lens. For handheld low-light and video applications, the Sony inches ahead. EDIT: As of February 4th, Sony has officially announced the release of a firmware update to the NEX-5r/6 to allow this lens (and many others) to function with the on-sensor PDAF. There is now even less to complain about on this lens' performance. END EDIT Original Review: I've already written a rather extensive review of this fine lens on my website (look up Matthew Durr Photography if you want to read more detailed information), but let me distill down the lens' major high points and bottom low points: The Good: -Even on the NEX-7, the 35mm f/1.8 provides good to great sharpness at most apertures -The OSS gives about 3-4 stops of shutter speed advantage, depending on how steady your hands are -Out-of-focus areas are generally pleasing for a lens of this type, save for some busyness with complex backgrounds (tree branches, for example) -Extremely compact, focuses quick, and is a good value for the money The Bad: -Even being a good value (the OSS is accounting for a majority of the lens' cost), $450 for a 52.5mm f/2.8 equivalent Field-of-View lens (on a full-frame 35mm sensor) is pretty high -Longitudinal chromatic aberrations at the wider apertures, mainly in the backgrounds, can be distracting (but can mostly be edited out) Okay, so why did I give it five stars with the above listed cons? It's simple. In nearly every shooting situation that calls for the 50mm field-of-view, this 35mm f/1.8 delivers. Low-light? OSS. Subject separation? f/1.8 Sharp landscapes? Shoot at f/5.6. Traveling? It's a compact kit! Ignore the naysayers griping about how it's not compatible with the NEX5r/6's PDAF yet, or that it's "just as good" as the kit lens at 35mm. For one, Sony will surely come out with an update eventually to allow the PDAF to function (though it isn't needed for anything besides moving subjects). Secondly, this lens lets in over five times as much light wide-open than the kit lens does at 35mm. This means that, all other image parameters made equal, a shot taken at 1/10 with the kit lens can be accomplished at 1/50 with this lens. Or, given the same shutter speed in a low-light scenario, the 35mm f/1.8 can shoot at ISO 400 while the kit lens' camera has to go up to over ISO 1600. Bottom line? The 35mm f/1.8 is a great lens that provides excellent image quality at the "normal" field-of-view that so many NEX photographers have been waiting for since the camera line's inception.

## Features

- Compact, lightweight fixed F1.8 lens.Angle of View (APS C) 44 °
- Minimum Focus Distance : 0.99 ft (0.3 m), Maximum Magnification ratio : 0.15x, Focal Length : 1.38 in
- New optical design for excellent peripheral sharpness and contrast, Built in image stabilization
- Silent and smooth high speed focusing ideal for shooting movies. Superb focusing operation
- Lens group or elements is 6/8. If auto focus cant lock on or focuses on the wrong subject, step in and take total control with direct manual focus.Image stabilization (SteadyShot):Optical SteadyShot
- Format: APS-C, 35 mm equivalent focal length (APS-C): 52.5 mm
- Lens not zoomable

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| ASIN | B0096W1P5W |
| Best Sellers Rank | #151 in SLR Camera Lenses |
| Brand | Sony |
| Built-In Media | Hood (ALC-SH112), Lens front cap, Lens rear cap, Sony SEL35F18 35mm f/1.8 Prime Fixed Lens |
| Camera Lens | Sony SEL35F18 35mm f/1.8 Fixed Lens |
| Camera Lens Description | Sony SEL35F18 35mm f/1.8 Fixed Lens |
| Color | Black |
| Compatible Camera Mount | Sony E |
| Compatible Devices | Sony Cameras, Sony Digital SLRs |
| Compatible Mountings | Sony E |
| Customer Reviews | 4.4 out of 5 stars 1,980 Reviews |
| Effective Still Resolution | 2 |
| Exposure Control Type | Automatic |
| Focal Length Description | 35mm |
| Focus Type | Stepper motor |
| Has Self-Timer | No |
| Image stabilization | OSS |
| Item Weight | 155 Grams |
| Lens | Wide Angle |
| Lens Coating Description | Standard |
| Lens Design | Prime |
| Lens Fixed Focal Length | 35 Millimeters |
| Lens Mount | Sony E |
| Lens Type | Wide Angle |
| Manufacturer | Sony |
| Maximum Focal Length | 35 Millimeters |
| Media Type | ProductImage, EnhancedContent |
| Minimum Aperture | 22 |
| Minimum Focal Length | 35 Millimeters |
| Model Name | SEL35F18 |
| Number of Diaphragm Blades | 7 |
| Photo Filter Size | 49 Millimeters |
| Real Angle Of View | 44 Degrees |
| Screen Size | 1 |
| Video Capture Format | MP4 |
| Video Capture Resolution | 1920 x 1080 |
| Viewfinder Type | Electronic viewfinder |
| Warranty Description | 1 year coverage for labor, 1 year coverage for parts |
| Water Resistance Level | Not Water Resistant |
| Zoom Ratio | 1:1 |

## Product Details

- **Brand:** Sony
- **Camera Lens Description:** Sony SEL35F18 35mm f/1.8 Fixed Lens
- **Compatible Mountings:** Sony E
- **Focal Length Description:** 35mm
- **Lens Type:** Wide Angle

## Images

![SEL35F18 35 mm f/1.8 Prime Fixed Lens - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71HJdwWwTlL.jpg)

## Available Options

This product comes in different **Customer Package Type** options.

## Questions & Answers

**Q: Will these accessories fit? http://amzn.to/2mfPTqc**
A: Those are 58mm and this is a 49mm lens, so no, those would not fit.

**Q: This 35mm lens or the 50mm lens for all purpose general shooting ?**
A: Like Ali said, the crop factor makes the 35mm more like a traditional 50mm lens. The 35mm is by far a better everyday shooting lens compared to the 50mm. I have both and the 35mm stays on the camera 85% of the time.

**Q: Hood comes with this lens?**
A: Yes, a hood does come with this lens.  It appears to be the same hood as comes with the 18-55 mm kit lens.

**Q: Hi, i already hold the 1650kit lens (disapointing) and the 50f18 (excellent). would you recommend adding the zeiss1670z or the 35f18?**
A: I have both.  The 35F18 is a nice lens, very compact and light.  I use it for most of my indoor shots.  Not as sharp as the 50F18, but still quite acceptable and very versatile.The 1670Z is much sharper, and is an excellent all around lens.  Usually needs flash indoors.  It's big but not massive.  (The 18105G is too big in my opinion).  I use the 1670Z for most of my outdoor shots and am very satisfied.  It is sharper than the 1855 kit lens (though you can debate whether it's really $1000 sharper).  I don't own the 1650, but I think the difference would be even more noticeable.

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Great lens for video and otherwise - "nifty fifty"
*by N***S on January 28, 2014*

MAKE SURE you update your lens' firmware (and camera firmware) to get the most from this lens. I have this, and the 50mm prime from Sony and I love both of them. I'm not an expert but I can tell you practically what these lenses are good for: - the 35mm is better for making sure you get SHOTS IN FOCUS (much more forgiving depth of field), it's better for video (because you don't want to use autofocus for video), and it gives you a wider field of view of course. It is similar to a 50mm on a 35mm. - the 50mm has more "reach" (zoomed in more if you like) and a smaller field of view. However, you get a MUCH shallower depth of field which makes getting beautiful bokeh very easy. That said, it can also make it a royal pain to get things in focus because especially at close range, the depth of field is super shallow. Still good for video, when you can't be right up in the action, but less useful than the 35mm. The 50mm is also going to show more hand movement (even with OSS) than the 35mm though OSS is EXCELLENT on both. The 1.8 aperture is good for indoors and low light situations, again, with the depth of field issue in mind for the 50mm. In confined spaces the 35mm would be better for both field of view and depth of field reasons ESPECIALLY in low light. I can generally shoot video at 1/50th at ISO 100 or 200 with some help from some small portable LED lights with no issues whatsoever. If you have any of the NEX cameras, then you probably know that you need to stay below ISO 400-800 for video unless you're a fan of noise. While it's fine up to ISO 1600, you really get a much nicer quality video in the lower ISO numbers. Past ISO 1600 you might as well be using a cheap camcorder. The 1.8 really opens up that door and when used properly can produce some really nice looking video. The 35mm also doesn't SEEM to moire as badly as the 50mm. I'm not sure if my 50mm is sharper than my 50mm or what the technical reason is, I just know that while moire is still present (that's a camera body issue not a lens one), it's not as bad in stuff I shoot with the 35mm. While I prefer my 50mm for the image it produces raw, I usually reach for my 35mm when I'm going to be walking around or maybe covering a birthday party or something silly like that. Mostly because I find that 35mm is wide enough for most indoor shots, though I might take my 16-50 with me in case I really need that super wide angle for some reason. If you can only pick one, between the 50 and the 35mm. I'd say that if you do a lot of video or shooting in something like a bedroom sized room (10x10) that you might want to grab the 35mm. It's more flexible than the 50mm. I do use the 50 quite a lot though. Oh, and the 35mm is roughly the size of the 16-50 kit lens, the 50mm is much larger and heavier to boot. That said, if you want that delicious bokeh, the 50mm is better for stills imho. As far as image quality...well, I'll leave that up to the pixel peepers and lens experts to explain. They look pretty sharp to me and BLOW THE KIT LENS AWAY.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The "nifty fifty" many NEX users have been waiting for
*by M***R on January 21, 2013*

EDIT #2: I have gotten ahold of and thoroughly tested the new Zeiss Touit 32mm f/1.8, with a review both here on Amazon and my website. Though the below review still stands, the Zeiss is overall an optically better lens. For handheld low-light and video applications, the Sony inches ahead. EDIT: As of February 4th, Sony has officially announced the release of a firmware update to the NEX-5r/6 to allow this lens (and many others) to function with the on-sensor PDAF. There is now even less to complain about on this lens' performance. END EDIT Original Review: I've already written a rather extensive review of this fine lens on my website (look up Matthew Durr Photography if you want to read more detailed information), but let me distill down the lens' major high points and bottom low points: The Good: -Even on the NEX-7, the 35mm f/1.8 provides good to great sharpness at most apertures -The OSS gives about 3-4 stops of shutter speed advantage, depending on how steady your hands are -Out-of-focus areas are generally pleasing for a lens of this type, save for some busyness with complex backgrounds (tree branches, for example) -Extremely compact, focuses quick, and is a good value for the money The Bad: -Even being a good value (the OSS is accounting for a majority of the lens' cost), $450 for a 52.5mm f/2.8 equivalent Field-of-View lens (on a full-frame 35mm sensor) is pretty high -Longitudinal chromatic aberrations at the wider apertures, mainly in the backgrounds, can be distracting (but can mostly be edited out) Okay, so why did I give it five stars with the above listed cons? It's simple. In nearly every shooting situation that calls for the 50mm field-of-view, this 35mm f/1.8 delivers. Low-light? OSS. Subject separation? f/1.8 Sharp landscapes? Shoot at f/5.6. Traveling? It's a compact kit! Ignore the naysayers griping about how it's not compatible with the NEX5r/6's PDAF yet, or that it's "just as good" as the kit lens at 35mm. For one, Sony will surely come out with an update eventually to allow the PDAF to function (though it isn't needed for anything besides moving subjects). Secondly, this lens lets in over five times as much light wide-open than the kit lens does at 35mm. This means that, all other image parameters made equal, a shot taken at 1/10 with the kit lens can be accomplished at 1/50 with this lens. Or, given the same shutter speed in a low-light scenario, the 35mm f/1.8 can shoot at ISO 400 while the kit lens' camera has to go up to over ISO 1600. Bottom line? The 35mm f/1.8 is a great lens that provides excellent image quality at the "normal" field-of-view that so many NEX photographers have been waiting for since the camera line's inception.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Great first prime lens
*by I***F on July 4, 2015*

UPDATE: Really glad I bought this lens still. I think it could have been $350 instead of $450 considering some of the competing lenses for not much more(Zeiss) or far less(sigma). Either way I'm enjoying it a lot as a big improvement over the kit lens. This review comes from a novice so it will just touch breifly on my first impressions for now and expand as I learn more and have more experience with the lens. I am using this on my NEX 5TL after researching the best first lens to get. I wanted something basic and general that could improve on the kit lens and I wanted something sharp with a fast focus and good photo quality in low light. I wanted something that I could leave on for a vacation. This lens is exactly what I was looking for and surpasses my requirements. The lens came fairly well packed and looked great upon opening. It is metal and feels solidly constructed and the focus ring has a really good amount of resistance compared to the kit lens which I felt had too little resistance. The glass looks flawless and after a few test shots I threw a filter on it to add piece of mind for my investment. The autofocus seems reasonably fast and I haven't had issues with it. I've been taking some pictures in lower light that my kits lens was incapable of producing clear pictures without a tripod in. The results have been great and very impressive. 35mm seems to be ideal for taking pictures of just about anything. I wish I had more detailed information about this lens but I am a novice photographer and about all I can say is that I like it. It takes great pictures in all situations and lighting conditions and it's easy to recommend as a great upgrade to the kit lens on the NEX 5TL. I will continue to update this review as I learn more and have more experience with this lens.

## Frequently Bought Together

- Sony SEL35F18 35mm f/1.8 Prime Fixed Lens
- Sony Alpha a6400 Mirrorless Camera: Compact APS-C Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera with Real-Time Eye Auto Focus, 4K Video & Flip Up Touchscreen - E Mount Compatible Cameras - ILCE-6400/B Body
- SanDisk 128GB Extreme PRO SDXC UHS-I Memory Card - C10, U3, V30, 4K UHD, SD Card - SDSDXXD-128G-GN4IN

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*Product available on Desertcart South Africa*
*Store origin: ZA*
*Last updated: 2026-03-10*