In the Field: Sony FE 135mm f/1.8 GM for Travel Photography

Is the Sony FE 135mm f/1.8 GM a good lens for travel photography? This review answers all your questions.

James Popsys reviews the Sony FE 135mm f/1.8 GM for travel photography, capturing Iceland's stunning landscapes, icebergs and wildlife. Over to you, James.

Shot number one is tailor-made for 135mm focal length. We've got these really nice dark sandy rocks and we've got the sea, the crashing waves like I've never seen here before. Then we've got the rock and the birds flying above the rock. It's perfect. 

I've never really shot all that much at 135mm, it's one of those focal lengths that you hear some photographers, is all they shoot. But, I've never really done it massively. But this morning I'm really enjoying myself. It's been a lot of fun, but maybe it's just this location at the moment, but I want one. When the sidelight and backlight finally happened, shooting at f/2 and 500th of a second, it looks amazing.

I've been pleasantly surprised today by how much I've used the 135mm for what I suppose you'd call detail shots. And this is a perfect example of the opportunity, a face of a glacier.

The light got incredible for sunset. There was a glow off the back of the waves, and incredible colours in the sky. And as I said, I was just taking photos, I got too excited! All the photos with the 135mm, so that worked great.

Then it was time for some detailed shots with the 135mm and head down to the beach.

I was interested to try it primarily because I know lots of people who use one of these in lieu of a 70-200mm, purely because it's so sharp.

Obviously, it's nowhere near as versatile as a 70-200mm in terms of focal length. But lots of people who shoot, for example, with a body like this Sony A7R IV as I do, use this lens. They can get towards 200mm and still have loads of resolution from cropping.

It’s not quite as easy to go wider than 135mm unless you're doing panoramic shots, and that's a bit of a faff. But, basically, because it's so sharp, I'm finding that that kind of option is food for thought for me. Very impressive.

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