Compact cameras feel liberating after hauling around hefty interchangeable lens cameras – but I can’t seem to bring myself to spend a small fortune on a high-end compact camera when I own a perfectly good mirrorless.
That’s where pancake lenses come in – these tiny lenses make an interchangeable lens camera feel far more compact. And thanks to the Black Friday camera deals, a pancake to DIY your own “compact camera” from a mirrorless is now under $80 / £80 / CA$116.
The Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 FE is a lightweight lens that certainly fits the “pancake” moniker at just 0.59 inches / 15mm thick. Originally available for the Sony FE Mount, the lens now comes in mounts for Fujifilm X and Nikon Z as well.
There are, naturally, some sacrifices required to make a lens that small, starting with the fixed f/4.5 aperture. There’s no manual focus ring, hood, or filter thread either.
But, unlike some tiny third-party pancakes, this lens still has autofocus. Sharpness is solid at the center, though there’s some softness and colored fringing to the edges. The lens is also prone to lens flares, but that can be a good or a bad thing, depending on where you stand. Read the full Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 FE review for more insight.
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A pancake with a fixed f/4.5 aperture isn’t for everyone, but this VIltrox isn’t the only tiny lens discounted ahead of the holidays.
The TTArtisan AF 27mm f/2.8 – though an APS-C and not a full-frame lens like the Viltrox – also has a steep discount for Black Friday. If you shoot with a Fujifilm X, Sony E or Nikon Z mount in the APS-C format, the TTArtisan AF 27mm f/2.8 offers a wider aperture, albeit in a larger size and at a higher price.
The TTArtisan AF 27mm f/2.8 has solid sharpness for a budget lens, and it still has an aperture ring. There’s some vignetting to contend with, however, and there’s no weather sealing. But, it comes in at a far lower price point than many native pancake lenses.
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Image quality a priority over price? Browse the best pancake lenses for more options. Or, browse the best Black Friday camera deals for 2025.
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