The China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) has invalidated the patent at the heart of Nikon’s high-profile legal battle against Viltrox, according to court documents obtained by Nikon Rumors.

The rumor outlet previously reported that Nikon had likely lost its patent infringement lawsuit and now the outcome appears to have been confirmed.

Technically, the suit isn’t over yet. Nikon will be given three months in which to appeal the decision or could focus its efforts elsewhere. But either way, this is a major setback for the Big N and a major hurdle cleared for Viltrox.

What's the lawsuit about?

Talk of a lawsuit began to surface at the beginning of the year, with a variety of reports speculating exactly what Nikon was suing Viltrox over – the most outlandish being a completely unsubstantiated Z-mount camera.

Now that the dust has settled somewhat, it’s clear that Nikon was pursuing Viltrox primarily over its implementation of four bayonet lugs and the placement of electrical terminal groups (contacts) – but it’s still not clear which product(s) the lawsuit actually relates to.

Nikon Rumors posted an English translation via an AI recap of the 25-page document, which helps to shed some light on the Chinese authority’s reasoning, stating that the legal basis for the invalidation was a “lack of inventiveness”.

What does that mean? Well, according to Strachan IP, a patented invention has to “have at least one novel technical feature over what has been done before,” which is called an inventive step. So, you can’t patent a wheel, but you can patent a particularly innovative axle.

In the aforementioned court case, the CNIPA has invalidated Nikon’s patent by arguing that it simply isn’t inventive enough. The story continues…

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Viltrox has officially announced that two of its popular line of "Air" prime lenses are coming to Micro Four Thirds cameras (MFT), giving the format a much-needed shot in the arm of third-party support.

While MFT is the longest-running and most prolific mirrorless format, having launched back in 2008, third-party manufacturers have gradually stopped releasing new lenses over the years.

Perhaps most significantly, Sigma stopped developing Micro Four Thirds lenses back in 2023 (though it has produced OEM lenses for OM System, such as the M.Zuiko 150-600mm).

However, this announcement could signify that Viltrox is about to fill the void left by Japanese third-party lens makers.

The Viltrox 25mm f/1.7 Air along with the Viltrox 35mm f/1.7 Air have both been confirmed for MFT cameras, offering respective 50mm and 70mm equivalent prime focal lengths.

The former is a slightly crowded space, including first-party "nifty fifty" options in the form of the weather-sealed OM System 25mm f/1.8 II and the affordable "plastic fantastic" Panasonic Lumix G 25mm f/1.7 Asph.

(The Panasonic Leica DG Summilux 25mm f/1.4 II has reportedly been discontinued.)

The latter is a different story, though, with the closest autofocus options being the Olympus M.Zuiko 30mm f/3.5 Macro and the Panasonic Lumix G Macro 30mm f/2.8 Asph Mega OIS, both of which offer a shorter 60mm equivalent experience.

While it hasn't been confirmed by Viltrox, my assumption is that these lenses are simple mount swaps with the same general size and optical formula for larger APS-C image circles (since they are already available for Fujifilm X, Nikon Z and Sony E).

In other words, don't expect the lenses to possess new slimmed-down designs that better befit the more compact MFT bodies.

Still, if these first two primes prove popular, it seems likely that we can expect more Viltrox optics to make their way to Micro Four Thirds. In addition to the brilliant Evo and Lab lenses, I'd personally love to see the Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 – an ultra-thin autofocus pancake lens.

Pre-orders and international pricing have yet to be confirmed, but both the Viltrox 25mm f/1.7 Air and Viltrox 35mm f/1.7 Air carry a price tag of ¥899 in China – which is around $130 / £99 / AU$189.

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Viltrox has announced the release of its full-frame 26mm autofocus (AF) Evo pancake lens for Sony E-mount and Nikon Z-mount cameras. This pancake prime brings the sophistication of longer-barreled telephoto lenses that, until now, we've had yet to see.

The Viltrox AF 26mm f/2.8 Evo is the first full-frame AF pancake lens to feature not only a dedicated aperture ring, but a focus ring too. On an APS-C body, it has an equivalent focal length of 39mm.

This latest addition to Viltrox's apochromatic-dedicated Evo lineup could become a new favorite among photographers wanting a pocket-friendly lens with solid aberration-busting abilities, but that also features a high level of built-in tactile control.

With the dual control ring system, it seems like Viltrox is trying to corner the pancake corner of the lens market by out-sophisticating the competition (which includes its own, budget-friendly and even slimmer Viltrox AF 26mm f/4.5, which lacked any rings and had a fixed aperture).

While Sony and Nikon both produce equivalent native AF lenses, in the Sony FE 24mm f/2.8 G and Nikon Z 26mm f/2.8, the Sony model is not a true pancake lens at almost twice the thickness of the Viltrox – and the Nikon, which is ever so slightly thinner, features a single (albeit) programmable, control ring.

Like any true pancake lens, Viltrox has packed this tactile control into a lens that's incredibly thin. Yet despite being just 23.8mm thick, it houses an optical design of 8 elements in 6 groups (including a high-refractive and a pair of aspherical elements) with a minimum focusing distance of 0.2m.

"To my mind, the 26mm Evo proves that the best things sometimes do come in small packages," said my colleague Matthew in his Viltrox AF 26mm f/2.8 Evo review.

"Despite its wide-angle perspective and reasonably fast f/2.8 aperture, the lens is less than an inch thick, quintessentially qualifying as a pancake prime. Even so, its image quality is impressively sharp and crisp, and the lens manages to pack both focus and aperture control rings.

"All in all, I love this lens as a travel companion and for everyday shooting, and it’s great value at the price."

The Viltrox AF 26mm f/2.8 Evo is available now, with an RRP of $299 USD / £279 / AU$579.

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The Viltrox AF 26mm f/2.8 Evo gives me a slight but not completely convincing case of déjà vu. A couple of years ago I reviewed the Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 pancake lens.

Just a tiny slip of a thing, it’s only about half an inch thick and only weighs a couple of ounces. Indeed, I found that it made my interchangeable lens camera even more pocketable and convenient than some compact cameras.

Full-frame compatibility is shoehorned into this featherweight lens, but little else. There’s no manual focus nor an adjustable aperture diaphragm, and therefore no control rings. Handling is basic, to say the least. Originally for Sony E-mount cameras, it later became available for Nikon Z, L-mount and Fujifilm X system APS-C cameras.

The new lens that I’m reviewing here, the Viltrox AF 26mm f/2.8 Evo, is twice as long but still less than an inch thick, qualifying as a pancake prime.

Currently the latest in the Viltrox Evo line-up, it’s a much more sophisticated lens than the 28mm. Again it’s full-frame compatible, so far being produced in Nikon Z and Sony E options, but is equally viable on APS-C cameras from both camps.

Instead of acting as a full-frame, 26mm wide-angle lens, it has an ‘effective’ focal length of 39mm on APS-C, pretty much identical to the 40mm of various alternative standard primes.

Either way, handling and build quality are relatively upmarket, and the Evo lens aims to be one of the best pancake lenses on the market.

Viltrox AF 26mm f/2.8 Evo: Specifications

Viltrox AF 26mm f/2.8 Evo: Price

Pancake lenses aren’t exactly slim pickings (ironically), but they often have skinny price tags. The previously launched Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 is pretty much as cheap as they come, selling for just $99 / £90 / AU$169.

For about the same price, there was also the now discontinued Olympus Fisheye Body Cap 9mm f/8 for Micro Four Thirds cameras.

The new 26mm lens that I’m reviewing here is much more sophisticated, but still very competitively priced at $299 / £279 / AU$579. That’s potentially very good value, so long as the design, handling and performance pass muster. Let’s find out.

Viltrox AF 26mm f/2.8 Evo: Design & Handling

There’s thin and then there’s super-skinny. Unlike the half-inch Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5, the new 26mm lens is just under an inch thick, still easily qualifying as a pancake lens. That’s despite boasting a pair of manual focus and aperture control rings, which are both absent on the 28mm lens.

As a quick size guide, the picture below shows the lens mounted on my Nikon Z6 III, which itself is fairly svelte for a full-frame body. As you’ll notice, the lens doesn’t really stick out any further than the Nikon’s sculpted hand grip.

Not just physically thin, the lens also has a very small-bore optical path. This is immediately apparent when looking at the front of the lens head-on, or from its rear.

One thing you’ll also notice when looking into the front or back of the lens is the seven-blade aperture diaphragm. As I’ve mentioned, the Viltrox 28mm pancake has no adjustable aperture diaphragm at all, just a fixed heptagonal cutout that’s inserted into the optical path.

Squeezing two control rings into a lens this small is a tall order. The Viltrox nevertheless features an electronically coupled manual focus ring up front and an aperture control ring near the rear. They’re both necessarily very thin, or they just wouldn’t fit, but work well enough

The aperture ring operates in one-third f-stop click steps and has the usual Auto position just beyond the f/16 mark, at the narrow end of the aperture range. Unsurprisingly in such a small lens, there’s no room for an AF/MF focus mode switch or a click/de-click switch for the aperture ring

As I mentioned earlier, the lens itself has no filter attachment thread. However, it comes complete with a hood. The hood isn’t reversible but only protrudes by a small amount when fitted, as it’s similarly thin.

As well as further combating ghosting and flare, the filter has a 43mm filter attachment thread, so you can actually use screw-in filters or filter holders with the lens.

When fitted to the lens, the hood only adds about a quarter of an inch to the overall physical length. You certainly couldn’t call it large, but it does have the usual bayonet-fit attachment mechanism.

A smart addition is that it features a magnetic ring around its inner circumference, which I’ll come back to in a moment.

Build quality feels very solid, especially considering that the Viltrox is such a small, lightweight lens. It has a sturdy metal barrel and, taking advantage of the fact, the front lens cap attaches by magnetic attraction.

When the plastic hood is fitted to the lens, this attraction would be lost, hence the inclusion of that magnetic ring on the inside of the hood. You can therefore use the front cap in exactly the same way, regardless of whether or not the hood is fitted.

Like with other Viltrox Evo lenses so far, the mounting plate as well as the barrel is made from metal rather than plastic, and features a rubber weather-seal gasket, plus a USB-C socket. The latter enables the easy application of firmware updates, if and when needed.

Viltrox AF 26mm f/2.8 Evo: Performance

The standout performance characteristic of the Viltrox AF 26mm Evo, as far as I’m concerned, is its tiny size. It makes my camera small enough to take anywhere and everywhere, thus enabling me to get shots that I’d otherwise miss altogether (with my camera left at home).

And the lens doesn’t come along just for the ride; I find that its 26mm focal length delivers a generously wide-angle perspective that I love for travel and street photography, and for casual walkabout shooting.

Getting down to the nitty gritty, one thing I haven’t mentioned so far is the autofocus system. Whereas most Viltrox AF lenses employ a linear stepping motor or a voice coil motor, this one uses a gear-type stepping motor.

To some extent, this is necessitated by the design criterion of squeezing a quart into a pint pot. The relatively small motor is comparatively pedestrian in terms of speed but still quick enough for the vast majority of shooting scenarios.

It’s also slightly more audible than a linear stepping motor, so you can just about hear it in a quiet room and might pick up on it when shooting video using a camera’s internal microphone.

Some say that an f/2.8 aperture doesn’t quality as ‘fast’ and I’d tend to agree. Even so, it’s generally fast enough to freeze motion and avoid camera shake under very dull lighting conditions, without needing to massively bump up your camera’s ISO setting, which can degrade image quality.

Naturally, the other main advantage of faster aperture ratings is that you can get a tighter depth of field. You might struggle with this lens, as the short focal length makes it more of a challenge. However, the combination of the 26mm focal length and f/2.8 aperture enable a fairly tight depth of field when shooting close-ups.

Most camera lenses use relatively large-diameter glass, compared with pancake lenses. Pancake lens design can therefore be a compromise, causing concerns over image quality, especially in terms of sharpness and clarity, and the suppression of unwanted aberrations like distortion, vignetting and color fringing.

This Viltrox lens really impressed me in all these respects, with plenty of bite and sharpness right out to the edges and corners of the image frame on a full-frame camera.

Sure, barrel distortion can be noticeable when automatic in-camera correction is disabled – as can vignetting at the widest aperture of f/2.8. However, unlike with many modern lenses for mirrorless cameras, these aberrations aren’t very severe and the Viltrox gives you the choice of whether or not you want to use auto corrections, rather than having them ‘forced on’.

Viltrox AF 26mm f/2.8 Evo: Sample Images

The gallery below comprises shots taken at Bristol Docks in the English south-west city. I’ve used a variety of subject matter and aperture settings to demonstrate the qualities of the lens in general, walkabout shooting.

Viltrox AF 26mm f/2.8 Evo: Lab Results

We run a range of lab tests under controlled conditions, using the Imatest Master testing suite. Photos of test charts are taken across the range of apertures and zooms (where available), then analyzed for sharpness, distortion and chromatic aberrations.

We use Imatest SFR (spatial frequency response) charts and analysis software to plot lens resolution at the center of the image frame, corners and mid-point distances, across the range of aperture settings and, with zoom lenses, at four different focal lengths. The tests also measure distortion and color fringing (chromatic aberration).

Sharpness:

For a pancake lens, sharpness is very good even when shooting wide-open at f/2.8, becoming excellent at f/4 and narrower apertures, dropping off at f/16 due to diffraction. As I'd expect, the lens is less sharp at the edges and corners of the frame than in the central region, but it's still impressive.

Fringing:

There’s only very minimal color fringing throughout the entire aperture range, even out at the extreme edges and corners of the frame. You’ll rarely notice any fringing in images, even with automatic in-camera correction disabled.

Distortion: -2.14

Something has to give when you’re cramming a wide-angle perspective into such a small but full-frame compatible lens. Sure enough, barrel distortion is visible but the lens is still usable without in-camera correction, which isn’t ‘forced on’ in the menu system.

The Viltrox is a step ahead of many modern lenses for mirrorless cameras in this respect, especially those designed with compactness in mind.

Viltrox AF 26mm f/2.8 Evo: Verdict

Sometimes I really feel that less is more. As if to prove the point, this Viltrox AF 26mm f/2.8 lens is less than an inch thick, fully qualifying it as a pancake prime. And yet it has solid metal build quality with a weather-sealed mount, along with sophisticated handling characteristics that include an aperture control ring and slimline hood (complete with filter attachment thread).

The ultra-compact and lightweight design genuinely enables me to take my camera pretty much anywhere and everywhere on a daily basis, capturing shots that would naturally be impossible if I’d left it at home.

Getting down to the business of actually taking pictures, I love the wide perspective that the 26mm focal length delivers on a full-frame camera. I find it ideal for travel and street photography, as well as landscapes, cityscapes and many other shooting scenarios. It’s also ideal for vlogging.

On an APS-C body, it transforms to give a very natural perspective, akin to using a 40mm lens on a full-frame camera. The autofocus system won’t break any speed records and it’s not completely silent, but it’s definitely up to the job, delivering consistent accuracy.

All in all, I love this lens as a travel companion and for everyday shooting, and it’s great value at the price.

Alternatives

I am a proud owner of a Fujifilm X100VI. I even managed to get one of the limited-edition versions from the anniversary. It genuinely is a wonderful camera that’s easy to use and even easier to have with you. It scored ‘Best for Travel’ in our Fujifilm Camera Buying Guide, and it’s a well-deserved accolade. The fixed 23mm (35mm equivalent) lens does have an in-between feel that’s a great fit for street shots and travel, but neither wide enough for proper landscapes nor long enough for portraits. When I say equivalent, it’s because the X100VI uses an APS-C sensor, which has a 1.5X multiplier on focal lengths.

Of course I wanted to find some way to get wider and longer shots, without adding significant weight. Fortunately, Fujifilm does have a wide and tele adaptor lens for this system, but at a price. I do own these as there were no real alternatives at the time. It was inevitable that other makers would seek to add more competitive options. The big question, of course, is whether they match up to Fujifilm's version, or if that’s not the intention, do they offer something different and unique that I might prefer?

Here I'm looking at Viltrox’s recently launched versions of these screw-on lens adaptors. The WCL-X100VI and the TCL-X100VI, wide and tele respectively. These are significantly lower in price than the Fujifilm version, but is this because the adaptors don’t hit the mark on quality? Maybe I’d be better off saving up and getting the original?

Who are Viltrox even? Well, Viltrox are a well-established third-party lens manufacturer working across a range of camera systems: Fuji, Sony, Nikon, Canon and others. Initially they created manual focus lenses, but branched into autofocus lenses in more recent years. They have a range for the X-Series, and I’m particularly fond of the XF13mm f1.4, which is very sharp for astrophotography. You can check out our Viltrox AF 75mm f/1.8mm and AF 90mm f/2.2 review for more.

I’m happy with the pedigree that Viltrox has established, which gives me some hope for the quality of these as a potential alternative to the Fuji WCL-X100II and TCL-X100II. And with Viltrox's reputation for having lenses that sit well above their price point, it could be a win-win on price and performance.

Specifications

Price and Availability

The WCL-X100VI lists for $159, £159, €179, while the TCL-X100VI is $189, £179, €219, though Viltrox often has sales. Given that the Fujifilm versions are $399, £289, €319 and $399, £299, €339, respectively, I think this is a fantastic price point.

Even a not-so-genius like me can see that there’s a massive saving to be made should the lenses stack up. These adaptors have just been launched and are accessible from the Viltrox website or via their suppliers. Given the solid nature of the adaptors, and the amount of glass, I think the build quality exceeds the listed price. If price were the main concern, there are other options, including the Freewell Tele adapter at $149.99 and combined Wide and Macro adapter at $99.99-even cheaper if price is an issue.

Design

Viltrox definitely went out of their way to make these match the X100VI in colour, with both silver and black versions available. I have the silver versions, and they match the camera really well, along with being very similar to the Fujifilm versions. When testing without the lens caps on, I had to read the name on the adapters each time to make sure I’d pulled out the one I wanted to use for the shot while comparing. So yes, aesthetically, they’re quite similar to the originals. Both the WCL and TCL have a knurled ring, which is nice in hand, and distinguishes them from the Fujis’.

It’s having these originals to compare that really makes any potential issues stand out. The filter threads on the Viltrox also match those of the originals, meaning that if I had started with the Viltrox, I wouldn’t lose out if I went to the Fujifilm versions later. I have a lovely 67mm diffusion filter from K&F Concept that gives soft portraits with the TCL, for example.

The lens cap on the TCL is the central pinch-to-remove type that is now the default everywhere (and I am glad to see this). The rear caps and cap on the WCL are Viltrox-branded push-on rubber with the thread marked on them. Still not as cool as the screw-on rear caps from Artra Labs though. Realistically, both Fuji and Viltrox need something better for the back of the adapters, as these wear over time and become loose and easy to misplace.

The adapters screw on easily and are immediately recognised by the camera, showing a W or T icon on the camera screen. Viltrox says this is due to a combination of a magnetic mount and an integrated chip in the camera. This embeds metadata in the file so programs like Lightroom Classic can automatically apply the correct lens correction for that adapter. They also label the focal length correctly, so the TCL shows as 33mm, for example. Viltrox do warn that metal-on-metal screwing can cause issues, but I feel it would take a reasonable amount of force to cross-thread. Just be careful! There’s a small ring that unscrews from the front on the built-in lens to give access to the threads. Something else for me to lose.

Both lenses use 5 elements in 4 groups, whereas Fuji has 4 elements in 4 groups for the WCL and 4 elements in 3 groups for the TCL-this explains the roughly 50g difference between each brand’s version of the teleconverter. It’s an impressive reason for the additional weight. As with other Viltrox lenses, there’s a nano coating on the lenses to help retain sharpness, while minimising aberrations and chromatic dispersions. It’s not perfect, as there is a situation where flare is very visible-more shortly. The final note that I should make on the glass is that these don’t change the minimum aperture, so you have the option to shoot at f2.0 with either lens.

Performance

Getting these adapter lenses on and off was flawless, but keeping the caps despite making use of the cloth bags for each lens wasn’t. I couldn’t find them after my first use- I did eventually! I wanted to give these a test in some of my typical shooting situations, so I shot both outside and in studio.

I often shoot quick model sets with the TCL. I had a day-long shoot with Olga Solo, and as part of that I did some test shots to compare to the Fuji. When I A/B’d the shots together I was surprised by how similar they were. Initially, the auto white balance had the Viltrox looking warmer and with better contrast, but when I made them the same temperature and tint in Lightroom, they were hard to tell apart. There is maybe a small amount more vignetting on the Viltrox TCL, but it’s very subtle. Other brands, like Freewell, have significantly more darkening of the corners.

The TCL is wonderfully sharp with these studio shots, again directly comparable to the Fujifilm. Viltrox was definitely trying to match the look and has succeeded. The Viltrox TCL is a little heavier, but in practice you don’t notice the difference.

The Wide Converter lens is practically weightless, meaning I could forgo the tele for some travel elements; I could always use the digital zoom and lose some of the 40MP I have to save weight. Equally, that zoom with the TCL gives a nice 100mm equivalent view, back to the wide lens. When I compare the photos to the original wide converter, they’re very similar.

I used the Viltrox in a variety of situations, and the main issue I could find is that there’s a dramatic flare with the sun in the centre of the frame sometimes, as with this sunset shot in the woods. Even dropping or raising the camera helped significantly, but I haven’t seen anything like this before. It’s the only real negative I have with the lens.

When I tried this during the afternoon, aiming at the sun, it didn’t flare, so it may just have been a fluke related to the conditions in the woods. Flare isn’t strictly a bad thing, and as an avid user of Boris FX Optics, where I add flare, I can’t complain about it artistically. It’s where I can’t control it that I have an issue. Besides this, the lens performed flawlessly for me. At the beach, in the woods, even out camping. When compared to the Fuji, there was very little difference-often anything I thought I’d notice would turn out to be a slightly different white balance or a minor change in shutter speed.

Given that Viltrox only advertises these as conversion lenses for the X100 series, it’s not setting itself up for comparison directly. But I think they match the look and feel of the X100VI beautifully, as well as competing in optical quality-probably the key metric.

Sample Images

Verdict

I think the Viltrox TCL-X100VI and the WCL X100VI are an excellent addition to my X100VI kit. They’re optically great and easily compete with Fujifilm’s versions of these converters. I love the retro look and the additional knurled ring that adds a unique visual element. The lens caps are great, but I do think there needs to be a better rear cap system. I love that the styling sits perfectly with the camera, so much that I think it looks like it could just be part of the camera natively.

I find the weight to be more than acceptable, even with the TCL being heavier than other versions. They’re more than pocketable should I decide to go out with the camera around my neck-though I’d avoid jeans pockets for moisture.

My only concern is that flare, but I’m finding it hard to repeat, so it may have been a fluke. Perhaps a mix of the shadow and light, and maybe I hadn’t screwed the converter on far enough? Either way, these will come in the small messenger bag for my X100VI, along with a small flash, ready for everything from landscapes to portraits, as well as those travel shots.

I would not hesitate to recommend these converters to anyone, whether budget-driven or otherwise. Viltrox has come through again, showing that they are a force in the optics world.

Alternatives

I’ve mentioned alternatives throughout, but in summary there are three other alternatives:

• Fujifilm have their own converter lenses used for comparison in this review.
• The Freewell Tele adapter combines a Wide and Macro adapter. These do match the styling of the X100VI, but also offer a macro option. The converters have threads on them as well, so require a threading ring to connect them, which comes as part of the kit. The TCL has a strong vignette, and may be related to the fact that they don’t trigger the lens correction switch like Viltrox.
• Artra Labs have slightly longer tele at 60mm equivalent and 24mm equivalent versions. They advertise the 24 as a 16mm and the 60mm as the equivalent. This is entirely true, but at first glance I thought it was a much wider lens for the WCL. It does vignette significantly, though with a lot of barrel distortion.

Viltrox makes some of the best third-party lenses for Sony, Nikon, and Fujifilm cameras, amongst others, and all at a fraction of the price of official glassware. And on Prime Day(s), there's a cool 20% off a range of lenses, from fun lens cap pancakes to fully pro fast autofocus glass, making these already attractively priced lenses not-to-be-missed bargains!

Here are some of the highlights, but there are loads more. Click on the alternative lens tabs on the Amazon page to find the perfect Viltrox lens for you.

While Viltrox lenses may be cheap to buy when compared to the big manufacturers' equivalents, there's nothing cheap about their build quality or spec sheets, with luxuries such as fast apertures and autofocus found throughout the range. While the deals above are Sony-fit, you'll find Prime Day Deal discounts on Nikon and Fujifilm-fit lenses, too, on Amazon's Viltrox Store.

I've been scouring Amazon for the best Prime Day deals on the best Nikon cameras and best Nikon lenses, and I'm afraid I've come up empty-handed, on day one at least. But just when I thought all was lost, I came across these cracking deals on Viltrox Nikon-fit lenses for Z-mount cameras.

Viltrox makes some of the best third-party lenses for Nikon cameras, and all at a fraction of the price of official Nikon glassware. And on Prime Day(s), there's a cool 15% off a range of lenses, from fun lens cap pancakes to fully pro fast autofocus glass, making these already attractively priced lenses not-to-be-missed bargains!

Here are some of the highlights, but there are loads more. Click on the alternative lens tabs on the Amazon page to find the perfect Viltrox lens for you.

While Viltrox lenses may be cheap to buy when compared to Nikon equivalents, there's nothing cheap about their build quality or spec sheets, with luxuries such as fast apertures and autofocus found throughout the range. You'll find some of these lenses available as Sony-fit too, with the same Prime Day Deal discounts!

Last week, third-party lens maker Viltrox announced a tiny pancake lens – but if the rumors are any indication, that’s not the only tiny product on the horizon. Photos of a tiny Viltrox keychain camera have leaked online from a regular rumor reporter on Chinese social media.

I’ve heard a few dubious rumors popping up recently hinting that Viltrox was working on a camera. I had my doubts, but the newly leaked photos are not at all what I was expecting.

If the photos leaked by the Independent Photographers’ Association on Weibo are true, then Vilrox could soon offer a tiny keychain camera with a retro design.

The leaked photos look quite similar to the viral Kodak Charmera keychain camera, with the same rectangular shape, keychain ring, and retro stripes. The camera has “1839” printed on it, like some of the original Kodak Charmera designs that have 1987 printed on it, the year of the Kodak Fling that first inspired the Charmera.

The leak didn’t contain any specifications, but with the word “toy” printed on the box, it’s clear the rumored Viltrox camera isn’t made for serious shooters.

If I had to guess, I would venture that the Viltrox toy camera may not even be something headed to stores. The Google-translated caption with the photos indicates that the camera is made for a Dragon Boat Festival gift box.

For now, the Viltrox toy camera is just an unconfirmed leak – but it raises questions about the keychain camera craze. Since the Kodak Charmera went viral and sold out in a matter of hours last year, copies have popped up everywhere, from fast food swag to gas station rewards programs.

Now, the Kodak licensee Reto Productions has made a second set of blink box designs, this time on a Y2K theme.

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It's tough being an S9 owner. Panasonic proudly announced an ultra-small full-frame camera that's about the same size as a Fujifilm X100VI – but the only ultra-small lens available for it was barely fit for purpose, and every other L-Mount lens was comedically oversized on the camera.

Since then, even the so-called small Lumix S 40mm f/2 and TTArtisan 40mm f/2 are too chunky for my taste. But thankfully, mercifully, Viltrox has come to the rescue with an ultra-small lens that the Lumix S9 has been screaming out for.

Already available for Sony E, Nikon Z and Fujifilm X mounts, the Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 has just been launched for L-Mount. It's a super-thin pancake lens that's just 15mm thick, making it a perfect pairing for the svelte S9.

I wish this lens was available for the S9 at launch, as I think it would have utterly transformed the reception that greeted the camera. Instead of Panasonic's poorly-received, manual focus, fixed-f/8 26mm pancake, this is the proof-of-concept optic that the Lumix deserved.

As it is, the Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 – which my colleague Matt Richards awarded four stars in his review – offers silent and snappy autofocus, a faster (but still fixed) f/4.5 aperture and tasty central sharpness (even if it gets choppier towards the edges of frame). Heck, it even has a built-in lens cap that can be engaged with the flick of a slider switch!

All that tech and it's still slimmer than Lumix's 18.1mm-thick pancake – and only a shade heavier, too, at just 60g (compared to 58g).

And while I've been moaning about the S9, the L-Mount version of this lens obviously fits any camera using the mount – it's equally at home on the similarly small Sigma BF, chunkier bodies like the Lumix S1IIE or even a Red Dot camera like the Leica SL3. But we all know that it's meant for the S9.

"I feel that the Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 is the last word in convenience and portability, thanks to its incredibly small and lightweight build," Matt said in his Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 review. "I really like using it for street photography and for walkabout/travel shooting, as it keeps size and weight to an absolute minimum."

He does note that the fixed aperture can prove tricky (though nothing that isn't remedied by nudging your ISO) and found that flaring can be an issue, but otherwise concluded that "it's a fun lens that keeps things simple." Which is exactly what I want from my S9 – and is exactly what the 26mm f/8 failed to deliver.

Anyway, S9 users like me can finally shut up as we've got the lens we always wanted. It's available now for $99 / £90 (Australian price to be confirmed). Now, if only Samyang can be persuaded to bring the Remaster Slim to the L-Mount as well… 

You might also like…

This is definitely one of the best lenses for the Panasonic Lumix S9, but see how it fares against the best L-Mount lenses from all manufacturers.

This one of the crazy camera rumors I've heard, but crazier things have happened: Viltrox is reportedly making a mirrorless camera that uses the Nikon Z mount.

If true, this might also explain the vigor with which Nikon has been legally pursuing the Chinese manufacturer.

On the surface, Nikon suing Viltrox over the Z mount seemed to be about the unlicensed production of third-party lenses. But if Viltrox is planning to use the Big N's mount wholesale, it becomes a much bigger issue.

Is Viltrox really making a Z-mount camera?

Viltrox has been rumored to be developing a mirrorless camera system since at least last August. When the brand joined the L-Mount Alliance in September, the dominoes seemed to line up for a Viltrox L-Mount camera.

Which may, indeed, still be the case. But Chinese social media has been rife with reports that Viltrox has – or, at least, had – its sights set on the Z mount.

Chinese social media, of course, is hardly the most robust source of information. However, when it comes to Chinese manufacturers, it has proven to be the most reliable insight into what companies in the region are up to.

It would be ballsy as all hell to make a completely unlicensed camera using someone's proprietary mount. Not unheard of, but certainly not from a brand as big as Viltrox.

As such, I'd personally take the biggest pinch of sale you can and file this one under "highly unlikely" – but that doesn't mean Viltrox wasn't developing something. Or, perhaps more offensively to Nikon, reverse-engineering something.

Why would Viltrox want to make cameras?

What would be the point in a third-party lens maker starting to produce cameras? It's a fair question. There is a mountain of R&D time and money involved in making a camera of any kind – let along a mirrorless camera that is going to compete with cutting-edge products from the likes of Nikon.

But you need only look at Sigma, which recently added the Sigma BF to the Sigma fp and fp L, as a lens maker who decided that the juice was worth the squeeze. Those cameras used the L Mount, with Sigma being a fellow (and indeed founding) member of the Alliance.

Then there's Yongnuo, another Chinese manufacturer, which launched a series of mirrorless cameras using the Micro Four Thirds mount – an open source standard, which would be a far less problematic route for camera development.

Still, it's a big expense and a big risk for minimal reward – Yongnuo's cameras were poorly received, and largely disappeared without trace, while Sigma's cameras are well regarded but hardly sell huge numbers.

However, Viltrox did say last year that, "Our commitment is to create a seamless and responsive ecosystem for creators," and this move would certainly serve that purpose.

You might also like…

For cameras that you can safely buy without anyone getting sued by the Big N, check out the best Nikon cameras and the best mirrorless cameras from all manufacturers.

I started my collection of Viltrox prime lenses a few years ago, with a fab four f/1.4 prime lenses for my Nikon Z fc camera. I’ve been entirely happy with them but things have moved on since then, with Viltrox concentrating on new line-ups featuring lightweight and low-budget Air lenses, top-grade Pro and Lab lenses and (most recently) next-generation Evo lenses.

The evolution in question came to fruition with the full-frame compatible Viltrox AF 85mm f/2.0 Evo for Nikon Z and Sony E mount mirrorless cameras. That was followed by the Viltrox AF 35mm f/1.8 Evo and the Viltrox AF 55mm f/1.8 Evo, which launched simultaneously in the same two mount options. With unified features, size and weight, all three lenses work superbly well as interchangeable optics, without throwing any spanners in the creative flow. Fast-forward a little and there are now two APC-C format Evo lenses, in virtually the same size and weight, and with the same handling characteristics and filter thread as the pre-existing full-frame lenses.

The new kids on the block are the Viltrox AF 75mm f/1.8 Evo that I’m reviewing here, and the slightly longer Viltrox AF 90mm f/2.2 Evo. Both are eminently suitable for APS-C format portraiture and are again available in Nikon Z and Sony E mount options. There are also Fujifilm X mount editions, although the Fuji versions lack the AF/MF focus mode switch, customizable function button and click/de-click switch of the other two mount variants.

Other portrait-friendly, dedicated APS-C format Viltrox lenses in the same choice of three mount options include the cut-price Viltrox AF 56mm f/1.7 Air and the super-fast Viltrox AF 56mm f/1.2 Pro. Even so, the combination of focal length and aperture rating aim to make the new APS-C format Evo primes among the best portrait lenses, in terms of bang for your buck.

Viltrox AF 75mm f/1.8 Evo: Specifications

Viltrox AF 75mm f/1.8 Evo: Price

The Viltrox AF 75mm f/1.8 Evo looks, feels and performs like a properly high-class prime lens, making it very competitive in terms of price, launching at $329 / £319 (AU$TBA). So how does that stack up against other Viltrox Evo lenses in the line-up, as well as the lightweight Air and top-speed Pro options? Well, the bottom line is that the Viltrox AF 85mm f/2.0 Evo costs $275 / £265 / AU$449, the Viltrox AF 35mm f/1.8 Evo sells for $395 / £385 / AU$529 and the Viltrox AF 55mm f/1.8 Evo costs $370 / £359 / AU$519.

Meanwhile, the Viltrox AF 56mm f/1.7 Air is relatively basic and inexpensive at $179 / £139 / AU$282 and the top-end Viltrox AF 56mm f/1.2 Pro is naturally pricier at $580 / £530 / AU$889. All things (and alternatives) considered, the new APS-C format Evo looks great value for money.

Viltrox AF 75mm f/1.8 Evo: Design & Handling

Unlike the previous three offerings in the Viltrox Evo line-up of prime lenses, the two latest 75mm and 90mm lenses are designed specifically for APS-C format Fujifilm, Nikon and Sony mirrorless cameras, instead of being full-frame compatible. Naturally, if you’re in either of the Nikon or Sony camps, you can use the full-frame Viltrox AF 85mm f/2.0 Evo on your APS-C format body, with no compromises. The new lenses are arguably of greater interest to Fujifilm shooters, as these are the first Evo lenses available in X-mount.

One of the things I like most about all five Evo lenses in the line-up so far is that, irrespective of whether they’re full-frame or APS-C format, they’re all pretty much the same size and weight, and have the same 58mm filter attachment thread up front. The handling characteristics (Fujifilm versions aside) are also identical. The upshot is that if you’re chopping and changing between different lenses in the series to make use of different focal lengths, the shooting experience is virtually identical. That means you can concentrate fully on shooting, without the risk of any differences in handling spoiling your creative flow.

It goes without saying (I’ll say it anyway) that any lens is only as good as its glass. This one features 11 elements in 9 groups, including two ED (Extra-low Dispersion) elements and two HRi (High Refractive index) elements. The aim is for excellent clarity and contrast, along with natural color rendition and the minimum of unwanted aberrations. Other optical highlights include HD Nano multi-layer coatings to minimize ghosting and flare, and the front element also has a moisture/grease-repellant fluorine coating.

Handling extras, at least for the Nikon and Sony mount editions of the lens, include an AF/MF focus mode switch and a customizable function button. The former avoids any time and effort spent in camera menus, when you want to swap between autofocus and manual focus. The latter can be assigned to various functions, but AF-hold is usually the favored option.

One thing that’s shared by all three mount versions of the lens is the dedicated aperture control ring. Unlike some of its kind, the scale is only marked in full f/stop increments rather than having intermediate one-third f/stop markings. As usual, there’s an A (Auto) setting at the narrow end of the aperture range, for controlling the aperture direct from the camera body. This is essential in Program and Shutter-priority shooting modes. My only gripe is that there’s no locking switch for the aperture ring’s Auto position. As such, you need to be careful while shooting that you don’t nudge the ring from its A setting to a narrow aperture, which overrides the camera-driven value.

The click steps in the aperture control ring are subtle in feel and ultra-quiet in operation, but there’s a click/de-click switch featured in the Nikon and Sony mount versions of the lens anyway. The latter mode enables smooth, stepless and virtually silent aperture transitions, most useful when shooting video rather than stills. The autofocus system is also near-silent, based on the now common variety of linear stepping motor. As such, the motor is also employed to shift the relevant groups of elements when focusing manually as well as in autofocus modes.

Build quality feels solid and sturdy, right down to and including the metal mounting plate. The control rings, switches and function button (where fitted) work with smooth precision and feel high-quality items.

I’d expect a lens of this quality to be supplied complete with a hood and in this case, it’s an efficient circular-profile hood befitting the short telephoto nature of the lens. As usual, it has a bayonet-fit coupling and can be reversed on the lens to enable more compact stowage.

Viltrox AF 75mm f/1.8 Evo: Performance

As always with APS-C format lenses, it’s important to take the crop factor into account. Applying the 1.5x conversion factor, the Viltrox AF 75mm f/1.8 Evo has an ‘effective’ focal length of 112.5mm in full-frame terms. The net result is that it delivers a very natural and comfortable working distance for head-and-shoulders portraiture, as well as for tight head shots. The effective focal length can also work very well for still life and product photography.

Coupled with the widest available aperture of f/1.8, the focal length enables a tight depth of field, ideal for isolating subjects within fussy scenes by blurring the background. Performance of the lens is very good in this respect. It combines excellent sharpness when shooting wide-open at f/1.8 with sumptuously smooth bokeh. Bokeh also remains of good quality when stopping down a little, helped by a well-rounded 9-blade aperture diaphragm.

As a part of testing the lens, I shot the following gallery of images, using a phrenology head as the main subject against a backdrop of garden plants and hedging. The series of images was taken at apertures from f/1.8 up to and including f/5.6. They serve as a good test for the qualities of sharpness, bokeh and axial chromatic aberration. The last of these is a phenomenon also known as ‘bokeh fringing’, which can be problematic with fast lenses at their widest aperture, resulting in color fringing around high-contrast transitions just in front of and behind the plane of focus, like the phrenology head’s black lines and writing on their white porcelain background.

Viltrox AF 75mm f/1.8 Evo: Sample Images

The following gallery of sample images was shot at the Bishop’s Palace and Gardens in the English city of Wells, both indoors and outdoors. I majored on wide aperture settings, which is the principle advantage of this lens compared with a zoom. Many of the shots give an idea of the qualities of both sharpness and bokeh, as well as the lens’s excellent control over unwanted aberrations.

Viltrox AF 75mm f/1.8 Evo: Lab Results

We run a range of lab tests under controlled conditions, using the Imatest Master testing suite. Photos of test charts are taken across the range of apertures and zooms (where available), then analyzed for sharpness, distortion and chromatic aberrations.

We use Imatest SFR (spatial frequency response) charts and analysis software to plot lens resolution at the center of the image frame, corners and mid-point distances, across the range of aperture settings and, with zoom lenses, at four different focal lengths. The tests also measure distortion and color fringing (chromatic aberration).

Sharpness:

General (line widths per picture height)

Aperture

CenterMid-frameCorners

General Data

Timestamp (f/)	Center (line widths per picture height)	Mid-frame (line widths per picture height)	Corners (line widths per picture height)
1.8	2323	2163	1565
2	2317	2217	1537
2.8	2297	2259	1690
4	2438	2151	1826
5.6	2271	2029	1792
8	1975	1869	1692
11	1614	1518	1430
16	1298	1218	1179

Levels of sharpness are highly impressive, from the center of the image frame right out to the extreme edges and corners, even when shooting wide-open at f/1.8. Sharpness only really drops off noticeably at the narrowest aperture of f/16, due to the normal issue of diffraction.

Fringing:

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Center

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f/1.8

0.33

f/2

0.3

f/2.8

0.32

f/4

0.35

f/5.6

0.37

f/8

0.29

f/11

0.39

f/16

0.41

01.252.53.755

Center Data

Product	Value
f/1.8	0.33
f/2	0.3
f/2.8	0.32
f/4	0.35
f/5.6	0.37
f/8	0.29
f/11	0.39
f/16	0.41

f/1.8

0.65

f/2

0.67

f/2.8

0.59

f/4

0.53

f/5.6

0.59

f/8

0.61

f/11

0.59

f/16

0.58

01.252.53.755

Mid-frame Data

Product	Value
f/1.8	0.65
f/2	0.67
f/2.8	0.59
f/4	0.53
f/5.6	0.59
f/8	0.61
f/11	0.59
f/16	0.58

f/1.8

0.8

f/2

0.8

f/2.8

0.85

f/4

0.8

f/5.6

0.75

f/8

0.74

f/11

0.78

f/16

0.83

01.252.53.755

Corners Data

Product	Value
f/1.8	0.8
f/2	0.8
f/2.8	0.85
f/4	0.8
f/5.6	0.75
f/8	0.74
f/11	0.78
f/16	0.83

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Both axial and lateral chromatic aberrations are very minimal, and will generally go unnoticed even with automatic correction for the latter disabled, either in-camera or when processing raw files.

Distortion: 0.18

There’s the slightest touch of pincushion distortion revealed in our lab tests but it’s almost impossible to detect with the vast majority of subject matter in real-world shooting conditions. Again, this is with automatic in-camera correction disabled.

Viltrox AF 75mm f/1.8 Evo: Verdict

The Viltrox AF 75mm f/1.8 Evo gives an ‘effective’ focal length of 112.5mm in full-frame terms, when used on the APS-C format camera bodies for which it’s designed. That works a treat for head-and-shoulders portraiture, tight head shots, still life photography and any time you simply need a short telephoto lens with a fast aperture rating.

I’m really impressed with the build quality and handling of the lens, the Nikon and Sony mount options adding an AF/MF focus mode switch, a customizable function button, and a click-de-click switch for the dedicated aperture control ring. However, these handling extras are absent in the Fujifilm X-mount edition of the lens. That’s understandable really, as the Viltrox matches the design of Fujifilm’s own-brand XF R series lenses in this respect. Either way, everything’s wrapped up in a sturdy metal casing with multiple weather-seals.

Performance is excellent in all respects, from the speed and consistent accuracy of autofocus to image quality. Image quality itself combines excellent edge-to-edge sharpness even when shooting wide-open at f/1.8, with beautifully smooth bokeh. Even so, Nikon and Sony shooters (myself included) might feel tempted to buy the very similar but full-frame compatible and even better-value Viltrox AF 85mm f/2.0 Evo, even if that lens is one-third of an f/stop slower.

Alternatives

I’ve been enjoying Viltrox lenses for four years and counting, having originally bought a set of four f/1.4 Viltrox primes for my Nikon Z fc camera back in 2022. The 13mm, 23mm, 33mm and 56mm lenses in question are old news now, but still do me proud. More recent offerings have been divided into four main product lines, comprising low-budget Air lenses, top-grade Pro and Lab lenses and next-generation Evo lenses, the last of these representing the latest line-up from the Chinese manufacturer.

The first Evo lens out of the gene pool was the full-frame compatible Viltrox AF 85mm f/2.0 Evo, followed by the similarly full-frame Viltrox AF 35mm f/1.8 Evo and Viltrox AF 55mm f/1.8 Evo, all three being available in Nikon Z and Sony E mount options. Despite the different focal lengths, the look and feel of these lenses is virtually identical, being extremely similar in size and weight and having exactly the same handling characteristics and 58mm filter thread.

There are now two APC-C format Evo lenses, comprising the 90mm that I’m reviewing here and a 75mm f/1.8 lens. They follow suit with pretty much the exact same size and weight as the full-frame trio, the same handling characteristics and the same filter thread.

Okay, I’ll revise my last statement. The Nikon Z and Sony E mount versions of the APS-C lenses have the same handling layout as their full-frame counterparts. The Fujifilm X editions have a more streamlined layout, as I’ll come to later. Either way, the new Evo lenses aren’t the only APS-C gig in town for portraiture fans. There’s also the ultra-lightweight, cut-price Viltrox AF 56mm f/1.7 Air and the super-speedy Viltrox AF 56mm f/1.2 Pro to consider, both of which give a classic 85mm ‘effective’ focal length, or thereabouts. But if you fancy a longer focal length, the 90mm Evo aims to be one of the best portrait lenses, especially if you’re after great quality without spending over the odds.

Viltrox AF 90mm f/2.2 Evo: Specifications

Viltrox AF 90mm f/2.2 Evo: Price

The Viltrox AF 90mm f/2.2 Evo has the look and feel of a seriously up-market prime lens, making the launch price of $369 / £359 (AU$TBA) look extremely competitive. I’m well used to Viltrox delivering great value for money and, to give a little perspective, previous Evo lenses include the Viltrox AF 85mm f/2.0 Evo at $275 / £265 / AU$449, the Viltrox AF 35mm f/1.8 Evo at $395 / £385 / AU$529 and the Viltrox AF 55mm f/1.8 Evo at $370 / £359 / AU$519, all of these three being full-frame compatible rather than APS-C format.

And there’s more. The low-budget Viltrox AF 56mm f/1.7 Air is relatively basic and ultra-lightweight, priced at $179 / £139 / AU$282, while the super-fast, top-end Viltrox AF 56mm f/1.2 Pro comes in at $580 / £530 / AU$889. Long story short, the new AF 90mm Evo looks very good value for a classy prime lens.

Viltrox AF 90mm f/2.2 Evo: Design & Handling

It bears repeating that the 90mm f/2.2 Evo lens is designed specifically for APS-C format cameras and isn’t full-frame compatible, unless you use your full-frame camera in crop mode. Even if you have a Nikon or Sony APS-C format camera, it’s tempting to use the full-frame Viltrox AF 85mm f/2.0 Evo, as it costs less to buy and is a third of an f/stop faster. The 90mm lens is therefore maybe of greater interest to Fujifilm shooters, as the full-frame Evo lenses aren’t available in X-mount versions.

Let’s talk glass. The lens features 10 elements in 8 groups, complete with two ED (Extra-low Dispersion) elements and two HRi (High Refractive index) elements. The optical design and addition of specialist glass seek to deliver excellent clarity and color rendition, along with the minimum of unwanted aberrations. A further boost is on hand from HD Nano multi-layer coatings to minimize ghosting and flare.

The Nikon Z and Sony E mount editions of the lens win out for handling extras. Onboard controls include an AF/MF focus mode switch and a customizable function button. The focus mode switch saves any faffing around in camera menus when you want to switch focusing modes. You can typically assign the function button to various different tasks via in-camera menus, but AF-hold is often the top choice. The focus mode switch and function button are omitted in the Fujifilm X mount version of the lens, which has a relatively straightforward layout of controls.

A feature that’s common to all three mount options of the lens is the dedicated aperture control ring. It’s only marked in full f/stop increments rather than having intermediate one-third f/stop markings, but still has click steps at one-third f/stop increments. This is generally favored for stills photography, but the Nikon Z and Sony E mount editions boast a click/de-click switch, enabling silent and stepless aperture transitions when shooting video. Again, this is lacking in the Fujifilm X mount version.

One thing that’s absent from all editions of the lens is a locking switch for the A (Auto) position on the aperture control ring. I’d have liked that to be included, just to avoid any accidental nudging of the ring from its ‘A’ position to a narrow aperture setting, when controlling the aperture from the host camera body.

The autofocus system is based on a linear stepping motor, which is par for the course with modern lenses designed for mirrorless cameras. Typical of the breed, it enables swift yet near-silent autofocus operation, and the motor is also called upon when applying manual focus adjustments.

Evo lenses feel solid and robust, and this one is no exception. The relatively compact and lightweight build certainly doesn’t come at the expense of flimsy build quality. Multiple weather-seals are incorporated and the controls all work with smooth precision.

Unlike some budget-conscious lenses from certain camera manufacturers, this one comes complete with a hood, as do nearly all other Viltrox lenses. Off the top of my head, the only one that doesn’t is the super-skinny Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 pancake lens. The 90mm actually uses the same PL-122A circular-profile hood that’s also supplied with the 75mm Evo lens. As I’d expect, it has the usual bayonet-fit coupling and can be reversed on the lens so you can stow it away in smaller spaces.

Viltrox AF 90mm f/2.2 Evo: Performance

A vital factor when choosing any APS-C format lens, not just of the wide-angle variety, is that you take the crop factor or ‘focal length multiplier’ into account. The 1.5x conversion factor gives the Viltrox AF 90mm f/2.2 Evo a classic 135mm ‘effective’ focal length in full-frame terms. I’ve been using 135mm lenses on full-frame film cameras for tight head shots and for head-and-shoulders portraiture for the last 50 years, since the film cameras of my youth. I really like that the focal length enables a very natural and comfortable working distance and a flattering look due to the slight compression in perspective. Ultimately, it’s a key plus point for the performance of this lens.

The focal length and widest available aperture of f/2.2 combine to enable a tight depth of field. Again, in the context of portraiture, as well as for still life photography, it’s ideal for isolating subjects within a scene by blurring fussy backgrounds. Also, you can literally make people stand out from the crowd. The lens delivers excellent performance in this respect, combining scintillating sharpness where you want it, even when shooting wide-open at f/1.8, with beautifully soft and dreamy bokeh where you don’t. There’s a well-rounded 9-blade aperture diaphragm that helps to maintain the quality of bokeh when stopping down a little.

I keep a phrenology head in my studio, which scared the living daylights out of my dog when he first saw it, dismembered and sitting on the shelf. A more useful application of the head is that it works well for testing portrait lenses. Shooting it against a backdrop of detailed garden plants and hedging reveals levels of sharpness, the quality of bokeh and any signs of axial chromatic aberration. The last of these is a phenomenon also known as ‘bokeh fringing’, which can be problematic with fast lenses at their widest aperture. It gives rise to color fringing around high-contrast transitions just in front of and behind the plane of focus, like the black lines and writing on the head’s white porcelain surface. The following gallery includes shots taken at all main aperture steps from f/2.2 to f/5.6.

Viltrox AF 90mm f/2.2 Evo: Sample Images

The following gallery of sample images was shot at the Bishop’s Palace and Gardens in the English city of Wells, both indoors and outdoors. I majored on wide aperture settings, which is the principle advantage of this lens compared with a zoom. After the first few shots in the gallery, many of the images give an idea of the qualities of both sharpness and bokeh, as well as the lens’s excellent control over unwanted aberrations.

Viltrox AF 90mm f/2.2 Evo: Lab Results

We run a range of lab tests under controlled conditions, using the Imatest Master testing suite. Photos of test charts are taken across the range of apertures and zooms (where available), then analyzed for sharpness, distortion and chromatic aberrations.

We use Imatest SFR (spatial frequency response) charts and analysis software to plot lens resolution at the center of the image frame, corners and mid-point distances, across the range of aperture settings and, with zoom lenses, at four different focal lengths. The tests also measure distortion and color fringing (chromatic aberration).

Sharpness:

General (line widths per picture height)

Aperture

CenterMid-frameCorners

General Data

Timestamp (f/)	Center (line widths per picture height)	Mid-frame (line widths per picture height)	Corners (line widths per picture height)
2.2	2440	2115	1514
2.8	2395	2194	1580
4	2409	2276	1707
5.6	2343	2133	1737
8	2004	1884	1680
11	1594	1611	1487
16	1232	1212	1141

Sharpness is pretty epic even when shooting wide-open at f/2.2, not just at the center of the frame but right out to the edges and corners. Levels of sharpness start to drop off at f/11, more so at f/16, due to narrow-aperture diffraction.

Fringing:

< Prev

Center

Next >

f/2.2

0.31

f/2.8

0.36

f/4

0.51

f/5.6

0.26

f/8

0.35

f/11

0.38

f/16

0.28

01.252.53.755

Center Data

Product	Value
f/2.2	0.31
f/2.8	0.36
f/4	0.51
f/5.6	0.26
f/8	0.35
f/11	0.38
f/16	0.28

f/2.2

0.62

f/2.8

0.54

f/4

0.5

f/5.6

0.34

f/8

0.37

f/11

0.34

f/16

0.26

01.252.53.755

Mid-frame Data

Product	Value
f/2.2	0.62
f/2.8	0.54
f/4	0.5
f/5.6	0.34
f/8	0.37
f/11	0.34
f/16	0.26

f/2.2

1.12

f/2.8

1.07

f/4

0.91

f/5.6

0.68

f/8

0.57

f/11

0.6

f/16

0.53

01.252.53.755

Corners Data

Product	Value
f/2.2	1.12
f/2.8	1.07
f/4	0.91
f/5.6	0.68
f/8	0.57
f/11	0.6
f/16	0.53

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Lateral chromatic aberration is minimal even at the edges and corners of the frame, while axial chromatic aberration is negligible at the widest aperture of f/2.2. There’s no reliance on automatic in-camera correction for color fringing.

Distortion: 0.56

The lens exhibits a very slight amount of pincushion distortion, but it’s only really discernable in lab-test data rather than being visible in real-world images. For completely zero-distortion results, automatic in-camera correction is generally available.

Viltrox AF 90mm f/2.2 Evo: Verdict

I love the classic 135mm ‘effective’ focal length in full-frame terms, that’s delivered by the Viltrox AF 90mm f/2.2 Evo on APS-C format camera bodies. It works a treat for portraiture and still life photography, as well as for general shooting when I need a short telephoto focal length. Moreover, the lens’s performance is top-drawer, combining superb sharpness and clarity with beautiful bokeh, courtesy of the shallow depth of field that’s on offer.

There are two more big ticks in the boxes of my wish list, when it comes to build quality and handling. The Nikon Z and Sony E mount versions build further on the robust, weather-resistant construction and handling finesse of the Fujifilm X mount edition, adding an AF/MF focus mode switch, a customizable function button, and a click-de-click switch for the dedicated aperture control ring. It’s perhaps a shame that these extras are omitted from the Fujifilm version but in its defense, the Viltrox follows suit with the design ethic of Fujifilm’s own-brand XF R series lenses.

Even in its more basic trim, the lens is a highly attractive proposition for Fujifilm shooters. However, owners of Nikon or Sony camera might feel drawn to the full-frame compatible Viltrox AF 85mm f/2.0 Evo instead, which is a third of an f/stop faster and even better value for money.

Alternatives

Viltrox’s new portrait primes sit in the telephoto family, yet only weigh about as much as a can of soda – and sell for under $400 / £400. The Viltrox AF 75mm f/1.8 EVO and AF 90mm f/2.2 EVO, unveiled on June 8, mix bright optics with a compact design.

The two prime lenses join VIltrox’s Evo series, which sits in both cost and size between the Chinese optics brand’s Air and Pro series, alongside previously launched 35mm f/1.8, 55mm f/1.8, and 85mm f/2.0 Evo lenses.

Both the new Viltrox AF 75mm f/1.8 Evo and 90mm f/2.2 Evo lenses are multi-mount optics made for APS-C camera bodies, including the Sony E, Nikon Z, and Fujifilm X mounts.

As part of the Evo series, Viltrox worked to keep the lenses compact and lightweight - right around the weight of a 12-ounce can of soda. The 90mm weighs about 320g / 11.2 ounces, while the shorter 75mm weighs about 355g.

Both lenses use the same type of autofocus – an STM or stepping motor that the company says delivers both speed and precision. The 75mm can focus as close as .74m / 29.5 inches away, with the 90mm minimum focus distance almost identical at .74m / 29.1 inches.

The lenses share a handful of design features, including the option to switch between a clicked or clickless aperture ring, an Fn button, and a USB-C port for firmware updates. Both lenses also share a 58mm filter thread size.

The Viltrox AF 75mm f/1.8 EVO is a shorter telephoto prime that’s equivalent to a 112mm focal length on full-frame. The longer focal length helps bring in more distant subjects and compresses the background, further helped along by that f/1.8 aperture.

The new 90mm, meanwhile, is a 135mm equivalent designed for tighter portrait crops. Viltrox says the 90mm focal length is also ideal for more distant street scenes, as well as photographing pets and travel.

Viltrox says that both lenses are built to suppress colored fringing and minimize vignetting.

While judging a lens by a spec sheet is difficult to do, Digital Camera World’s Matthew Richards was able to test the new lenses, giving both the 75mm and 90mm five stars for a balance of image quality, features, and price.

While the new Viltrox lenses may not have the brightest apertures for their respective focal lengths, the new lenses similarly launch at a competitive price point. The 75mm retails for $329 / £319 / CA$479 and the 90mm for $369 / £359 / CA$539. (Australia pricing has not yet been announced, but that converts to about AU$466 and AU$523.)

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Earlier this year, news broke about Nikon suing Viltrox over unlicensed products for the Z-mount. And following reports that Sirui and Meike pulled Z-mount-compatible lenses from sale in China, the legal dispute is once again in the headlines following a new Viltrox Z-mount patent.

And while the big question is what Nikon hopes to achieve, the bigger question for many consumers is this: is Nikon in the right?

While it’s very easy to take the side of the cheap lens manufacturer, I really don’t think this is a case of greed on Nikon’s part.

It’s difficult to have a rock-solid opinion when we don’t have all the facts, so I can only go by what I know – which is that a patent dispute could suggest that Nikon’s problem isn’t with third parties making Z-mount-compatible lenses, but rather third parties using patented technology that supports the mount. Two very different things. Let me explain…

In a previous story I quoted Professor Bob Newman, whose Amateur Photographer article highlighted how an overarching Z-mount patent doesn’t exist, presumably because the concept of a camera mount isn’t wholly original, leading to the assumption that Nikon is, in fact, protecting the electrical-contact arrangement.

This would make a lot of sense, because cheap Chinese optics with robust autofocus systems are still relatively new. For a long time, most cheap Chinese optics were manual focus-only, which presumably reduced the chances of patent infringement.

However, I also came across another interesting point from ENS, whereby patent attorney Dr Bernard Dippenaar stated: “If a patent owner ignores large-scale, unauthorized use of its technology, those patent rights can become harder to enforce”.

Thus, Nikon’s motivations may also be to protect its patent long term.

If the legendary Japanese manufacturer’s goal is to obtain reasonable reparations via royalties, then I sit firmly on the side of Nikon – because the Z mount is so much more than just a mount. For that mount to have any relevance at all, an entire system had to be built around it at Nikon's expense.

A third-party manufacturer only has to worry about developing and building an optic. A first-party manufacturer has to develop and maintain an entire system, which requires pumping huge amounts of resources into the development of a mount, but also cameras – and all the technology that goes along with them – all the while creating a formidable lens ecosystem that redefines modern optical technologies.

This is why I think it’s only right that Nikon receives its dues.

My hope is that this is a relatively routine case in which an agreement can be reached that benefits both parties. Nikon protects its patent and receives reparations, and Viltrox is able to continue building affordable Z-mount optics.

And while it might be an unpopular opinion, if Viltrox has to raise its prices slightly to compensate, then so be it. Ultimately, a healthy relationship between first- and third-party brands is good for everyone, including the consumer.

In a world of computer chip shortages and rising memory costs, it feels like the fast-tech industry could be experiencing something of an affordable renaissance. And while I think cheap third-party optics are great – perhaps even necessary for a thriving camera industry – we still need to support first-party companies. Because without them, none of this exists.

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Into Nikon? Check out the best Nikon cameras and the best Nikon Z lenses. If you'd like to read more of my ramblings: I chose the Nikon Z 180-600mm for its value and reach, but my chiropractor would recommend the Z 100-400mm.

Camera lenses are already mind-boggling enough, but seeing one that has been sawed in half still able to take photos is even stranger. Well, this is exactly what Viltrox did recently at the China P&E trade show in Beijing, when it sliced one of its lenses lengthwise before a photo shoot.

This wasn't just any lens, either. It was one of the company's premium AF 35mm f/1.2 LAB lenses, and the resulting photos were honestly pretty impressive – and quite creative.

As far as I can tell, there was absolutely no practical reason to doing this; it was simply a PR stunt designed to show off Viltrox's lens constructions. But it does have me wondering how the lens kept working.

Even if a lens is sawn in half, as long as light can still travel through every part of the lens unobstructed, a complete image can still be formed.

By slicing a lens in half, you won't block half of the image; you'll simply let in less light, typically resulting in a dimmer, grainier image. Admittedly, before seeing the results, I had imagined the subject being sliced down the middle, too. Evidently not.

When taking photographs, an infinite number of light rays bounce off your subject, with all of these rays traveling through every element contained within the lens barrel – even if it has been cut lengthwise – and recreating the image on the camera sensor.

Because light from the entire scene still passes through the remaining half of the lens, the resulting image still captures the whole scene.

Above: Physicist explains how blocking half a lens doesn't stop half the image from forming

As for the images themselves, they have an ethereal look with some unusual distortion, yet the subject is still clearly rendered. Although, I can't say I'm a fan of the choice of outfit or the questionable posing. Still, it's impressive that the Viltrox lens was able to function despite being only half of itself (see what I did there?).

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Viltrox launches two new lenses, taking its Evo range from one to three prime numbers.

At the China P&E trade show, which wrapped up May 18, Sigma displayed a prototype of its forthcoming 85mm f/1.2 full-frame autofocus (AF) prime lens.

We’ve known about this lens for a few months now, as Sigma unveiled it back in February at the CP+ Show in Japan, with the lens completing the company’s trio of pro-level DG Art f/1.2 primes for Sony E-mount and L-mount cameras, alongside existing 35mm DG Art II and 50mm DG Art models.

However, what we didn’t see at the show was a prototype of the forthcoming Viltrox LAB 85mm f/1.2 prime (full-frame Sony E-mount / Nikon Z-mount), which the company actually announced months before Sigma revealed its own version.

Viltrox first teased the lens back in December, and considering how aggressively the company has been developing its LAB lineup, and how quickly Sigma has responded by unveiling the 85mm f/1.2 prototype so soon after the announcement, I think it’s a sign that Sigma is starting to feel the pressure.

Of all the up-and-coming Chinese third-party lens manufacturers that have set up shop in the last few years, I think Viltrox stands the best chance of challenging established brands like Sigma and Tamron. The build quality of Viltrox gear is nothing to scoff at, and neither is the image quality.

Then there’s the pricing. Viltrox’s premium LAB-series lenses tend to come in around $500 (approximately £380 / AU$750) cheaper than Sigma’s equivalent DG Art lenses, which gives photographers some serious incentive to consider the disruptive Chinese competition over more established Japanese brands.

So, what do we actually know about these forthcoming Sigma 85mm f/1.2 DG Art and Viltrox LAB 85mm f/1.2 lenses? Honestly, aside from the focal length and aperture, not a huge amount.

We know Sigma’s autofocus system will use a High-response Linear Actuator (HLA), Sigma’s proprietary motor technology that the company touts as whisper-quiet and highly accurate.

As for Viltrox, the company has mostly described the lens as having a “vintage vibe,” while remaining quiet on technical specs.

Still, we can look at existing lenses in both lineups for clues. The Sigma 35mm f/1.2 DG DN Art II, released last year, features 17 elements in 13 groups, including one special low dispersion element and four aspherical elements. Impressively, Sigma managed to reduce the weight by roughly 30% compared to the first version of the lens, with the newer model weighing around 26oz (745g).

Meanwhile, the Viltrox 35mm f/1.2 LAB features 15 elements in 10 groups, including 5 extra-low dispersion elements, 3 high-refractive-index elements, and 2 precision aspherical lenses.

While the optical design is slightly simpler than Sigma’s and the minimum focusing distance of 13 inches (34cm) inferior, the Viltrox does feature a premium all-metal aluminum-alloy construction, whereas Sigma uses a combination of metal and engineered plastics.

If the forthcoming Sigma and Viltrox 85mm lenses follow the same design philosophies as their sibling lenses, there may be very little separating them in real-world performance. That’s where I think Viltrox’s combination of solid build quality and aggressive pricing could really start squeezing Sigma.

Adding to the pressure is the likelihood that Viltrox will eventually release a rival 50mm f/1.2 LAB lens once the 85mm hits the market.

If that happens, competition at the premium end of third-party prime lenses for Sony, Nikon and L-mount shooters could really heat up, potentially leaving Sigma to dominate the more affordable high-quality zoom market while Viltrox carves out a strong niche in fast primes.

I may be getting slightly ahead of myself, but I genuinely believe that whenever Viltrox finally launches its 85mm f/1.2 LAB — no release date has been confirmed yet — it could mark a significant shift in the premium third-party lens market.

As for Sigma, the company has already announced that the DG Art 85mm f/1.2 is coming in September, so I’d imagine Viltrox will want its rival lens ready around the same time to keep the heat on.

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Lots of brands unveiled a host of new lenses at P&E China, which you can read about next.

Viltrox has seemingly come out of nowhere to now be a formidable force in camera lens sector, and the brand is showing no sign of slowing. It's recently teased that it is readying as many as NINE new lenses (plus a flashgun), set to be revealed at the upcoming 2026 China International Photograph & Electrical Imaging Machinery and Technology Fair, which takes place in Beijing from May 15th to 18th. These include:

AF 28mm f/4.5 (L Mount)

This is a tiny pancake lens which is outwardly similar to the Olympus 15mm F8 Fisheye Body Cap Lens for MFT cameras. The AF 28mm is however a full-frame design and it has autofocus, though like the Olympus lens, it also has a fixed aperture, in this case f/4.5. Pictured on a Panasonic Lumix S9, it seems to be an ideal companion for that camera, being super compact and likely also super light - an ideal lens for candid street photography.

AF 75mm f/1.8 EVO + AF 90mm f/2.2 EVO (APS-C)

Both these primes belong to Viltrox's Evo line-up, which is positioned between the featherweight and accessibly-priced ‘Air’ series, and its premium ‘Pro’ and Lab’ lenses. Given previous Evo lenses have been released exclusively for APS-C Sony E and Nikon Z cameras, we'd expect these new 75mm and 90mm variants to follow suit. Like previous Evo lenses, they also have a dedicated aperture ring. Judging by the initial product images, both new lenses appear to have a very similar (and compact, for their maximum aperture) barrel size.

AF 35mm f/1.4 Pro (Full Frame)

This will be a premium lens for full frame cameras. The image we have shows a Sony FE version, but it's possible other mount options may be available. Despite being an autofocus lens, an aperture ring is present, and it looks as though it might have a de-click option, making it better suited to video work. As you'd expect for a fast lens, it seems like a fairly sizable design, albeit not too large in overall diameter.

New Tilt-Shift Lens

This appears to be a manual focus lens that'll be part of Viltrox's Pro range of high-performance optics. As such we'd bet on it having full-frame coverage. Focal length and maximum aperture aren't clear, but it's possible the latter could be f/4.

AF 18mm f/1.2 Pro + AF 40mm f/1.2 Pro (APS-C)

This pairing looks interesting. Both are compact APS-C lenses, yet fall into Viltrox's Pro range, suggesting their image quality will be a cut above its Evo APS-C offerings. The extra-large f/1.2 maximum aperture is also unusually generous for APS-C lenses, and will surely be appreciated by APS-C shooters who want a super-shallow depth of field. The lenses we can see are both E-mount, though Z mount versions might also be available.

AF 25mm f/1.7 (Micro Four Thirds)

A new standard prime for MFT cameras, with its 25mm focal length equating to 50mm in full-frame terms.

AF 35mm f/1.2 Pro

This lens is featured in Viltrox's teaser image showing all the lens' it'll reportedly be showcasing at the P&E show, but as yet we don't have any additional image or information, apart from it potentially being a full-frame lens. If so, it could be positioned as an even more upmarket, and faster, alternative to the full-frame AF 35mm f/1.4 Pro.

And not content with all those new lens reveals, Viltrox has also hinted that a new compact flashgun could also be on the way. We await the full reveal of it, along with the plethora of new Viltrox lenses, on May 15th.

Viltrox has been steadily building up its lens portfolio over the last few years, more recently majoring on ultra-compact, lightweight and inexpensive Air series lenses, Evo lenses that combine up-market features and high-end handling with lightweight constructions and affordable price tags, Pro lenses with premium quality and performance, and Lab series lenses that sit at the top of the tree as the company’s ultimate offerings.

So far, there have only been two Lab series lenses released, the first being the Viltrox AF 135mm f/1.8 Lab, which was followed by the super-fast Viltrox AF 35mm f/1.2 Lab. Both are currently available in Nikon Z and Sony E mount options. But now there’s something new. Or at least, if not new, changed.

There’s now an alternative version of the Sony edition of the 35mm lens, going by the name of the Viltrox AF 35mm f/1.2 Lab N FE. Compared with the original lens, there’s one glaring omission, in that the OLED color info screen has been stripped out. I personally rather like the info screen, which can show focus distance and aperture setting, and more besides.

I’ve encountered similar OLED info screens on some of Nikon’s S-line lenses, although they’ve also been removed from some of Nikon’s latest versions like the Nikon Z 70‑200mm f/2.8 VR S II. Perhaps that’s not such a bad idea. While these info screens seem like a neat idea, I have to confess that I barely use them or even pay any attention to them while actually shooting.

The new ‘N’ version of the Viltrox 35mm Lab ditches the info screen in favor of a more streamlined, simplified appearance. I suspect there’s also an upside in increased battery life. But while that’s the most obvious change in the new version of the lens, it’s not the only one. The original lens has a multi-function control ring towards the rear of the casing that you can assign to different functions via camera menus. The new N version swaps this out for a dedicated aperture control ring. Again, it’s a personal preference but I’m actually very much in favor of the change.

I tend to only use the ‘multi-function’ control ring for aperture adjustments, so it’s good news to me that the new dedicated ring has clear markings for aperture settings, rather than no markings at all. And the ring comes complete with a click/de-click switch, the latter mode enabling smooth and silent aperture adjustments when shooting video.

Headline attractions of the original lens remain. It has a fast f/1.2 aperture with an extremely well-rounded 11-blade diaphragm, two customizable function buttons, and super-fast yet virtually silent Quad HyperVCM (Voice Coil Motor) autofocus.

You might be expecting that without the info screen, the new N version of the lens would be less expensive to buy. It’s actually the same price as the original, listing at $999 / £869. However, with everything else in the world seeming to be going up in price, at least the cost has stayed the same, and the lens still represents outstanding value for money.

The camera industry has gradually shifted from DSLR to mirrorless, but there’s a key piece of tech that’s much easier to find on a DSLR than a mirrorless: a pop-up flash.

Pop-up flashes have long been more common among entry-level cameras than high-end pro cameras – after all, most pros would prefer to use more powerful hotshoe flashes and off-camera lights. But, in the DSLR era, there were still some full-frame cameras that managed to pack in a hidden flash, most notably from Nikon, including the Nikon D810 and D750.

But, lately, even APS-C mirrorless cameras tend to skip out on the pop-up flash. There are a handful of options, including the Nikon Z50 II, the Canon EOS R50, and the Sony A6400, to name just a few. But, the number of cameras with pop-up flashes feels as if it's diminishing quickly.

In the mirrorless era, a pop-up flash seems less of a must-have feature. Ironically, the direct flash look seems to be trending, as the harsh light carries a bit of a retro, candid feel to it.

There are a number of reasons behind the declining number of pop-up flashes in mirrorless. A pop-up flash is harder to weather-seal (though not impossible). Adding a flash adds to the size of the camera, and many more entry-level mirrorless cameras prioritize a compact size.

Instead, there seems to be a growing number of portable budget flashes ready to take the pop-up’s place. Just this week, Westcott announced the S18 Mini Flash, a 3.5 oz (100g) flash that costs under $40 / £40. Unlike many cheap flashes, the S18 is small but still has a tilting flash head.

And the S18 is far from alone. The list of pocketable budget flashes includes models like the Godox iM20 / iM22, the Godox iT20, and the Viltrox Vintage Z1, among others.

I don’t have a pop-up flash on my mirrorless camera – but I don’t really miss it either. The only time I really miss it is when I pack light for a trip and opt to leave my admittedly bulky hotshoe flash behind.

Otherwise, my hotshoe flash offers more power and far more flexibility with the ability to bounce and modify the light. Modifying a pop-up flash is harder to do, and the built-in flashes can’t be tilted to bounce light off a wall or the ceiling for softer light.

But the compact camera trend is also bleeding over into mirrorless cameras. A pop-up flash will likely make a mirrorless body larger, but then again, so will needing to pack an extra flash.

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There's a term that I've been seeing over and over in the latest rounds of lens announcements: apochromatic or APO lenses. But what are APO lenses, and does the tech really matter, or is it all hype?

I’ve been banging on about APO tech for a while but, for beginners, that can sound like just another one of the abbreviations in the world of camera lenses. This is what the tech means and why it matters.

What is an APO lens?

APO glass is engineered to deal with a range of aberrations – unwanted visual artefacts in images – that sometimes occur when light refracts through a lens.

An apochromatic or APO lens is designed specifically to avoid color defects. If you've ever zoomed into a photo, particularly a high contrast shot with fine lines such as backlit tree branches, you may have noticed purple or blue colors along the edges that shouldn't be there. That's an optical phenomenon called chromatic aberration.

APO lenses use optical designs to fight this color flaw for cleaner images with less distracting colored fringing. Software can, to an extent, also help correct this with lens profiles.

Is APO becoming more common on budget lenses?

APO isn't a brand-new lens technology – high-end lenses have long tried to correct colored fringing. But where I've been seeing the term APO even more is among some budget lenses – which are notoriously worse at colored fringing than high-end pro optics.

Case in point? Viltrox just announced the EVO AF 35mm f/1.8 II and the EVO AF 55mm f/1.8 for Sony E-mount and Nikon Z-mount. These are APO lenses, and our hands-on testing showed that they're quite good at minimizing those common color flaws, despite being more affordable primes.

Viltrox has made a big deal about its APO glass since launching the Evo series last year, and some might think it’s nothing but a load of marketing hype. However, my colleague, Matthew Richards, has already reviewed all of the Evo lenses – yes, even the two announced this week at NAB – and he’s been impressed by just how well each lens renders colors and sharpness across the frame.

Speaking about the new 35mm f/1.8 II, Matthew has said: “The roll-off between focused and defocused areas looks nice and natural, and there’s virtually no lateral or axial chromatic aberration to be seen. The latter, often referred to as ‘bokeh fringing’ can often be a problem with fast lenses. As such, the lens earns its apochromatic credentials.”

I'm not trying to convince you to go and buy a new Viltrox Evo – these aren't the only lenses with APO. But what's fantastic is that these corrected lenses seem to be becoming more affordable than before.

I am excited to see a lineup of lenses that, so far, seems to actually be the solution to the chromatic aberrations that have so often plagued my images, and for a reasonable price, too.

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Check out the best cheap lenses, or read our expert reviews of the AF 35mm f/1.2 Lab, Viltrox’s pro-level 35mm prime.

Viltrox has already announced two new lenses today – but if the rumors are any indication, the third-party lens brand is just getting started. Social media is buzzing with rumors for more Viltrox primes, including a compact pancake lens.

The Chinese social media platform, Weibo, is where all the buzz is at. According to the rumors from the Independent Photographers Association, Viltrox will treat us to a trio of apochromatic lenses for its budget EVO line, a dedicated L-mount lens, and a PL-L AF adapter.

So what are the newly-rumored lenses, which Viltrox doesn't seem to have alluded to anywhere? In the EVO mix there’s a 75mm f/1.8 APS-C, a 90mm f/2.2 APS-C, and a 26mm f/2.8 pancake lens, all of which are autofocus (AF). Plus, there’s an AF 28mm f/4.5 L-mount too.

Viltrox has already announced the AF AF 35mm f/1.8 Evo II and 55mm f/1.8 Evo during the NAB Show in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Another teaser shared by the company's official channels on social media hints that a Viltrox AF 35mm f/1.2 FE lens without the built-in LCD screen may be coming, with an April 23 announcement date.

If the rumors are true, the lenses could expand the relatively new Evo series. The pancake lens could also be a popular option, as more compact lenses have been trending alongside the compact camera craze.

This rumor seems to have come out of the blue, and no fixed dates have been given for announcements, let alone releases, but I’ll keep my eyes peeled for any further information.

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Viltrox has made a name for itself over the past couple of years as a manufacturer of some of the best cheap lenses for mirrorless cameras.

The Viltrox AF 85mm f/2.0 Evo made quite a splash as the first lens in a new ‘evolutionary’ series, launched by the Chinese manufacturer in October 2025. Available for Nikon Z and Sony E-mount mirrorless cameras, it succeeds in shoehorning a quality optic into a compact and lightweight yet robust package, with high-end handling characteristics. As such it sits between the featherweight and super-inexpensive Viltrox ‘Air’ series of lenses, and the company’s top-flight ‘Pro’ and Lab’ series lenses. But as with most things in life, one is never enough.

Taking the line-up from one to three in number, a brace of new Evo primes launches in the shape of the Viltrox AF 35mm f/1.8 Evo II and the Viltrox AF 55mm f/1.8 Evo lenses. The shape, as well as the size, is actually a key factor, because all three lenses in the series are pretty much the same size and weight, as well as having the same handling layout and unified 58mm filter thread. That makes it easy to swap between lenses without interrupting the creative flow, as there’s no need to change your shooting style.

Getting right down to it, the 35mm lens measures 69x76mm and weighs 330g for the FE version (69x78mm and 350g in Nikon Z). The almost identical 55mm lens has exactly the same dimensions for the two alternative mount options and is only marginally heavier at 365g or 385g in FE and Z versions, respectively. Optical similarities include both lenses being based on 13 elements which include one aspherical and two ED (Extra-low Dispersion) elements, and the 55mm lens adds two HR (High Refractive index) elements whereas the 35mm adds three. Both are claimed to have an APO (Apochromatic) design in which color fringing and axial chromatic aberration are effectively suppressed.

Quick and virtually silent stepping motor-based autofocus is designed to support subject-detection modes in Nikon and Sony cameras, while keeping up with the action for tracking moving subjects. Handling extras include a dedicated aperture control ring, complete with an Auto position and a click/de-click switch. There’s also a customizable function button, which you can assign to the likes of AF-On and AF-Hold.

We were very impressed with the affordability of the original Viltrox AF 85mm f/2.0 Evo, which sells for $275 / £265 / AU$449. That’s about half the price of the faster, up-market Viltrox AF 85mm f/1.4 Pro. The new 35mm and 55mm lenses are little pricier than the 85mm Evo but still represent excellent value for money, considering their metal-barrelled, weather-sealed build quality and advanced handling characteristics, launching at $370 / £359 for the 55mm and $395 / £385 for the 35mm (AU$TBA).

In a nutshell, the 85mm Evo aims to be one of the best portrait lenses, the new 35mm aims to be among the best lenses for street photography, and the 55mm seeks to be one of the best standard primes. All of them are among the most affordable options in their respective categories.

Viltrox is getting ready to launch the company's first wide-aperture autofocus APO lens, as the lens brand teases a new Evo series lens coming next week.

The third-party lens manufacturer posted a teaser on Instagram on April 13, stating that the new lens would be revealed on April 20.

The teaser says that the lens is the company's first "large aperture" APO AF lens. The image paired with the teaser has a few more hints: the forthcoming kit is for full-frame cameras, and it features a 58mm filter thread along with a 1.4ft (0.43m) minimum focusing distance.

The APO in the teaser – and Viltrox's mention of "see color" suggests that the lens will be designed to fight chromatic aberration, or colored fringing.

While this information gives no indication as to the focal length, I think we’re most likely to see a nifty-fifty (50mm) with a maximum aperture in the region of f/1.4-1.8.

The EVO lineup is in its infancy and currently only features an 85mm f/2.0 for Sony E-mount and Nikon Z-mount, so it would make sense for Viltrox to build it out with typically high-demand focal lengths first. With that in mind, my second guess would be that the new EVO will be a 24mm wide-angle.

Viltrox has already mentioned that new EVO lenses would be displayed at NAB this year, which is happening April 18-22 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Interestingly, this latest Instagram announcement mentions a single lens, while the previous announcement talks of multiple new EVO lenses coming to the show. So, I’m also hoping to see a 135mm f/1.8 APO showcased and, potentially, a 35mm f/1.4 APO.

NAB begins April 18 and runs until April 22, so we’ll know for sure what Viltrox has in store for its EVO lineup then.

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According to Buddha, it’s better to travel well than to arrive. Or simply, ‘It’s Better to Travel’, if you prefer the title of the 1987 Swing Out Sister album. Sure enough, I love to travel and even though I’m writing this in the early days of spring, my heart and mind are already planning ahead to summer vacations. Part of the process, for me at least, is deciding on what camera gear to take along for the ride. Decisions, decisions.

I’ve been testing and reviewing cameras, lenses and photographic accessories for a quarter of a century now, and have been a keen photographer for twice that long, so I’ve built up a sizeable arsenal of camera kit over the years. The collection includes some seriously heavyweight items but I do love to travel light. I also love the look and feel of a ‘real’ camera, and my travel companion of choice is my trusty, lightweight and delightfully retro Nikon Z fc.

Naturally, a camera body is a fat lot of use without lenses to go with it and my dynamic duo in this respect pair the amazingly compact yet capable Nikon Z DX 16-50mm and Nikon Z DX 50-250mm zoom lenses. Both of these are real space-savers with their retractable designs, the standard zoom even qualifying as a ‘pancake lens’ when it’s retracted.

So what don’t my pair of zooms bring to the party? Sure, they team up to give great versatility, with a combined zoom range of 24-375mm in full-frame terms. But even the most wide-angle extremity on offer can leave me feeling a bit blinkered.

Travel has a habit of serving up epic photo opportunities. There are sweeping landscape vistas, vast cityscapes and amazing architectural interiors, to name but a few. These often include views that are far to big to squeeze into a standard zoom lens. And when the sun goes down, the entire night sky beckons, taking on magical proportions if you’re traveling away from the pollution of urban areas.

What’s needed to complete my trio of lenses is an ultra-wide-angle prime or zoom. But here’s the problem. This kind of lens is usually big, heavy, cumbersome, expensive and all of the other things that are not in the least travel-friendly. But I’ve discovered a secret weapon in the diminutive size, weight and shape of the Viltrox AF 9mm f/2.8 Air. This remarkable prime lens for APS-C format cameras comes in Fujifilm X, Nikon Z and Sony E mount flavors.

The Viltrox 9mm is Air by name, Air by nature. It’s impossibly small and light for an ultra-wide prime, measuring just 65x57mm / 2.6x2.2in and weighing a mere 175g / 6.2oz. It’ll literally fit in a spare coat pocket yet offers a gigantic 113.8-degree viewing angle that can pull huge areas into view. Better still, the asking price is similarly lightweight at just $199 / £190 / AU$299. Bargain! I’m off to start packing.

Competition between third-party manufacturers of L-mount lenses is about to heat up following the latest Viltrox announcement that it’ll unveil “several new and unreleased” lenses at the NAB trade show in Las Vegas later this month.

The announcement confirmed that the company is “reinforcing its commitment” to L-mount users, an effort which began earlier this year with the release of Viltrox’s first L-mount lens, the AF 16mm F1.8.

The teaser has an obscured photo of some lenses, but very few details. The early teaser, however, does mention the Evo Series and L-Mount. EVO is Viltrox's budget-end range, and these lenses are touted for their apochromatic optics, which deal well with aberrations.

The teaser also notes a "NexusFocus AF Adapter." VIltrox's existing NexusFocus is an adapter that adds autofocus to vintage manual lenses. But a partially obscured adapter is included in the teaser, which has me wondering if one is launching with new features or perhaps a different mount.

The announcement also stated that Viltrox will unveil new focal lengths for its existing EPIC anamorphic cinema line, which currently boasts a 35mm, 50mm and 75mm prime.

That’s about all the information leaked regarding Viltrox expanding its L-mount offering, but I'd hazard a guess that we’re going to see, among others, 50mm and 85mm primes boasting fast apertures in the f/1.4 region.

Viltrox has rapidly gained status as a leading third-party manufacturer of top-quality, more-affordable primes for other major mount systems over the past couple of years. And to strengthen this among L-mount photographers, it doesn’t need to reinvent the wheel, only look to Sigma for inspiration.

As a founding member of the L-mount Alliance, Sigma is widely regarded as one of the best producers of lenses for Panasonic and Leica cameras, and two of its most popular L-mount models have been the 50mm F1.4 DG DN Art and 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art.

These are both professional-grade primes capable of capturing stellar-quality images and stand as excellent examples for Viltrox to follow and, hopefully, improve upon.

I think it’s highly possible that we could even see a Viltrox rendition of the Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG DN Art too. We won't have to wait too long to find out. NAB is scheduled for April 18-22 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

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Discover our expert pick of the best L-mount lenses, which we’ve put through rigorous, hands-on testing.

Viltrox went all out in 2025 bolstering its fast-glass prime lens offerings for Sony users, as well as its reputation as a leading—perhaps the leading—third-party manufacturer of affordable primes.

The off-brand lens manufacturer now boasts an array of primes for both APS-C and full-frame Sony cameras, including its Air series, Pro series, and LAB series, which are praised for combining lower prices—now even lower thanks to 20% off in the Amazon Spring deals—with solid build quality.

Viltrox’s primes are more affordable alternatives to Sony G Master equivalents and feature weather-sealed metal housings, integrated USB-C connectivity, and fast autofocus systems.

The majority of these Viltrox lenses are toward Sony APS-C cameras, but can be used on Sony full-frame cameras, albeit with some loss in image quality, by activating the ‘APS-C/S35 Shooting’ setting in the camera menu. If doing this, review your photos in camera for vignetting.

Viltrox Air series deals

Designed for Sony E-mount APS-C shooters, Viltrox Air series lenses typically feature 12 optical elements, reliable autofocus driven by a stepping motor, and a minimum aperture of f/16. As the series name suggests, these primes are as light as they come, weighing roughly 6 oz, with plastic bodies and sturdier metal mounting plates.

Viltrox Pro series deals

The Viltrox Pro series lenses are higher-end alternatives to the Air series and feature metal builds with weather sealing, a clickable aperture ring, and autofocus driven by a voice coil motor (VCM). The sturdier construction means APS-C Pro models weigh around 19oz and full-frame Pro lenses weigh roughly 28 oz.

Viltrox LAB series deals

This is Viltrox’s flagship lineup, aimed at competing with premium first-party full-frame lenses through high-end quality, wide apertures, and solid all-metal, weather-sealed construction. Specs include a silent Quad Hyper VCM autofocus, customizable OLED displays, and programmable function buttons. LAB lenses weigh between 36–42 oz.

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If you’re also in the market for a new Sony shooter, check out our guide to the best Sony cameras.

The point-and-shoot has returned with a vengeance – but as with any trendy product, prices of the portable camera format have skyrocketed. As a photographer with two mirrorless cameras already in my bag, I have a hard time justifying spending found figures on a compact camera with a large sensor hidden inside. The next best thing? Twisting a tiny pancake lens on a mirrorless instead.

A pancake lens gets its name from a size so small that it resembles the (delicious) breakfast food. These tiny lenses don’t pack in as much pro-level features, but they make a mirrorless body much more portable. Pancake lenses are a great compact camera alternative for photographers who don’t want to give up a big sensor or fork over the luxury prices of high-end point-and-shoots like the Fujifilm X100VI, the Ricoh GR IV, or the Sony RX1R III.

Meanwhile, many of the best pancake lenses are only a few hundred dollars – and some even come in at under $100 if you don’t mind a narrower aperture. I’ve scoured the spring deals to find the top tiny lenses for less.

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For more inspiration, browse the best pancake lenses, or the best Amazon Spring Sale camera deals.

If I were starting my photographic journey from scratch right now, I'd skip the zoom lens and go with a nifty fifty prime. Why? It's simple: this one lens will teach you so much about photography and you'll learn faster than you will with a zoom.

This can be tricky if you're an APS-C shooter, because the crop factor makes it tricky to work out what lens will actually be 50mm on your camera. You want to look at 35mm lenses, because the 1.5x crop factor gives them an effective focal length of 52.5mm.

And right now, there's a great option on sale: the Viltrox AF 35mm f/1.7 is just $143.20 at Amazon.

That's a $35.80 saving on the usual $179 price tag, thanks to Amazon's Big Spring Sale discounts, marking its lowest price in the past 30 days!

• Discover the best camera deals across the Amazon Big Spring Sale

Shooting with a different system?

• The Viltrox AF 35mm f/1.7 for Nikon Z-mount is now $143.20 at Amazon
• The Viltrox AF 35mm f/1.7 for Fujifilm X-mount is now $143.20 at Amazon

I was just writing recently about how zoom lenses, while convenient, can hold us back from truly learning photography. When working with a zoom lens, you often skip over the fundamental process of seeing and composing a shot with intention.

So, if you're serious about improving or building your photographic skills, I always recommend starting with a prime lens – especially a 50mm. Many professional shooters prefer this focal length, you can read here why. And a prime is one of the fastest ways to train your eye, master composition and become more confident behind the camera.

Why a 50mm lens is great for beginners or to improve your photography:

It works across genres
From street photography to portraits, even night shooting and travel photography – a 50mm f/1.8 can handle it all.

It gives a natural perspective
A 50mm optic gives a very organic view of the world with minimal distortion, making it a great focal length for storytelling and narrative work.

It teaches you to see
Without a zoom, you'll start "zooming with your feet." You'll move, observe, and truly interact with the scene – skills that will sharpen your eye for framing and storytelling far more than any zoom lens can.

Sure, prime lenses can be pricey, but that's where timing helps. With the great Amazon Big Spring Day offers, it's a rare opportunity to pick up a high-quality prime lens at a lower price.

• See all of today's best camera deals on Amazon

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Take a look at the best lenses for street photography along with the best cameras for beginners.

I’ve been shooting with Fujifilm since before the X100 series made the brand a major trend – and much to my dismay, Fujifilm deals have become incredibly hard to come by lately. Case in point? Outside of a few Instax deals, I haven’t uncovered any Fujifilm deals in the Amazon Big Spring Sale. But, that makes these X-Mount lens deals that much harder to resist.

A number of X-Mount lenses have steep discounts right now – and the options range from tiny pancakes to bright f/2.8 zooms. Tamron’s 150-500mm super zoom is back down to its lowest ever price, while the company’s X-Mount f/2.8 zooms for 11-20mm and 17-70mm are also discounted. The tiny TTArtisan 27mm f/2.8 has similarly dropped to its lowest price yet.

As a Fujifilm photographer, these are the spring lens deals that are most worth adding to a camera bag. (And no, you don’t need an Amazon Prime membership either!)

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Browse the best Fujifilm lenses for more top picks, or take a look at the best Fujifilm cameras.

There has been a flurry or ‘retro’ mini flashes recently, from the likes of Godox and other manufacturers, as well as the Viltrox Vintage Z1. The Z1 marked the company’s first foray into the on-camera flash market, followed by the uber-modern ‘mech-inspired’ Viltrox Spark Z3. The latest Z2 reverts to retro styling but like the Z3 and unlike the Z1, it’s a dedicated rather than manual-only flash, again available in Canon, Fujifilm, Nikon and Sony options.

Designed to be compact, lightweight and easy to use, the Z2 aims to be one of the best flashguns on the market, at least if you’re after a low-budget retro TTL option and don’t mind a modest maximum power rating and a relatively basic set of features.

Viltrox Vintage Z2: Specifications

Viltrox Vintage Z2: Price

Own-brand dedicated flashguns from camera manufacturers can be notoriously expensive. By stark contrast, the Viltrox Vintage Z2 is incredibly inexpensive, with a list price of just $36.99 / £31.99 / AU$ TBA. Sure, it’s ‘only’ a mini-flash with a fairly basic set of features but even so, it’s great value for money. For comparison, the Viltrox Spark Z3 which is available in the same range of dedicated options, sells for more than twice the price at $79 / £66 / AU$119.

Viltrox Vintage Z2: Design & Handling

Adhering to the ‘KISS’ principle (Keep It Simple, Stupid), the Viltrox Z2 looks disarmingly straightforward. There’s a small flash tube up top, somewhat reminiscent of the pop-up flash built into a number of cameras. That said, the number of recent cameras that actually feature a pop-up flash is somewhat diminished, making the addition of a separate mini-flash all the more desirable.

Flip the flash around in your hand, from front to back, and you’ll see a similarly simplistic rear panel. There’s no LCD info screen, let alone a color touchscreen as featured in a growing range of larger flashguns. Instead, you get a basic rank of status lamps, the first indicating that the flash is in Auto (TTL, Through The Lens) flash metering mode, where the output power is adjusted automatically depending on the shot conditions and the distance to the subject.

The rest of the status lamps in the line-up indicate manual power settings. There are only five in total, ranging from 1/16^th to full 1/1 power settings, with no interim one-third or one-half EV steps. Most full-sized flashguns go right down to a minimum power setting of between 1/128^th and 1/512^th but the Z2 has a relatively modest maximum output, so the minimum value of 1/16^th is a fair shout. Similarly, the lack of a bounce and swivel head is entirely reasonable, as there’s not really enough power on tap to effectively bounce the flash off walls or ceilings to soften the lighting effect.

Flashguns that run on AA or AAA sets of batteries are a dying breed. Like most recent releases, the Z2 relies on Li-ion power and in this case, it has a built-in, internal battery rather than an interchangeable battery. The only real downside with that is that you can’t buy a separate, spare battery, which can come in useful if you’re on a long shoot and need to pop in a replacement battery rather than waiting around for the internal one to recharge. On the plus side, the internal battery has enough juice for around 700 full-power flashes, so there’s plenty of stamina.

Recharging is courtesy of a USB-C port and takes around 70 minutes. That’s if you’re using a basic USB charger with a conventional 5V / 0.5A output. As is often the case nowadays, you’ll have to supply your own charger as there isn’t one supplied with the flash.

The flash has a nominal daylight color temperature of 6500K +/-200K. Another vital statistic is the flash duration, which ranges from 1/16,500s to 1/50,000s, depending on power setting. As usual, the flash nods off to sleep mode after a period of inactivity, which equates to 15 minutes. After that, you need to press the power button to wake it up again. As I’ve mentioned, the Z2 is very small but not all versions are exactly the same size. The Canon, Fujifilm and Nikon dedicated options all measure 38x65x33mm (WxHxD) whereas the Sony version is 2mm or just under a tenth of an inch taller.

Viltrox Vintage Z2: Performance

For the most part, performance comes down to power and speed. I wouldn’t expect a mini-flash to boast much in the way of maximum power and sure enough, the Z2 has a meagre 10Ws power rating, resulting in a Guide number of Gn 6 / 20 (ISO 100, meters / feet). For the sake of comparison, that’s slightly less than the rating of the built-in pop-up flash of the Nikon Z50 II, and marginally more than the tiny Godox iM20 and Godox iM22 manual mini-flashes. It’s also less than only half that of the Viltrox Vintage Z1 manual flash, at Gn 12 / 40.

In practical terms, the maximum flash power is sufficient for close-ups and to supplement ambient lighting in dull, indoor shooting conditions, as well as to add a little fill-in flash for sunny-day portraiture. However, if you’re relying on the flash to illuminate larger spaces, you’re likely to need to bump up your camera’s ISO setting somewhat.

The spread of illumination covers the same width as using a 28mm lens on a full-frame camera (about 18mm for APS-C), which is pretty reasonable. A push-fit diffusion dome is supplied with the flash, which spreads the beam angle and softens the light, at the expense of reducing the maximum available power (by 1.33 EV in my tests).

It bears repeating that the modest maximum output power is insufficient for effective bounce and swivel flash, off ceilings and walls. Unsurprisingly, the Z2 therefore lacks a bounce and swivel head. There are also no RF (Radio Frequency) nor infrared slave modes, so wireless remote off-camera flash isn’t within the Z2’s remit. Again, the emphasis is on straightforward simplicity, the idea being that you simply pop it into your camera’s hot-shoe and fire at will. That’s fine as far as it goes, but the lack of bounce, swivel and off-camera flash means that the ‘direct’ lighting effect is bound to be relatively harsh and two-dimensional.

As I've mentioned, the supplied diffusion dome softens the quality of light a little. The pair of example shots in the following gallery are lit from the Z2 flash, first without and then with the diffusion dome fitted. TTL flash metering proved consistently accurate during my testing and manual power adjustments are easy to apply in full EV steps.

Some flashguns can be prone to sluggish recycling speeds, towards the high end of their output range. There’s no such problem here, the Z2 recycling almost instantaneously through much of its power range, and being ready for action just 2 seconds after a full-power flash. If you’d rather go Auto TTL rather than setting the flash power manually, I found that TTL metering was consistently accurate when testing the Nikon dedicated version of the Z2 with my Nikon Z6 III and Nikon Z fc cameras.

Viltrox Vintage Z2: Lab Results

We test all available features for each flashgun that goes through out labs. To test power output, we use a Sekonic flash meter placed at a distance of one meter from each flashgun. We check the complete range of manual power settings, in one-stop increments. Based on a sensitivity of ISO 100, the figures correlate directly with the Gn (Guide number) in meters. The results are double-checked by taking shots of a gray card with the appropriate lens apertures and using the camera’s histogram display in playback mode. We also use the gray card to test the accuracy and consistency of Auto and Auto TTL flash metering, where featured.

We check the speed with which each flashgun can recycle to a state of readiness, throughout its range of power settings, culminating in a full-power flash. We use freshly charged Ni-MH rechargeable batteries for this, or the supplied rechargeable Li-ion battery pack where featured in some flashguns.

The table below shows both the power output (Gn, ISO 100, meters) at each full EV step through the complete power range, from minimum to maximum output. The recycle speed in seconds is shown for the same settings.

The maximum output power is fairly muted, in keeping with the very compact size of the flash. Fitting the supplied diffusion dome reduces the intensity of light at each power setting by 1.33EV. Recycling speeds are good, being almost instantaneous at the lowest two power settings and rising to just two seconds after a full-power flash.

Viltrox Vintage Z2: Verdict

The Viltrox Vintage V2 makes me feel like repurposing the ‘KISS’ principle as ‘Keep It Small & Simple’. I love that it’s sufficiently compact to be eminently pocketable, and that it’s a real featherweight. The combination makes it easy to pack and carry, and the load is also pretty much unnoticeable when it’s mounted in your camera’s hot-shoe, for portrait as well as landscape orientation shooting. For portrait orientation shooting latter, I find that big, hefty flashguns can feel a bit unwieldy, especially on smaller cameras.

Naturally, the small, lightweight build comes with compromises. The maximum available power is somewhat limited and there are no fancy frills like bounce, swivel and zoom, nor any advanced flash modes like high-speed sync or programmable repeat. Even so, I feel the Z2 accomplishes its aim in being a simple yet effective and inexpensive mini-flash in Canon, Fujifilm, Nikon and Sony dedicated options, ideal for adding a little light when and where you need it most. And for the budget-conscious, it's definitely one of the most inexpensive dedicated flashes on the market.

Alternatives

Many shooters have come to rely on autofocus, especially as the consistently good results you can achieve make missed shots far less likely. On top of that, not needing an AC means you can shoot solo or in confined spaces, without the need for extra hands to adjust settings. However, there is one thing that holds autofocus a less inviting proposition, and that is lens choice.

Many filmmakers, including me, like to work with cinema lenses, or vintage glass, that just don’t have the electronics or motors, meaning they are full manual only. This is a crying shame, as it would be so useful to have some automatic features combined with the visual character these lenses provide.

Now, there are some systems that can help here, like DJI’s focus pro, which does help here, and a motorised follow focus like the Tilta Nucleus Nano, which does go some way toward managing focus, but there are downsides to these systems. And really, we often want the rock-solid autofocus that Sony cameras have. That’s where Viltrox comes in, with the promising NexusFocus F1 (I’ll refer to it as the F1 from here). It’s a PL to E mount adapter, with some clever electronics, mated with a focus motor that essentially focuses through the lens using Sony’s own autofocusing system. That may restrict this to Sony shooters for now, but word has it that Viltrox is expanding this for other cameras too.

I spent some time getting to know the FR1, using my Sony A7RIV and a handful of cine lenses to see what’s what.

Viltrox NexusFocus F1: Specifications

Viltrox NexusFocus F1: Price

Originally launched on Kickstarter, but it has far surpassed the amount Viltrox was looking for. The F1 is now available on Viltrox's online storeas well as in major camera stores.

The single motor kit is priced at $599 / £455, which feels like a bargain to me, but do factor in buying a few other bits, if you don’t already have them, as you will need to rig it up.

Viltrox NexusFocus F1: Design & Handling

Let’s kick things off with a look at what comes in the box. First up, the F1 ships in a nice semi-rigid case, with custom foam inserts to hold everything in place. I got the two motor kit, as you can see, there’s a precut section in case you add a third motor down the line (Yes, the F1 is FIZ system, but more on that later).

Next is the adapter itself, along with three USB-C cables and a D-tap to USB-C power cable. Everything is built well, feels rock solid, and the materials and finish are excellent. I’m also a fan of the rod clamps on the motors. As well as ratcheting grips, they are also swing away, so you can easily add or remove a motor without the need to remove anything you might have mounted in front, like a matte box. Good move Viltrox, and not something you see as often as you should.

Then there’s the power box. This sits between your power source and the rest of the setup, and it’s really the only part I’m not so fond of. It has a ¼”20 mount on one long side for mounting, and the two ports for power in and out. The problem is that it feels a bit clunky, and finding a good place to mount it isn’t always that easy. This might be in part due to the cables. Now, I’m not a fan of overly long cables, as they snag and get in the way, or need winding around something else, but the cables here are a little short for my liking. This means there’s less scope for mounting the power box, as it needs to reach the motor(s) and power. That said, the D-tap cable is pretty long, so it should be fine for most rigs.

Overall, everything looks and feels top-notch, but how is it in use?

Viltrox NexusFocus F1: Performance

Let’s start with rigging. As mentioned, everything is nicely made. The fit and finish are very good, but you will need a few extras to get set up. Keep in mind that this will vary depending on your use case, but for me, using an A7RIV, I already had a cage and a top handle, but I did need to add rods for mounting the motor. This isn’t an issue in itself. I have lots, so I grabbed a baseplate with rod supports and attached that to my cage.

The F1 needs V-mount power, so you’ll need some way of accommodating this. For me, I used a smallrig V-mount plate, which I mounted at the back to keep the weight distribution level. I do wonder if you could use a power bank and a normal USB-C cable for power, but Viltrox doesn’t mention it, and I didn’t want to risk damage. Either way, you’d need a mounting solution, so it’s neither here nor there at this point.

I wasn’t massively keen on adding bulk and weight to my little setup, which is usually used for handholding in tight situations or for use with a gimbal, but I think the payoff is worth it if you actually get Sony autofocus.

Once you’re all set up and rigged, you’ll need to add the adapter to your camera body, then connect all the cables, finishing by choosing your lens and lining up the gears of the motor. All very simple and quick.

Now, here’s where you might find an issue. Depending on your rig, you may struggle with a couple of things. Firstly, the cable connections and motor. If the gear rings of your chosen lens are too far back, it can be hard to line up, as the PL locking lugs can get in the way. This wasn’t a problem for many lenses, but keep it in mind. Also, my cage protrudes over the front of the camera body, obscuring the screen. That’s only a small issue, as you only really use it to choose a lens profile, and you can do that on the app, but it is a slight annoyance, especially when you have a top handle.

On to lens profiles, the most important part of the process. It takes a few minutes to get going, but it’s relatively straightforward. Power everything up, open the Nexus Focus app, and head to the library tab. If your lens isn’t on the list, you can set it up manually. Give a name and set things like the minimum focus distance, aperture range, and so on. You can define hard stops for focus, then calibrate using the focus chart supplied. The app is pretty good overall. I did have an issue where my iOS keyboard wouldn’t go, but this problem seemed to vanish, although I have no idea why. It was troublesome, though, as I couldn’t press the save button that was hidden behind it.

One thing to note is that you need your camera to be set to centre point focus during setup. I wonder if this is to do with lenses that might be soft around the edges, as you can change to other modes once you save your profile.

The connection between the phone and adapter is bluetooth and the signal was flawless.

On to the actual shooting experience, which was surprisingly good. The focus using this system is smooth and accurate. Not quite the same as a native E-mount lens, but very close indeed. I did find that, because of my setup, I couldn’t see the screen all that easily at some angles, but a quick addition of a field monitor (I used my Viltrox DC-L2) and everything was fine.

What I particularly like about the F1 is that everything is through the lens. While I do really enjoy the DJI focus pro, being lidar means that the closer you get to your subject, the more likely it is to miss slightly. For most situations, this won’t be a problem, but the added reliability of the F1 is a clear winner.

Viltrox NexusFocus F1: Verdict

If you’re a Sony shooter and miss the autofocus when using PL lenses, then the F1 is a no-brainer. You get all the benefits of that system, with none of the limitations of cinema glass. It’s also a big plus for one person shoots and small spaces too, and at this price it is well worth adding to your basket.

Alternatives

Viltrox has alluded to two new lenses with apochromatic (APO) technology coming to The Photography & Video Show (TPS), which begins this weekend in Birmingham, UK.

In a recent Instagram post, the third-party lens manufacturer showed off two silhouetted compact builds that look to be smaller prime lenses.

While the post as a whole reveals little information, the image does as the lenses depicted look a lot like the coming 35mm and 50mm f/1.8 APO primes lenses for the new EVO series which Viltrox revealed at this year’s CP+ show in Japan.

Viltrox’s EVO lenses sit between its super-budget-friendly Air series and higher-end PRO series lenses. EVO lenses balance premium features such as a lightweight, metal build, USB-C connectivity and clickable aperture rings with a still low-end price point. The series was launched late last year with the release of the AF 85mm f/2 EVO for Nikon Z-mount and Sony E-mount cameras.

Viltrox has made a name for itself as a manufacturer of cheap but high-performing prime lenses, and a premium feature it’s really pushing at the moment is APO technology.

APO optics correct chromatic and spherical aberrations using specialized, low-dispersion glass elements. This technology ensures that red, green, and blue light waves converge on the same focal plane, resulting in sharper images with minimal color fringing.

According to a recent report from Photo Rumors, at CP+ 2026 Viltrox engineers referred to the company’s APO technology as ‘hyper APO’, saying that ‘APO’ has become a buzzword among lens manufacturers, often used for technology that doesn’t truly meet the standard.

This is fighting talk from Viltrox and, if the coming lenses are the expected 35mm and 50mm EVO f/1.8 primes, then my expectations of their APO performance are high to say the least.

More will be revealed on these new Viltrox lenses at TPS 2026, which takes place at the NEC in Birmingham, UK, and kicks off this Saturday 14 March. Viltrox will be at stand F72.

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Viltrox Air prime lenses offer solid specs for tight budgets. Check out our reviews of the AF 9mm f/2.8 Air, AF 15mm f/1.7 Air and AF 25mm f/1.7 Air.

Discretion is the better part of valor, if William Shakespeare’s Falstaff is to be believed. For my part, I’ve had plenty of ‘man-sized’ cameras in my time, which have been a proper handful to handle. Chunky full-frame DSLRs, trinity zoom lenses, pro-grade flashguns – you name them, I’ve had them.

And yes, sometimes size really does matter. When I’m on assignment as a professional photographer and want to be taken seriously by my client, imposing kit with some real gravity to it is most likely to create the best impression. But sometimes, very different and even opposite rules apply – and discretion is a key factor.

When I’m taking photos for fun, rather than as part of a paid job, I tend to be out on the streets, exploring what life in the city, town, village and countryside means to the people who are living it. When many of those people see a photographer lurking with a big-off camera, their suspicions are quickly aroused.

Smaller is better. It pays to be candid, to avoid drawing attention to yourself, and to go unnoticed in the milling crowd. Then there’s the sheer logistics of photography. Why be weighed down by the burden of big, heavy camera kit, when a small point-and-shoot camera can literally take a load off?

The problem is that point-and-shoots are all very well but tend to lack the kind of creative controls that adventurous, enthusiast photographers crave. A compact camera with a fixed lens gives you portability and anonymity on one hand, but can limit your creative potential on the other.

With all that in mind, I feel like I’ve just discovered the best of both worlds.

As one of Digital Camera World’s principal lens reviewers, I test a lot of Sony E-mount lenses, both full-frame and APS-C. I’ve had a Sony A7 III for quite a while but its crop mode is less than ideal for properly testing APS-C format lenses.

That being the case, I shelled out on a used Sony A6000 – which looks and works as good as new, but was amazingly inexpensive to buy.

An instant hit as far as I’m concerned, the A6000 is wonderfully small, lightweight and pocketable. Indeed, it’s only about the size of a compact camera yet features a comprehensive set of advanced shooting modes and creative adjustments, catering to my every whim. It’s very much a ‘proper’ camera rather than a basic, simplified substitute.

But what about the lens? I’ve paired the Sony with a Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 pancake lens (also available in Nikon Z and Fujifilm X mount options).

Now this lens really is simple, right down to its fixed f/4.5 aperture. Even so, it features swift and near-silent stepping motor-based autofocus, a built-in lens cap and, astonishingly, is only 15mm or just over half an inch thick.

Indeed, when the lens is mounted on the A6000 it only sticks out about as far as the camera’s shallow sculpted handgrip. Like with a small compact camera, I can pop the Sony complete with mounted lens in a spare pocket and take it along for the journey – pretty much any journey, at that.

On an APS-C body, the lens has an ‘effective’ focal length of 42mm, which I find ideal for street shooting, being just a little wider than a standard prime. And what’s more, it’s insanely cheap to buy, at just $99 / £90 / AU$169.

To make my joy complete, the Sony retains all the advantages of being an interchangeable lens camera – so if I need a different optic, whether it’s an ultra-wide-angle, telephoto, macro or other type of lens, I can just fit the right tool for the job. That makes it a whole lot more versatile than a ‘fixed lens’ camera.

What’s more, if I want to go full-frame, the Viltrox pancake lens is fully compatible, so I can pop it onto my Sony A7 III for further downsized delights.

Best of all the Viltrox delivers very pleasing image quality, with surprisingly excellent sharpness in the central region of the frame, and still holding up pretty well towards the edges and corners.

It’s a little lens that punches massively above its weight (all 60g / 2oz of it), fully deserving the tagline of ‘tiny buy mighty’ and earning a place as one of the best pancake lenses.

I’ve spent decades trudging around with a heavy load on my back. The load in question has ranged from shoulder bags to extra-large backpacks, brimming with cameras, lenses and all manner of photographic accessories.

My wife used to joke (in a deadly serious kinda way) that she felt weekends away were like tagging along on camera club outings. I was always determined to be prepared for any eventuality, to be able to take any photo opportunity in my stride.

It’s taken me a very long time to realize that ‘any eventuality’ practically never materializes, and that I generally know in advance what sort of things I’m going to shoot, so I can get away with just a camera body and a couple of lenses.

For travel and walkabout photography, my kit of choice for the last few years has been a Nikon Z6 II body (recently replaced by a Nikon Z6 III), a Nikon Z 24-70mm f/4 S standard zoom and a Nikon Z 14-30mm f/4 S ultra-wide-angle zoom.

That usually ticks off everything on my out-and-about shooting to-do list. But while both lenses are pretty compact, thanks in no small part to their retractable designs, I still begrudge the stowage space needed by the 14-30mm, especially as it normally only surfaces for occasional use.

Things have just changed. Fundamentally. Wearing my hat as Digital Camera World’s chief lens reviewer, I got hold of a Viltrox AF 14mm f/4 Air lens to test. It’s full-frame compatible and available in both Nikon Z and Sony E mount options.

The similarities with my Nikon Z 14-30mm are virtually nonexistent.

Sure, both lenses share an ultra-wide-angle 14mm focal length and both have an f/4 aperture rating. But the Nikon zoom weighs in at 485g / 17.2oz and measures 89 x 85mm even in its retracted state, before being elongated for use. By stark contrast, and typical of Viltrox's Air series lenses, the 14mm prime is a real featherweight.

The Viltrox lens is just a little slip of a thing, weighing in at 185g / 6.5oz (not much more than a third of the Nikon zoom) and measuring a mere 68 x 58mm – that’s barely more than a couple of inches long.

Indeed, the Viltrox is small enough to pop into a spare coat pocket and light enough for me to not even notice it’s there.

Then there’s the small matter of cost. The Nikon’s price tag is $1,397 / £1,299 / AU$2.299, a not inconsiderable sum. The Viltrox costs just $199 / £190 / AU$299. That’s only about one seventh of the cost.

Sure, the Nikon lens is a more high-tech affair but I’ve been really impressed with the Viltrox’s edge-to-edge sharpness and all-round performance.

For such an ultra-lightweight, inexpensive lens, the Viltrox really is a little gem. Of course, as a prime lens, the Viltrox lacks the Nikon zoom’s versatility in terms of its range of perspectives, but I’m often content to nudge my camera into APS-C crop mode.

At this point the Viltrox effectively becomes a 21mm lens, neatly bridging the gap while still going wider than my 24-70mm standard zoom. All in all, it’s a proper little pocket rocket and one of my favorite wide-angle lenses.

I may not be ready for everything, but I'm ready for almost everything – and that's good enough for me.

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If I were starting my photographic journey from scratch right now, I'd skip the zoom lens and go with a nifty fifty prime. Why? It's simple: this one lens will teach you so much about photography and you'll learn faster than you will with a zoom.

This can be tricky if you're an APS-C shooter, because the crop factor makes it tricky to work out what lens will actually be 50mm on your camera. You want to look at 35mm lenses, because the 1.5x crop factor gives them an effective focal length of 52.5mm.

And right now, there's a great option on sale...

The Viltrox AF 35mm f/1.7 Air APS-C Lens for Nikon Z Mount is just £148.75 at Park Cameras – that's a £26.25 saving on the usual £175 price tag!

The Viltrox AF 35mm f/1.7 Air APS-C Lens for Fujifilm X Mount is just £148.75 at Park Cameras – that's a £26.25 saving on the usual £175 price tag!

To get this price – simply use the Voucher code: VILTROX-15

I was just writing recently about how zoom lenses, while convenient, can hold us back from truly learning photography. When working with a zoom lens, you often skip over the fundamental process of seeing and composing a shot with intention.

So, if you're serious about improving or building your photographic skills, I always recommend starting with a prime lens – especially a 50mm. Many professional shooters prefer this focal length, you can read here why. And a prime is one of the fastest ways to train your eye, master composition and become more confident behind the camera.

Why a 50mm lens is great for beginners or to improve your photography:

It works across genres
From street photography to portraits, even night shooting and travel photography – a 50mm f/1.8 can handle it all.

It gives a natural perspective
A 50mm optic gives a very organic view of the world with minimal distortion, making it a great focal length for storytelling and narrative work.

It teaches you to see
Without a zoom, you'll start "zooming with your feet." You'll move, observe, and truly interact with the scene – skills that will sharpen your eye for framing and storytelling far more than any zoom lens can.

Sure, prime lenses can be pricey, but that's where timing helps. With these fantastic Park Camera offers, it's a great opportunity to pick up a quality prime lens at a lower price.

See our full Viltrox AF 35mm f/1.7 review

Viltrox has continued to bolster its Air series of APS-C prime lenses by releasing the Viltrox AF 35mm f/1.7 Air and 56mm f/1.7 Air lenses for Fujifilm X-mount in a striking silver color.

The Air series was released in 2025 and features a range of lightweight and budget-friendly prime lenses for Fujifilm, Sony and Nikon APS-C cameras.

The silver 35mm and 56mm f/1.7 Air lenses, which have equivalent angles of view of 53mm and 84mm respectively, have a friendly price tag of $239 (approximately £175 / $AU 338) – the same as their black counterparts.

We like the Viltrox Air range, which my colleague Matthew Richards describes as “punching well above” their price tag.

The Air lenses are designed to be as lightweight as possible while maintaining sturdy build quality.

They typically feature 12 optical elements, respectable autofocus driven by a stepping motor and a minimum aperture of f/16. While the bodies of these lenses are plastic, the mounting plates are metal and they weigh around 60z (170g).

So far, the silver versions of the 35mm and 56mm f/1.7 Air lenses are only available for Fujifilm X-mount – there's no news on whether they will be released for E-mount.

The new silver Viltrox Air lenses will pair nicely with the Fujifilm X-T5 and X-T50 camera bodies as these are also available in silver.

In related news, Viltrox isn’t the only producer of "Air"-branded lenses. Direct competitor Meike is set to release its own range of "Air" APS-C primes with autofocus rumored to be carbon copies of Viltrox’s, including the name.

We don't know yet if Viltrox plans on releasing more of the Air lenses in silver, but I'd certainly love to see more!

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Take a look at the Meike 35mm f/1.8 Pro AF, a solid prime lens that doesn't break the bank, and competes well with Viltrox lenses. And for a look at what else is available for X-mount cameras, check out the best Fujifilm lenses.

Last October saw the launch of the Viltrox AF 50mm f/1.4 Pro, following hot on the heels of the more portrait-friendly AF 85mm f/1.4 Pro. Both lenses are from the upper echelons of Viltrox product lines, bearing a ‘Pro’ badge and very much aiming to live up to that billing. Interchangeable in the best possible way, both lenses have a virtually identical size and weight of 85x111mm / 3.4x4.4" and 800g / 1.76lb, making it an absolute doddle to switch between the two and carry on shooting as if nothing happened.

Pro aspirations of any lens have more to do with the quality of the glass than anything else. While the Viltrox has really solid, weather-sealed build quality, its top-level feature is an exotic optical path based on 15-elements, arranged in 11 groups. These include a UA (Ultra Aspherical) element with a relatively large diameter and ultra-high precision build, 3 ED (Extra-low Dispersion) elements, 8 HR (High Refractive index) elements, and the application of HD Nano multi-layer coatings.

The aperture is particularly well-rounded, based on an 11-blade diaphragm that helps to maintain the quality of bokeh when stopping down a little. And with that in mind, there’s a dedicated aperture control ring comes complete with a click/de-click switch, suiting both stills and video capture respectively. Autofocus is courtesy of a high-grade HyperVCM (Voice Coil Motor) system, designed to be fast for shooting stills, as well as delivering ultra-smooth focus transition in virtual silence when shooting video. An AF/MF focus mode switch is fitted, along with a customizable function button.

As I said at the start, there’s only one thing I didn’t like about this lens. And that’s that it was only available in Sony E-mount, which was a fat lot of use to anyone with a different make of camera. That’s all changed with the advent of a Nikon Z-mount edition, which follows the recent Z-mount launch of the sibling Viltrox AF 85mm f/1.4 Pro lens. And now that Viltrox has become a signed-up member of the L-Mount Alliance, I’d expect an L-mount version to be somewhere in the pipeline.

For now though, the Viltrox AF 50mm f/1.4 Pro ‘Z’ goes on sale for around $549 / £525 / AU$929, making it standout value for such a high-quality lens. For more information, check out our full review.

Lens manufacturer Viltrox began a new chapter back in September of last year, becoming the 10th member of the L-Mount Alliance. It thus joined elite image industry movers and shakers, including Leica, Sigma, Panasonic, and DJI, in the process.

As a leader in the welcoming committee, Leica Camera AG released a statement saying, “By welcoming Viltrox as a new member, we are strengthening our network with a highly regarded partner that shares our vision of a forward-looking and versatile system. Viltrox contributes valuable expertise in high-quality lens development and brings fresh momentum to our ecosystem.”

As they say, the proof of the pudding is in the eating and while there’s an AF 28mm f/4.5 L waiting in the wings, the first Viltrox L-mount lens out of the blocks is the AF 16mm f/1.8 L. The lens has actually been around for a while, the Sony E-mount edition being launched back in May 2023, and the Nikon Z-mount version following in May 2024 (see our full review).

A high-tech feast of a lens, it was Viltrox’s first to feature a color LCD display panel, along with dual customizable function buttons and an aperture control ring complete with a click/de-click switch. Autofocus is courtesy of a fast and virtually silent linear stepping motor, and the dual-function buttons enable you to set up two ‘A and B’ focus distance settings, so that you can automatically transition between the two.

The high-end optical path comprises 15 elements in 12 groups, including three aspherical elements and four ED (Extra-low Dispersion) elements, plus HD Nano multilayer coatings. The front element also has a fluorine coating, and the lens is extensively weather-sealed.

Expect to pay around $580 / £533 / AU$999 for the L-mount version of the lens, with prices closely following the Nikon and Sony versions of the lens. 

For more, you can check out our review of the Sony E-mount version of the Viltrox AF 16mm f/1.8.

If the rumors are true and Nikon is suing Viltrox, I really hope the two companies can find a middle ground that allows Nikon to get its fair share while Viltrox continues to produce Z-mount lenses. I’ve just finished writing my latest report on the much-talked-about beef between the ‘Big N’ and the ‘Big V’, and it made me think back to the tail end of 2024, when I declared cheap, third-party lenses good for consumers and good for camera manufacturers.

Having read through that article again, I really don’t think my position has changed. My research on the proposed lawsuit led me to a very interesting YouTube video (above) by photography YouTuber Matt Irwin, who offered up a similarly balanced opinion. However, he made the very good point that companies like Nikon don’t just spend money on building optics; they have to put huge amounts of time and money into developing their proprietary lens mounts and indeed the architecture of their compatible cameras.

As such, first-party lenses aren’t only more expensive because (you hope) they boast better optics and indeed build quality than cheaper third-party lenses, but you’re also paying for all of that costly development (not to mention brand heritage). As such, I do think it’s right that camera manufacturers are compensated accordingly by third-party lens manufacturers, even if that means price increases.

However, I do want camera manufacturers to remain reasonable in their limitations. It’s my opinion that cheap third-party lenses are an essential part of the industry. After all, they encourage a wider variety of consumers through the door: casual photographers, those on a budget, beginners looking to experiment with lenses, etc. Some of those users will progress to buying first-party lenses, some will not. But crucially, all of them will buy into the system via a first-party camera.

As such, I believe that Nikon is a more attractive prospect because it has, thus far, been rather generous with its Z mount. And besides, I still think plenty of consumers will buy first-party lenses anyway. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, Nikon’s FTZ adapter allows Z-system users to adapt cheap F-mount DSLR lenses, but it’s not seen as something that syphons Z-mount purchases.

Going back to Matt Irwin’s video. He makes another good point in that third-party lenses tend not to match up perfectly with their first-party counterparts, in that focal lengths and apertures tend to differ (although not always). So, if you’ve got your heart set on a first-party optic and it’s within your budget, there’s a good chance you’ll buy the lens you want instead of compromising on a focal length and aperture that's nearly the same, but not quite.

Nikon’s also been surprisingly adept at beating third-party manufacturers at their own game, too, with a really nice selection of cheap first-party glass. I personally own the Nikon Z 40mm f/2, which I purchased secondhand for an absolute steal, but that's far from the only cheap Nikon lens out there; just look at the recently announced Nikon Z 24-105mm f/4-7.1. Ultimately, if there’s truth to this rumored lawsuit, I’m hoping Nikon, Viltrox, and the consumer can all have their cake and eat it. We might just have to compromise a little on the flavor.

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The suspected beef between Nikon and Viltrox is showing no signs of cooling down, with more talk of a rumored court case filed by the ‘Big N’. Chinese social media has been particularly busy, with Japan-based online news outlet Asobinet sharing supposed documentation of four patents regarding lens mounts, of which the source identified as “modified structures based on the Nikon Z mount”. It also revealed that there was just one month between the patent’s application and it being published.

Earlier reports suggested that Viltrox’s recent Z-mount teleconverter could be the cause of such a dispute. Whatever the reason, Nikon did respond to DPReview, but avoided directly addressing the matter. It highlighted the fact that it has long worked with “officially licensed partner companies,” which could potentially be telling, as I cannot find confirmation that Viltrox is or isn’t an officially licensed partner.

A hearing date of March 2, 2026, has been reported by Nikon Rumors, but what most consumers are talking about are potential consequences. If Nikon were to take Viltrox to court, there are a multitude of outcomes, but perhaps the biggest fear is a Canon RF-style lockdown of the Z-mount system.

However, that’s pure conjecture at this moment in time. Nikon’s case could relate to a dispute over a very specific instance, or it could be a wider dispute regarding Viltrox’s production of Z-mount-compatible optics in search of royalties or the enforcement of certain limitations.

I watched an interesting video (above) by photography YouTuber and Nikon user, Matt Irwin, who offered a very balanced point of view. He noted that Nikon has made a huge investment in Z-mount in terms of the development of both the mount itself and how it communicates with Z-Series cameras, stating: “They deserve a piece of the pie (...) for creating the opportunity for Viltrox to sell lenses for these cameras.”

However, he also noted the importance of third-party lenses offering options for consumers who may not be able to justify first-party expenditure.

Matt's hope – if the rumors are true – is that the two companies can “come to an understanding that works for both of them.” And as it stands, based on the little information that we have, I’m inclined to agree. I’ll be keeping you updated as/if this story evolves.

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**UPDATE** Nikon has responded to DPReview regarding the reported lawsuit, but stopped short of addressing the matter directly. It did state that it has “always worked with officially licensed partner companies” and that it encourages third-party lens use “from manufacturers licensed by Nikon.” I cannot find confirmation that Viltrox is an officially licensed partner, so read into that what you will.

The word on the social-media street is that Nikon is suing Shenzhen-based lens manufacturer Viltrox, although over precisely what is pure conjecture. Japanese photography news website, Asobinet, picked up the rumor a couple of days ago, with the online source pointing to a licensing-fee dispute between the two companies.

However, a follow-up article today revealed that more talk on social media is suggesting that Viltrox’s recently released Z-mount teleconverter could be at the epicenter of the dispute, thanks to its potential to impact Nikon’s profits. After all, the Nikon Z Teleconverter TC‑2.0x retails for $649.95 / £599, while the Viltrox Teleconverter 2.0X undercuts it significantly with an RRP of around $280 / £260. The same article also surmises that Viltrox’s increased market share has simply become too big for comfort.

Nikon Rumors has turned to artificial intelligence in a bid to verify the story, which turned up Chinese corporate litigation databases and the Shanghai Court’s public docket as potential original sources. This has thrown up the possibility that Nikon could be looking for reparations if Viltrox replicated a Nikon innovation while a patent was pending, if said patent has now been granted.

Both outlets list a potential hearing date as March 2, 2026, so we could receive more information then. What this could mean for Viltrox, Nikon, and Nikon users remains to be seen. Nikon has historically been forthcoming in allowing others to use its Z mount, especially in comparison to Canon, which is famously protective of its RF mount.

But if Nikon does indeed sue Viltrox, this does raise the question: What next? Would it simply be looking for compensation, or would it look to make it harder for the third-party manufacturer to produce Z-mount optics, serving as a warning to others? I’ll be keeping a watchful eye for any further developments.

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The Nikon Z50 launched over six years ago but until the recent advent of the Nikon Z DX MC 35mm f/1.7 last October, there was only one single own-brand Nikon Z DX prime for this and other APS-C format Z system cameras. That was the Nikon Z DX 24mm f/1.7, launched a couple of years earlier. Of course, you can use full-frame Nikon Z lenses on DX bodies but they’re generally bigger, heavier and more expensive than they need to be. By contrast, a whole trilogy of Viltrox APS-C format Viltrox AF 23mm, 33mm and 56mm f/1.4 fast, metal-bodied primes in Z mount date back to 2021, plus an ultra-wide AF 13mm f/1.4. Viltrox followed those up with several ultra-lightweight ‘Air’ series lenses, as well as a top-end Viltrox AF 27mm F1.2 Pro about a year ago.

All of the above is history rather than news, but here’s the thing. These Viltrox lenses are generally also available in Sony E and Fujifilm X mount versions, where they’re arguably less important because owners of those cameras are comparatively spoilt for choice when it comes to own-brand primes. Nikon shooters have relatively slim pickings.

That’s why the addition of the existing Viltrox AF 56mm f/1.2 Pro in Nikon Z is such big news. Like the 27mm Pro lens that I mentioned above, it’s from the upper echelons of the Viltrox ‘Pro’ range, complete with a super-fast f/1.2 aperture. Whereas the 27mm lens has a fairly standard ‘effective’ focal length of 40.5mm, the 56mm equates to 84mm in full-frame terms. That makes it perfect as a portrait lens, where the f/1.2 aperture enables a desirable tight depth of field for isolating subjects by blurring the background, promising smooth bokeh in the process.

Build quality lives up to the lens’s Pro badge, with a durable metal construction for the barrel as well as the mounting plate, along with comprehensive weather-seals. A high-grade optical path incorporates a UA (Ultra-large, high-precision Aspherical) element, an ED (Extra-low Dispersion) element and three HR (High Refractive index) elements, along with HD Nano coatings and a fluorine coating in the front element.

Autofocus is based on an advanced HyperVCM (Voice Coil Motor) autofocus system that claims to be much faster than a regular stepping motor, as well as being virtually silent. Handling extras carried forward from the Sony E version of the lens include a dedicated aperture ring with a click/de-click switch, an AF/MF focus mode switch and a customizable function button. The Fujifilm X version has an aperture ring but none of the other switches nor a function button. Either way, the Viltrox looks to be a ‘Pro’ prime through and through.

The lens isn’t overly large or heavy for an f/1.2 prime, measuring 78x92mm / 3.1x3.6" and weighing in at 570g / 20.1oz. As for pricing, you can expect to pay around $580 / £530. For context, the Fujifilm XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR costs nearly twice as much at $1,099 / £999 and there’s no equivalent own-brand Nikon lens.

Read more: Viltrox AF 56mm f/1.2 Pro review

Viltrox launched the Viltrox AF 35mm f/1.2 Lab lens for full-frame Sony E-mount cameras back around Easter time and now Nikon Z series shooters are in for a Christmas treat. Like the AF 135mm F1.8 Lab before it, the 35mm lens is from the Chinese manufacturer’s flagship series of lenses, engineered for top-notch image quality and all-round performance, along with high-end handling, at a relatively affordable price.

The optical path includes five ED (Extra-low Dispersion) elements, 3 HR (High Refractive index) elements and two aspherical elements. The aim is for a combination of excellent sharpness, color fidelity and control over aberrations, with super-smooth bokeh when shooting wide-open at the fast f/1.2 aperture. A particularly well-rounded 11-blade aperture diaphragm is designed to retain maximum quality of bokeh when stopping down.

Handling highlights include an aperture control ring with a click/de-click switch, ideal for stills and video respectively. Further benefits for video capture include minimized focus breathing and virtually silent auto/manual focusing. Autofocus itself is driven by a ‘Quad HyperVCM’ voice coil motor, which Viltrox claims is 1.5 times faster than a regular stepping motor system. Other handling finery includes dual customizable function buttons and an AF/MF focus mode switch. Like some of Nikon’s finest own-brand Z-mount lenses, the Viltrox also features a color OLED screen on the top of its barrel, which can display shooting information like the aperture setting and focus distance.

Build quality benefits from a durable magnesium alloy barrel and metal mounting plate, complete with extensive weather-seals. The mounting plate also features a USB-C port for applying firmware updates, if and when required.

We’ve already seen a seriously sizeable collection of Viltrox Z-mount lenses, from its featherweight ‘Air’ series through to high-performance ‘Pro’ lenses, both for APS-C as well as full-frame Nikon cameras, plus a new AF 85mm f/2 Evo lens.

The 35mm Lab sits at the top of the tree yet still has a highly competitive launch price of $999 / £959.

See our full Viltrox AF 35mm f/1.2 Lab review

Viltrox looks set to launch two new conversion lenses for Fujifilm X100-series cameras. Currently little is known about them, apart from teaser images released on the official Viltrox Weibo page, but they seem to be pretty close copies of Fujifilm's own TCL-X100 II telephoto conversion lens and its WCL-X100 II wide conversion lens.

The TCL-X100 II applies 1.4x magnification to convert an X100 camera's native 35mm-equivalent focal length to 50mm-equivalent, while the WCL-X100 II wide converter gives you a wider 28mm-equivalent perspective thanks to its 0.8x magnification.

Both are well regarded conversion lenses, but both also have relatively steep $400 price tags. Viltrox's equivalents provide the same focal length conversions and are almost guaranteed to cost significantly less. Given our experience with other Viltrox lenses, we'd wager optical quality will be impressive, too.

The official launch is set for December 10th, when we'll hopefully be given full details of each conversion lens, along with pricing and availability information. Until then, you can check out the specs for Fujifilm's own X100 conversion lenses below. We'd expect the Viltrox equivalents to share a lot in common.

If I were starting my photographic journey from scratch right now, I'd skip the zoom lens and go with a nifty fifty prime. Why? It's simple: this one lens will teach you so much about photography and you'll learn faster than you will with a zoom.

This can be tricky if you're an APS-C shooter, because the crop factor makes it tricky to work out what lens will actually be 50mm on your camera. You want to look at 35mm lenses, because the 1.5x crop factor gives them an effective focal length of 52.5mm.

And right now, there's a great option on sale: the Viltrox AF 35mm f/1.7 (Sony E-mount) is just $143.20 – that's a $35 saving on the usual $179 price tag!

I was just writing recently about how zoom lenses, while convenient, can hold us back from truly learning photography. When working with a zoom lens, you often skip over the fundamental process of seeing and composing a shot with intention.

So, if you're serious about improving or building your photographic skills, I always recommend starting with a prime lens – especially a 50mm. Many professional shooters prefer this focal length; you can read here why. And a prime is one of the fastest ways to train your eye, master composition, and become more confident behind the camera.

Why a 50mm lens is great for beginners or to improve your photography:

It works across genres
From street photography to portraits, even night shooting and travel photography – a 50mm f/1.8 can handle it all.

It gives a natural perspective
A 50mm optic gives a very organic view of the world with minimal distortion, making it a great focal length for storytelling and narrative work.

It teaches you to see
Without a zoom, you'll start "zooming with your feet." You'll move, observe, and truly interact with the scene – skills that will sharpen your eye for framing and storytelling far more than any zoom lens can.

Sure, prime lenses can be pricey, but that's where timing helps. With this great B&H Photo offer, it's a great opportunity to pick up a high-quality prime lens at a lower price.

Take a look at the best lenses for street photography along with the best cameras for beginners.

Viltrox has announced a new 2x teleconverter for Sony E-mount systems. According to Sony Alpha Rumors, the teleconverter is comprised of 9 elements in 5 groups, including 3 high refractive index elements. What's more, thanks to a full compliment of electronic contacts, it supports EXIF ​​data transmission, along with lens-based image stabilization. It's also claimed to be dust and splash resistant and is said to weigh 229g.

This is actually a world-first: it's the first aftermarket teleconverter we've seen for E-mount cameras. Until now, Sony shooters have been restricted to Sony's own 1.4x and 2x teleconverters. And as you might hope, the new Viltrox teleconverter is very well priced: at USD $280, it's less than half the cost of a Sony SEL14TC or SEL20TC teleconverter.

- See the best Sony Black Friday camera deals

Even more remarkable is that Viltrox is claiming its teleconverter supports the blistering 120fps continuous shooting mode offered by cameras like the Sony A9 III. This is particularly noteworthy as Sony has always restricted this headline-grabbing performance mode for use exclusively with its own lenses. There have been exceptions, such as the Tamron 50-400mm F4.5-6.3 Di III VXD, which does support 120fps burst shooting, but only when the focus mode is set to AF-S, DMF, or MF. Crucially, AF-C autofocus - the very setting you'll most likely want when shooting fast action - can still only be used at 120fps with Sony lenses.

It's not clear whether the Viltrox E-mount teleconverter will permit 120fps shooting in any focus mode with Sony-brand lenses, or even if it might act as a cheat adapter to fool a camera like the a9 III into enabling AF-C autofocus at 120fps with third-party lenses. If the latter turns out to be possible, we'd expect Sony execs to be rather annoyed.

Pre-order from B&H

Story credit: Sony Alpha Rumors

According to a Reddit post from a Viltrox representative, the company will soon be launching a front-mounted 1.4x teleconverter, along with a 0.8x wide-angle conversion lens, for mirrorless and DSLR cameras. "With these, you can instantly unlock new focal lengths without changing your camera" says the poster.

Sony Alpha Rumors has a handy list of Sony lenses and what focal lengths can be achieved were you to attach the teleconverter or wide conversion lens. However, take this with a pinch of salt. Any front-mounted lens adaptor will of course be designed for a specific filter thread diameter, so it'll only fit compatible lenses. Furthermore, you probably won't be able to use a front-mounted teleconverter on a lens with a focal length wider than about 85mm, as depending on the physical depth of the converter, it'd likely cause obvious vignetting if fitted to a wide-angle lens. That said, there's little practical reason to use any form of teleconverter on a lens of a short-to-medium focal length, when the aim is to maximize telephoto reach.

It remains to be seen what kind of impact these conversion lenses may have on image quality. I've lab tested bona-fide rear-mounted 1.4x and 2x teleconverters from Canon, Nikon, Fujifilm and Sony for our guide to the best teleconverters, yet even these high-profile offerings still noticeably reduce image sharpness and increase chromatic aberration. 

I remain to be convinced that a (presumably) cheap front-mounted teleconverter can provide acceptable image quality and won't detrimentally reduce the performance of the host lens.

We await details of pricing and availability for both Viltrox conversion lenses.

Viltrox has launched a new 85mm autofocus lens for full-frame Sony cameras. The AF 85mm f/2.0 Evo is the first of a new series of ‘Evo’ lenses that aim to deliver up-market handling in a relatively compact, lightweight and easily manageable build. 'Evo' lenses are designed to fill the gap between Viltrox's featherweight 'Air' lenses and its chunky 'Pro'- and 'Lab'-series optics. Consequently, the 85mm f/2.0 Evo measures a compact 69x76mm (2.7x3.0") and weighs just 340g - that's under half the weight of Viltrox's existing AF 85mm f/1.4 Pro lens.

Despite the crash diet, the 85mm f/2.0 Evo still features a robust build, along with weather-seals and a fluorine coating on the front element. There's an AF/MF focus mode switch, plus a function button which can be customised to operate as an AF-hold, or to perform other duties depending on the camera body. A physical aperture control ring is also present, and there's a de-click switch to enable stepless adjustment of the 9-blade diaphragm when shooting video. Autofocussing is achieved by a linear stepping motor - a step down on the exotic VCM (Voice Coil Motor) system found in higher-spec Viltrox models - but it should still be fast and quiet. The features are rounded out by a USB-C port located in the metal lens mount which is used for applying firmware updates.

The optical stack consists of 10 elements arranged in 8 groups, including two ED (Extra-low Dispersion) elements and two HR (High Refractive index) elements. These are used to increase sharpness and clarity while reducing chromatic aberrations. Up front is a 58mm filter thread, and the lens is supplied with a circular profile hood.

The Viltrox AF 85mm f/2.0 Evo is available now, priced at $275 / £265 / AU$TBA. For context, that's around half the price of the Viltrox AF 85mm f/1.4 Pro, which is already good value, though of course the Evo is an f/stop slower.

Read our full review of the Viltrox AF 85mm f/2.0 Evo

Viltrox has released a fresh entry in its Pro line-up of upmarket autofocus lenses. The new Viltrox AF 50mm f/1.4 Pro has been designed for full-frame Nikon and Sony mirrorless cameras and follows in the footsteps of the AF 85mm f/1.4 Pro, released earlier in 2025, but which was only available for Sony cameras. The new lens is the same size and weight as its 85mm sibling, measuring 85x111mm / 3.4x4.4" and weighing in at 800g / 1.76lb. The advantage of this close family resemblance is you can swap between 85mm and 50mm lenses with no break in your creative workflow, as both lenses will feel and operate just the same.

The 15-element, 11-group optical path includes 1 UA (Ultra Aspherical) element with a relatively large diameter and ultra-high precision build, 3 ED (Extra-low Dispersion) elements, and 8 HR (High Refractive index) elements. An 11-blade aperture diaphragm should provide super-smooth bokeh, while the aperture itself can be controlled by a dedicated aperture ring on the lens barrel. This can also be 'de-clicked' to provide seamless aperture adjustment when shooting video. Viltrox has employed a HyperVCM (Voice Coil Motor) autofocus system which is designed to be quick for shooting stills, while also delivering ultra-smooth focus transitions when shooting video, and in virtually complete silence. Manual focussing is also available, via an electronically coupled focus ring.

The AF 50mm f/1.4 Pro is intended to be an all-weather lens. Its metal lens mount includes a rubber gasket, and the rest of the barrel is also weather-sealed. A fluorine coating on the front element helps resist fingerprints and rain droplets, while HD Nano multi-layer coatings are applied to minimize ghosting and flare. There's even a USB-C port at the base of the lens for applying firmware updates.

The Viltrox AF 50mm f/1.4 Pro is priced at $549 / £525 / AU$TBA, which makes it quite a bargain when compared to its direct rivals from Nikon and Sony. The Sony FE 50mm f/1.4 G Master will set you back $1,398 / £1,499 / AU$2,099, while the more budget-friendly Nikon Z 50mm f/1.4 costs $597 / £499 / AU$899, though it has lower aspirations and lacks Nikon’s high-grade ‘S-line’ credentials.

Read our full review of the Viltrox AF 50mm f/1.4 Pro

Viltrox has been launching a growing range of ‘Air’ lenses for both APS-C format and full-frame cameras. APS-C contenders include the Viltrox AF 15mm f/1.7 Air, Viltrox AF 25mm f/1.7 Air, Viltrox AF 35mm f/1.7 Air and Viltrox AF 56mm f/1.7 Air. Full-frame lenses include the Viltrox AF 20mm f/2.8 Air, Viltrox AF 40mm f/2.5 Air and Viltrox AF 50mm f/2 Air.

I like the common theme to the design, with most of the lenses being almost exactly the same size and weight. And while I’m at it, the size is astonishingly small and the weight is tiny. The newest pair in the line-up are ultra-wide-angle primes for APS-C and full-frame cameras, the full-frame AF 14mm f/4 having a slower aperture than its siblings but the upside is that, as I’ve mentioned, it maintains a very similar size and weight. If it can deliver on its promises, it’s destined to be one of the best wide-angle lenses, and a top option for Nikon Z and Sony E mount cameras.

The other lens in the new pair is the Viltrox AF 9mm f/2.8 FE Air, which is an APS-C format lens that gives a very similar viewing angle on crop-sensor Fujifilm X, Nikon Z and Sony E mount cameras.

Viltrox AF 14mm f/4 Air: Specifications

Viltrox AF 14mm f/4 Air: Price

Big viewing angles often cost big bucks. And you’ll also often find a 14mm focal length is only available in a zoom lens, like the Sony FE 12-24mm f/4 G ($2,298 / £1,399) and Nikon Z 14-30mm f/4 S ($1,347 / £1,349), or a faster prime like the Sony FE 14mm f/1.8 G ($ / £1,399). But what if you’re among the large number of photographers who only tend to use an ultra-wide zoom at or near its shortest focal length, or don’t feel the need for a fast f/1.8 aperture? This Viltrox AF 14mm f/4 Air fits the bill in every way, with a supremely budget-friendly price tag of just $199 / £190.

Viltrox AF 14mm f/4 Air: Design & Handling

Not all ultra-wide-angle lenses are big and heavy. The Nikon Z 14-30mm f/4 S is a notable exception, with it’s relatively compact, retractable design. Even so, it measures 89x85mm / 3.5x3.3” when retracted and weighs 485g / 17oz. The Viltrox 14mm prime is relatively tiny and it’s a real featherweight, measuring a mere 65x56mm / 2.6x2.2" and tipping the scales at just 170g / 6oz.

It’s incredibly small and light for a full-frame compatible rectilinear rather than curvilinear (fisheye) ultra-wide lenses with such a generous 112-degree viewing angle. The upshot is that I can squeeze this lens into a spare pocket or a corner of a daily bag without even noticing the additional size and weight, and take it along for the journey, whether I’m trekking across tricky terrain in search of landscape photo opportunities, pounding city streets or going on a lengthy search for interesting architectural shots.

It's not just the build that’s small and lightweight – the same goes for the price tag. I never used to expect much for this sort of financial outlay, but that’s before I started using and buying Viltrox lenses, which have really changed my experience. Like others in the ‘Air’ lineup, the 14mm is designed to be simple, small and convenient, but that doesn’t mean it lacks good glass.

Indeed, the lens features 12 elements arranged in 9 groups, and includes two aspherical elements, four ED (Extra-low Dispersion) elements and two HR (High Refractive index) elements. It therefore aims to be no ‘lightweight’ in terms of performance, intending to deliver good edge-to-edge sharpness, impressive clarity, contrast and color rendition, along with minimal aberrations.

Something else that’s common to Viltrox Air (and many other recent lenses from other manufacturers) is the use of a leadscrew stepping motor to drive autofocus. As usual, it gives speedy focusing for stills, along with smooth and virtually silent transitions when shooting video. The latter is a specialist area of interest for this lens. The wide viewing angle and short minimum focusing distance of just 0.13m / 5.1” makes the lens ideal for handheld vlogging, when you want to present to the camera and squeeze in a sizeable portion of your surroundings to set the scene.

I’m personally not a great one for taking selfies or vlogging, but I do love to use ultra-wide-angle lenses for landscape photography. I’m frustrated that many ultra-wide primes and zooms have a built-in, integral hood, designed to protect the bulbous front element. This makes it difficult or impossible to use the likes of ND Grads (Neutral Density Graduated), high-density ND filters for long exposures, and Variable ND filters, that I often rely on in landscape photography. There’s no problem with the Viltrox, as it has a separate, bayonet-fit hood and a regular filter attachment thread with a modest size of 58mm.

The hood itself has an efficient petal-shaped profile and, as usual, is reversible so you can store it on the lens without any increase in physical length. When in use, in its forward facing orientation, it doesn’t extend very far. I also like that the lens is supplied with a pinch-action front cap, which makes it easy to attach and detach even with the hood in its forward-facing business mode.

Shifting my attention to the back end of the lens, its mounting plate is made from metal and feels really solid. Many lenses nowadays that are designed to be compact and lightweight have plastic mounting plates but I’m pleased that Viltrox held out for a metal mount. It includes gold-plated electronic contacts and a USB-C port, the latter being featured for firmware updates if they become necessary. The only thing that’s lacking is any weather-seals but I certainly wouldn’t expect those on a lens in this price bracket.

Viltrox AF 14mm f/4 Air: Performance

Even with pro-grade lenses, I’ve often found that sharpness is sadly lacking towards the edges and corners of the image frame. And from lenses that I’ve bought and subsequently sold, that includes the Nikon AF-S 14-24mm f/2.8G ED. From my real-world tests with the Viltrox, I was immediately impressed that sharpness is retained well, right out to the extreme edges and corners of the frame, even when shooting wide-open at f/4. That said, the widest aperture of f/4 isn’t fast, and makes the lens less than ideal for astrophotography, where you want to pull in more light.

Autofocus lives up to its claims of being quick for stills as well as giving smooth and virtually silent performance when shooting video. I’d have liked to see an AF/MF focus mode switch included in the design but everything is pared down to make the lens as simple, lightweight and compact as possible. Fair enough.

Not just for seeing the bigger picture, ultra-wide-angle lenses are also great for shooting sizeable subjects in extreme close-up, so that you can exaggerate perspective and set them apart from an expansive background. The 0.13m / 5.1” minimum focus distance (as measured from the image sensor in the camera body) really does enable extreme close-ups, where the f/4 aperture is sufficiently wide to enable a fairly tight depth of field.

Sure enough, something has to give when cramming such an ultra-wide viewing angle into such a tiny, lightweight lens. As I’d expect, there’s some noticeable vignetting when shooting at the widest aperture of f/4, and barrel distortion is apparent. That said, the Viltrox relies much less on automatic in-camera corrections for vignetting and distortion than the majority of wide-angle lenses for mirrorless cameras, that I’ve used over the last few years. Indeed, the lens is perfectly usable with automatic corrections switched off and, unlike with many recent lenses, you can disable the corrections if you wish, rather than them being ‘forced on’.

Viltrox AF 14mm f/4 Air: Sample Images

The sample images in this gallery were taken at Wells Cathedral in England’s smallest city, and in the nearby town of Shepton Mallet, on a sunny morning in Collet Park. The interior shots of the cathedral were all taken at the lens’s widest available aperture of f/4, giving it the toughest test for edge-to-edge sharpness.

Viltrox AF 14mm f/4 Air: Lab Results

We run a range of lab tests under controlled conditions, using the Imatest Master testing suite. Photos of test charts are taken across the range of apertures and zooms (where available), then analyzed for sharpness, distortion and chromatic aberrations.

We use Imatest SFR (spatial frequency response) charts and analysis software to plot lens resolution at the center of the image frame, corners and mid-point distances, across the range of aperture settings and, with zoom lenses, at four different focal lengths. The tests also measure distortion and color fringing (chromatic aberration).

Sharpness:

Unusually, sharpness across most of the image frame proved best at the lens’s widest available aperture of f/4. More typically, it drops off a bit at the narrowest apertures of f/11 and f/16, due to diffraction. Sharpness out at the edges and corners of the frame proved much better in real-world shooting than our lab tests would imply. Again, that’s typical when testing ultra-wide-angle lenses, because the test charts have to be shot at pretty much point blank range.

Fringing:

There’s only very negligible color fringing across most of the frame, although it can be slightly noticeable out at the edges and corners. However, automatic in-camera correction is generally available for all mount options of the lens, which eliminates the problem completely.

Distortion: -1.74

Barrel distortion can be a little noticeable but the lens is still perfectly usable with automatic in-camera correction disabled. It’s worth noting that very many recent lenses designed for mirrorless cameras rely completely on automatic in-camera correction for distortion, which can’t be disabled in the menu system. The Viltrox performs a whole lot better than these lenses in this respect.

Viltrox AF 14mm f/4 Air: Verdict

I like supersized and super-skinny in equal measure. For shooting sweeping landscapes and cityscapes, and for architectural interiors when my back is literally up against the wall, I love the really huge and expansive view of an ultra-wide-angle lens. But I also love compactness and lightweight design, especially if I’m going to be carrying a spare lens around all day long or going off on my travels. This Viltrox AF 14mm f/4 Air succeeds on both counts. It gives a mighty viewing angle from a relatively tiny, featherweight build. Even so, the little lens punches well above its weight in terms of image quality and all-round performance, while being extraordinarily excellent value for money. It’s a winner on all fronts, as far as I’m concerned.

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