When looking for an affordable AF lens in the ultra wide angle realm my recommendation so far has usually been the Samyang 18mm 2.8 AF – also due to lack of alternatives. But in October 2023 Viltrox released this compact 20mm 2.8 AF lens and now, in February 2024 they released this super low budget lens in Nikon Z and Fuji X mount too. Not as wide as the Samyang, but noticeably cheaper. Is this my new recommendation for a low cost AF lens in the ~20mm range? Let’s find out.
Sample Images
Nikon Z 7II | Viltrox AF 20mm f/2.8 STM ASPH ED IF Z | f/2.8Sony A7III | Viltrox 20mm 2.8 AF FE | f/8.0Nikon Z 7II | Viltrox AF 20mm f/2.8 STM ASPH ED IF Z | f/2.8Sony A7III | Viltrox 20mm 2.8 AF FE | f/5.6
If you ask all the photographers, which single prime lens they would choose if they could own only one lens in the world, the majority would say the 35mm, and most of the rest would say a fast 35mm. This is because it is one of the most versatile prime lenses. Although it’s a wide-angle lens, it is sometimes referred to as the alternative normal lens because it is so close to the standard focal length that it does not distort the subject much. With such lenses, you can also get a good background separation with a nice bokeh. They are useful in almost all kinds of photography, especially in everyday photography, street photography, environmental portraits, landscapes, weddings, events, and travel. Additionally, it works well for stitched astrophotography.
Its popularity has led to numerous 35mm lenses being produced by various manufacturers from the early days of photography to the modern era. In this article, I will compare six of them, from vintage to old to new. Let’s have a look together!
The Viltrox AF 85mm f/1.8 STM ED IF Z mount is an autofocus mid-range telephoto, which is popular for portrait photography on full-frame cameras. Viltrox originally made this lens for Sony E-mount cameras, but later they managed to improve and produce it also for Fuji X, Nikon Z, and Canon RF mounts. Viltrox is the only manufacturer that has been able to produce Nikon Z mount lenses with full lens-camera communication and autofocus in the most common focal lengths. 85mm is a focal length that seems easier for manufacturers to design and make lenses with good optical qualities. There are quite a number of those nice and sharp lenses available and it seems that the price, in relation to how good/fast they are, goes up exponentially. Let’s see how good Viltrox has done with this one!
Sample Images
Nikon Z6 | Viltrox 85/1.8 Z | f/1.8Nikon Z6 | Viltrox 85/1.8 Z | f/1.8Nikon Z6 | Viltrox 85/1.8 Z | f/1.8Nikon Z6 | Viltrox 85/1.8 Z | f/1.8Nikon Z6 | Viltrox 85/1.8 Z | f/1.8
Viltrox AF 24/1.8 Z, is the only AF prime 24mm lens for Nikon Z cameras besides the Nikon Nikkor Z 24/1.8 S (Also available with Sony FE mount). The full name is “Viltrox AF 24mm 1:1.8 STM ASPH ED IF for Nikon Z“. 24mm on a full frame camera is quite wide at the verge of ultra-wide angle, which can create dramatic images but at the same time it is not so wide that it makes composing images difficult. It is great for landscape photography, but due to its f/1.8 wide aperture, it can also be easily used indoors or in other low-light situations. It costs less than half as much as the Nikon 24mm lens, which makes it a very attractive alternative, but is it good enough? Let’s find out!
Sample Images
Nikon Z6 | Viltrox 24/1.8 STM ASPH ED IF | f/1.8Nikon Z6 | Viltrox 24/1.8 STM ASPH ED IF | f/5Nikon Z6 | Viltrox 24/1.8 STM ASPH ED IF | f/5.6Nikon Z6 | Viltrox 24/1.8 STM ASPH ED IF | f/1.8
If you are a regular reader you know I only rarely review APS-C lenses – I only use fullframe cameras and therefore have no personal use for APS-C lenses – but Viltrox played it smart by just sending this 75mm 1.2 AF to me without asking first. I guess they were hoping a fullframe equivalent of 113mm f/1.8 coupled with the raving reviews from the Fuji-X users would be enough to convince me to have a closer look at this lens. As you are reading this now, it seems their plan came together. Update: lens is available to order from the manufacturer’s shop (use the code PRnet for 8% discount) | ebay.com (affiliate links) now
Sample Images
Sony A7rII (crop mode) Viltrox 75mm 1.2 AF | f/1.2Sony A7rII (crop mode) Viltrox 75mm 1.2 AF | f/1.2Sony A7rII (crop mode) Viltrox 75mm 1.2 AF | f/2.8Sony A7rII (crop mode) Viltrox 75mm 1.2 AF | f/1.2Sony A7rII (crop mode) Viltrox 75mm 1.2 AF | f/1.2Sony A7rII (crop mode) Viltrox 75mm 1.2 AF | f/1.2
Sony α | Leica M | Nikon Z/F New articles every week
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