{"id":54886,"date":"2024-05-02T06:08:33","date_gmt":"2024-05-02T05:08:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/?p=54886"},"modified":"2024-06-01T15:27:48","modified_gmt":"2024-06-01T14:27:48","slug":"review-viltrox-40mm-f-2-5-stm-asph-ed-if","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/review-viltrox-40mm-f-2-5-stm-asph-ed-if\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: Viltrox 40mm f\/2.5 STM ASPH ED IF"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction<\/span><\/h2>\n

\"Viltrox<\/p>\n

Viltrox offers some of the best value AF lenses on the market and now they have come up with this AF 40mm f\/2.5 at $158. It should be one of the least expensive fullframe AF lenses with Nikon Z mount and therefore quite interesting. 40mm is one of my favorite focal lengths. Closer to the human’s natural angle of view than a 50mm, and slightly wider than 50mm, it allows for more context to be included in the image. I prefer this focal length to a 50mm for street and everyday photography. The Viltrox Z 40\/2.5 with its compact format is therefore an interesting lens. It is not a Viltrox “Pro” or “LAB” lens, which are their premium series, but very compelling nonetheless. Let’s have a look at it!<\/span><\/p>\n

I tested this lens on a Nikon Z 7II with its 46 Mp sensor.<\/p>\n

Sample Images<\/span><\/h2>\n
\"Viltrox
Nikon Z 7II | Viltrox 40\/2.5 | f\/2.5<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Viltrox
Nikon Z 7II | Viltrox 40\/2.5 | f\/2.5<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Viltrox
Nikon Z 7II | Viltrox 40\/2.5 | f\/2.5<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Viltrox
Nikon Z 7II | Viltrox 40\/2.5 | f\/5.6<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Viltrox
Nikon Z 7II | Viltrox 40\/2.5 | f\/2.5<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Viltrox
Nikon Z 7II | Viltrox 40\/2.5 | f\/2.5<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"
Nikon Z 7II | Viltrox 40\/2.5 | f\/2.5<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Viltrox
Nikon Z 7II | Viltrox 40\/2.5 | f\/2.5<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Most of the sample images in this review and many more can be found in higher resolution here<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

Specifications<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Focal Length<\/td>\n40mm<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Angle of View<\/td>\n57.8\u00b0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
# of Aperture Blades<\/td>\n7<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Max Aperture<\/td>\nf\/2.5<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Min Aperture<\/td>\nf\/16<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Min Focus Distance<\/td>\n0.34 m<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Filter Size<\/td>\n52 mm<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Lens Mount<\/td>\nNikon Z<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Weight<\/td>\n180 g<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Size (D x L)<\/td>\n68 x 56 mm<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Elements\/Group<\/td>\n10\/6<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
\"\"
Viltrox 40\/2.5 lens construction<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\nBuy new:<\/strong> Viltrox Store (8%)<\/a>, B&H<\/a>, Amazon.com<\/a> for $158 (Affiliate links)<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Disclosure<\/span><\/h2>\n

Viltrox kindly provided this lens for test and review purposes.<\/p>\n

Handling<\/span><\/h2>\n

The Viltrox 40\/2.5 is quite simple, except the relatively large focusing ring, there are no other rings or buttons on the lens. The lens seems to be made of high quality plastic<\/p>\n

\"Viltrox
Nikon Z 7II | Viltrox 40\/2.5<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The lens mount is metal though, which is good, and there is USB-C port on the mount plate for future firmware updates. Focus motor STM and lead screw. There is not weather sealing. Lens cap and a petal formed lens hood in plastic are included in the package.<\/p>\n

\"Viltrox
Viltrox 40\/2.5, Lens hood, and front lens cap<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The manual focus ring is also of plastic and turns smoothly. Manual focusing is precise. Autofocus is accurate and not loud.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Viltrox
Nikon Z 7II | Viltrox 40\/2.5<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The lens does not sport any image stabilization. Considering the budget price point, it has quite good build and handling characteristics.<\/p>\n

\"Viltrox
Nikon Z 7II | Viltrox 40\/2.5 with the lens hood<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

Optical Features<\/span><\/h2>\n
\"\"
Viltrox 40\/2.5 MTF Diagram<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Sharpness (Infinity)<\/span><\/h3>\n

For the infinity sharpness test, we look at three areas of the image, center, mid-frame, and corner, see highlighted areas in the image below!<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
Infinily Sharpness Points of Inspection<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"
Infinity sharpness | Viltrox 40\/2.5<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Vignetting has been compensated for dark corners at f\/2.5 to f\/4 in post.<\/p>\n

Wide open, the center sharpness is very good. The midframe is also very good, but not as good as the center, and the corners are just good. At f\/4, the center sharpness is excellent. By f\/5.6, both the center and the midframe reach excellent sharpness, but the corner sharpness is still just good. The lag in corner sharpness is mostly due to significant lateral chromatic aberration. If corrected, the corner sharpness improves to very good from f\/5.6 onwards. From f\/11 onwards, the sharpness decreases, and by f\/16, the image becomes somewhat soft.<\/p>\n

Sharpness (Portrait)<\/span><\/h3>\n

Let\u2019s look at the points of interest for portraits at the portrait distance: the very center, the center\u2019s inner periphery\u00a0 (1\/3 rule intersection), and the center\u2019s outer periphery (1\/4th intersection).<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
Portrait Sharpness Points of Interest<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n