Viltrox announced its lightest and thinnest lens yet, the Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5. The lens costs under $100 and is Viltrox’s first “Chip” series lens.
Weighing a mere 60 grams (2.11 ounces) and only 15.3 millimeters (0.6 inches) long, the AF 28mm f/4.5 is a tiny pancake lens. Inside this super-slim lens are six elements arranged across as many groups. The lens includes two ED lenses to minimize chromatic aberration and a pair of aspherical lenses to reduce distortion and maintain image quality across the image area.
The new pancake lens covers a full-frame image area despite its small size. Viltrox says the lens is well-suited for applications that favor compact and lightweight kits, including travel photography, hiking, and vlogging. The lens also promises good starbursts around point light sources, although the lens is not great for every low-light scenario, given its relatively slow f/4.5 aperture.
Speaking of the aperture, it is fixed at f/4.5, meaning that photographers cannot stop the lens down to a slower aperture in hopes of improving image quality or expanding the depth of field. This is not the first fixed-aperture pancake lens released for full-frame cameras this year, following the Panasonic 26mm f/8. However, unlike that lens, Viltrox’s new E-mount offering has autofocus capabilities, whereas Panasonic’s fixed f-stop prime is manual focus.
The Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 can focus as close as 0.32 meters (1.05 feet), resulting in a maximum magnification of 0.11x. Autofocus is driven by a voice-coil motor mechanism, promising precise autofocus accuracy.
Sample Images
Pricing and Availability
Ultimately, the lens is a somewhat niche offering, especially compared to many of Viltrox’s other lenses. The AF 28mm f/4.5’s unique selling points include a very thin and lightweight design, full-frame coverage, and an aggressive price point of $99. However, the lens is even a bit more affordable than that right now when purchased through Pergear, as the company is offering a discount bringing the lens down to just $95. It’s not a huge savings, but being able to buy a brand-new $95 autofocus lens for full-frame Sony E-mount mirrorless cameras is remarkable.
Image credits: Viltrox