Viltrox AF 15mm f/1.7 Air Evaluate

Viltrox simply launched the AF 15mm f/1.7 Air, a large and quick APS-C lens with autofocus. This lens is offered for Nikon Z, Sony E, and Fuji X. I believe it could possibly be particularly attention-grabbing for Nikon Z shooters who don’t have very many devoted DX lenses, particularly quick primes. On this overview, I’ll share my expertise testing the Viltrox AF 15mm f/1.7 Air and present the way it performs.

Disclaimer: I examined this lens on the Nikon Z6, which in crop mode is actually a 12MP APS-C digital camera.

Construct and Common Options

This new Viltrox 15mm f/1.7 is a cute little prime. It’s a glossy design whose solely management is a smoothly-turning focus ring. It has autofocus, which I’d say is about common in velocity. It’s correct and isn’t gradual, but it surely’s not extraordinarily quick. Listed below are the lens’s primary specs:

• Mount: Nikon Z DX (additionally accessible for Sony E and Fuji X)
• Aperture: f/1.7-f/16
• Focal Size: 15mm (22.5mm FF equal)
• Aperture Blades: 9 (Rounded)
• Development: 12 parts, 10 teams
• Particular Parts: 3ED parts, 2 excessive refractive, 2 aspherical
• Minimal Focus Distance: 0.23m (9.1″) with 0.1x Magnification
• Filter Measurement: 58mm
• Weight: 180 grams (0.4 kilos)
• Value: $239

It’s obtained a 58mm thread like many different Viltrox primes, which makes it simple to swap filters between them. The lens has a so-so minimal focus distance of 0.23m (9 inches).

This lens feels comparatively sturdy and has a steel mount, however it’s with out climate sealing. Personally, I don’t thoughts that a lot as I hardly ever would use this lens in actually harsh situations, but it surely’s one thing to remember.

General, the Viltrox 15mm f/1.7 Air seems like a pleasant continuation of a number of the earlier releases from Viltrox: decently constructed, a promising set of options, and ideal for people who need one thing compact for lighter journey.

Optical Options

My first impression of this lens was fairly favorable. However let’s check out very tight middle crops of a $20 greenback invoice to take a look at the middle sharpness:

We see that there’s some softness at f/1.7, however the lens will get a lot sharper at f/2.8. Stopping down additional to f/5.6 and f/8 produces rising ranges of diffraction.

What in regards to the corners?

Once more, they’re barely comfortable at f/1.7, getting a lot better at f/2.8 and even higher at f/4. Then at f/5.6 and narrower, they get barely softer once more. So for a really tough approximation, it appears that evidently between f/2.8-f/4 is the very best vary for this lens, with f/4 being a candy spot.

In observe, f/1.7 is a really usable aperture, though you’ll be able to undoubtedly discover a slight enchancment when stopping down.

Now let’s check out a shot of a flat grid:

A bit bit ripply, with some paper-curling pincushion distortion on the corners, however not too unhealthy. There’s additionally a comparatively excessive quantity of vignetting, which appears to be the norm for Viltrox’s current lenses and a compromise for the sunshine weight of the lens. It will get a bit higher stopped down, however not an excessive amount of. You’ll undoubtedly must right it a bit in submit in some circumstances.

Now let’s try the bokeh on a really busy background of out of focus branches and timber at three apertures:

It stays fairly rounded even when stopped down. Not unhealthy!

Up to now, issues have been trying good for this lens. You is perhaps questioning, are there any severe weaknesses? There’s a one which could possibly be minor or not, relying on how you plan to make use of it: flaring. In some circumstances with a vibrant, concentrated gentle within the body – or simply outdoors the picture – you may get some uncommon flaring within the type of a straight, skinny line:

It doesn’t occur in all photographs, and appears to occur most when the solar in close to the sting of the body or barely out of it. I believe a part of the issue may have been solved by a barely longer hood on Viltrox’s half; I had success blocking it with my finger with out really blocking the picture. For my part, this could possibly be a priority for panorama photographers, because it’s not very simple to take away in submit.

The opposite major draw back is the dearth of VR or optical stabilization within the lens, particularly since all present Nikon Z APS-C cameras lack picture stabilization.

Conclusion

After utilizing this lens for a number of weeks, I discovered it to be a fairly good 15mm lens. It’s not excellent, however its MSRP of $239 means it’s a stable contender for Nikon APS-C customers who want this focal size. I really feel this could possibly be an important journey and vlogging lens. Though it has some flaring points, its cheap sharpness and good bokeh implies that it performs nicely sufficient in most conditions.

If you happen to’re on this lens, please think about shopping for it by the affiliate hyperlinks beneath. It gained’t value you something additional and it helps one of many few remaining impartial images web sites on the web:

1. Purchase it from B&H Picture for $239 – Nikon Z
2. Purchase it from B&H Picture for $239 – Sony E
3. Purchase it from B&H Picture for $239 – Fuji X