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I confess to having a secret stash of Viltrox lenses for my Nikon Z fc digital camera, which I purchased a few years in the past. It includes the 13mm f/1.4, 23mm f/1.4, 33mm f/1.4 and 56mm f/1.4 set of APS-C format primes, which boast steel barrels and have aperture management rings, becoming proper in with the retro ethos of the digital camera physique. The lenses can be found in Fujifilm X, Nikon Z and Sony Alpha mount choices for quite a lot of mirrorless cameras.
The more moderen Viltrox Air sequence of lenses goals for an much more featherweight construct, with the emphasis on comfort, simplicity and worth for cash. Up to now, I’ve already been impressed with the APS-C format AF 25mm f/1.7 Air, AF 35mm F1.7 Air and AF 56mm F1.7 Air, and the full-frame suitable AF 20mm F2.8 Air and AF 40mm F2.5 Air.
The brand new AF 15mm f/1.7 Air is the newest within the sequence, aiming to be a cut price wide-angle lens with an ‘efficient’ 22.5mm focal size in full-frame phrases, and it’s a very reasonably priced alternative for the finest Fujifilm X, finest Nikon Z and finest Sony E-mount mirrorless cameras.
Viltrox AF 15mm f/1.7 Air: Specs
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Mount choices |
Fujifilm X, Nikon Z, Sony E |
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Lens development |
12 components in 10 teams |
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Angle of view |
84.9 levels |
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Diaphragm blades |
9 |
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Minimal aperture |
f/16 |
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Minimal focus distance |
0.23m |
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Most magnification |
0.1x |
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Filter measurement |
58mm |
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Dimensions |
65x56mm / 2.6×2.2in |
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Weight |
180g / 6.3oz |
Viltrox AF 15mm f/1.7 Air: Value
Viltrox has develop into well-known for providing good-quality lenses at very reasonably priced costs. World markets have fluctuated considerably because the launch of different lenses within the Air vary however on the time of scripting this assessment, the 25mm prices $176 / £229 / AU$282, the 35mm prices $179 / £179 / AU$282 and the 56mm prices $179 / £175 / AU$282. The brand new 15mm launches at $237 / £218 / AU$420, doubtlessly making it excellent worth for an ultra-wide-angle prime.
Viltrox AF 15mm f/1.7 Air: Design & Dealing with
I do like a little bit of consistency in life. Once I’m utilizing completely different lenses, I’m happy that the Viltrox 15mm, 25mm, 35mm and 56mm Air sequence primes all have a unified look, really feel and have set. They’re additionally nearly the identical measurement and weight, similar to the 65x56mm / 2.6×2.2in and 180g / 6.3oz of this newest 15mm lens. That stated, the opposite lenses all share the identical 52mm filter thread, whereas the wider-angle 15mm necessitates a bigger 58mm filter thread.
Take a look at the lens and also you’d most likely suppose ‘wow, that’s small’. Choose it up and also you’d most likely be amazed on the featherweight nature of the construct. Even so, and in contrast to numerous own-brand APS-C lenses (I’m pondering Nikon Z DX particularly), the Viltrox has a ‘correct’ steel moderately than plastic mounting plate. It’s adorned with gold-plated digital contacts and even a USB-C port for making use of firmware updates, if and when wanted. Once more, the lens follows the ‘Air’ custom on this respect, in addition to just about all the different Viltrox lenses that I can consider off the highest of my head (and there are a lot of).
Generally it’s good to maintain issues easy. Certain, a de-clicked aperture ring (as featured within the Viltrox f/1.4 vary of APS-C format lenses) is beneficial to have when taking pictures video. However it tends to be of much less significance when taking pictures stills and, with no locking change within the f/1.4 lenses, I discover that I usually nudge the aperture ring by accident. This frustratingly makes the change from Auto camera-controlled aperture to an undesirable slim aperture setting. There’s no hazard of that with this and different Air lenses, as they don’t have an aperture management ring.
One other issue of the simplified design isn’t fairly so welcome, to my thoughts. There’s no AF/MF focus mode change, which is one thing I wish to should keep away from messing round with digital camera menus to make the change. Even so, handbook override of autofocus is usually obtainable as a digital camera menu choice, and the electronically coupled handbook focus ring works with easy precision. Autofocus mode is usually most popular in most taking pictures situations and I’m joyful that that is fast and snappy for stills, in addition to easy and nearly silent when taking pictures video. As with most up-to-date lenses for mirrorless cameras, focusing is pushed by a linear stepping motor.
Whereas it’s ultra-compact and light-weight, the lens doesn’t lack good glass. The optical structure is constructed on 12 components organized in 10 teams, and options two aspherical components, three ED (Additional-low Dispersion) components and three HR (Excessive Refractive index) components. The mix goals for wonderful sharpness, readability and shade rendition, together with the minimal of undesirable aberrations like shade fringing.
The 15mm focal size equates to a large viewing angle of 84.9 levels. This makes the lens extremely appropriate for the likes of landscapes, cityscapes and architectural interiors, whereas the quick f/1.7 provides astrophotography to the checklist. On prime of that, the focal size can also be helpful for selfies and vlogging, the place you need to put your self in entrance of the digital camera. With that in thoughts, I’m happy that the lens has a brief minimal focus distance of simply 23cm or about 9 inches, as measured from the digital camera’s picture sensor, moderately than from the entrance of the lens.
Viltrox AF 15mm f/1.7 Air: Efficiency
One thing of a ‘pocket rocket’, this ultra-compact and unfeasibly light-weight lens goes massive on viewing angle and high quality. Autofocus is quick and persistently correct for stills, and effectively capable of monitor the motion with easy transitions when taking pictures video. An extra bonus for the latter is that the lens displays minimal focus respiration.
Broad-angle lenses usually absorb a big expanse of sky when taking pictures landscapes, so it’s good that high-tech coatings in addition to the provided petal-shaped hood assist to suppress ghosting and flare. And whereas the lens lacks any weather-seals, a splash-resistant coating on the entrance factor helps to repel moisture.
Sharpness is fairly spectacular throughout your entire picture body. As I’ve talked about, the lens additionally has a brief minimal focus distance. Couple shut focusing with the widest f/1.7 aperture and you’ll achieve a good depth of discipline. This helps to isolate a predominant topic inside a scene by blurring the background, with the bonus of pleasantly easy bokeh.
Cease all the way down to a medium aperture of f/8 and also you’ll get an enormous depth of discipline, courtesy of the brief focal size, and good sharpness from the entrance to again of a scene at typical focus distances. The next shot supplies an ideal instance.
The widest f/1.7 aperture can also be good for freezing movement and avoiding camera-shake when taking pictures beneath very low lighting. Regardless of being shot in a low-lit dodgem automobile situation, the shot under was taken at f/1.7 with a shutter pace of 1/80th of a second, on the digital camera’s base sensitivity setting of ISO 100.
Viltrox AF 15mm f/1.7 Air: Pattern Pictures
The next gallery of instance pictures was taken at Bowleaze Cove and Weymouth, on the coast of the English county of Dorset. It’s a mixture of outside pictures in sunny situations firstly and finish of the day, together with some indoor and night pictures on the native funfair.
Picture 1 of 24
Viltrox AF 15mm f/1.7 Air: Lab Outcomes
We run a variety of lab exams beneath managed situations, utilizing the Imatest Grasp testing suite. Photographs of check charts are taken throughout the vary of apertures and zooms (the place obtainable), then analyzed for sharpness, distortion and chromatic aberrations.
We use Imatest SFR (spatial frequency response) charts and evaluation software program to plot lens decision on the middle of the picture body, corners and mid-point distances, throughout the vary of aperture settings and, with zoom lenses, at 4 completely different focal lengths. The exams additionally measure distortion and shade fringing (chromatic aberration).
Sharpness:
Lab check outcomes for sharpness don’t look very flattering however because of the brief 15mm focal size, check pictures should be taken at extraordinarily shut vary to the check charts. In ‘actual life’ taking pictures at extra typical focus distances, ranges of sharpness are spectacular from the middle of the picture body proper out to the acute edges and corners.
Fringing:
As with different Viltrox Air sequence lenses that I’ve reviewed, shade fringing is minimal in any respect aperture settings, even on the edges and corners of the picture body the place lateral chromatic aberration tends to be extra problematic.
Distortion: 1.09
Unusually for an ultra-wide-angle lens, there’s a contact of pincushion moderately than barrel distortion. Even so, it’s very slight and simply corrected with automated in-camera correction. Not like many wide-angle lenses designed for mirrorless cameras, there’s not a heavy reliance on correction.
Viltrox AF 15mm f/1.7 Air: Verdict
Like many photographers these days, a normal zoom or perhaps a superzoom lens with an outsized general zoom vary is my instrument of alternative for walkabout and journey images. It’s merely preferrred to hold and use a single lens that covers the overwhelming majority of taking pictures situations. If I’m going to hold an extra lens, it has to supply one thing further, in addition to ideally being small and light-weight. This Viltrox 15mm lens wins out on each counts. It offers a considerably wider viewing angle than most traditional and super-zoom lenses, providing a major step up for landscapes, cityscapes, architectural interiors and even for vlogging. In the meantime, its comparatively quick f/1.7 aperture helps to freeze movement in addition to providing a good depth of discipline when taking pictures close-ups. And on prime of that, it’s sufficiently small to slot in a coat pocket and weighs subsequent to nothing. All in all, it’s a bit of cracker!
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Options ★★★★☆ |
Specialist glass, a quick f/1.7 aperture ranking and lead-screw stepping motor-based autofocus lead the function set. |
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Design ★★★★☆ |
The minimalist design precludes an aperture management ring and AF/MF focus mode change however the lens is delightfully compact and light-weight. |
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Efficiency ★★★★☆ |
Fast and persistently correct autofocus boosts the hit fee when taking pictures and the lens delivers very pleasing picture high quality. |
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Worth ★★★★★ |
For a quick, wide-angle prime lens with spectacular efficiency, the Viltrox is standout worth for cash. |