Usually, vast focal lengths are costly. The most cost effective first-party lens that may attain 14mm for Nikon Z is the Nikon 14-30mm f/4 S lens, which is about $1200. Nonetheless, Viltrox has just lately launched the Viltrox AF 14mm f/4 Air prime lens, which gives this exceptionally vast focal size for simply $199 and consists of autofocus. On this article, I’ll offer you my first impressions of this lens, which is out there for each full-frame Nikon Z and Sony E mounts.
Fundamental Options
The Viltrox 14mm f/4 Air lens follows within the footsteps of the opposite lenses within the “Air” collection from Viltrox. It’s very mild at 170g, has a minimalist design with only a focus ring, and encompasses a steel mount. It comes with a tiny hood. It additionally shares the 58mm filter thread on many of the different Air lenses, which could be very helpful for video work. There’s additionally a USB port to permit for future firmware updates, which is a vital characteristic for a third-party autofocus lens.
The optical building is comparatively advanced with 12 parts in 9 teams. It’s acquired 2 aspherical parts, 4 extra-low dispersion parts, and a couple of high-refractive parts. Inside, the lens has seven aperture blades for 14-point sunstars.
A very cool characteristic of this lens is the minimal focus distance of 13cm (5.1″). In distinction, the Venus Laowa 14mm f/4 for Nikon Z full-frame has a minimal focus distance of 27cm (10.6″), and the TT Artisan 14mm f/2.8 has certainly one of 20cm (7.9″). Thus, this lens could possibly be used to seize bigger close-ups of sure animals like huge centipedes and moths, and peppermint stick bugs. I haven’t but encountered such bugs since getting this lens, however I’m very to strive.
In fact, for $199, there are going to be some sacrifices in comparison with a lens just like the Nikon 14-30mm f/4 S. From the bodily standpoint, essentially the most obvious sacrifice is the shortage of climate sealing. For panorama photographers who use ultra-wide focal lengths steadily, that could possibly be an issue. At the least the lens focuses internally and doesn’t have any movable elements aside from the main focus ring.
Optical Traits
Right here is how the lens seems at f/4, f/5.6, and f/8 with 100% crops of textual content on paper:
The lens seems very sharp within the middle. Broad open, the nook is a bit smooth, nevertheless it sharpens as much as an honest stage at f/5.6 and f/8.
Observe that this was centered close to the minimal focus distance, which is 0.13m. At this distance, there’s important subject curvature, so these outcomes have been obtained by specializing in the middle and nook individually (however with the digital camera in the identical place). When specializing in the middle, the corners look a lot worse as a result of intensive subject curvature:
Nonetheless, this impact shouldn’t be practically as sturdy when the lens is used at extra typical distances. Here’s a pattern take a look at shot open air:
And listed here are 100% crops of the middle and corners:
Even when the lens was a bit farther from the topic, roughly 50cm, I had no issues getting an honest focus stack of some poor rocks dredged from the earth, with solely very delicate softness within the corners:
So, I feel the sturdy impact of subject curvature close to the minimal focus distance shouldn’t be an issue. That’s as a result of for landscapes, you’ll hardly ever focus so near the minimal focus distance. And, if you wish to reap the benefits of the close-up talents of this lens, then possible you’ll be utilizing it for topics the place solely a part of the body is in focus, like giant frogs, mushrooms, flowers, and so forth. the place the nook sharpness doesn’t matter that a lot.
The lens additionally has pretty sturdy vignetting that doesn’t actually change a lot when stopped down:
And a shot of this grid reveals some delicate wavy barrel distortion:
When stopped down, the lens provides first rate sunstars with only a little bit of fraying generally within the ends of the rays. Listed below are some typical sunstars:
Conclusion
To date, the Viltrox Air line has impressed me due to its affordability with out an excessive amount of sacrifice within the sharpness and distortion division, and the 14mm f/4 Air is not any exception. Sure, with this 14mm, the vignetting is a bit sturdy, and the sphere curvature reveals its results very shut, however neither must be a severe obstacle to most varieties of images. And, the close-focusing of this lens is a bonus not discovered on most different fastened 14mm lenses. It could possibly be further helpful for photographing giant bugs, flowers, or different close-up scenes.
If you happen to’re serious about getting this lens, you are able to do so on the hyperlinks under to assist assist impartial evaluations equivalent to this one:
Nikon Z model
Sony E model
We hope to check this lens in a lab surroundings later to place concrete numbers to those outcomes, however my impression from the sphere is favorable up to now!