Viltrox is bringing its full-frame, autofocus-equipped, 16mm f/1.8 DF lens to Nikon Z-mount cameras, promising “ultimate image quality” and exceptional performance for both video and photo applications.
The lens, a member of the company’s “DF” series of optics, is part of a company-wide effort to making optics that professional photographers will take seriously. Almost exactly a year ago, the company launched the 16mm f/1.8 lens for Sony E-mount that caught eyes thanks to its unusual inclusion of a large LCD that displays shooting information.
But the lens didn’t just look the part, it performed excellently, too. In his review for PetaPixel, Ryan Mense wrote that it had no business being as good as it is for how little Viltrox is asking for it — $550.
“The budget lens brands I know don’t care to make wide-open apertures look sharp, don’t add a number of physical controls, or don’t have something as helpful as the Fn2 button. It takes pride to accomplish what Viltrox has done with this lens while maintaining an affordable $550 price. I wasn’t paying any attention to the company before, but I sure am now,” he wrote last year.
Now the lens is avaialble for Nikon Z-mount, increasing the number of photographers that can experience the outstanding wide-angle prime.
To recap, the Viltrox 16mm f/1.8 is constructed of 15 elements arranged into 12 groups, including four extra-low dispersion optics and three aspherical elements. It has a close focus distance of about 0.27 meters (10.6 inches) and is powered by a “noiseless” stepping motor that the company says accurately controls the lens for both photo and video applications. It features an aperture range of f/1.8 through f/22 via a nine-bladed aperture diaphragm and a front filter size of 77mm. It is dust- and moisture-proof, although the specifics of that claim are not elaborated on.
When the lens is installed on a Z-mount camera and the camera is on, the small full-color LED panel will activate and show object distance, an Fn icon, and an aperture identification bar as well as, in the center and in large digits, the distance away that the current in-focus object is.
Below are a few photos supposedly captured with the lens (provided by Viltrox), although the metadata has been stripped:
Viltrox didn’t provide final pricing ahead of publication, but it’s unlikely to cost more than the currently available $549 E-mount version. It is available to order starting today.
Image credits: Unless otherwise noted, photos via Viltrox