Evaluation: Viltrox 20mm 2.8 AF FE and Z

Introduction

When on the lookout for an reasonably priced AF lens within the extremely vast angle realm my suggestion up to now has often been the Samyang 18mm 2.8 AF – additionally attributable to lack of alternate options. However in October 2023 Viltrox launched this compact 20mm 2.8 AF lens and now, in February 2024 they launched this tremendous low funds lens in Nikon Z and Fuji X mount too. Not as vast because the Samyang, however noticeably cheaper. Is that this my new suggestion for a low value AF lens within the ~20mm vary? Let’s discover out.

Pattern Pictures

Many of the pattern photos on this overview will be present in full decision right here.

(Pictures taken of or with Sony model by Bastian, Nikon model by Martin)

Specs

This Viltrox 20mm 2.8 AF FE has the next specs:

• • Diameter: 65 mm
  • Area of view: 91.6° (diagonally)
  • Size: 55 mm
  • Weight: 157g (with out hood and caps)
  • Filter Diameter: 52 mm
  • Variety of Aperture Blades: 7 (largely straight)
  • Components/Teams: 10/8
    
  • Shut Focusing Distance: 0.19 m
  • Most Magnification: 1:6.1 (measured)
  • Mount: Sony-E | Nikon-Z | Fuji-X

Purchase Z mount from Viltrox retailer (8% low cost) | B&H |  amazon.com | amazon.de | ebay.com | ebay.de for $158, 179€ (affiliate hyperlinks)

Purchase E mount from Viltrox retailer (8% low cost) | amazon.com | amazon.de | B&H | ebay.com for $158, 179€ (affiliate hyperlinks)

Disclosure

This Viltrox 20mm 2.8 AF FE was kindly offered freed from cost by Viltrox for reviewing goal 1 1/2 weeks previous to launch.

Dealing with/Construct High quality

By way of controls this Viltrox 20mm 2.8 lens is as primary as potential, that includes just one by-wire focus ring. The coupling is linear and it takes about 270° rotation from the minimal focus distance of 0.19 m to infinity.

The lens ships with a small lens hood. It’s matte on the within and will be hooked up reversed to take up much less area for transport.

Being an AF lens this Viltrox lens after all options digital contacts to speak with the digicam and there may be additionally an USB-C port for firmware updates. I did carry out a firmware improve whereas reviewing this lens and it was an easy to carry out course of.

Now that is clearly an reasonably priced lens however I actually suppose any lens ought to no less than have an AF/MF swap. The supplies and the final construct high quality don’t really feel as low-cost although. Undoubtedly significantly better than the sooner Samyang AF lenses just like the 18mm 2.8 AF and far nearer to the later ones just like the 24mm 1.8 AF.

This Viltrox 20mm lens is extraordinarily small for being a fullframe 20mm lens. Right here you may see it subsequent to Nikon AF-S 20/1.8G on an FTZ adapter. Observe {that a} Nikon Z 20mm 1.8 S is about the identical measurement because the Nikon AF-S 20/1.8G plus FTZ adapter collectively.

AF efficiency

I’m not taking pictures sports activities or fast paced animals/people so if you wish to know if the lens is quick sufficient for this or the way it compares to different lenses on this section you will have to search for a special overview with a extra detailed evaluation of this side.

In on a regular basis use I discovered the AF to be first rate and correct sufficient.

Vignetting

As it is a compact 20mm lens, vignetting values of ~3 EV at f/2.8 don’t come as a shock. At wider apertures these values are just about the identical as these of the Samyang 18mm 2.8 AF. Stopped down this Viltrox lens is exhibiting about half a cease much less vignetting although.

It’s endorsed to take a look at this text first to get an thought how this brightness graph works.

Sharpness

Focus shift

100% crops, A7rII

Focus shift is often not an issue with lenses like this, however I did discover that the depth of discipline solely extends to the again on stopping down, so there clearly is a few. So long as you focus at working aperture (which ought to be the norm with this lens) this gained’t be a difficulty although. At longer distances the depth of discipline can be better, so right here this may even by no means be a difficulty.

infinity (42mp Sony A7rII)

Within the heart the efficiency is nice from f/2.8, the midframe is a bit worse and the corners are somewhat mushy. The midframe begins to look actually good at f/5.6 however the corners want f/11 for finest efficiency.

The Samyang 18mm 2.8 AF, its corners might look a bit higher at wider apertures, however it additionally doesn’t enhance as a lot on stopping down, so at f/11 I would like the Viltrox right here.
I haven’t personally used the Tamron 20mm 2.8 but. This Tamron lens has huge distortion although and it’s essential to right it for usable information. Such huge distortion correction does have a unfavorable affect on the decision although and fortuitously opticallimits in contrast the decision with and with out distortion correction. It already isn’t nice with out distortion correction, however with, it actually isn’t. I believe by f/2.8 they may carry out comparable, however at f/11 the Viltrox would once more look higher.

The centering of this pattern was good, no points right here.

shut 0.19 m, 1:6.1 (42mp Sony A7rII)

100% crops from heart, A7rII, refocused for each shot.

This Viltrox 20mm 2.8 doesn’t enhance a formidable 1:2 magnification because the Tamron 20mm 2.8, however it nonetheless does focus pretty shut (0.19 m) and affords an honest 1:6.1 magnification.

If you would like actually crisp outcomes I’d advocate to cease right down to f/4.0. At this distance the sphere curvature is excessive although, so this isn’t a fantastic lens for taking shut up photographs of flat objects.

Flare resistance

In a sluggish 20mm vast angle lens good flare resistance could be essential to me. With a large viewing angle the solar will usually be in or near the body and a nasty efficiency on this class will result in loads of ruined photos.

This Viltrox 20mm 2.8 doesn’t present a nasty efficiency, however there are some things to look out for.

Sony A7rII | Viltrox 20mm 2.8 AF FE | hood

With the solar near the body you may see a faint pink crescent in the direction of the sides, right here on the left facet, that disappears on stopping down. As an alternative of that pink crescent some small purple ghosts might seem stopped down although.

Sony A7rII | Viltrox 20mm 2.8 AF FE | hood

What truly occurred to me a couple of occasions within the discipline is one other pink crescent exhibiting up with the solar outdoors the body – regardless of utilizing the hood. This one additionally turns right into a ghost on stopping down. At this angle additionally a giant flare at f/11 confirmed up that wasn’t there earlier than, due to this fact I’m guessing the aperture blades or their edges is perhaps reflecting some gentle right here. The excellent news: with tiny reframing this large flare could possibly be prevented.

On this class the Samyang 18mm 2.8 AF performs higher, however not by quite a bit.

Bokeh

This can be a not notably quick vast angle lens, however the brief minimal focus distance nonetheless permits for some bokeh in shut up photographs that can be utilized to create charming photos with shallow depth of discipline. The bokeh additionally ain’t that unhealthy for a large angle lens.

At longer distances you may solely create a really refined quantity of blur although:

Coma

100% crops from excessive nook, Sony A7rII

We did see within the infinity sharpness part that the nook decision isn’t notably nice at wider apertures and coma could possibly be the rationale for that, as it’s fairly noticeable from f/2.8 to f/4.0.

Each, the Samyang 18mm 2.8 AF in addition to the Tamron 20mm 2.8, do noticeably higher on this class.

Distortion

This Viltrox 20mm 2.8 reveals a extremely unhealthy, wavy distortion sample. Most Viltrox lenses are included in Lightroom/CameraRAW so I hope this one may even be within the close to future. In case you are on this lens and also you don’t wish to watch for a profile to indicate up, you may as well create one your self.

Sunstars

Sony A7rII | Viltrox 20mm 2.8 AF FE | 50% crops

Viltrox determined to make use of 7 aperture blades for this lens, which can be the case for the Samyang 18mm 2.8 AF in addition to the Tamron 20mm 2.8. Common readers might already know that 7 aperture blades are literally my least favourite configuration, as that is neither excellent news for sunstars nor adequate to maintain defocused highlights spherical when stopping down.

I’m blissful to report although, that this lens creates good sunstars at f/11 in addition to f/16. The Samyang and the Tamron didn’t handle to do this, theirs look irregular and frayed in any respect aperture settings.

Chromatic aberration

lateral

Similar to Sony’s personal AF lenses this Viltrox 20mm 2.8 AF FE accommodates a profile for correcting lateral CA, which is mechanically utilized in Lightroom, so that you gained’t be seeing any until you might be opening the information in a much less mainstream uncooked converter.

longitudinal

Being a large angle lens and never a very quick one bokeh fringing isn’t actually a difficulty.

Purple fringing can be hardly a difficulty, even in a backlit, high-contrast scene like this the place many lenses would wrestle:

Conclusion

This Viltrox 20mm 2.8 AF FE is the most cost effective lens in its class, it’s virtually half the worth of the Samyang 18mm 2.8 AF and nonetheless 40% lower than the Tamron 20mm 2.8.

Now clearly, there shall be compromises in comparison with greater and dearer lenses. On this case that’s primarily excessive vignetting, mediocre coma correction and a fairly nasty, wavy distortion sample. Additionally it is wanted to cease this lens down for first rate throughout body efficiency.

For my part the primary opponents are the Tamron 20mm 2.8 and the Samyang 18mm 2.8 AF. The Samyang feels cheaper made, it doesn’t focus as shut, however it’s also a bit wider and Coma is best corrected. The Tamron contains a comparable construct high quality, affords an attention-grabbing 1:2 macro characteristic, however it’s bulkier, reveals big distortion and the handbook focus operation is an insult.

Contemplating this Viltrox is by far the most cost effective of the bunch I believe it compares favourably to the Samyang and Tamron, however none of those lenses is ideal, so relying on what you might be on the lookout for, you could desire one or the opposite.

These are the opponents solely if in case you have a Sony Alpha digicam although, if in case you have a Nikon Z digicam, there isn’t a competitor for the time being, making this the one funds 20mm and in addition the smallest you may get in your Z digicam.

Purchase Z mount from Viltrox retailer (8% low cost) | B&H | amazon.com | amazon.de | ebay.com | ebay.de for $158, 179€ (affiliate hyperlinks)

Purchase E mount from Viltrox retailer (8% low cost) | amazon.com | amazon.de | B&H | ebay.com for $158, 179€ (affiliate hyperlinks)

Alternate options

You will discover many alternate options within the 20-28mm vast angle information. I did two which I believe are value discussing in additional element although.

Tamron 20mm 2.8 Di III OSD M1:2:
Personally I’m not an enormous fan of Tamron’s f/2.8 vast angle prime collection and it appears I’m not alone, as their value has been diminished a number of occasions by now.
This lens is bulkier and in addition a bit heavier and similar to this Viltrox it additionally lacks any controls. Its handbook focus ring just isn’t very nice to make use of although. I believe this lens is principally attention-grabbing in case you are on the lookout for that 1:2 macro characteristic.
purchase from amazon.com | amazon.de | B&H | ebay.com (affiliate hyperlinks) for $249

Samyang 18mm 2.8 AF:
I already in contrast these lenses in a lot of the sections above. The Samyang feels cheaper made and the handbook focus expertise is worse right here as nicely. It does right Coma higher and it’s also a bit wider, which could make it extra fascinating in case you are on the lookout for an addition to a zoom lens beginning at 24mm.
purchase from amazon.com | amazon.de | B&H | ebay.com for $299 (affiliate hyperlinks)

Pattern Pictures

Most of the pattern photos on this overview will be present in full decision right here.

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