Viltrox AF 24mm f/1.8 Review

It is not an ideal lens, however for $380, the Viltrox AF 24mm f/1.8 usually does what it must do.

By Spencer Cox No Feedback
Printed On August 25, 2023

Viltrox is without doubt one of the few third-party firms that makes autofocus lenses for the Nikon Z system, and I’ve been keen to check their lenses for some time. The Viltrox AF 24mm f/1.8, which I’m reviewing right now, is a full-frame autofocus lens obtainable each for the Nikon Z system and for Sony E mount. At simply $380, it may very well be a compelling different to lenses just like the Nikon Z 24mm f/1.8 ($1000)… assuming it performs properly, that’s.

In comparison with different third-party lens manufactures like Sigma and Tamron, Viltox is unquestionably concentrating on a decrease finish of the market proper now. That’s not essentially a nasty factor; lens costs have jumped considerably during the last a number of years, and a few price range glass is unquestionably welcome. For photographers with cheaper full-frame cameras, the prospect of spending $1000+ on a 24mm prime lens is fairly daunting. That’s the place the Viltrox AF 24mm f/1.8 is available in.

At $380, the Viltrox 24mm f/1.8 is way inexpensive than the Nikon or Sony alternate options. Frankly, it’s nearer in value to most f/2.8 lenses quite than f/1.8 lenses, just like the Nikon Z 26mm f/2.8 ($500), Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8 ($300), and Sony 24mm f/2.8 ($600). The one lens that actually offers it a run for its cash is the Samyang AF 24mm f/1.8  – a Sony-only lens that prices $500, however usually goes on sale for $400.

In brief, if you’d like an inexpensive, autofocus-capable 24mm f/1.8 lens, the Viltrox seems actually good on paper and doesn’t have lots of direct competitors. The remainder of this evaluate will cowl the way it performs in observe.

Viltrox AF 24mm f/1.8 Specs

Construct High quality and Dealing with

Regardless of the low value, the Viltrox AF 24mm f/1.8 is an all-metal lens that feels good and stable in hand. If something, I feel that Viltrox went a bit too far with the metallic development – even the guide focus ring is metallic and doesn’t have a rubber cowl.

There’s additionally a devoted aperture ring on the Viltrox AF 24mm f/1.8, and videographers will respect the clickless design. The ring is adjustable from f/1.8 to f/16 and is labelled in third-stop increments. Should you’re not a fan of adjusting aperture immediately on the lens, you’ll be able to flip the ring all the best way to the “A” place, which lets you alter aperture on the camera as standard.

There aren’t any different buttons, switches, or rings on the Viltrox AF 24mm f/1.8 – it’s a really sparse lens with simply the guide focus and aperture rings. I might have favored to see an A-M change, at least.

That mentioned, there’s a USB-C port that may very well be vital for updating the lens’s firmware sooner or later. Third-party autofocus lenses periodically run into points with newer cameras (or firmware updates on present cameras) that hurt their autofocus efficiency. This positively makes the Viltrox AF 24mm f/1.8 extra future-proof.

As for the remainder of the Viltrox’s construct high quality options (or lack thereof), the largest factor that stands out to me is the dearth of climate sealing. There isn’t any rubber gasket close to the lens mount, nor inner seals to maintain out mud and moisture.

The excellent news is that it’s a main lens with no exterior shifting components, so the Viltrox AF 24mm f/1.8 will not be going to develop into waterlogged the primary time you step out in a drizzle. However I positively wouldn’t belief it as a lot as my native lenses in a downpour, nor in windy, dusty environments.

The subsequent web page of this evaluate covers the optical traits of the Viltrox AF 24mm f/1.8, together with focusing efficiency and sharpness checks within the lab. So, click on the menu under to go to “Optical Options”: