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Viltrox AF 28mm F4.5 Chip
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Viltrox · Sony E, Nikon Z, Fujifilm X, Leica L mount · Full Frame

Viltrox AF 28mm F4.5 Chip

From $99 — 1 offer
KEY FACTS
BrandViltrox
Announcement dateSep 2024
Released2024
Production started2024
Production statusIn Production
What We Like
+Exceptionally compact and lightweight pancake design at only 60g and 15.3mm thick
+Innovative built-in sliding lens cap eliminates need to carry separate cap
+Voice coil motor (VCM) autofocus is fast, quiet, and works well in most conditions
+Affordable at $99 USD with solid build quality and metal mount
Worth Knowing
−Fixed f/4.5 aperture limits low-light shooting capability and creative control
−Significant flare and ghosting issues in backlit or side-lit conditions without hood capability
−Sharpness degrades quickly from center to edges with noticeable vignetting and chromatic aberration in corners
−No manual focus control and no filter thread for protective or creative filters

General

Brand
Viltrox
Announcement date
ⓘ
Refers to the date the manufacturer publicly announced the upcoming release and general specs of this camera.
Sep 2024
Released
ⓘ
Refers to the year this camera was officially made available for sale.
2024
Production started
2024
Production status
ⓘ
Current status of lens manufacturing (e.g., in production, discontinued).
In Production
Read our notes on general
The Viltrox AF 28mm F4.5 Chip is an inexpensive pancake lens at $99 that weighs only 60g and is 15.3mm thick, making it Viltrox's lightest lens. It features 6 elements in 6 groups with two extra-low dispersion elements and two aspherical elements, and uses a new VCM (voice-coil motor) autofocus system similar to Tamron's VXD focus system. While decently sharp, the lens struggles with flaring in backlit conditions, presenting as veiled flare that kills contrast, and lacks a manual focus ring, limiting its versatility despite its appealing compact form factor.

Optical

Focal length
28mm
Aperture
f/4.5 (fixed)
Min focus distance
0.32m
Elements groups
6 elements in 6 groups

Lens design

Ed elements
2 extra-low dispersion elements
Aspherical elements
ⓘ
The number of aspherical lens elements which can help correct aberrations such as spherical aberration.
2 aspherical elements
Coating
HD Nano-coating with waterproof and anti-fouling front coating
Aperture design
polygonal aperture (creates starburst effects)

Autofocus

Type
VCM (Voice Coil Motor)
Manual focus
not supported

Build

Thickness
15.3mm
Construction
aluminum alloy mount with plastic body
Lens cap
built-in sliding lever design

Features

Filter thread
none
Weather sealing
ⓘ
Weather sealing capabilities will give you more confidence when shooting in unfavourable conditions.
none on mount
Firmware updates
USB-C and Bluetooth capable

Physical

Lens weight
60 g
Lens mount
ⓘ
The lens mount will tell you what type of lens range you can fit onto the camera body. Often the same camera company will have different lens ranges for different cameras.
Sony E, Nikon Z, Fujifilm X, Leica L
Maximum format
ⓘ
Largest sensor size compatible with the lens.
Full Frame