Our Recommendation
I went into this review expecting the Viltrox AF 16mm f/1.8 to be a little better than the other Viltrox lenses I’ve tested in the past. My expectations were far surpassed. This isn’t just a good lens “for Viltrox” but actually one of the best ultra-wide lenses that I’ve tested. I wouldn’t put it quite at the level of the Nikon Z 20mm f/1.8 S or the Sony FE 20mm f/1.8 G, but it’s remarkably close. Especially for the price of $580, I came away very impressed.
Are there any flaws with this lens? Well, vignetting is on the high side and doesn’t fully subside upon stopping down – but it’s still within a correctable range. That’s really it. You could quibble about the lens’s size and weight, or perhaps that the corner sharpness isn’t as unusually good as the center, but it would be a stretch. By any typical measure, this is a great lens, and one that I can highly recommend.
Pros:
- Very sharp lens with minimal coma
- Low levels of distortion that will rarely need correcting
- Minimal flare and ghosting even when the sun is in the frame
- Great build quality with weather sealing and no external moving parts
- Advanced handling features like a de-clickable aperture ring, two function buttons, and an electronic display
- Excellent value at $580
Cons:
- Slightly larger and heavier than similar lenses
- Vignetting is pretty high wide open and remains visible after stopping down
- Occasional line-type flare when the sun is just outside the frame
- In the (rare) case that distortion needs correcting, not all major software has a profile for this lens
The pros definitely outweigh the cons of this lens. And I’ll go back to the biggest “pro” of all – price. At $580, the Viltrox AF 16mm f/1.8 is perhaps the best value you’ll find today for an ultra-wide lens. It is more than $1000 cheaper than the Sony 14mm f/1.8 GM, yet on a very similar level optically. And Nikon shooters don’t even have a competing lens yet, so the Viltrox is almost a no-brainer if you need an ultra-wide prime for the Z system.
I give a lot of props to Viltrox for the AF 16mm f/1.8. They’ve turned their reputation around in my mind, and if they continue to release lenses at this level, they will be seen as a serious third-party alternative akin to Sigma and Tamron. If you want a great ultra-wide prime for an excellent price, look no further than the Viltrox AF 16mm f/1.8.
Conclusion
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The next page of this review has some more sample photos from the Viltrox AF 16mm f/1.8, followed by reader comments on the final page. Use the Table of Contents below the star rating to jump to the section you want.
Viltrox AF 16mm f/1.8
- Build Quality and Handling
- Size and Weight
- Sharpness and Coma
- Other Image Quality
- Value
Photography Life Overall Rating
Table of Contents