Viltrox has been quietly busy producing a number of lenses for the Sony system, the latest being the 24mm f/1.8 that’s priced a refreshing $429. Is it any good? This review seeks to find out.
Being less than half the price of the Sony Sonnar T* E 24mm f/1.8 ZA ($1,098), there are no doubt some compromises to be had, though Viltrox has built a reputation for giving excellent value. As the owner of the 85mm f/1.8, I’ve been impressed by its performance, and it seems to compare well to its more expensive counterparts.
Compared to that 85mm f/1.8, Viltrox has taken a very different approach with this 24mm lens, opting to include an aperture ring on the barrel — and a clickless one at that. This will be of great interest to videographers, though there are some other aspects to this lens that might make it less appealing, even at such a low price point.
Slightly strangely, there are very few details to be had about this lens beyond Christopher Frost’s video. The product listing on B&H Photo doesn’t feature the specifications, and bizarrely, the Viltrox website itself doesn’t even list the lens.
Does this look like a good option? Let us know in the comments below.
Finally, it's the moment in my life when $429 for a lens is "only".
More na question than a comment, but who could tell me the advantages of a f1.8 24mm over a slower f2.8 or even f4 for real world applications. Th only one I can think of is indoor sport/event photography other than that Im at a loss. Any takers?
maybe Astrophotography?
Shooting indoors in conditions where you don’t have as much light as you might like.
Subject isolation, which is still possible at 24mm.
This lens also works great for webcam work, blurring out your office very nicely, at a good focal length for your computer monitor.
do they have a US warranty?
It was on the verge of launching a couple months ago, but Viltrox had production issues/delays. They still don’t know when the final release date will be now.
Thanks for the update, I have a friend that was looking into this brand for her camera and I looked at their Nikon z 85mm but could not pull the trigger, if they get the USA support, I'll take a chance.