Viltrox 14mm f4 E-mount lens review
A new gem from the Viltrox company recently joined my collection of lenses, so I decided that one of the first reviews on my website would be dedicated to this exceptional lens. Let’s see what it’s all about…
Viltrox has long been a well-known brand in the world of third-party manufacturers of photo equipment, especially lenses. However, in the last 2 years, this company has made its way to the very top of photo optics manufacturers with its quality and innovation. Today, Viltrox simply does not stop pleasantly surprising us with its new solutions. One such solution is the ultra-wide lens, which I will talk more about in this post.
This lens is made with the idea that you never think about whether you will take it on a trip with you or not. Glass of this size and weight always has its place in your bag or backpack, no matter where you’re going or what you plan to photograph.
Let’s get started…
Build quality and design
The lens is made very simply. Of the functions, it only has a focus ring. It is made of plastic, which is very strong and of high quality. Considering that the maximum aperture is “only” f4, the diameter of the filter is 58mm. Considering all this, this is an extremely compact lens weighing only 170 grams, and the dimensions of the lens are 65 x 56.4mm. There is also no visible dust or water protection, but no worries. I can tell you from experience that you can use this lens in light or moderate rain without any fear.
(Other specifications can be found in the table at the end of this review. Note that these are the specifications for the E-mount version. In the case of the Z-mount version, there are slight differences).
Sony a7IV + Viltrox 14mm f4, f8, ISO100
Optical Quality
Here we come to the most important details. The optical quality of this lens is fantastic, which is absolutely incredible for a lens of this size and price.
Chromatic aberrations are absolutely minimal. There are rare situations when you will notice them at all.
Sharpness is also very impressive. The lens is razor sharp from corner to corner. Of course, it is understood that when it comes to UWA lenses, there is small difference in sharpness between the center of the photo and the extreme corners, but in this case it is extremely well controlled and can only be noticed by pixel pipping at 100% size.
Distortions control. At the time I wrote this review and when these photos were taken, Adobe had not yet released an update to Lightroom and Adobe Camera Raw with a profile for this lens. Considering that, the sample photos do not have any geometric correction and as you can see, the distortions are extremely minimal. Looking at photos with clear horizontal lines, you can notice a very small barrel distortion, but I must say that it is much smaller than in the case of other much more expensive lenses that I have had the opportunity to work with. Viltrox did a great job here.
Autofocus. Although this lens does not have Viltrox’s latest patented Hyper VCM motor, but the weaker STM motor that we have seen in older series, the autofocus is reliable and fast. The reason why Viltrox decided to leave out the latest AF motor is simple. The lens is extremely small, so the elements inside it are also small and light, and the minimum aperture is f4. Considering that, the weaker STM engine really does an excellent job.
Sony a7IV + Viltrox 14mm f4, f4, ISO100
Sony a7IV + Viltrox 14mm f4, f9, ISO100
Conclusion
With the new Air series, Viltrox has really pushed the boundaries. A phenomenal combination of superior optical quality, extremely small dimensions and, until recently, completely unimaginable prices. The Air series continues to set new standards, and it’s up to us photographers to use all these little technological wonders properly, creating photos that we couldn’t before.
Specifications
Lens elements: 12/9
Viewing angle: 112.6º
Aperture: f4 – f16
Aperture blades: 7
Min distance: 0.13m
Focus motor: STM + lead screw
Max magnification: 0.23x
Lens size: 65 x 56.4mm
Weight: 170gr
Filter size: 58mm