Viltrox has been crushing it.  The last two lenses from them that I reviewed were designed for APS-C, including the Viltrox AF 13mm F1.4 STM, a lens I considered perhaps their best yet in my review.  That was, until the next lens, the Viltrox AF 75mm F1.2 STM for Fuji X-mount, which took Viltrox to a whole other level. The 13mm largely followed the previous Viltrox formula, but with improved performance and better optical glass.  The 75mm added all kinds of features, including weather sealing and improved physical controls while also delivering perhaps the finest optical performance I’ve seen from a short telephoto lens designed for APS-C.  My excitement for Viltrox lenses has definitely increased…and their latest has only fueled that enthusiasm.  They have returned to the full frame space, and their newest lens is a premium wide angle prime that delivers in every way.  The Sony E-mount Viltrox AF 16mm F1.8 delivers features and performance that feels much like a Sony G Master lens.

Viltrox has added a host of features to the new 16mm, including weather sealing, the option to declick the aperture, two custom function buttons (more on that later), and, in a feature not seen since the Zeiss Batis series, an LCD screen on the lens that serves a variety of purposes.

But the lens does not just impress on a feature level.  This is a very wide angle lens (105.6° angle of view) that also happens to have a larger than average maximum aperture of F1.8 – that’s  1 1/3rd stop faster than the typical F2.8 zoom that covers this focal length.  It manages to do this while retaining a moderate size (103mm in length) and weight (550g) while delivering an exceptional optical performance.

The Viltrox 16mm does not carry their new “Pro” badge, but frankly it feels like it should.  This is a professional grade lens in both features and performance and will easily be perceived as being a very strong value.  The MSRP as it comes to market is $549 USD (though if you buy it from the Viltrox store and use code DUSTINABBOTT you can get 8% any Viltrox product, including this lens), which makes this lens an absolute bargain.  If you want more information, please check out my definitive video review or read the text review here…or just enjoy the photos below.

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Thanks to Viltrox for sending me an evaluation copy of the 16mm F1.8.  As always, this is a completely independent review. *The tests and most of the photos that I share as a part of my review cycle have been done with the Sony a7IV along with the Sony Alpha 1 which will serve as my benchmark camera for the foreseeable future (my review here).

Images of the Viltrox 16mm F1.8 

Images from the Viltrox 16mm F1.8

Gear Used:

Purchase the Viltrox AF 16mm F1.8 @ Viltrox  (use code DUSTINABBOTT for 8% off) | B&H Photo | Adorama | Amazon | Amazon Canada | Amazon UK 

Purchase the Sony a7RV @ B&H Photo | Adorama | Amazon | Sony Canada | Camera Canada | Amazon Canada | Amazon UK 

Purchase the Sony a7IV @ B&H Photo | Amazon | Camera Canada | Amazon Canada | Amazon UK | Amazon Germany 

Purchase the Sony Alpha 1 @ Camera Canada | B&H Photo | Amazon | Amazon Canada | Amazon UK | Amazon Germany | Ebay 

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Purchasing your gear through B&H and these links helps fund this website and keeps the articles coming. You can also make a donation here if you would like.  Visit my Amazon page for some of my gear of choice! Thank you for your support.

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