Viltrox’s New 28mm f/4.5 Lens for Nikon Z Is Barely Bigger Than a Camera Body Cap
Viltrox has announced the AF 28mm f/4.5 Chip lens for Nikon Z mirrorless cameras. The ultra-compact full-frame lens is the thinnest and lightest lens Viltrox has ever made.
The pancake, or “chip” lens as Viltrox calls it, is just 16.8 millimeters (0.66 inches) thick and weighs a paltry 80 grams (2.8 ounces). In PetaPixel‘s preferred parlance, the Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 Z is 1/25th of a Noct. Viltrox’s new lens is so thin that it’s basically a camera body cap except it can be used to take photos.
Achieving such a compact and thin design understandably comes at the cost of the lens’s aperture. An f/4.5 aperture is not exceptionally fast, although it will suffice in many daytime shooting scenarios, such as travel or street photography. The aperture is fixed at f/4.5, by the way.
However, the lens doesn’t sacrifice usability. Despite its diminutive stature, the lens includes autofocus. Viltrox says the focusing is “efficient and precise.”
The lens somehow manages to include six elements, some of which are extremely thin. These half-dozen elements are arranged across as many groups. The lens also features a pair of ED lenses and two aspherical elements. Viltrox promises “impressive image quality.”
The 28mm focal length is a popular choice for many street and landscape photographers, as it provides a wide enough field of view to capture a significant portion of the scene without excessive distortion. Viltrox calls 28mm a “sweet spot for street photography,” although the lens should be useful beyond that situation.
Leaning heavily into the body cap-turned-lens theme, the AF 28mm f/4.5 lacks a traditional lens cap. Instead, a sliding mechanism on the barrel enables users to open a front aperture that protects the lens when it is not in use.
“Slip it on, shoot anywhere, no burden,” Viltrox says of its tiny lens.
Pricing and Availability
The new Nikon Z-mount version joins the existing Sony E-mount version released last year. And like the E-mount version, the new Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 “Chip” for Nikon Z is still just $99. The AF 28mm f/4.5 Z is available to purchase now from Viltrox and authorized retailers.
Image credits: Viltrox
