Earlier this year, Viltrox had previewed the launch of several new lenses. The specifications of the 20mm f/2.8 have now been exposed online. According to the confidentiality agreement, it is lighter than the iPhone 15 Pro. You can order it at Pergear now.
Viltrox AF 20mm f/2.8 will be available in Sony E, Nikon Z and Fuji X mouts, the interior adopts an optical structure of 10 elements in 8 groups, and the front lens has a waterproof and anti-fouling coating. The aperture range is F2.8 to F16. It uses STM motor + lead screw to achieve autofocus. The minimum focusing distance is 0.19 meters, and the magnification is 0.17X, it uses a 52mm threaded filter, and the bayonet is made of duralumin alloy. The size is unknown, but according to the confidentiality agreement, it is lighter than an iPhone 15 Pro.
In the early years, Tamron launched the 20mm F/2.8 Di III OSD M1:2 lens, along with the 24mm F/2.8 Di III OSD M1:2 and 35mm F/2.8 Di III OSD M1:2. These three lenses all have macro functions and a magnification rate of 0.5X. However, they have serious distortion, slow and noisy focusing, and their prices have been falling since they were launched. The cheapest ones only cost about150 USD each. The magnification of Viltrox AF20mm F2.8 is only 0.17X, which is obviously weaker than Tamron, and the F2.8 aperture is not very attractive to Hoshino photography users. It is probably focused on cost-effectiveness. Hope it can learn from Tamron’s lesson and achieve quiet focusing.
Comparisons between Tamron and Viltrox 20mm f2.8
| VIltrox 20mm F2.8 | Tamron 20mm F2.8 OSD | |
| Release Date | 2023 | 2020 |
| Crop Sensor | Full Frame | Full Frame |
| Focal Length | 20mm | 20mm |
| Maximum Aperture | F2.8 | F2.8 |
| Minimum Aperture | F16 | - |
| Lens Structure | 10 Elements in 8 groups | 10 Elements in 9 groups |
| Maximum Magnification | 0.17X | 0.5X |
| Filter Size | 52mm | 67mm |
| Weight | ＜200g | 220g |
| Focus Motor | STM | STM |