Viltrox’s Absurdly Small $99 28mm Lens is Now Available for Fujifilm X
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Viltrox is bringing its (almost) impossibly tiny 28mm f/4.4 “Chip” lens to Fujifilm X Series cameras.
After announcing the 60-gram full-frame lens for Sony E-mount in October, Chinese lens maker Viltrox has said it is bringing it to APS-C Fujifilm X cameras. The lens is making the move to X unchanged, meaning it still sports an optical design for full-frame cameras, meaning it should deliver strong performance on Fujifilm’s APS-C mirrorless cameras.
The APS-C transition also means the lens offers a different field of view than it does on a full-frame Sony camera. Rather than providing a wide-angle 28mm perspective, the lens has a 52-degree field of view, equivalent to a 42mm lens.
Concerning image quality, Viltrox promises “sharp, vibrant images with stunning starburst effects,” although it is essential to keep this in context. The lens is a fixed-aperture f/4.5 prime that costs under $100, so photographers should not expect world-changing performance. The lens features six elements arranged across as many groups and has two ED lenses and a pair of aspherical elements.
The primary selling point of the Viltrox 28mm f/4.5 lens is its size. As mentioned, the lens weighs a scant 60 grams, or 2.1 ounces. It is just 15.25 millimeters (0.6 inches) long, although some of that length will disappear into the camera’s lens mount. That typically is not worth mentioning, but it is notable when a lens is this tiny.
Since the lens is so small, lightweight, and affordable, it’s designed to serve double duty as a camera body cap. After all, it’s not much larger than a regular body cap. The lens has a slide lever mechanism to switch between its “cap” and shooting modes.
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Although the lens is tiny and sports a fixed aperture, it remains an autofocus-equipped lens. The lens utilizes a voice-coil motor mechanism to deliver swift, quiet autofocus performance. The Viltrox 28mm f/4.5 Chip can focus as close as 0.32 meters (1.05 feet), providing a maximum magnification of 0.11x.
Sample Images
Pricing and Availability
The Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 Chip lens for Fujifilm X is available to order now for $99 through B&H. The lens can also be purchased directly from Viltrox for $94.
Image credits: Viltrox
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