The New Viltrox Air 15mm f/1.7 Lens

credits: Viltrox

Viltrox has added a new wide-angle option to its compact and budget-friendly Air series: the AF 15mm f/1.7. It’s the widest lens in the Air lineup so far, joining the existing 25mm f/1.7 and 50mm f/2. Designed for APS-C mirrorless cameras, it has a 22mm full-frame equivalent field of view, so wide enough for landscapes, interiors, street photography and even some creative video work. It’s also surprisingly fast for such a small lens, with a bright f/1.7 aperture that gives a bit of flexibility in low light or when shooting with shallow depth of field.

At 180 grams and a bit over 5.5 centimetres long, this lens is quite compact. It can focus as close as 23 centimetres, which is good for shots with strong foregrounds (or close-up videos). Optically, the lens includes 12 elements in 10 groups, with three ED elements, three high-refractive-index elements, and two aspherical elements. Viltrox also uses advanced coatings to minimise flare and ghosting, which should help in tricky lighting.

The company says sharpness holds up even wide open, though real-world tests will tell the full story. The lens accepts 58mm filters and is available in Sony E, Nikon Z, and Fujifilm X mounts. Pricing currently sits at $227 as a launch promo, before it moves to its regular $239 price.

You can see full details and sample shots on Viltrox’s website here