Viltrox’s New AF 28mm f/4.5 L-Mount Lens

credits: Viltrox

Viltrox has announced that its ultra-thin AF 28mm f/4.5 Chip lens is coming to L-Mount, bringing one of the company’s more unusual pancake lenses to Panasonic, Sigma, and Leica users. The lens first appeared for Sony E-mount in late 2024 before later expanding to Nikon Z, and has become known for its compact design. The L-mount version follows the same formula, weighing 60 grams and measuring 13.2mm in length. To achieve that size, Viltrox has made a few compromises, including the absence of a standard filter thread.

The lens also takes a somewhat unconventional approach in a few other areas. It has a fixed f/4.5 aperture, meaning you cannot change the aperture setting. Autofocus is handled by a VCM motor, but unlike most autofocus lenses, the AF 28mm f/4.5 does not offer manual focus control. One interesting design touch is the built-in sliding lens cap, which removes the need for a separate cap and helps keep the overall package as small as possible. Minimum focusing distance is listed at 0.32m.

Despite its small dimensions, the lens uses a 6-element, 6-group optical design that includes two ED elements and two aspherical elements. Viltrox has also opted for a polygonal aperture design that produces more pronounced starburst effects around bright light sources. The Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 Chip L is priced at $99.