CameraReview
CompareCamerasLensesAction CamerasGuides
Viltrox AF 28mm F4.5 Chip
—
UNSCORED
Viltrox · f/4.5 · Sony E mount

Viltrox AF 28mm F4.5 Chip

Where to buy — 2 offers
Mount
KEY FACTS
BrandViltrox
Release Year2024
Production StatusIn Production
Pro BrandingChip
Lens MountSony E
What We Like
+Exceptionally compact and lightweight pancake design at only 60g and 15.3mm thick
+Innovative built-in sliding lens cap eliminates need to carry separate cap
+Voice coil motor (VCM) autofocus is fast, quiet, and works well in most conditions
+Affordable at $99 USD with solid build quality and metal mount
Worth Knowing
−Fixed f/4.5 aperture limits low-light shooting capability and creative control
−Significant flare and ghosting issues in backlit or side-lit conditions without hood capability
−Sharpness degrades quickly from center to edges with noticeable vignetting and chromatic aberration in corners
−No manual focus control and no filter thread for protective or creative filters

General

Brand
Viltrox
Release Year
2024
Production Status
ⓘ
Current status of lens manufacturing (e.g., in production, discontinued).
In Production
Pro Branding
ⓘ
Specific branding codes used for professional-tier lenses.
Chip
Lens Mount
ⓘ
The lens mount will tell you what type of lens range you can fit onto the camera body. Often the same camera company will have different lens ranges for different cameras.
Sony E
System
ⓘ
Indicates which camera system the lens is designed to attach to.
Sony E
Maximum Format
ⓘ
Largest sensor size compatible with the lens.
Full Frame
Read our notes on general
The Viltrox AF 28mm F4.5 Chip is an inexpensive pancake lens at $99 that weighs only 60g and is 15.3mm thick, making it Viltrox's lightest lens. It features 6 elements in 6 groups with two extra-low dispersion elements and two aspherical elements, and uses a new VCM (voice-coil motor) autofocus system similar to Tamron's VXD focus system. While decently sharp, the lens struggles with flaring in backlit conditions, presenting as veiled flare that kills contrast, and lacks a manual focus ring, limiting its versatility despite its appealing compact form factor.

Physical

Lens Weight
60 g
Lens Diameter
ⓘ
Width of the lens at its widest point
60.3 mm
Lens Length
ⓘ
How long the lens is from front to back.
15.3 mm
Front Filter Compatible
ⓘ
Some lenses are compatible with front filters, some are compatible with back filters and some are compatible with both. Front filters are usually more convenient to add and remove.
No

Optics

Focal Range
ⓘ
Shortest to longest focal length of the lens (zoom range start - end )
28 mm
Aperture Range
ⓘ
Largest aperture at the lens's shortest focal length to longest focal length (aperture range start - end)
4.5
Focal Length Angle of View
73.42°
Flange Focal Distance
ⓘ
Distance from lens mount to sensor.
18 mm
Diaphragm Type
ⓘ
Structure and design of the aperture
Fixed
Zoom Lens
ⓘ
Zoom allows you to vary the focal length, change between long shots and close-ups
No
Maximum Magnification
ⓘ
Largest size a subject can be reproduced
1:9.1
Autofocus Mode
Yes
Manual Mode
No
Manual Focusing Ring
No

Features

Weather Sealing
ⓘ
Weather sealing capabilities will give you more confidence when shooting in unfavourable conditions.
No
Fluorine Coating
ⓘ
Coating to repel water and oil from lens elements.
Yes
Built In Lens Hood
No
Image Stabilization
No

Construction

Elements
ⓘ
Lens elements refer to individual pieces of glass within the lens.
6
Groups
6
Aspherical Elements
ⓘ
The number of aspherical lens elements which can help correct aberrations such as spherical aberration.
2
Low Dispersion
ⓘ
Elements that reduce chromatic aberration
2