I love the idea of a 16mm f1.8............I am using a Nikkor 20mm f1.8 for astro and would love to see a comparison of these 2 lenses. There are certainly a number of times I could use the extra width. Thanks for a very interesting critique.
For 550 USD this lens is pretty impressive. It fills a gap Nikon hasn't touched yet. I think if it were paired with a fotodiox tilt adapter, it could be a nice way to get some interesting architectural pics too.
Ok. So my beloved D90 died a month ago. I did some research and the ZF haunted my dreams (in the good way). I took this full frame mirrorless plunge, with some minor concern about building a new lens lineup. I chose the 24-120 f4 Nikkor as it seemed to be a great lens, suitable for most of my needs. However, I knew I would want a fast wide angle. Looking at dozens of CZcams vids re the camera and lenses, I stumbled across the TTArtisan 50mm f2 manual. For $Aud100 I couldn't resist. That has been fun. But this Viltrox looks like it will tick all my boxes. I'm definitely getting this one sooner rather than later. Great review, many thanks 😊
I absolutely love the idea of the switchable aperture ring!!! 😮 I also totally get the out of focus photographs for the colours and graphic shapes, I do that myself sometimes 😊. I attempted this of the bridge in Monet’s garden in Giverny a few years ago with the wonderful colours of the flowers and reflections in the water, gave a really interesting effect, almost like an abstract painting 🤔 Love the videos as always Matt! Keep up the awesome work!!! 🙃
I am quite impressed with this lens. Viltrox has really stepped up the game in producing lenses for the Z mount. I have seen what this lens can do in nighttime ( astrophotography) and daytime, nighttime streetscape now. Vignetting expected in something this wide. My 14-30mm f/4S vignettes at 14 mm. Is it perfect no but the character it has is really workable in one’s images. This lens is at the top of my list to obtain. Matt thanks for sharing.
This is the lens I wish I'd had for the aurora a few days ago. I got good photos with the Viltrox 20mm f1.8, but I kept wishing it was wider. I will very likely buy this soon. I'd prefer the Nikon 14-24mm but it is over 4x the price.
I was really looking at the Sigma 14mm f/1.8 for Sony to Megadapt to my Z8 and Z6 for astrophotography. I'm so glad this came along. Your review answered all the questions I have about the lens. I've been looking for a reason to try a Viltrox, and now I have one. Many thanks.
What's great about Viltrox is they still continue to update the firmware on their lenses even on their older ones. Just recently, they updated the firmware on the 85mm 1.8 Z and it did improve the AF-C performance. Seriously impressed. I'm looking forward to their 1.2 LAB lenses and I hope those are not too big.
I definitely am going to purchase this lens, I've never owned a Viltrox lens. sounds like they are surging ahead by leaps and bounds. I wonder if they will be the premier third party manufacturer similar to Sigma. I have been watching a few tutorials about astronomy photography and I think I will attempt to learn a bit about that with the Viltrox 16mm.
Hey Matt, thanks for such an enthusiastic lens review. My Viltrox 16mm just arrived and I'm gagging to head out into the darkness for some astrophotography. It will be good to see how it compares to the Laowa 15mm f2.0. By the looks from your review the Viltrox will be a step up in sharpness and distortion control, plus it's weather sealed and AF, wow!
One of my future purchases, I think. I was thinking about the Loawa 10mm f2.8, but the 16mm 1.8 from Viltrox has caught my eye. I wonder how this competes against the Loawa 0 distortion lens. The Viltrox is faster, and the Loawa is wider "0" distortion. I had the Viltrox 13mm 1.4 lens on my XH2, and it was an excellent low light lens. It was also excellent for landscape.
The Voigtlander Z 15MM F/4.5 Super Wide Heliar is an excellent lense it has been out since February 2023. You should review the Voigtlander line of Z lenses. The highest quality lenses out there
It looks a nice lens, and I wouldn't say no if I were offered one. I think I would find a prime lens too limiting though, especially a 16mm. One other thing, I have never used the function buttons on any of my lenses. I also don't see the point of displays on lenses, I have never used them either.
Thanks Matt for another great lens review. I have a question about this Viltrox lens (and other third-party lenses actually). Did Viltrox simply add the extra few millimeters of flange spacing to the back of the E mount version to make it compatible or did they change one or more lens elements to specifically optimize it for Nikon Z mount?
Před měsícem
Interesting aspects for astro: what does coma look like? Is it easy to manually focus to infinity for the stars? How does it compare to the Laowa 10mm f2.8 AF and Nikon's Z 20mm f1.8S? Thanks for the review - very helpful!
I love the idea of a 16mm f1.8............I am using a Nikkor 20mm f1.8 for astro and would love to see a comparison of these 2 lenses. There are certainly a number of times I could use the extra width. Thanks for a very interesting critique.
Need some compare video between this lens and Nikon 20 F1.8S
For 550 USD this lens is pretty impressive. It fills a gap Nikon hasn't touched yet. I think if it were paired with a fotodiox tilt adapter, it could be a nice way to get some interesting architectural pics too.
So well covered! Loved the long exposure shots.
Thank you, Matt Irwin, great review on the new Viltrox Z addition . Lovely night shots may just have to get this for my ZF, when i can afford it. 😉😉
Ok. So my beloved D90 died a month ago. I did some research and the ZF haunted my dreams (in the good way). I took this full frame mirrorless plunge, with some minor concern about building a new lens lineup. I chose the 24-120 f4 Nikkor as it seemed to be a great lens, suitable for most of my needs. However, I knew I would want a fast wide angle. Looking at dozens of CZcams vids re the camera and lenses, I stumbled across the TTArtisan 50mm f2 manual. For $Aud100 I couldn't resist. That has been fun. But this Viltrox looks like it will tick all my boxes. I'm definitely getting this one sooner rather than later. Great review, many thanks 😊
I absolutely love the idea of the switchable aperture ring!!! 😮
I also totally get the out of focus photographs for the colours and graphic shapes, I do that myself sometimes 😊. I attempted this of the bridge in Monet’s garden in Giverny a few years ago with the wonderful colours of the flowers and reflections in the water, gave a really interesting effect, almost like an abstract painting 🤔
Love the videos as always Matt! Keep up the awesome work!!! 🙃
I am quite impressed with this lens. Viltrox has really stepped up the game in producing lenses for the Z mount. I have seen what this lens can do in nighttime ( astrophotography) and daytime, nighttime streetscape now. Vignetting expected in something this wide. My 14-30mm f/4S vignettes at 14 mm. Is it perfect no but the character it has is really workable in one’s images.
This lens is at the top of my list to obtain. Matt thanks for sharing.
Very nice lens Matt, I think I see some shots for a new book? Have a great day ! I like the keystone.
À very great video Matt!!!
Thanks from Paris!
Fred
Merci Fred :)
This is the lens I wish I'd had for the aurora a few days ago. I got good photos with the Viltrox 20mm f1.8, but I kept wishing it was wider. I will very likely buy this soon. I'd prefer the Nikon 14-24mm but it is over 4x the price.
Oooh very interested in this lens! Watching now! 🙂👏🏻✨
Really looking forward to this lens, had it on preorder for a few weeks now. Some nice shots, Matt, Melbourne seems very photogenic!
"Melbourne seems very photogenic!" - then you haven't been to Sydney. Melbourne is great if you like alleyway graffiti.
@@jackbrumby1892 It's true, I haven't.!Australia is still on the bucket list but it's a long journey for a European :)
Looks amazing just ordered one after watching several reviews on this lens today, super excited!
I was really looking at the Sigma 14mm f/1.8 for Sony to Megadapt to my Z8 and Z6 for astrophotography. I'm so glad this came along. Your review answered all the questions I have about the lens. I've been looking for a reason to try a Viltrox, and now I have one. Many thanks.
Definitely towards the tip top of my list along with the Laowa 10mm for Z Mount
What's great about Viltrox is they still continue to update the firmware on their lenses even on their older ones. Just recently, they updated the firmware on the 85mm 1.8 Z and it did improve the AF-C performance. Seriously impressed. I'm looking forward to their 1.2 LAB lenses and I hope those are not too big.
Thanks for the video, very encouraging given I have one on the way!
Definitely perks my interest, especially for Astro. Thanks for the review.
Some beautiful pictures make it an interesting proposition,impressive.
Great review!
I definitely am going to purchase this lens, I've never owned a Viltrox lens. sounds like they are surging ahead by leaps and bounds. I wonder if they will be the premier third party manufacturer similar to Sigma. I have been watching a few tutorials about astronomy photography and I think I will attempt to learn a bit about that with the Viltrox 16mm.
Hey Matt, thanks for such an enthusiastic lens review. My Viltrox 16mm just arrived and I'm gagging to head out into the darkness for some astrophotography. It will be good to see how it compares to the Laowa 15mm f2.0. By the looks from your review the Viltrox will be a step up in sharpness and distortion control, plus it's weather sealed and AF, wow!
Hey Matt! Fantastic quality/function/price ratio. So many great lenses coming from Viltrox!
Yes it's interesting, it looks like it's been targeted at astro/landscape with its LCD panel and good optics. Great Stuff.
Keystone correction? Yes!
This one is intriguing for night sky photography. Wonder how sharp it would be edge to edge at infinity on my Z8
One of my future purchases, I think. I was thinking about the Loawa 10mm f2.8, but the 16mm 1.8 from Viltrox has caught my eye. I wonder how this competes against the Loawa 0 distortion lens. The Viltrox is faster, and the Loawa is wider "0" distortion.
I had the Viltrox 13mm 1.4 lens on my XH2, and it was an excellent low light lens. It was also excellent for landscape.
The Voigtlander Z 15MM F/4.5 Super Wide Heliar is an excellent lense it has been out since February 2023. You should review the Voigtlander line of Z lenses. The highest quality lenses out there
I am ordering this for astrophotography and city. I do so much Astro that I gotta have this to pair with the 14-24 2.8.
This is very versatile for a multitude of tasks
It looks a nice lens, and I wouldn't say no if I were offered one.
I think I would find a prime lens too limiting though, especially a 16mm.
One other thing, I have never used the function buttons on any of my lenses.
I also don't see the point of displays on lenses, I have never used them either.
I have this Viltrox 16mm f1.8 in E-mount for my A1, A9III, A7RV, and love it. Glad it is available in Z- mount now also. Cheers
I want a 35 1.2 so badddd
Nikon, please. The LCD panels. We want them back in f/1.2 S lenses. 😭
I have deactivated the displays on my holy trinity lenses because you cannot set them to permanent display😅

can we get a head to head with 16mm f/1.8 Viltrox and The 10mm f/2.8 Laowa with focus on image quality and and auto focus?
The Laowa is a tad softer.
Nice review of the lens, as always.
Did you try this lens out on the rare Aurora Australis 9 days ago, Matt?
I tried to find the Aurora on the Sunday night, sadly it did not appear again.
Thanks Matt for another great lens review. I have a question about this Viltrox lens (and other third-party lenses actually). Did Viltrox simply add the extra few millimeters of flange spacing to the back of the E mount version to make it compatible or did they change one or more lens elements to specifically optimize it for Nikon Z mount?
Interesting aspects for astro: what does coma look like? Is it easy to manually focus to infinity for the stars? How does it compare to the Laowa 10mm f2.8 AF and Nikon's Z 20mm f1.8S? Thanks for the review - very helpful!
Been a while since I watched one of your vids. Would I be correct if I was to guess you still prefer C1 over LRC/Adobe Raw for your raw files?
Yes, I prefer Capture One for a few different reasons. :)
Do you think that it’ll be worth buying this lens over the 14-30 f4 z lens…
The Viltrox 16 looks like great value ... 🦘