Viltrox AF 13mm f/1.4 STM
Summary
The Viltrox AF 13mm f/1.4 STM is a strong optical performer — a ultra-wide prime (20mm equivalent) with f/1.4 maximum aperture. The lens is priced at approximately ~$500 USD. Please check the official product page for sample images, manuals, and firmware updates.
Genre Suitability
- Excellent for: Landscape, Architecture, Street, Sport, Wildlife
- Adequate for: Travel, Portrait
- Avoid for: Nightscape, Macro
Strengths
- Negligible distortion
- Fast linear motor autofocus
Weaknesses
- Very soft corners wide open
- Noticeable coma in the corners wide open
- Noticeable spherical aberration wide open
- Noticeable vignetting wide open
- Below-average flare resistance
- Low macro capability (0.1x magnification)
Specifications 20/20
| Optical construction | 14 elements in 11 groups (2 aspherical, 4 ED, 2 HR) |
| Coating | HD Nano multilayer coating |
| Focal length | 13mm |
| Max aperture | f/1.4 |
| Sweet spot | f/4 |
| Aperture blades | 9 (circular) |
| Sunstar points | 18 (soft — circular blades) |
| Max magnification | 0.1x |
| Min focus distance | 250mm |
| AF motor | LM |
| OIS | No |
| Weather sealed | No |
| Aperture ring | Yes |
| Clickless aperture | No |
| Focus ring | Yes |
| Focus by wire | Yes |
| Distance scale | No |
| Rotating front | No |
| Tripod mount | No |
| Weight | 410g |
| Diameter | 74mm |
| Length | 88mm |
| Filter thread | 67mm |
| Year | 2021 |
Optical Quality 14/14
| Center (wide open) | 1.5 |
| Corner (wide open) | 0.0 |
| Center (stopped) | 2.0 |
| Corner (stopped) | 1.5 |
| Coma | 0.5 |
| Astigmatism | 2.0 |
| Spherical aberration | 0.5 |
| Longitudinal CA | 2.0 |
| Lateral CA | 2.0 |
| Distortion | 1.5 |
| Vignetting (wide open) | 0.5 |
| Vignetting (stopped) | 1.0 |
| Bokeh | 1.0 |
| Flare resistance | 0.5 |
Sharpness
- Good center sharpness wide open
- Very soft corners wide open
- Outstanding center resolution stopped down
- Good corner-to-corner sharpness stopped down
Aberrations
- Virtually no longitudinal chromatic aberration
- Negligible lateral chromatic aberration
- Noticeable coma in the corners wide open
- Negligible astigmatism
- Noticeable spherical aberration wide open
Rendering
- Acceptable bokeh rendering
- Noticeable vignetting wide open
- Moderate residual vignetting stopped down
- Below-average flare resistance
Distortion
- Minimal distortion
All optical scores are based on lab measurements and field tests from trusted review sources. For details on how we score lenses, see our scoring methodology.
Genre Fit
✗ Nightscape Photography 2/5
Nightscape Photography prioritizes coma control, astigmatism correction, and a fast aperture for short star exposures.
- Noticeable coma in the corners wide open
- Negligible astigmatism
- Fast f/1.4 aperture
- Negligible lateral chromatic aberration
- Good center sharpness wide open
- Very soft corners wide open
- Virtually no longitudinal chromatic aberration
- Noticeable vignetting wide open
- Noticeable spherical aberration wide open
✓ Landscape Photography 4/5
Landscape Photography prioritizes corner-to-corner sharpness at stopped-down apertures and good flare resistance.
- Good corner-to-corner sharpness stopped down
- Outstanding center resolution stopped down
- Minimal distortion
- Negligible lateral chromatic aberration
- Virtually no longitudinal chromatic aberration
- Moderate residual vignetting stopped down
- Below-average flare resistance
- Negligible astigmatism
- Noticeable coma in the corners wide open
✓ Architecture Photography 4/5
Architecture Photography prioritizes geometric precision with minimal distortion and even corner sharpness.
- Good corner-to-corner sharpness stopped down
- Outstanding center resolution stopped down
- Minimal distortion
- Negligible lateral chromatic aberration
- Moderate residual vignetting stopped down
- Below-average flare resistance
✓ Street Photography 4.5/5
Street Photography prioritizes sharp stopped-down performance and a fast enough aperture for low light.
- Outstanding center resolution stopped down
- Fast f/1.4 aperture
- Good center sharpness wide open
- Below-average flare resistance
- Virtually no longitudinal chromatic aberration
- Noticeable coma in the corners wide open
~ Travel Photography 3/5
Travel Photography prioritizes balanced image quality in a lightweight package.
- Outstanding center resolution stopped down
- Heavy at 410g
- Fast f/1.4 aperture
- Below-average flare resistance
- Virtually no longitudinal chromatic aberration
~ Portrait Photography 3/5
Portrait Photography prioritizes smooth bokeh and critical center sharpness wide open for subject isolation.
- Acceptable bokeh rendering
- Good center sharpness wide open
- Virtually no longitudinal chromatic aberration
- Noticeable spherical aberration wide open
- Noticeable vignetting wide open
✓ Sport Photography 4/5
Sport Photography prioritizes sharp wide-open center performance to freeze action at fast shutter speeds.
- Good center sharpness wide open
- Fast f/1.4 aperture
- Virtually no longitudinal chromatic aberration
- Negligible lateral chromatic aberration
✓ Wildlife Photography 4/5
Wildlife Photography prioritizes center sharpness across apertures for distant subjects.
- Good center sharpness wide open
- Outstanding center resolution stopped down
- Fast f/1.4 aperture
- Virtually no longitudinal chromatic aberration
- Negligible lateral chromatic aberration
✗ Macro Photography 1/5
Macro Photography prioritizes stopped-down center sharpness and high magnification for close-up detail.
- Outstanding center resolution stopped down
- Low magnification (0.1x)
- Minimal distortion
- Negligible lateral chromatic aberration
- Virtually no longitudinal chromatic aberration
- Noticeable spherical aberration wide open
- Acceptable bokeh rendering