Viltrox AF 35mm f/1.7 Air
Summary
The Viltrox AF 35mm f/1.7 Air is a strong optical performer — a standard prime (53mm equivalent) with f/1.7 maximum aperture. The lens is priced at approximately ~$250 USD. Please check the official product page for sample images, manuals, and firmware updates.
Genre Suitability
- Excellent for: Landscape, Architecture, Street, Travel, Sport, Wildlife
- Adequate for: Nightscape, Portrait
- Avoid for: Macro
Strengths
- Good overall sharpness
- Well-controlled aberrations
- Smooth, pleasant bokeh
- Negligible distortion
- Fast linear motor autofocus
Weaknesses
- Noticeable vignetting wide open
- Low macro capability (0.13x magnification)
Specifications 19/20
| Optical construction | 11 elements in 9 groups (1 aspherical, 1 ED, 2 HR) |
| Coating | HD Nano multilayer coating |
| Focal length | 35mm |
| Max aperture | f/1.7 |
| Sweet spot | f/2.8 |
| Aperture blades | 9 (circular) |
| Sunstar points | 18 (soft — circular blades) |
| Max magnification | 0.13x |
| Min focus distance | 350mm |
| AF motor | LM |
| OIS | No |
| Weather sealed | No |
| Aperture ring | No |
| Clickless aperture | — |
| Focus ring | Yes |
| Focus by wire | Yes |
| Distance scale | No |
| Rotating front | No |
| Tripod mount | No |
| Weight | 160g |
| Diameter | 64mm |
| Length | 55mm |
| Filter thread | 46mm |
| Year | 2024 |
Optical Quality 14/14
| Center (wide open) | 1.5 |
| Corner (wide open) | 1.0 |
| Center (stopped) | 2.0 |
| Corner (stopped) | 1.5 |
| Coma | 1.0 |
| Astigmatism | 2.0 |
| Spherical aberration | 1.0 |
| Longitudinal CA | 1.5 |
| Lateral CA | 2.0 |
| Distortion | 1.5 |
| Vignetting (wide open) | 0.5 |
| Vignetting (stopped) | 1.5 |
| Bokeh | 1.5 |
| Flare resistance | 1.0 |
Sharpness
- Good center sharpness wide open
- Acceptable corner sharpness wide open
- Outstanding center resolution stopped down
- Good corner-to-corner sharpness stopped down
Aberrations
- Well-controlled longitudinal CA
- Negligible lateral chromatic aberration
- Moderate coma at the extreme corners
- Negligible astigmatism
- Moderate spherical aberration
Rendering
- Smooth, pleasant bokeh
- Noticeable vignetting wide open
- Vignetting clears well when stopped down
- Acceptable flare resistance with modern coatings
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 3/5
Nightscape Photography prioritizes coma control, astigmatism correction, and a fast aperture for short star exposures.
- Moderate coma at the extreme corners
- Negligible astigmatism
- Fast f/1.7 aperture
- Negligible lateral chromatic aberration
- Good center sharpness wide open
- Acceptable corner sharpness wide open
- Well-controlled longitudinal CA
- Noticeable vignetting wide open
- Moderate spherical aberration
✓ 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
- Well-controlled longitudinal CA
- Vignetting clears well when stopped down
- Acceptable flare resistance with modern coatings
- Negligible astigmatism
- Moderate coma at the extreme corners
✓ 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
- Vignetting clears well when stopped down
- Acceptable flare resistance with modern coatings
✓ Street Photography 4/5
Street Photography prioritizes sharp stopped-down performance and a fast enough aperture for low light.
- Outstanding center resolution stopped down
- Fast f/1.7 aperture
- Good center sharpness wide open
- Acceptable flare resistance with modern coatings
- Well-controlled longitudinal CA
- Moderate coma at the extreme corners
✓ Travel Photography 4.5/5
Travel Photography prioritizes balanced image quality in a lightweight package.
- Outstanding center resolution stopped down
- Lightweight at 160g
- Fast f/1.7 aperture
- Acceptable flare resistance with modern coatings
- Well-controlled longitudinal CA
~ Portrait Photography 3.5/5
Portrait Photography prioritizes smooth bokeh and critical center sharpness wide open for subject isolation.
- Smooth, pleasant bokeh
- Good center sharpness wide open
- Well-controlled longitudinal CA
- Moderate spherical aberration
- 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/1.7 aperture
- Well-controlled longitudinal CA
- 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/1.7 aperture
- Well-controlled longitudinal CA
- 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 (0.13x)
- Minimal distortion
- Negligible lateral chromatic aberration
- Well-controlled longitudinal CA
- Moderate spherical aberration
- Smooth, pleasant bokeh