Viltrox 26mm f/2.8 compact FE lens
p.1 #1Viltrox 26mm f/2.8 compact FE lens
Is anyone else as excited as I am about this lens..... it truly will be my stealth street lens on the 7cII
May 28, 2026 at 01:55 PM
p.1 #2Viltrox 26mm f/2.8 compact FE lens
You just broke the news for me! Yeah, this looks promising. 
I have their little 28mm F4.5 pancake, but it’s locked at F/4.5 only, so it’s hard for me to commit to using it much. I would have preferred them simply reworking and re-releasing it as a 28mm 2.8 rather than making this 26mm oddity. Hopefully optics turn out OK.
I have their little 28mm F4.5 pancake, but it’s locked at F/4.5 only, so it’s hard for me to commit to using it much. I would have preferred them simply reworking and re-releasing it as a 28mm 2.8 rather than making this 26mm oddity. Hopefully optics turn out OK.May 28, 2026 at 04:03 PM
p.1 #4Viltrox 26mm f/2.8 compact FE lens
I love 28mm for travel walkaround and this is close enough, hope it's reasonably sharp wide open, but not getting my hopes up. Right now I use a good copy of the old Sony 28/2.
May 28, 2026 at 05:42 PM
RoamingScott
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p.1 #5Viltrox 26mm f/2.8 compact FE lens
Very clearly an AI image by the mangling of the EVO badge, but have seen some other real photos from early testers and it's roughly the same size. Interested to see if it has the 35mm EVO gotchas (but worse). The AF motors will likely be quite middling in a lens that size.
May 28, 2026 at 05:50 PM
p.1 #6Viltrox 26mm f/2.8 compact FE lens
If it sucks at AF hopefully at least IQ is useable....I'd throw it on my A5100 again to see if it is a worthy pocket cam...
May 28, 2026 at 06:16 PM
p.1 #7Viltrox 26mm f/2.8 compact FE lens
RoamingScott wrote:
Very clearly an AI image by the mangling of the EVO badge, but have seen some other real photos from early testers and it's roughly the same size. Interested to see if it has the 35mm EVO gotchas (but worse). The AF motors will likely be quite middling in a lens that size.
I had to go to the thread I had not heard of the "gotchas" but yeah in your example I would not want this lens even if it is not really made for that kind of background. I hate the busy background..... the only reason i still have the 14 and 35 vs the 16-35gm is that the 2 copies i had of version 2 had that busy background.... blah.
Hoping its decent not expecting amazing I have other lenses for amazing that make up for the operators deficiency
Very clearly an AI image by the mangling of the EVO badge, but have seen some other real photos from early testers and it's roughly the same size. Interested to see if it has the 35mm EVO gotchas (but worse). The AF motors will likely be quite middling in a lens that size.
I had to go to the thread I had not heard of the "gotchas" but yeah in your example I would not want this lens even if it is not really made for that kind of background. I hate the busy background..... the only reason i still have the 14 and 35 vs the 16-35gm is that the 2 copies i had of version 2 had that busy background.... blah.
Hoping its decent not expecting amazing I have other lenses for amazing that make up for the operators deficiency
May 28, 2026 at 08:40 PM
p.1 #8Viltrox 26mm f/2.8 compact FE lens
I am continually amazed that no company has produced a really good AF 28mm lens The only one available that is small and f2 is the Sony which is from it's original lineup and has never been updated (I tried 3 and were never happy with them) Leica have the Q3 series and Ricoh the GR (28mm equivalent) both of which sell well so I really don't know why there is this gap
May 29, 2026 at 02:16 AM
RoamingScott
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p.1 #9Viltrox 26mm f/2.8 compact FE lens
26/2.8 is confirmed for Z, FE, and X. Kind of odd how they hold that L version until later on all of these.
Jun 16, 2026 at 07:14 AM
p.1 #10Viltrox 26mm f/2.8 compact FE lens
RoamingScott wrote:
. Interested to see if it has the 35mm EVO gotchas (but worse). The AF motors will likely be quite middling in a lens that size.
Perhaps you could tell us what some of the gotchas are on the 35? So far ( a few hours) and i like the 55. -Jim
. Interested to see if it has the 35mm EVO gotchas (but worse). The AF motors will likely be quite middling in a lens that size.
Perhaps you could tell us what some of the gotchas are on the 35? So far ( a few hours) and i like the 55. -Jim
Jun 16, 2026 at 08:01 AM
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p.1 #11Viltrox 26mm f/2.8 compact FE lens
jmmaher wrote:
Perhaps you could tell us what some of the gotchas are on the 35? So far ( a few hours) and i like the 55. -Jim
All that (yellow tint, bokeh harshness, middling AF) is in here:
https://www.scotttuckerphoto.com/blog/review-viltrox-af-35mm-f18-evo-for-nikon-z
I like the 55 much more than the 35 fwiw.
RoamingScott wrote
. Interested to see if it has the 35mm EVO gotchas (but worse). The AF motors will likely be quite middling in a lens that size.All that (yellow tint, bokeh harshness, middling AF) is in here:
https://www.scotttuckerphoto.com/blog/review-viltrox-af-35mm-f18-evo-for-nikon-z
I like the 55 much more than the 35 fwiw.
Jun 16, 2026 at 08:03 AM
p.1 #12Viltrox 26mm f/2.8 compact FE lens
A lens as small as the 26 appears to be is likely to have a few warts. As long as the center 2/3rds are really good optically and the corners aren’t glaringly soft, and as long as it AF’s reasonably well, and as long as any color cast is relatively minor, it will make its way into my bag mainly due to its diminutive size.
Jun 16, 2026 at 08:55 AM
RoamingScott
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p.1 #13Viltrox 26mm f/2.8 compact FE lens
I would view the 26 EVO as the default option over the Chip, as far as Viltrox is concerned.
Jun 16, 2026 at 08:59 AM
p.1 #14Viltrox 26mm f/2.8 compact FE lens
RoamingScott wrote:
I would view the 26 EVO as the default option over the Chip, as far as Viltrox is concerned.
Exactly as I view it too. I'm not expecting miracles, just hoping for decent, usable output given what it is. I'm thinking a lenscap lens about the same price as a Polar-Pro light leak 28 with more reasonable IQ...
I would view the 26 EVO as the default option over the Chip, as far as Viltrox is concerned.
Exactly as I view it too. I'm not expecting miracles, just hoping for decent, usable output given what it is. I'm thinking a lenscap lens about the same price as a Polar-Pro light leak 28 with more reasonable IQ...
Jun 16, 2026 at 09:53 AM
p.1 #15Viltrox 26mm f/2.8 compact FE lens
Jack Flesher wrote:
A lens as small as the 26 appears to be is likely to have a few warts. As long as the center 2/3rds are really good optically and the corners aren’t glaringly soft, and as long as it AF’s reasonably well, and as long as any color cast is relatively minor, it will make its way into my bag mainly due to its diminutive size.
Can't wait for the vs. Sony 28 f/2 comparisons...
A lens as small as the 26 appears to be is likely to have a few warts. As long as the center 2/3rds are really good optically and the corners aren’t glaringly soft, and as long as it AF’s reasonably well, and as long as any color cast is relatively minor, it will make its way into my bag mainly due to its diminutive size.
Can't wait for the vs. Sony 28 f/2 comparisons...
Jun 17, 2026 at 03:59 PM
p.1 #16Viltrox 26mm f/2.8 compact FE lens
Speaking of 28, will Sony ever give us a 28 GM and 28 G? On these forums, 28 seems very popular and with the success of the Q and GR, I'm surprised camera companies don't release more 28 options.
Jun 17, 2026 at 04:27 PM
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p.1 #17Viltrox 26mm f/2.8 compact FE lens
photonc wrote:
Speaking of 28, will Sony ever give us a 28 GM and 28 G? On these forums, 28 seems very popular and with the success of the Q and GR, I'm surprised camera companies don't release more 28 options.
It's a weird space for every company. Plenty of fantastic MF options, almost no great AF options.
Speaking of 28, will Sony ever give us a 28 GM and 28 G? On these forums, 28 seems very popular and with the success of the Q and GR, I'm surprised camera companies don't release more 28 options.
It's a weird space for every company. Plenty of fantastic MF options, almost no great AF options.
Jun 17, 2026 at 04:33 PM
p.1 #18Viltrox 26mm f/2.8 compact FE lens
I’m wondering why the move to 26mm? Nikon did it and now Viltrox. Is there something to the design of short flange focal lenses that makes really good AF 28 hard to design?
Jun 17, 2026 at 04:38 PM
RoamingScott
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p.1 #19Viltrox 26mm f/2.8 compact FE lens
Jack Flesher wrote:
I’m wondering why the move to 26mm? Nikon did it and now Viltrox. Is there something to the design of short flange focal lenses that makes really good AF 28 hard to design?
The Nikon 28/1.4 E exists. Perfection is possible.
I’m wondering why the move to 26mm? Nikon did it and now Viltrox. Is there something to the design of short flange focal lenses that makes really good AF 28 hard to design?
The Nikon 28/1.4 E exists. Perfection is possible.
Jun 17, 2026 at 07:05 PM
p.1 #20Viltrox 26mm f/2.8 compact FE lens
RoamingScott wrote:
The Nikon 28/1.4 E exists. Perfection is possible.
Agree, it’s outstanding but it isn’t a Z mount lens. I also assume they should be able to adapt the design, but to date nobody has. That’s the curious part. Finally for me, f1.4 in a 28 is far more useful than f1.4 in a 24, so I’d love to see something in a native mount.
Jack Flesher wrote
I’m wondering why the move to 26mm? Nikon did it and now Viltrox. Is there something to the design of short flange focal lenses that makes really good AF 28 hard to design?Agree, it’s outstanding but it isn’t a Z mount lens. I also assume they should be able to adapt the design, but to date nobody has. That’s the curious part. Finally for me, f1.4 in a 28 is far more useful than f1.4 in a 24, so I’d love to see something in a native mount.
Jun 17, 2026 at 08:19 PM