Viltrox 26mm f2.8 EVO for Z and E - first look
p.11 #1Viltrox 26mm f2.8 EVO for Z and E - first look
RoamingScott wrote:
I (think I) want one of these. Any update on availability?---------------------------------------------
I (think I) want one of these. Any update on availability?Not yet. They have a show coming up in a week, wondering if they release it along with that.My nit is I like the magnetic cap that comes with this lens a LOT. Of course, I could probably go sans any cap with the square hood, so there is that. It does look cool.Yeah, I view square hoods as a complete cap replacement, I really liked using my X100 in that way. That said, I did have a filter between the X100 and the hood, which I doubt is possible here.
Yep. A conundrum for sure. OTOH, with that hood permanently attached, not much can get to the front element that isn’t easily cleaned off. Not so with the factory hood on its own. I’m probably going to get the hood just because I like the look AND the added protection — and hopefully any flare-resistance it might add.
Jack Flesher wrote
MikeEvangelist wrote
RoamingScott wrote
Viltrox will be releasing a square hood soon for the 26 EVO for those interested.RoamingScott wrote
MikeEvangelist wrote
RoamingScott wrote
Viltrox will be releasing a square hood soon for the 26 EVO for those interested.Yep. A conundrum for sure. OTOH, with that hood permanently attached, not much can get to the front element that isn’t easily cleaned off. Not so with the factory hood on its own. I’m probably going to get the hood just because I like the look AND the added protection — and hopefully any flare-resistance it might add.
Sep 02, 2026 at 09:40 AM
p.11 #2Viltrox 26mm f2.8 EVO for Z and E - first look
Small updates: silver and graphite color ways are coming, and the hood release is tentatively October for the US but not confirmed.
Sep 06, 2026 at 08:44 PM
p.11 #3Viltrox 26mm f2.8 EVO for Z and E - first look
I swear someone, somewhere asked about using the 26 EVO for astro a few days ago and I can't find it. Either way, it's about the end of MW season, but it was out tonight. Just a quick and dirty with the Zf from my driveway. It's miserable focusing this lens manually, which you'll need to do because f2.8 is simply not wide open enough for starlight mode to work reliably. Once you get focus set it's not bad at all, but it's not a lens I'd ever reach for first for this.
Sep 12, 2026 at 10:04 PM
p.11 #5Viltrox 26mm f2.8 EVO for Z and E - first look
RoamingScott wrote:
I swear someone, somewhere asked about using the 26 EVO for astro a few days ago and I can't find it. Either way, it's about the end of MW season, but it was out tonight. Just a quick and dirty with the Zf from my driveway. It's miserable focusing this lens manually, which you'll need to do because f2.8 is simply not wide open enough for starlight mode to work reliably. Once you get focus set it's not bad at all, but it's not a lens I'd ever reach for first for this.
Looks good to me.
Only astro I ever tried was using my Olympus OMD EM1 III which has an autofocusing mode for astrophotography called "Starry AF." I have yet to try Starlight mode on my Zf. I'm guessing the Voigtlander 40 f1.2 would be a good lens for that? Not very wide though.
I swear someone, somewhere asked about using the 26 EVO for astro a few days ago and I can't find it. Either way, it's about the end of MW season, but it was out tonight. Just a quick and dirty with the Zf from my driveway. It's miserable focusing this lens manually, which you'll need to do because f2.8 is simply not wide open enough for starlight mode to work reliably. Once you get focus set it's not bad at all, but it's not a lens I'd ever reach for first for this.
Looks good to me.
Only astro I ever tried was using my Olympus OMD EM1 III which has an autofocusing mode for astrophotography called "Starry AF." I have yet to try Starlight mode on my Zf. I'm guessing the Voigtlander 40 f1.2 would be a good lens for that? Not very wide though.
Sep 15, 2026 at 06:48 PM
p.11 #6Viltrox 26mm f2.8 EVO for Z and E - first look
Tapper wrote:
Looks good to me.
Only astro I ever tried was using my Olympus OMD EM1 III which has an autofocusing mode for astrophotography called "Starry AF." I have yet to try Starlight mode on my Zf. I'm guessing the Voigtlander 40 f1.2 would be a good lens for that? Not very wide though.
Absolutely no reason to use Starlight on a MF voigtlander, as you can simply look at the barrel for perfect infinity focusing for astro.
RoamingScott wrote
I swear someone, somewhere asked about using the 26 EVO for astro a few days ago and I can't find it. Either way, it's about the end of MW season, but it was out tonight. Just a quick and dirty with the Zf from my driveway. It's miserable focusing this lens manually, which you'll need to do because f2.8 is simply not wide open enough for starlight mode to work reliably. Once you get focus set it's not bad at all, but it's not a lens I'd ever reach for first for this.Only astro I ever tried was using my Olympus OMD EM1 III which has an autofocusing mode for astrophotography called "Starry AF." I have yet to try Starlight mode on my Zf. I'm guessing the Voigtlander 40 f1.2 would be a good lens for that? Not very wide though.
Absolutely no reason to use Starlight on a MF voigtlander, as you can simply look at the barrel for perfect infinity focusing for astro.
Sep 15, 2026 at 07:14 PM
p.11 #7Viltrox 26mm f2.8 EVO for Z and E - first look
RoamingScott wrote:
Small updates: silver and graphite color ways are coming, and the hood release is tentatively October for the US but not confirmed.
Good grief, the orange EVO badge on the graphite is horrid. Matches the Sony UI, though.
Small updates: silver and graphite color ways are coming, and the hood release is tentatively October for the US but not confirmed.
Good grief, the orange EVO badge on the graphite is horrid. Matches the Sony UI, though.
Sep 20, 2026 at 12:38 PM
p.11 #8Viltrox 26mm f2.8 EVO for Z and E - first look
Picked up my copy on the FM B/S...
My take... super small, and sharp. AF on the slow side, but fine for my use. It will be my default lens on my A7CR., especially with a dedicated custom crop mode button assigned. Amazing little lens for the price. Shot this pic with it a few min ago... focus in the focal length numbers. A7CR @ 2.8... cropped a bit.
My take... super small, and sharp. AF on the slow side, but fine for my use. It will be my default lens on my A7CR., especially with a dedicated custom crop mode button assigned. Amazing little lens for the price. Shot this pic with it a few min ago... focus in the focal length numbers. A7CR @ 2.8... cropped a bit.
Sep 27, 2026 at 03:22 PM
p.11 #9Viltrox 26mm f2.8 EVO for Z and E - first look
Silver and Graphite versions available now and they come with the new square hoods. No word if those are going to be available by themselves.
Oct 15, 2026 at 07:21 AM
p.11 #10Viltrox 26mm f2.8 EVO for Z and E - first look
RoamingScott wrote:
Silver and Graphite versions available now and they come with the new square hoods. No word if those are going to be available by themselves.
Nice. Although it looks, from the website, like you maybe lose the magnetic cap with that option.
Silver and Graphite versions available now and they come with the new square hoods. No word if those are going to be available by themselves.
Nice. Although it looks, from the website, like you maybe lose the magnetic cap with that option.
Oct 15, 2026 at 08:34 AM
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p.11 #11Viltrox 26mm f2.8 EVO for Z and E - first look
I assume so, yes, though personally square hoods obviate the need for a lens cap for me. More worrisome is if you lose filter support.
MikeEvangelist wrote:
Nice. Although it looks, from the website, like you maybe lose the magnetic cap with that option.
MikeEvangelist wrote:
RoamingScott wrote
Silver and Graphite versions available now and they come with the new square hoods. No word if those are going to be available by themselves.Oct 15, 2026 at 08:52 AM
p.11 #12Viltrox 26mm f2.8 EVO for Z and E - first look
RoamingScott wrote:
I assume so, yes, though personally square hoods obviate the need for a lens cap for me. More worrisome is if you lose filter support.
Nice. Although it looks, from the website, like you maybe lose the magnetic cap with that option.
Scott, which color will go well with the silver ZF? Silver or Gray? I see the silver doesn't quite match the silver of A7C series.
I assume so, yes, though personally square hoods obviate the need for a lens cap for me. More worrisome is if you lose filter support.
MikeEvangelist wrote
RoamingScott wrote
Silver and Graphite versions available now and they come with the new square hoods. No word if those are going to be available by themselves.Scott, which color will go well with the silver ZF? Silver or Gray? I see the silver doesn't quite match the silver of A7C series.
Oct 15, 2026 at 09:06 AM
p.11 #13Viltrox 26mm f2.8 EVO for Z and E - first look
ramesesthe2nd wrote:
Nice. Although it looks, from the website, like you maybe lose the magnetic cap with that option.Scott, which color will go well with the silver ZF? Silver or Gray? I see the silver doesn't quite match the silver of A7C series.
Silver. The Graphite Grey is more for the A7C line (and probably why it has the orange EVO badge, to match the horrid UI).
RoamingScott wrote
I assume so, yes, though personally square hoods obviate the need for a lens cap for me. More worrisome is if you lose filter support.MikeEvangelist wrote
RoamingScott wrote
Silver and Graphite versions available now and they come with the new square hoods. No word if those are going to be available by themselves.Silver. The Graphite Grey is more for the A7C line (and probably why it has the orange EVO badge, to match the horrid UI).
Oct 15, 2026 at 09:09 AM
p.11 #14Viltrox 26mm f2.8 EVO for Z and E - first look
Got mine a couple of days ago and for its price it's a real gem. AF is slow going from a minimum focal distance but for normal use is just fine. I will be using it for colour street photography on my A1ii when not using my Q3M and for this it's ideal, small, sharp with an aperture ring. It's only real defect is the tendency to flare really badly so this needs to be taking in consideration
Oct 15, 2026 at 09:41 AM
p.11 #15Viltrox 26mm f2.8 EVO for Z and E - first look
Viramati wrote:
Got mine a couple of days ago and for its price it's a real gem. AF is slow going from a minimum focal distance but for normal use is just fine. I will be using it for colour street photography on my A1ii when not using my Q3M and for this it's ideal, small, sharp with an aperture ring. It's only real defect is the tendency to flare really badly so this needs to be taking in consideration
I've been very curious if the square hood will help this. I've asked Viltrox if they can just send me one for testing, even if it's not black
Got mine a couple of days ago and for its price it's a real gem. AF is slow going from a minimum focal distance but for normal use is just fine. I will be using it for colour street photography on my A1ii when not using my Q3M and for this it's ideal, small, sharp with an aperture ring. It's only real defect is the tendency to flare really badly so this needs to be taking in consideration
I've been very curious if the square hood will help this. I've asked Viltrox if they can just send me one for testing, even if it's not black
Oct 15, 2026 at 09:47 AM
p.11 #16Viltrox 26mm f2.8 EVO for Z and E - first look
RoamingScott wrote:
...The Graphite Grey is more for the A7C line (and probably why it has the orange EVO badge, to match the horrid UI).
Except in the photos, neither color seems to quite match the silver Sony bodies. (maybe the color was chosen to match some other camera brand's silver tone)
...The Graphite Grey is more for the A7C line (and probably why it has the orange EVO badge, to match the horrid UI).
Except in the photos, neither color seems to quite match the silver Sony bodies. (maybe the color was chosen to match some other camera brand's silver tone)
Oct 15, 2026 at 09:59 AM
p.11 #17Viltrox 26mm f2.8 EVO for Z and E - first look
RoamingScott wrote:
I've been very curious if the square hood will help this. I've asked Viltrox if they can just send me one for testing, even if it's not black
One of my intended uses for this lens is night shots. As such the direct flare is something of a feature. The angle flare can be a big deficit or a benefit depending on the composition, so I try to utilize it that way. While the general flare is heavy, I do believe a larger hood will help, at least I am optimistic it will...
Viramati wrote
Got mine a couple of days ago and for its price it's a real gem. AF is slow going from a minimum focal distance but for normal use is just fine. I will be using it for colour street photography on my A1ii when not using my Q3M and for this it's ideal, small, sharp with an aperture ring. It's only real defect is the tendency to flare really badly so this needs to be taking in considerationOne of my intended uses for this lens is night shots. As such the direct flare is something of a feature. The angle flare can be a big deficit or a benefit depending on the composition, so I try to utilize it that way. While the general flare is heavy, I do believe a larger hood will help, at least I am optimistic it will...
Oct 15, 2026 at 10:03 AM
p.11 #18Viltrox 26mm f2.8 EVO for Z and E - first look
I asked them for a hood and they're just sending me a silver lens with the hood along with it, so uh...guess I'll post some side by sides
Oct 15, 2026 at 09:20 PM
p.11 #19Viltrox 26mm f2.8 EVO for Z and E - first look
Wait you got a whole free lens out of it? Nice.
RoamingScott wrote:
I asked them for a hood and they're just sending me a silver lens with the hood along with it, so uh...guess I'll post some side by sides
RoamingScott wrote:
I asked them for a hood and they're just sending me a silver lens with the hood along with it, so uh...guess I'll post some side by sides
Oct 15, 2026 at 09:55 PM
p.11 #20Viltrox 26mm f2.8 EVO for Z and E - first look
It's ostensibly a review copy, I'll update my original review with side-by-side comparisons.
71sbeetle wrote:
Wait you got a whole free lens out of it? Nice.
71sbeetle wrote:
Wait you got a whole free lens out of it? Nice.
RoamingScott wrote
I asked them for a hood and they're just sending me a silver lens with the hood along with it, so uh...guess I'll post some side by sidesOct 15, 2026 at 10:01 PM