Viltrox 26mm f2.8 EVO for Z and E - first look
p.5 #1Viltrox 26mm f2.8 EVO for Z and E - first look
Jack Flesher wrote:
Are we discussing lenses still, or have we switched to wine?
Gear discussions invariably involve a little whine.
Are we discussing lenses still, or have we switched to wine?
Gear discussions invariably involve a little whine.
Jul 19, 2026 at 10:04 PM
p.5 #2Viltrox 26mm f2.8 EVO for Z and E - first look
@RoamingScott is your review finished yet?
Jul 20, 2026 at 01:11 AM
p.5 #3Viltrox 26mm f2.8 EVO for Z and E - first look
Thanks .
Very close , I guess I will have to buy it
Do you have the Thypoch 28mm as well?
MikeEvangelist wrote:
I want to see it head to head with the Batis.Quick and dirty* comparison shots; 25mm Batis vs 26mm Viltrox. (cropped to match FOV and adjusted exposure/curves a bit to get a closer overall match).
Thoughts?
*it was windy, so the foliage was moving around between shots.
Very close , I guess I will have to buy it
Do you have the Thypoch 28mm as well?
MikeEvangelist wrote:
Garmadon wrote
I agree ,but I usually care way more about the subject.I want to see it head to head with the Batis.
Thoughts?
*it was windy, so the foliage was moving around between shots.
Jul 20, 2026 at 03:32 AM
p.5 #4Viltrox 26mm f2.8 EVO for Z and E - first look
Looking forward to trying to this lens for street photography though slow focussing could be an issue for me. I have an excellent copy of the Baits 25 but I find it too big for the way I like to shoot from the hip. Over the years I have tried 3 copies of the FE 28/2 but none of them performed well even stopped down.
Jul 20, 2026 at 05:29 AM
p.5 #5Viltrox 26mm f2.8 EVO for Z and E - first look
Im doing 90% of my photography and videography with the 25mm Batis.
Viramati wrote:
Looking forward to trying to this lens for street photography though slow focussing could be an issue for me. I have an excellent copy of the Baits 25 but I find it too big for the way I like to shoot from the hip. Over the years I have tried 3 copies of the FE 28/2 but none of them performed well even stopped down.
Jul 20, 2026 at 05:47 AM
p.5 #6Viltrox 26mm f2.8 EVO for Z and E - first look
Garmadon wrote:
Im doing 90% of my photography and videography with the 25mm Batis.
Since the 1970's 28mm has been my most used focal length and I wait in vain for something small, light and of a high IQ and this lens looks like the latest lens that may come close in the Sony lineup
Im doing 90% of my photography and videography with the 25mm Batis.
Viramati wrote
Looking forward to trying to this lens for street photography though slow focussing could be an issue for me. I have an excellent copy of the Baits 25 but I find it too big for the way I like to shoot from the hip. Over the years I have tried 3 copies of the FE 28/2 but none of them performed well even stopped down.Since the 1970's 28mm has been my most used focal length and I wait in vain for something small, light and of a high IQ and this lens looks like the latest lens that may come close in the Sony lineup
Jul 20, 2026 at 06:09 AM
p.5 #7Viltrox 26mm f2.8 EVO for Z and E - first look
First post of this thread, boss.
rob_ww wrote:
@RoamingScott@ is your review finished yet?
rob_ww wrote:
@RoamingScott@ is your review finished yet?
Jul 20, 2026 at 06:15 AM
p.5 #8Viltrox 26mm f2.8 EVO for Z and E - first look
Ah yes. I thought that was a first look but I now see it is in fact the review. Thanks
Jul 20, 2026 at 07:29 AM
p.5 #9Viltrox 26mm f2.8 EVO for Z and E - first look
This lens grows on me daily. I know Viltrox makes the 40 "air" so this is unlikely, but I'd really like a sister version of this pancake EVO in about a 43mm... One can hope
ILCE-7CM2 Viltrox 26mm F2.8 FE lens 26mm f/8.0 1/800s 100 ISO 0.0 EV
ILCE-7CM2 Viltrox 26mm F2.8 FE lens 26mm f/8.0 1/8000s 3200 ISO 0.0 EV
Jul 20, 2026 at 03:59 PM
p.5 #10Viltrox 26mm f2.8 EVO for Z and E - first look
The bike photo seems like the most compelling case yet!
Jul 20, 2026 at 07:06 PM
|
p.5 #11Viltrox 26mm f2.8 EVO for Z and E - first look
RoamingScott wrote:
First post of this thread, boss.
Thanks for the review and the link.
Ordered and anxious.
First post of this thread, boss.
rob_ww wrote
@RoamingScott@@@ is your review finished yet?Thanks for the review and the link.
Ordered and anxious.
Jul 21, 2026 at 06:31 AM
p.5 #12Viltrox 26mm f2.8 EVO for Z and E - first look
I saw this grounded boat, and it screamed B&W to me too, so here it is -- V26...
ILCE-7CM2 Viltrox 26mm F2.8 FE lens 26mm f/8.0 1/1000s 100 ISO 0.0 EV
Jul 21, 2026 at 08:01 PM
p.5 #13Viltrox 26mm f2.8 EVO for Z and E - first look
quick shot of the pup wide open on the A7RV. pretty pleasing out of focus rendering imo! compression makes this much less sharp than it actually is as I had to hit the 1.4mb limit
Jul 22, 2026 at 12:27 PM
p.5 #14Viltrox 26mm f2.8 EVO for Z and E - first look
I'm really thrilled with my “Viltrox AF 26/2.8 FE” lens on my Sony A7RV…🙂
Here's a photo I took in Wernigerode in the beautiful Harz Mountains in Germany.
Here's a photo I took in Wernigerode in the beautiful Harz Mountains in Germany.
Jul 22, 2026 at 03:53 PM
p.5 #15Viltrox 26mm f2.8 EVO for Z and E - first look
Yes, for informed photographers, it's one of the first cabs off the rank for any close focusing modern lens, even a wide one with a f2.8 max aperture. 0.2m is close, even at 25.2mm (which is this one's true focal length at infinity).
And it breathes a bit, as Dustin Abbott points out. Some makers have a tradition of fast onset blur in their bokeh, others strive for an aesthetic slight softening of back/foreground image content (as yours above). One style redirects the eye to the subject from all the amorphous blur, the other shows the OOF as a pleasant complement to the subject, retaining context.
BTW, have you ever wondered why there are no well-constructed bokeh comparisons (and focus fade) of same-class lenses, amid all the endless sharpness testing? Wouldn't that be useful to prospective buyers who care about the WO images? Too many red faces would emerge from prominent makers. Best to stick to the Imatest charts.
And it breathes a bit, as Dustin Abbott points out. Some makers have a tradition of fast onset blur in their bokeh, others strive for an aesthetic slight softening of back/foreground image content (as yours above). One style redirects the eye to the subject from all the amorphous blur, the other shows the OOF as a pleasant complement to the subject, retaining context.
BTW, have you ever wondered why there are no well-constructed bokeh comparisons (and focus fade) of same-class lenses, amid all the endless sharpness testing? Wouldn't that be useful to prospective buyers who care about the WO images? Too many red faces would emerge from prominent makers. Best to stick to the Imatest charts.
Jul 22, 2026 at 03:58 PM
p.5 #16Viltrox 26mm f2.8 EVO for Z and E - first look
For who might care, if you put a 43mm filter on the "hood/filter ring", the magnetic cap still "works" in the sense that it will stay on, by the magnetism, but it actually doesn't fit flush over the front of the lens anymore....
EDIT after a long time: I actually got a normal 43mm lens cap that I think I will just use with this instead of the magnet cap...
EDIT after a long time: I actually got a normal 43mm lens cap that I think I will just use with this instead of the magnet cap...
Jul 22, 2026 at 06:03 PM
p.5 #17Viltrox 26mm f2.8 EVO for Z and E - first look
I'm currently traveling through the Harz Mountains with just my Sony A7RV and Viltrox FE 26/2.8 FE...🙂
Jul 23, 2026 at 10:36 AM
p.5 #18Viltrox 26mm f2.8 EVO for Z and E - first look
Got some gnarly banding in your skies, not sure if your post processing is causing that or not.
Jul 23, 2026 at 10:46 AM
p.5 #19Viltrox 26mm f2.8 EVO for Z and E - first look
That's what happens when we have to resize the images so drastically on German photography forums.
These links to my photos are from German photography forums.
The Viltrox AF 26/2.8 FE doesn't produce any banding in real-world use on the Sony A7RV.
These links to my photos are from German photography forums.
The Viltrox AF 26/2.8 FE doesn't produce any banding in real-world use on the Sony A7RV.
Jul 23, 2026 at 11:29 AM
p.5 #20Viltrox 26mm f2.8 EVO for Z and E - first look
Jack Flesher wrote:
I saw this grounded boat, and it screamed B&W to me too, so here it is -- V26...
Jack, really glad you heard it's cries and shared your response! I really like this. Nice!
Mary
I saw this grounded boat, and it screamed B&W to me too, so here it is -- V26...
Jack, really glad you heard it's cries and shared your response! I really like this. Nice!
Mary
Jul 24, 2026 at 09:32 AM