Viltrox Pancake 28mm F4.5 28mm
Tamron Di III 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III VXD G2
What Buyers Say
Viltrox Pancake 28mm F4.5 28mm
The Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 pancake lens is widely praised for its ultra-compact size, lightweight design, and excellent value, making it a favorite for street photography and travel. Users note it turns a full-frame camera into a highly portable setup, though the fixed f/4.5 aperture and lack of manual focus ring are limiting for some. Image quality is considered good for the price, but low-light performance and autofocus in dim conditions are common drawbacks. A few users reported a stuck rear lens cap or battery drain on certain Sony models, but overall sentiment is positive for its intended casual use.
Pros
- Ultra-compact and lightweight design
- Excellent value for the price
- Great for street photography and travel
- Sharp image quality for its class
- Built-in lens cover
Cons
- Fixed f/4.5 aperture
- No manual focus ring
- Poor low-light autofocus
- Battery drain on Sony A5100
- Stuck rear lens cap issue
Tamron Di III 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III VXD G2
The Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 lens is highly praised for its sharpness, fast autofocus, and lightweight design, making it a versatile and affordable alternative to Sony's GM lenses. Users appreciate its performance in portraits and low light, though some note the plastic build and lack of weather sealing as drawbacks. Overall, it is considered an excellent value for both enthusiasts and professionals.
Pros
- Sharp image quality
- Fast and accurate autofocus
- Lightweight design
- Versatile focal range
- Good value for money
Cons
- Plastic build quality
- No weather sealing
- Zoom ring reversed from focus ring
- Slightly long for discrete use
- Colors slightly duller than GM lenses
Scores
Specifications
| Viltrox Pancake 28mm F4.5 28mm | Tamron Di III 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III VXD G2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | wide-angle | zoom |
| Focal Length Min | 28 mm | 28 mm |
| Focal Length Max | 28 mm | 75 mm |
| Elements | 6 | 17 |
| Groups | 6 | 15 |
| Aspherical Elements | 2 | 2 |
| ED Elements | 2 | 2 |
| Coating | nano multi-coating | Fluorine Coating |
| Aperture | ||
| Max Aperture | f/4.5 | f/2.8 |
| Min Aperture | f/4.5 | f/2.8 |
| Constant | ✓ | ✓ |
| Diaphragm Blades | 6 | 9★ |
| Build | ||
| Mount | L-Mount | Sony E |
| Format | full-frame | full-frame |
| Weather Sealed | ✓ | ✓ |
| Weight | 0.08 kg★ | 0.54 kg |
| Filter Thread | — | 67 mm |
| AF & Stabilization | ||
| AF Type | VCM | VXD linear motor★ |
| Stabilization | ✓ | ✓ |
| Focus | ||
| Min Focus Distance | 420 mm | 180 mm★ |
| Max Magnification | 0.11X | 1:2.7★ |
Pros & Cons
Viltrox Pancake 28mm F4.5 28mm
- Strong build (99th percentile)99th %ile
- Strong stabilization (80th percentile)80th %ile
- Below average social proof (9th percentile)9th %ile
- Below average user sentiment (16th percentile)16th %ile
- Below average macro (31st percentile)
- Below average versatility (34th percentile)
Tamron Di III 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III VXD G2
- Strong af (98th percentile)98th %ile
- Strong optical (92nd percentile)92nd %ile
- Strong bokeh (89th percentile)89th %ile
- Strong social proof (86th percentile)86th %ile
Pricing
Viltrox Pancake 28mm F4.5 28mm offers 7.4x better value for money
Verdict
Scores 100 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 4 of 21 specs.
