Big Mike's SLY500 500mm
Viltrox Air AF 9mm F2.8 E 9mm
What Buyers Say
Big Mike's SLY500 500mm
This budget telephoto lens receives mixed reviews. Many users praise its value for the price, noting clear focus and decent image quality for occasional use like moon photography. However, several verified buyers report issues with soft focus, dust contamination, and poor build quality, especially with the 2x teleconverter. It is best suited for those with realistic expectations who are willing to use a tripod and manual focus.
Pros
- Great value for the price
- Clear focus for occasional use
- Decent image quality on tripod
- Good for moon and eclipse photography
- Solid adapter and converter machining
Cons
- Soft focus on some units
- Dust contamination from 2x teleconverter
- Requires lots of light (f/8 max aperture)
- No image stabilization
- Adapter lacks back cover
Viltrox Air AF 9mm F2.8 E 9mm
The Viltrox lenses receive overwhelmingly positive feedback for their exceptional value, sharp image quality, and solid build. Users praise the fast apertures and autofocus performance, though some note issues with chromatic aberration in high-contrast scenes and noisy autofocus on certain models. Overall, these lenses are seen as a budget-friendly alternative that punches above their price point.
Pros
- Excellent value for money
- Sharp image quality wide open
- Solid metal construction
- Fast and accurate autofocus
- Pleasing bokeh
Cons
- Chromatic aberration in high contrast
- Noisy autofocus in video
- Slow autofocus in low light
- No weather sealing
- Front-heavy on small bodies
Scores
Specifications
| Big Mike's SLY500 500mm | Viltrox Air AF 9mm F2.8 E 9mm | |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | telephoto | prime |
| Focal Length Min | 500 mm | 9 mm |
| Focal Length Max | 1000 mm | 9 mm |
| Elements | — | 13 |
| Groups | — | 11 |
| Aspherical Elements | — | 2★ |
| ED Elements | — | 3★ |
| Coating | multi-coated | HD multilayer nano coating |
| Aperture | ||
| Max Aperture | f/8 | f/16 |
| Min Aperture | f/8 | f/2.8 |
| Constant | ✓ | ✓ |
| Diaphragm Blades | — | 7★ |
| Build | ||
| Mount | T Mount | Sony E |
| Format | — | APS-C★ |
| Weather Sealed | — | ✗ |
| Weight | 1.16 kg | 0.17 kg★ |
| Filter Thread | 67 mm | 58 mm |
| AF & Stabilization | ||
| AF Type | manual focus only | STM★ |
| Stabilization | ✓★ | ✗ |
| Focus | ||
| Min Focus Distance | 500 mm | 130 mm★ |
| Max Magnification | — | 1:6.66★ |
Pros & Cons
Big Mike's SLY500 500mm
- Strong stabilization (81st percentile)81st %ile
- Strong versatility (72nd percentile)
- Below average user sentiment (6th percentile)6th %ile
- Below average af (14th percentile)14th %ile
- Below average build (15th percentile)15th %ile
Viltrox Air AF 9mm F2.8 E 9mm
- Strong social proof (91st percentile)91st %ile
- Strong macro (90th percentile)90th %ile
- Strong build (87th percentile)87th %ile
- Strong af (86th percentile)86th %ile
- Below average bokeh (30th percentile)
- Below average versatility (34th percentile)
Pricing
Viltrox Air AF 9mm F2.8 E 9mm offers 1.3x better value for money
Verdict
Scores 72 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 8 of 21 specs.
