Nikon NIKKOR 20059 18-55mm
Viltrox Air AF 14/4.0 FE 14mm
What Buyers Say
Nikon NIKKOR 20059 18-55mm
This Nikon 18-55mm lens is widely praised for its sharpness, light weight, and excellent value for money, especially as a kit lens. Users highlight its vivid colors and quiet autofocus, though some note the plastic build feels fragile and the barrel can wobble at extended focal lengths. Overall, it's considered a fantastic starter lens that outperforms its modest price point.
Pros
- Sharp image quality
- Lightweight and portable
- Excellent value for money
- Vivid color reproduction
- Quiet autofocus
Cons
- Plastic build feels fragile
- Barrel wobbles at extended focal lengths
- No image stabilization
- Loose tolerances can affect focus
Viltrox Air AF 14/4.0 FE 14mm
The Viltrox lenses are overwhelmingly praised for their exceptional value, delivering sharp image quality, solid build, and fast autofocus at a fraction of the cost of name-brand alternatives. Many users highlight the impressive performance for portraits, landscapes, and street photography, with particular acclaim for the 135mm f/1.8 and 16mm f/1.8 models. A few isolated complaints mention autofocus struggles in low light, vignetting, and minor quality control issues, but the overall sentiment is highly positive.
Pros
- Exceptional value for money
- Sharp image quality
- Solid build construction
- Fast and accurate autofocus
- Lightweight and compact design
Cons
- Autofocus struggles in low light
- Vignetting at wide apertures
- Minor chromatic aberration
- No weather sealing
- Autofocus noise audible
Scores
Specifications
| Nikon NIKKOR 20059 18-55mm | Viltrox Air AF 14/4.0 FE 14mm | |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | zoom | wide-angle |
| Focal Length Min | 18 mm | 14 mm |
| Focal Length Max | 55 mm | 14 mm |
| Elements | 7 | 12 |
| Groups | 5 | 9 |
| Aspherical Elements | 2 | 2 |
| ED Elements | 1 | 4★ |
| Coating | Super Integrated Coating | HD multilayer nano coating |
| Aperture | ||
| Max Aperture | f/3.5 | f/16 |
| Min Aperture | 3.5-5.6 | f/4 |
| Constant | ✗ | ✗ |
| Diaphragm Blades | 7 | 7 |
| Build | ||
| Mount | Nikon F | Sony E |
| Format | APS-C | full-frame★ |
| Weather Sealed | — | ✓★ |
| Weight | 0.20 kg | 0.17 kg★ |
| Filter Thread | 55 mm | 58 mm |
| AF & Stabilization | ||
| AF Type | pulse stepping motor | STM★ |
| Stabilization | ✓★ | ✗ |
| Stabilization Stops | 4 stops★ | — |
| Focus | ||
| Min Focus Distance | 55 mm★ | 130 mm |
| Max Magnification | — | 0.23x★ |
Pros & Cons
Nikon NIKKOR 20059 18-55mm
- Strong macro (95th percentile)95th %ile
- Strong stabilization (92nd percentile)92nd %ile
- Strong af (85th percentile)85th %ile
- Strong build (84th percentile)84th %ile
Viltrox Air AF 14/4.0 FE 14mm
- Strong build (95th percentile)95th %ile
- Strong social proof (86th percentile)86th %ile
- Strong af (85th percentile)85th %ile
- Strong optical (84th percentile)84th %ile
- Below average bokeh (32nd percentile)
- Below average versatility (33rd percentile)
- Below average stabilization (34th percentile)
Pricing
Nikon NIKKOR 20059 18-55mm offers 2.2x better value for money
Verdict
Scores 97 overall, wins 8 of 9 usage categories and 3 of 22 specs.
