Laowa 9mm f/2.8 Zero-D 9mm
Viltrox 35mm f/1.7 XF 35mm
What Buyers Say
Laowa 9mm f/2.8 Zero-D 9mm
The Laowa 9mm f/2.8 Zero-D lens is widely praised for its compact size, sharp image quality, and minimal distortion, making it a favorite for landscape, architecture, and real estate photography. Users appreciate its wide field of view and solid build, though some note vignetting at wide apertures and a few report sample variation or infinity focus issues. Overall, it offers excellent value for an ultra-wide manual lens, especially for APS-C cameras.
Pros
- Compact and lightweight
- Sharp image quality
- Minimal distortion (Zero-D)
- Wide field of view
- Solid build quality
Cons
- Vignetting at wide apertures
- Infinity focus inconsistency
- Sample variation (sharpness)
- Manual focus only
- High price for some
Viltrox 35mm f/1.7 XF 35mm
The Viltrox AF 35mm f/1.7 lens is widely loved for its sharp image quality, fast aperture, and surprisingly low price. Users praise its lightweight design, compact size, and quick autofocus, making it an excellent everyday walk-around lens. Some note autofocus can be noisier or slower than premium lenses, and a few report chromatic aberration in high-contrast scenes. A handful of complaints involve inconsistent packaging or compatibility misunderstandings, but the overall sentiment is overwhelmingly positive.
Pros
- Sharp image quality wide open
- Fast f/1.7 aperture for low light
- Lightweight and compact design
- Great value for the price
- Fast and accurate autofocus
Cons
- Autofocus noise in quiet environments
- Chromatic aberration in high contrast
- No weather sealing
- Slow autofocus in low light
- Missing aperture ring
Scores
Specifications
| Laowa 9mm f/2.8 Zero-D 9mm | Viltrox 35mm f/1.7 XF 35mm | |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | prime | prime |
| Focal Length Min | 9 mm | 35 mm |
| Focal Length Max | 9 mm | 35 mm |
| Elements | 15 | 11 |
| Groups | 10 | 9 |
| Aspherical Elements | 2★ | 1 |
| ED Elements | 3★ | 1 |
| Coating | Frog Eye Coating | high-definition multi-layer coating |
| Aperture | ||
| Max Aperture | f/2.8 | f/1.7 |
| Min Aperture | f/2.8 | f/1.7 |
| Constant | ✓★ | ✗ |
| Diaphragm Blades | 7 | 9★ |
| Build | ||
| Mount | Nikon Z | Fujifilm X |
| Format | APS-C | APS-C |
| Weather Sealed | ✓★ | ✗ |
| Weight | 0.21 kg | 0.18 kg★ |
| Filter Thread | 49 mm | 52 mm |
| AF & Stabilization | ||
| AF Type | manual focus only | STM (Stepping Motor)★ |
| Stabilization | ✗ | ✓★ |
| Focus | ||
| Min Focus Distance | 120 mm | 35 mm★ |
| Max Magnification | 1:7.7 | 1:7.7 |
Pros & Cons
Laowa 9mm f/2.8 Zero-D 9mm
- Strong macro (92nd percentile)92nd %ile
- Strong build (91st percentile)91st %ile
- Strong optical (87th percentile)87th %ile
- Strong aperture (86th percentile)86th %ile
- Below average af (14th percentile)14th %ile
- Below average versatility (34th percentile)
Viltrox 35mm f/1.7 XF 35mm
- Strong macro (97th percentile)97th %ile
- Strong bokeh (96th percentile)96th %ile
- Strong aperture (95th percentile)95th %ile
- Strong build (87th percentile)87th %ile
- Below average versatility (34th percentile)
Pricing
Viltrox 35mm f/1.7 XF 35mm offers 3.8x better value for money
Verdict
Scores 97 overall, wins 7 of 9 usage categories and 5 of 21 specs.
