Viltrox AF AF 28/1.8 Z 28mm
With an f/1.8 maximum aperture, 28mm focal length, and 366g weight, this prime delivers bright low-light performance and Eye AF-capable STM autofocus for Nikon Z full-frame cameras. Weather sealing and HD Nano Multilayer Coating enhance contrast while a 9-blade diaphragm yields smooth background blur, complementing its sharp 11-element optical design. Portrait photographers will appreciate the fast aperture and precise autofocus, achieving an 84 score in that category.
Snapshot
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Strong af (86th percentile) 86th
- Strong social proof (83th percentile) 83th
- Strong optical (75th percentile) 75th
Cons
- Below average macro (21th percentile)
- Below average versatility (34th percentile)
What owners think
How owner sentiment changed over time
ExclusiveBased on when customers actually wrote their reviews - so you can see whether early praise held up.
- Q4 202572/100
Buyers praise the lens for excellent image quality, sharpness, and value, noting fast autofocus and solid build. Minor criticisms include chromatic aberration and an outdated USB port.
- Image quality is sharp with beautiful colors and good background separation.
- Lens offers great value for the price, with solid metal construction.
- Chromatic aberration in high contrast areas produces green artifacts.
- Autofocus is fast enough but could be quicker; USB port is not USB-C.
- Q3 202576/100
Reviewers praised the lens for its compactness, sharpness, and affordable price, but raised concerns about distortion and poor low-light autofocus performance.
- Compact size and build quality are highly valued, making it ideal for travel and video.
- Autofocus is fast in daylight but hunts in very low light with no manual focus ring.
- Distortion causes wavy lines in the periphery, making it unusable for critical work.
- Good value versus comparable lenses from other brands.
- Q1 202593/100
Buyers praise the lens for its compact size, lightweight metal build, and good value for travel and street photography. Image quality is sharp with fast, quiet autofocus, though the f/4.5 aperture limits low-light performance.
- Extremely compact and lightweight, ideal for travel and everyday carry
- Sharp image quality with good edge-to-edge clarity and little chromatic aberration
- F/4.5 aperture limits low-light use but enables reliable autofocus
- Flare and streaking resemble phone camera optics when lens is dirty
Based on 17 dated customer reviews, grouped by calendar quarter. Period analysis is in English.
The proof
Performance
Specifications
Full Specifications
Optics
| Type | prime |
| Focal Length Min | 28 |
| Focal Length Max | 28 |
| Elements | 11 |
| Groups | 9 |
| Aspherical Elements | 2 |
| ED Elements | 3 |
| Coating | HD Nano Multilayer Coating |
Aperture
| Max Aperture | 16 |
| Min Aperture | 1.8 |
| Constant | Yes |
| Diaphragm Blades | 9 |
Build
| Mount | Nikon Z |
| Format | full-frame |
| Weather Sealed | No |
| Weight | 0.4 kg / 0.8 lbs |
| Filter Thread | 55 |
AF & Stabilization
| AF Type | STM |
| Stabilization | No |
Focus
| Min Focus Distance | 370 |
| Max Magnification | 0.1x |
vs Competition
| Spec | Viltrox AF AF 28/1.8 Z 28mm | Canon RF RF28-70mm F2.8 IS STM Macro | Sigma Contemporary 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS | Tamron Di III-A 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di III-A VC VXD | Nikon NIKKOR AF-S DX NIKKOR 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR | Panasonic LUMIX S S-R28200 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Focal Length | 28mm | 28-70mm | 16-300mm | 18-300mm | 16-85mm | 28-200mm |
| Max Aperture | 16 | 2.8 | f/3.5 | f/3.5 | f/3.5 | f/4 |
| Mount | Nikon Z | Canon RF | Sony E | Fuji X | Nikon F | L-Mount |
| Stabilization | false | true | true | true | true | true |
| Weather Sealed | false | true | true | false | false | true |
| Weight (g) | 367 | 495 | 615 | 92 | 59 | 413 |
| AF Type | STM | STM | HLA | VXD linear motor | AF-S | Autofocus |
| Lens Type | prime | zoom | zoom | zoom | zoom | macro |
| Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare |
| Product | Af | Bokeh | Build | Macro | Optical | Aperture | Versatility | Social Proof | Stabilization |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Viltrox AF AF 28/1.8 Z 28mm | 86 | 47.4 | 62.7 | 20.6 | 74.9 | 52.3 | 34 | 83.2 | 35.8 |
| Canon RF RF28-70mm F2.8 IS STM Macro Compare | 86 | 88.2 | 67 | 77.7 | 84.5 | 86 | 77.4 | 52.9 | 98.2 |
| Sigma Contemporary 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS Compare | 55.1 | 86.6 | 57.6 | 86.7 | 98.9 | 79.9 | 99.6 | 78.1 | 99 |
| Tamron Di III-A 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di III-A VC VXD Compare | 98.2 | 78 | 96.2 | 88.6 | 73.5 | 79.9 | 99.2 | 83.2 | 80.7 |
| Nikon NIKKOR AF-S DX NIKKOR 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR Compare | 55.1 | 78 | 98.5 | 59.9 | 64.2 | 79.9 | 94.2 | 88.1 | 92.3 |
| Panasonic LUMIX S S-R28200 Compare | 55.1 | 80.8 | 73.5 | 71.7 | 90.9 | 74.5 | 95.6 | 62.7 | 99.4 |
Price
Value & Pricing
Amazon.co.uk 1 offers From £631
Usage Scores
A full written review is coming soon. The specs, scores, prices and charts above are always up to date.
