Viltrox 35mm f/1.7 XF 35mm

Viltrox 35mm f/1.7 XF 35mm

Viltrox
97 Overall Score
vs
OM System M.Zuiko Digital 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 EZ

OM System M.Zuiko Digital 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 EZ

OM System
60 Overall Score

What Buyers Say

Viltrox 35mm f/1.7 XF 35mm

85 out of 100 high confidence 95 reviews

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
👍 Image quality 45
👍 Value for money 35
👍 Build quality 30
🤔 Autofocus performance 28
👍 Bokeh 15
👍 Low light performance 18

OM System M.Zuiko Digital 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 EZ

78 out of 100 high confidence 72 reviews

The Olympus M.Zuiko 14-42mm II R is widely praised as one of the best kit zooms available, offering impressive sharpness, compact size, and fast autofocus for its price. Users appreciate its lightweight, collapsible design and versatile focal range, though many note the variable aperture (f/3.5-5.6) limits low-light performance and bokeh. Common criticisms include the plastic mount, lack of included lens hood, and a sometimes-fiddly lock mechanism. Overall, it's considered a fantastic starter lens and a great value when bundled with a camera body.

Pros
  • Compact and lightweight design
  • Sharp image quality for a kit lens
  • Fast and quiet autofocus
  • Versatile focal range (28-84mm equivalent)
  • Great value when bundled with camera
Cons
  • Variable aperture limits low-light performance
  • Plastic lens mount feels cheap
  • No lens hood included
  • Lock mechanism can be cumbersome
  • Small aperture restricts bokeh
👍 Image quality 45
🤔 Build quality 30
👍 Size and portability 40
👎 Aperture and low light 25
👍 Autofocus performance 20
👍 Value for money 35

Scores

Street
Viltrox
96
OM System
56
Macro
Viltrox
94
OM System
64
Portrait
Viltrox
94
OM System
35
Budget
Viltrox
89
OM System
66
Video Cinema
Viltrox
81
OM System
42
Professional
Viltrox
73
OM System
44
Wildlife Sports
Viltrox
69
OM System
46
Travel
Viltrox
69
OM System
68
Landscape
Viltrox
60
OM System
63

Specifications

Viltrox 35mm f/1.7 XF 35mmOM System M.Zuiko Digital 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 EZ
Optics
Typeprimezoom
Focal Length Min35 mm14 mm
Focal Length Max35 mm42 mm
Elements118
Groups97
Aspherical Elements13★
ED Elements11
Coatinghigh-definition multi-layer coatingZERO
Aperture
Max Aperturef/1.7f/22
Min Aperturef/1.73.5-5.6
Constant✗✗
Diaphragm Blades9★5
Build
MountFujifilm XMicro Four Thirds
FormatAPS-C★micro-four-thirds
Weather Sealed✗✗
Weight0.18 kg0.09 kg★
Filter Thread52 mm37 mm
AF & Stabilization
AF TypeSTM (Stepping Motor)★MSC
Stabilization✓★✗
Focus
Min Focus Distance35 mm★200 mm
Max Magnification1:7.71:4.35

Pros & Cons

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)

OM System M.Zuiko Digital 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 EZ

  • Strong build (97th percentile)97th %ile
  • Strong macro (83rd percentile)83rd %ile
  • Strong versatility (82nd percentile)82nd %ile
  • Strong social proof (74th percentile)
  • Below average bokeh (4th percentile)4th %ile
  • Below average aperture (22nd percentile)
  • Below average user sentiment (30th percentile)

Verdict

★ Winner: Viltrox 35mm f/1.7 XF 35mm

Scores 97 overall, wins 7 of 9 usage categories and 5 of 21 specs.

Viltrox 35mm f/1.7 XF 35mm Better at:

MacroBudgetStreetPortraitProfessionalVideo CinemaWildlife Sports

OM System M.Zuiko Digital 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 EZ Better at:

Landscape