Viltrox Air AF 9mm f/2.8 Air 9mm

Viltrox Air AF 9mm f/2.8 Air 9mm

Viltrox
73 Overall Score
vs
Nikon NIKKOR 2178 16-85mm

Nikon NIKKOR 2178 16-85mm

Nikon
88 Overall Score

What Buyers Say

Viltrox Air AF 9mm f/2.8 Air 9mm

85 out of 100 medium confidence 13 reviews

The Viltrox 23mm f/1.4 lens for Fuji X mount receives overwhelmingly positive feedback for its sharpness, fast and quiet autofocus, and excellent build quality at a budget price. A few users note the lack of an aperture ring and some corner softness, but most consider it a great value compared to the Fujifilm equivalent. One reviewer received a wrong hood, and another found it heavy and less sharp than the Viltrox 35mm Air lens.

Pros
  • Excellent sharpness
  • Fast and quiet autofocus
  • Great build quality for the price
  • Good value compared to Fujifilm
  • Nice color rendering
Cons
  • No aperture ring
  • Slight corner softness
  • Heavy for some users
  • Received wrong hood
  • Less sharp than Viltrox 35mm Air
👍 Sharpness 7
👍 Autofocus performance 3
👍 Build quality 4
👍 Value for money 5
👎 Aperture ring 3
👎 Weight 2

Nikon NIKKOR 2178 16-85mm

88 out of 100 low confidence 8 reviews

The Nikon 16-85mm VR is widely praised as an excellent all-around zoom for DX cameras, delivering sharp images across the focal range with effective VR. Users note it outperforms kit lenses like the 18-105mm and even rivals the pricier 17-55mm in sharpness, though it is heavy and somewhat slow (f/3.5-5.6). Build quality is solid with a metal barrel, and the 16mm wide end is a key advantage for landscapes. Some caution about vignetting with thick filters and barrel distortion at 16mm, but overall it is considered a worthy investment for enthusiasts.

Pros
  • Excellent sharpness across focal range
  • Effective VR II image stabilization
  • Solid build with metal barrel
  • Useful 16-85mm zoom range
  • Great for landscapes and travel
Cons
  • Heavy weight (3.1 lb with D90)
  • Slow aperture (f/3.5-5.6)
  • Expensive for an f/3.5-5.6 lens
  • Barrel distortion at 16mm
  • Vignetting with thick filters at 16mm
👍 Image quality 7
👍 Build quality 5
👍 Vibration reduction 5
👎 Weight 4
🤔 Value for money 4
👍 Focal range 4

Scores

Budget
Viltrox
69
Nikon
88
Professional
Viltrox
79
Nikon
62
Portrait
Viltrox
66
Nikon
79
Street
Viltrox
77
Nikon
72
Landscape
Viltrox
76
Nikon
65
Video Cinema
Viltrox
75
Nikon
71
Travel
Viltrox
73
Nikon
68
Macro
Viltrox
66
Nikon
73
Wildlife Sports
Viltrox
72
Nikon
61

Specifications

Viltrox Air AF 9mm f/2.8 Air 9mmNikon NIKKOR 2178 16-85mm
Optics
Typewide-anglezoom
Focal Length Min9 mm16 mm
Focal Length Max9 mm85 mm
Elements13—
Groups11—
Aspherical Elements23★
ED Elements3★2
CoatingSpecialized Multi-Layer Coating TechnologySuper Integrated Coating
Aperture
Max Aperturef/16f/3.5
Min Aperturef/2.83.5-5.6
Constant✓★✗
Diaphragm Blades—7★
Build
MountFujifilm XNikon F
FormatAPS-CAPS-C
Weather Sealed✓★—
Weight0.17 kg★0.48 kg
Filter Thread58 mm67 mm
AF & Stabilization
AF TypeSTM + Lead screw focus motor★AF-S
Stabilization✓✓
Stabilization Stops—4 stops★
Focus
Min Focus Distance130 mm★380 mm
Max Magnification0.13 m★—

Pros & Cons

Viltrox Air AF 9mm f/2.8 Air 9mm

  • Strong build (95th percentile)95th %ile
  • Strong social proof (90th percentile)90th %ile
  • Strong af (86th percentile)86th %ile
  • Strong optical (84th percentile)84th %ile
  • Below average bokeh (31st percentile)
  • Below average versatility (34th percentile)

Nikon NIKKOR 2178 16-85mm

  • Strong versatility (94th percentile)94th %ile
  • Strong stabilization (93rd percentile)93rd %ile
  • Strong social proof (90th percentile)90th %ile
  • Strong user sentiment (81st percentile)81st %ile

Pricing

Viltrox Air AF 9mm f/2.8 Air 9mm

No current pricing available

Nikon NIKKOR 2178 16-85mm

Verdict

★ Winner: Nikon NIKKOR 2178 16-85mm

Scores 88 overall, wins 3 of 9 usage categories and 3 of 22 specs.

Viltrox Air AF 9mm f/2.8 Air 9mm Better at:

StreetTravelLandscapeProfessionalVideo CinemaWildlife Sports

Nikon NIKKOR 2178 16-85mm Better at:

MacroBudgetPortrait

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