Viltrox 35mm f/1.7 XF 35mm
Tamron Di III 17-70mm f/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD
What Buyers Say
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
Tamron Di III 17-70mm f/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD
The Tamron 17-70mm f/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD lens is widely praised for its sharpness, versatile zoom range, constant aperture, and effective stabilization, making it an excellent all-around lens for APS-C cameras. Users appreciate its solid build quality and value for money, though many note it is noticeably heavier and larger than typical kit lenses, which can feel unbalanced on smaller camera bodies. A few reviewers mention minor issues like chromatic aberration at the longer end and noise from the aperture blades at certain settings, but overall sentiment is very positive.
Pros
- sharp image quality across zoom range
- constant f/2.8 aperture
- effective image stabilization
- fast and quiet autofocus
- versatile 17-70mm focal range
Cons
- heavy and large for APS-C body
- chromatic aberration at 50-70mm
- aperture blade noise above f/5.6
- short zoom throw initially stiff
- no aperture ring on Fuji version
Scores
Specifications
| Viltrox 35mm f/1.7 XF 35mm | Tamron Di III 17-70mm f/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD | |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | prime | zoom |
| Focal Length Min | 35 mm | 17 mm |
| Focal Length Max | 35 mm | 70 mm |
| Elements | 11 | 16 |
| Groups | 9 | 12 |
| Aspherical Elements | 1 | 3★ |
| ED Elements | 1 | 2★ |
| Coating | high-definition multi-layer coating | Fluorine Coating |
| Aperture | ||
| Max Aperture | f/1.7 | f/2.8 |
| Min Aperture | f/1.7 | f/2.8 |
| Constant | ✗ | ✓★ |
| Diaphragm Blades | 9 | 9 |
| Build | ||
| Mount | Fujifilm X | Sony E |
| Format | APS-C | APS-C |
| Weather Sealed | ✗ | ✓★ |
| Weight | 0.18 kg★ | 0.54 kg |
| Filter Thread | 52 mm | 67 mm |
| AF & Stabilization | ||
| AF Type | STM (Stepping Motor)★ | RXD |
| Stabilization | ✓ | ✓ |
| Focus | ||
| Min Focus Distance | 35 mm★ | 190 mm |
| Max Magnification | 1:7.7 | 1:4.8 |
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)
Tamron Di III 17-70mm f/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD
- Strong optical (90th percentile)90th %ile
- Strong versatility (90th percentile)90th %ile
- Strong bokeh (89th percentile)89th %ile
- Strong aperture (86th percentile)86th %ile
Pricing
Viltrox 35mm f/1.7 XF 35mm offers 4.2x better value for money
Verdict
Both products are closely matched - Viltrox 35mm f/1.7 XF 35mm wins 3 specs while Tamron Di III 17-70mm f/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD wins 4.
