Viltrox AF 28mm F4.5 Chip L-Mount is $99 Pancake Lens for Photographers Who Travel Light

Viltrox has announced the AF 28mm F4.5 Chip L, a full-frame autofocus pancake lens for L-Mount cameras priced at just $99. At 60g and 13.2mm thin, it’s a go-to lens if you want to travel light and/or go unnoticed when photographing on the street.

The 28mm focal length sits in a sweet spot for street and travel photography. Viltrox pairs it with a VCM (Voice Coil Motor) autofocus system, promising fast and quiet performance. For a $99 lens, that doesn’t sound too bad.

The Viltrox AF 28mm F4.5 Chip L comes with a built-in slide-lever lens cover. Viltrox also built in a polygonal aperture plate that creates starburst effects around point light sources – a nice touch for night shooting, even if it’s more of a party trick than a practical feature.

A major downside is the fixed f/4.5 aperture. If you’re a control freak who uses their camera on manual only and wants to have as many options as possible, this isn’t such good news (I was describing myself, btw). Also, that’s not a super-fast aperture, so this may not be your go-to lens for low-light work, unless your camera has usable ISO at higher levels. It’s a lens for bright days, travel snapshots, and keeping things simple. Speaking of keeping things simple, there’s no image stabilization either, so lean on your body’s IBIS if you have it.

Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 Specs

Specification	Details
Focal Length	28mm
Aperture	Fixed: f/4.5
Lens Mount	L-Mount
Lens Format Coverage	Full-Frame
Angle of View	73.4°
Minimum Focus Distance	1′ / 32 cm
Magnification	1:10 Macro Reproduction Ratio / 0.1x Magnification
Optical Design	6 Elements in 6 Groups
Focus Type	Autofocus
Image Stabilization	No
Dimensions	ø: 2.4 x L: 0.5″ / ø: 60.6 x L: 13.2 mm
Weight	2.1 oz / 60 g

Pricing And Availability

The Viltrox AF 28mm F4.5 Chip L is available for orders now, priced at only $99.

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