Viltrox’s First L-Mount Alliance Lens Is the AF 16mm f/1.8 L

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A person holds a professional digital camera with a large lens, seen from above. The background features colorful, out-of-focus lights, creating a bokeh effect.

Viltrox has revealed that its first autofocus-equipped L-Mount lens is the AF 16mm f/1.8 L. The ultra-wide full-frame prime lens promises excellent performance for astro and landscape photography, as well as dynamic wide-angle video applications.

Viltrox joined the L-Mount Alliance last September, promising that its first AF-equipped L-Mount lens would come soon. With its L-Mount Alliance membership now bearing fruit, Viltrox says this milestone “demonstrates Viltrox’s commitment to photographers and filmmakers working within the L-Mount ecosystem, by delivering high-performance optics, advanced autofocus, and professional-level control.”

A close-up of a camera lens with a digital display showing focal distance, surrounded by a warm red gradient background. The lens markings read "AF 16/1.8 L," and various focus and aperture numbers are visible.

Viltrox first launched the AF 16mm f/1.8 lens for Sony E-mount in May 2023, and it proved to be excellent. Arguably, this is one of the early lenses that signaled that Viltrox was a lens company worth paying close attention to and taking very seriously.

“It takes pride to accomplish what Viltrox has done with this lens while maintaining an affordable $550 price. I wasn’t paying any attention to the company before, but I sure am now,” Ryan Mense wrote for PetaPixel in 2023.

Viltrox brought the AF 16mm f/1.8 lens to Nikon Z cameras in May 2024 as well.

The new L-Mount version has all the same features and specs as before. The lens still captures an ultra-wide 105.6° field of view and features 15 lens elements arranged in a dozen groups, including three aspherical and four ED elements. The lens promises excellent sharpness, minimal distortion, and nearly no chromatic aberration, even when shooting wide open. Importantly for night sky photography, the lens also promises minimal comatic aberration, helping keep stars round and sharp.

A close-up photo of a Panasonic Lumix digital camera with a 50mm lens, displaying detailed buttons and dials, on a dark background.

Close-up of a black camera lens showing detailed controls, including an autofocus/manual focus switch, a focus ring, aperture markings, and a red label with white text on the lens barrel.

A close-up view of a Lumix camera with a large Viltrox 16mm f/1.8 lens attached, set against a plain dark background. The camera's control buttons and dials are visible.

The new lens features Viltrox’s STM stepping motor technology, promising quick, quiet, and smooth autofocusing. The lens supports eye- and face-detection autofocus on L-Mount cameras, and Viltrox notes that it has very little focus breathing.

Like the E and Z-mount versions that came before it, the new AF 16mm f/1.8 L also features a 0.96-inch color lens info panel on the barrel. This displays relevant shooting data, such as focus distance, depth of field, aperture, and more. The weather-resistant lens has two customizable function buttons, an AF/MF switch, a de-clickable aperture control ring, and a 77mm front filter thread.

A woman with long brown hair, wearing a brown knit sweater, is outdoors holding a camera up to her eye and taking a photo. The background appears blurred and natural, suggesting a field or park.

“The launch of the AF 16mm F1.8 L marks Viltrox’s first L-Mount lens, introducing a large-aperture ultra-wide option that combines advanced optical performance with an accessible price point for L-Mount users,” Viltrox says. “Designed with modern optical engineering, professional control features, and full system-level compatibility, the AF 16mm F1.8 L expands the range of practical, high-performance lens options within the L-Mount ecosystem, supporting photographers and filmmakers with professional yet affordable tools.”

Sample Images

A young woman with long dark hair, wearing a brown sweater and patterned skirt, sits in a field of tall dry grass, sketching on a pad in front of a wooden easel under a cloudy sky.

A young woman in a white coat and blue scarf stands on a city street at dusk, with tall buildings and city lights in the background. She looks thoughtful, gazing off to the side.

A woman in a brown outfit stands in a dry grassy field, holding a bouquet of red flowers toward the camera. A sheer brown scarf trails behind her in the wind against a cloudy sky.

A woman with long dark hair and natural makeup stands on a city street, wearing a blue and white zip-up top. Behind her, red taxis and buildings line the busy urban scene.

A young woman with long hair stands in a field of tall grass, wearing a brown knit sweater and a flowing scarf. She holds a round palette in one hand and gazes thoughtfully at the camera under a cloudy sky.